Music

Supervisor of Art & Music (Morris Hills): Mr. Dominique Dixon, ddixon@mhrd.org

Supervisor of Art & Music (Morris Knolls): Mrs. Erin Morgan, emorgan@mhrd.org

Honors Music Program

Students in grades 10-12 may opt to participate in our Honors Music Program in Band, Choir, and/or Strings, which encourages musicians to develop and showcase their performance abilities. Students will complete a year-long music analysis program and work to improve individual artistic expression. This will include an advanced study of musical genres, critical listening, and solo performance repertoire. Successful completion of the required academic and artistic goals will result in the awarding of honors credit for the music ensemble course, which includes bonus weighting in the GPA. Please see your music teacher for more information.

Ensembles

BAND/ADVANCED BAND/ADVANCED BAND H (VP980/VP983/VP380)

Band: Grade 9 & Upperclassmen without prior experience

Advanced Band/Advanced Band H: Grades 10, 11, 12

5 credits each year; One Year Elective

The Morris Hills Regional District’s band program consists of beginner through advanced bands. Students may enter the band program without audition regardless of experience. Standard, modern, and popular band literature is studied and performed. All band students are required to attend one weekly lesson during the lunch blocks. In addition, students may participate in a variety of extra-curricular musical groups such as Marching Band, State, Region, or Area Bands, Jazz Band, Brass Ensemble, Drum Line, Pit Band, and Wind Ensemble.

CONCERT CHOIR (VP990)

Grades 9, 10, 11, 12; 5 credits each year

One Year Elective

This course is for first-year choir students who enjoy singing and want to develop their vocal skills. No audition is necessary. These students develop their music reading skills and vocal ensemble techniques. Voice building and vocal technique are taught through the study of breath control, vocal production, diction, diatonic/chromatic scales, and sight-singing/ear training. Students are required to attend a designated amount of choral lessons during the lunch blocks each marking period. Concert Choir members perform at evening concerts and festivals. Opportunities exist for students who are highly motivated to advance onto Advanced Concert Choir and audition for a number of co-curricular and extra-curricular vocal groups in the high school, the school musical, and Region I and State Honors Choirs.

Nearer My God to Thee.MOV

ADVANCED CONCERT CHOIR (VP991)

AND

ADVANCED CONCERT CHOIR HONORS (VP390)

Grades 10,11, 12; 5 credits; One Year Elective; Prerequisite: Concert Choir & Teacher Recommendation

This course is open to all students after successfully completing one year in Concert Choir and recommendation by their director. Advanced Concert Choir (ACC) sings a variety of literature including secular, sacred, popular, and show music. ACC classes afford all interested students an opportunity for a pleasurable vocal music experience and training. In addition to class instruction each marking period, students are required to attend choral lessons during the lunch blocks. Opportunities exist for students who are highly motivated to audition for a number of co-curricular and extra-curricular vocal groups in the high school, the school musical, and Region I and State Honors Choirs. ACC members perform at evening concerts and festivals.

STRINGS ENSEMBLE/STRINGS ENSEMBLE H (VP981/VP381)

Grades 9, 10, 11, 12; 5 credits each year; Prerequisite: None

The Morris Hills Regional Strings Ensemble is a district-wide musical performance group. Students will study and perform a diverse range of musical genres, spanning from the baroque to modern musical eras, with a focus on the continued development of proper string instrument techniques. In addition to class instruction, students will attend individual string lessons during the lunch blocks. Students will function as a member of a musical ensemble, while studying musical ear training and rehearsal, performance, and musical analysis techniques. Students will have the opportunity to perform at several events throughout the year and will be eligible to audition for Regional and All-State Orchestra.

The District String Ensemble performs at our Spring Concert

Radetzky March - MHRD Orch..mov

Other Music Courses

MUSIC APPRECIATION (VP982)

Grades 9, 10, 11, 12; 5 credits; One Year Elective

Music Appreciation is a course designed to discuss and experience the world of music from the days of classical composition to the modern era of digital recording. In this course, students will study music from a variety of angles: how it is created; how it is manufactured and distributed; and how the business model has continued to change throughout the history of western culture. Students will use high level problem solving skills to attack the issues facing modern era musicians. This class serves as an introduction to the modern music industry and computer-based music creation, but the classroom serves as an introduction to meaningful productivity in the 21st century workplace.

MUSIC THEORY/COMPOSITION (VP984)

Grades 9, 10, 11, 12; 5 credits; One Year Elective

This course is designed to foster the development of a thorough understanding of the fundamentals of music including melody, harmony, rhythm, and music reading, writing and aural skills. Some prior music reading experience is required.

ADVANCED PLACEMENT MUSIC THEORY (VP420)

Grades 10, 11, 12; 5 credits; One Year Elective; Prerequisite: Music Theory/Composition or demonstration of success on the MHRD Music Theory/Composition Final Exam

This course is designed as a continuation of Music Theory/Composition and includes the study of college entry-level musicianship, theory, musical materials and procedures. Ultimately, the goal of the course is to develop a student’s ability to recognize, understand and describe the basic materials and processes of music that are heard or presented in a score. The achievement of this goal is promoted by integrated approaches to the development of aural skills, sight singing skills, written skills, compositional skills and analytical skills through listening, performance, written, creative and analytical exercises. Students will have the opportunity to take the Advanced Placement Exam given by the College Board in May of each year.