About SMS Music Classes in 2023-2024:

SMS Bands: 

There are 4 bands available to students in SMS: 5th Grade Beginning Band, Level 1 Intermediate Band, Level 2 Advanced Band, and Jazz Band. Ideally, each student who goes through the program participates in Beginning, Intermediate, and Level 2 by the time they leave the 8th grade. 

• 5th Grade Band is a beginning band where students learn how to play their instruments and all the core information of reading music. 

• Level 1 Band is the intermediate band, meant for mainly 1st-2nd year musicians in the 6-8th grade. In this class, we will dive deeper into understanding our instruments and becoming musically literate, growing on skills they learned in the beginning band to become very proficient musicians. 

• Level 2 Band is the advanced band for middle school students in 6-8th grade band, meant for students who have been playing their instrument for 3-4 years, where we will learn more advanced repertoire and focus on higher-level concepts to prepare musicians for the high school band. 

• Jazz Band is open to 6-8th grade students who are also participating in the Level 2 band, focusing on jazz repertoire and technique. Students in this class may also play instruments we do not traditionally play in concert bands, such as guitar, bass, drum set, and piano.

Each band will have multiple performance opportunities throughout the year. In class, students are assessed by playing quizzes twice a month. They will also have written work, to be done in class, that focuses on the theory and history of music. 

Written Assessment Curriculum: 

• Quarter 1: Notes & Chromatic Scale

• Quarter 2: Rhythms 

• Quarter 3: Key Signatures and Major Scales 

• Quarter 4: 5th Grade Band- Composition /  Level 1 Band- World Music / Level 2 Band - Music History & Composers

SMS Choirs: 

SMS Offers 2 Choirs. There is a 5th & 6th-grade choir and a 7th & 8th-grade choir. Both choirs meet during the day. These choirs will focus on educating young singers on healthy singing techniques, musical literacy, musical theatre, and choral repertoire and performance.

• 5th & 6th- Grade Choir: This is an introductory class to the middle school choir. In the 2023-2024 school year students will meet twice a week during the school day. In semester 1 the choirs will learn traditional choral repertoire, 2-part singing, and musical literacy, they will also perform in concerts. In semester 2, students will put together a full musical theatre production and perform in May.

7th & 8th Grade Choir: This class will expand on the knowledge students grew in 5th and 6th grade while providing more opportunities for the growing musician. In semester 1, the 7th and 8th-grade choir will focus on Musical Theatre and preparation for the Colorado Middle All-State Choir audition. All 7th & 8th-grade choir students are required to audition for the Colorado All-State choir in October, and if chosen by judges, they can choose if they would like to participate (Event in Denver in March). Semester 2 takes focus on traditional choral repertoire, 2 & 3-part singing, and musical literacy, they will also perform in concerts.