The Music Department offers courses designed for the musical and aesthetic education of students with varying abilities and interests. These classes include the performing ensembles of Concert Band, String Orchestra, Chorus, and Jazz Ensemble, which aim to increase proficiency on a musical instrument or with the singing voice while developing the musical knowledge and skills essential for quality performance in a musical organization. Also, through rehearsals and concerts, students develop an appreciation of music as a vehicle for expression, learn to recognize the value of disciplined collaboration, and to take pleasure from the resulting experience. An extensive extra-curricular program offers additional small-group performance experiences as well as opportunities to participate in music festivals sponsored by Massachusetts Music Educators Association, and the SouthEastern Massachusetts School Bandmasters Association.
Additional, non-performing course offerings provide students an opportunity to study music theory, songwriting, ear training, music history, and piano, drumming, and guitar methods. While a number of these classes further develops musicianship skills or provides an introduction to reading music and playing an instrument, others do not require students to be musical performers but rather to become educated audience members and evaluators.
Students who opt to take Band, Chorus, Strings or Jazz for Honors credit will complete the work required of the unleveled class PLUS an independent project each term.
Independent projects can include:
Preparing a solo performance piece and writing a reflection about the preparation process. (This option can only be chosen once per year.)
Composing an original musical work and writing a reflection about the composition process.
Directing and participating in a chamber group or small ensemble and a reflection about the directing process.
Researching a topic of interest relating to music performance, history, composition, pedagogy, etc.
Learning a secondary instrument and writing a reflection about your progress.
Accompanying a performance ensemble and supplemental reflection and/or presentation.
Arranging a piece for performance.
Additional proposals not listed above may be submitted for approval by the ensemble director.
CHORUS 966
CONCERT BAND Honors* 968 Unleveled 967
JAZZ ENSEMBLE Honors* 958 Unleveled 957
STRING ORCHESTRA Honors* 920 Unleveled 911
PIANO LAB Unleveled 901
HONORS MUSIC THEORY Honors 953
AP MUSIC THEORY 944
MUSIC STUDIO Unleveled 978
THE BLUES TO THE BEATLES AND BEYOND Unleveled 955
DRUMMING Unleveled 899
GUITAR Unleveled 949
Piano Lab
Chorus
Concert Band
String Orchestra
Jazz Ensemble
Piano Lab
Honors Music Theory
Chorus
Concert Band
String Orchestra
Jazz Ensemble
Honors Music Theory
Chorus
Concert Band
String Orchestra
Jazz Ensemble
AP Music Theory
Chorus
Concert Band
String Orchestra
Jazz Ensemble
Recommended courses for all students (can be taken any year)
Piano Lab, Drumming, Guitar, Music Studio, The Blues to the Beatles and Beyond
Recommended courses for all students (can be taken any year)
Grades 9-12 Piano Lab, Music Studio, Rock and Jazz Experience, Drumming, and Guitar