Elementary School (K–5)

General Music

Across our five elementary schools, general music classes for students in Kindergarten through 5th grade provide foundational music-making experiences, fostering dedication, enthusiasm, and the joy of music.

In 3rd grade, students are introduced to the recorder. This serves as a vital hands-on bridging tool to teach basic wind instrument mechanics, breath control, finger dexterity, and reading music notation before students transition to band or orchestra instruments in 4th grade.

Alongside recorder instruction, 3rd grade general music teachers provide an overview of band and orchestra instruments during class. This helps familiarize students with available options before they choose an instrument to play in 4th grade.

Instrumental Music & Performance Ensembles 

Beginning in 4th Grade, students can participate in instrumental music through Band or Orchestra. Students select from four main instrument families:

• Strings (Orchestra): Violin, Viola, Cello, and Bass.

• Woodwinds (Band): Flute, Clarinet, and Alto Saxophone.

• Brass (Band): Trumpet, French Horn, and Trombone.

• Percussion (Band): Snare Drum, Bass Drum, and Auxiliary Percussion. (Note: Students who select percussion learn all of these instruments)

Instrumental students meet once per 6-day cycle for small group instruction during the school day.  When they are ready to participate in a performance ensemble, students will meet as a school-wide band and orchestra for rehearsals, generally before school.  

All students in Grades 4 and 5 participate in Chorus. Participating in group singing offers significant social, vocal, cognitive, and personal benefits for elementary students. Ensemble singing fosters team spirit, cooperation, and a strong sense of community and belonging among peers. Musically, it enhances pitch accuracy, breath support, vocal range, and harmony awareness through age-appropriate vocal literature. 

For all of our elementary performance ensembles, participation in Winter and Spring concerts helps students build self-esteem, confidence, stage presence, and pride in their shared artistic accomplishments while bringing our school communities together.

South Side Middle School (6-8)

At South Side Middle School, music is a core part of every student’s education. All students participate in band, orchestra, or chorus, continuing the foundation built in elementary school.  Students also enjoy experiences in our music lab in grades 6 and 8.   Our program emphasizes musical growth, collaboration, creativity, and technology, providing opportunities for students to develop as performers, creators, and critical listeners.

Grade-Level Ensembles

All students participate in band, orchestra, or chorus throughout middle school. By providing a solid foundation in grade-level ensembles and small group instruction, we create a learning environment that builds community and fosters momentum, preparing students for success as they progress through the grades.

Grade-level ensembles that work together over multiple years encourage camaraderie, teamwork, and mutual accountability. Students develop a sense of belonging and shared purpose while refining their technical and expressive skills.
Individualized attention through small group instruction, or “lessons,” ensures that students are supported in developing foundational skills while also being challenged to extend their musical abilities. 

All ensembles culminate in authentic assessment in the form of Winter and Spring Concerts. 

Classroom Music

In addition to ensemble participation, all 6th graders take one quarter of classroom music, STEAM (Science, Technology, Engineering, Arts, Mathematics) Lab. This unique classroom combines technology and music, giving students hands-on experience in piano, guitar, and composition.  This quarter fosters a growth mindset, encouraging students to explore instruments and technology they may not have encountered before. It provides reinforcement and enrichment to ensure students of all skill levels are challenged and inspired.

For students who wish to continue their musical journey, Music Studio in Grade 8 offers a high school credit course designed to cultivate a holistic understanding of music. Aligned with the IB Middle Years Programme (MYP), the course emphasizes performance, creation, and analysis of music, critical thinking, creativity, and cultural awareness through interdisciplinary and inquiry-based learning, and advanced music technology and composition.

Music Studio prepares students for high school-level musical study, fostering artistry, personal expression, and deep engagement with music as an art form and cultural language.

Extra-curricular Ensembles

South Side Middle School offers additional extra-curricular ensembles for students looking to deepen their musical talents outside the regular school day. For singers, Chorale is an auditioned group of that rehearses on Friday afternoons.  All students who love to sing are encouraged to try out! Members of Chorale enjoy a full schedule of appearances, performing at school events such as the Winter Concert, All-District Concert, and Spring Concert. They also represent the school in the broader community, having recently performed at the Annual RVC Tree Lighting at Village Green, The Sandel Center, and a South Side High School girls varsity basketball game.

For instrumentalists, the Jazz Band provides an exciting opportunity to explore a distinct musical style. Meeting on Thursday evenings, this ensemble focuses on teaching students how to perform the genre of jazz while introducing fundamental concepts of improvisation.  Jazz Band performs at our Annual Stefan B. Lichter Memorial Jazz Concert each February, as well as a Spring Concert.  Participation in SSMS Jazz Band prepares our students to take a curricular jazz class in high school.

South Side High School (9-12)

South Side High School (SSHS) offers a comprehensive music program designed to accommodate students of all skill levels and musical interests, from foundational lab classes to advanced ensembles and IB Music. 

Students can join concert-level or advanced performing groups. Advanced ensembles are by audition, offering weighted credits and dual-enrollment college credit opportunities.

Performance Ensembles

CONCERT BAND  

Prerequisite: Instrumental experience 

1 credit Every day, full year  

Students study and perform standard band literature in a variety of styles and time periods.  This band performs at scheduled school concerts and participation in these performances and lessons is mandatory.  This course is a co-requisite for eligibility in the Stage Band.  

CONCERT ORCHESTRA  

Prerequisite: Instrumental experience 

1 credit Every day, full year  

Students study and perform a range of string literature in various styles and time periods.  The orchestra performs at scheduled school concerts, and participation in performances and lessons is mandatory.  

CHORALEERS

Prerequisite: none 

1 credit Every day, full year 

Choraleers study and perform choral works in a variety of styles and time periods.  The group performs at school concerts, and participation in these performances and scheduled lessons is required. 

STAGE BAND  

Prerequisite: Instrumental experience 

½ credit Every other day, full year 

Stage Band introduces students to various jazz styles and techniques. Students perform on jazz-appropriate instruments, and the band performs at scheduled school concerts. Participation in these performances and lessons is mandatory. Enrollment is open to Concert Band and/or Wind Ensemble students interested in expanding their jazz skills. 

WIND ENSEMBLE

Prerequisite: Audition 

1 credit, weighted Every day full year  

In this course, students perform advanced wind and percussion literature covering diverse styles and eras.  The ensemble performs at school concerts, with participation in performances, lessons, and marching band required.  Enrollment is limited to advanced wind and percussion players.  This course is a co-requisite for eligibility in the Jazz Ensemble and/or Stage Band.  College credit is available for this course.

CHAMBER ORCHESTRA  

Prerequisite: audition 

1 credit, weighted 

Every day, full year  Advanced string players study and perform challenging string and symphonic literature in multiple styles and historical periods. The orchestra performs at scheduled school concerts, with mandatory participation in both performances and lessons.  College credit is available for this course.

CHAMBER SINGERS

Prerequisite: audition 

1 credit, weighted Every day, full year 

Advanced vocalists study and perform choral repertoire from various time periods and places. Participation in school concerts and lessons is required. College credit is available for this course.

JAZZ ENSEMBLE

Prerequisite: Audition ½ credit, weighted 

Every other day, full year  Students perform advanced jazz literature, including big band, swing, modern jazz, and improvisation.  Participation in school performances and lessons is mandatory.  Enrollment is open to advanced Wind Ensemble and Concert Band students pursuing jazz studies. College credit is available for this course.

Lab & Technology Courses

These lab-based music courses allow students to explore theory, composition, and digital creation by utilizing Mac computers equipped with pianos, as well as professional notation and production software.

The Music Theory course requires no prerequisites and is available for college credit. Students can take this course either every other day for a full year or every day for a half year. The curriculum covers the fundamentals of composition, improvisation, arranging, non-Western music, jazz styles, melody, harmony, rhythm, and timbre. Additionally, students build practical skills in dictation and sight-reading, making this course highly recommended for anyone interested in IB Music.

The Music Production course also has no prerequisites and offers the same scheduling options: every other day for a full year or every day for a half year. This course focuses on electronic music technology using Digital Audio Workstations (DAWs), synthesizers, and computers. Through hands-on projects, students cover recording, composition, arranging, music publishing, electronic performance, and score reading and writing. Like Music Theory, this course is also recommended for IB Music students.

IB Music Program (Grades 11 & 12)

The International Baccalaureate (IB) Diploma Programme Music sequence deepens musical comprehension through performance, analysis, research, and composition, with college credit options available.

Student learning is evaluated through core assessment portfolios. In the Exploring Music in Context portfolio, students research diverse musical contexts across personal, local, and global settings. The Experimenting with Music portfolio involves hands-on creation and performance experiments driven by musical prompts. The Presenting Music portfolio focuses on developing technical proficiency and musicality in both solo or ensemble performance and original composition. Finally, Higher Level students complete the Contemporary Music Maker portfolio, which is a collaborative, real-world multimedia music project.