Performing Arts

CONCERT CHORUS 

Year Course

5 Credits

Prerequisite:  None

Open to:  All

Concert Chorus is a performance ensemble open to all students.  Students will prepare and perform a wide range of challenging choral music representative of many styles, languages and time periods. Repertoire may include selections including but not limited to the great Western art music (sacred and secular), folk and multicultural music, vocal jazz, pop and musical theater. Emphasis in rehearsal is placed on the importance of individual contribution. Students will strengthen their individual vocal technique and enhance their music listening and reading skills throughout the year. Students are required to attend all performances and dress rehearsals.  Students enrolled in this course are eligible to audition for, and to participate in, other vocal ensembles and festival auditions such as Southeast District and SEMSBA.

STRING ORCHESTRA 

Year Course 

5 credits

Prerequisite: At least 2 years’ experience or teacher approval

Open to:  All

String Orchestra is open to all string players (violin, viola, cello, upright bass) who are proficient on their instrument with at least 2 years’ experience. Students will study and perform a wide range of music literature. The important fundamentals of tone production, ensemble playing, musical interpretation and style, rhythm studies, scale and chord studies and basic musicianship are all important elements of the String Orchestra curriculum.  Full Orchestra (strings, woodwinds, brass, and percussion) meets on Wednesday evenings starting in October.  Students are required to attend all evening Wednesday rehearsals, performances and dress rehearsals.  Students enrolled in this course are eligible to audition for Southeastern Districts and SEMSBA.

CONCERT BAND (WINDS)

Year Course

 5 credits

Prerequisite: At least 2 years’ experience or teacher approval

Open to:  All

Concert Band (winds)  is designed for students who have played a brass or woodwind instrument for at least two years. Students will study and play a wide range of music literature, from light classics and popular to the traditional music of both Western and non-Western cultures. The important fundamentals of tone production, ensemble playing, musical interpretation, style, rhythm studies, scale/chord studies, and basic musicianship are all important elements of the Concert Band Curriculum. Students are required to attend all performances and dress rehearsals. Students enrolled in this course are eligible to audition for Southeastern Districts and SEMSBA.

CONCERT BAND (PERCUSSION)

Year Course

 5 credits

Prerequisite: At least 2 years’ experience or teacher approval

Open to:  All

Concert Band (percussion) is designed for students who have played percussion instruments for at least two years. Students will study and play a wide range of literature composed for percussion instruments. This class will also combine with the Concert Band (winds) for performances. The important fundamentals of technique, ensemble playing, musical interpretation, style, rhythm studies, and basic musicianship are all important elements of this class. Students are required to attend all performances and dress rehearsals. Students enrolled in this course are eligible to audition for Southeastern Districts and SEMSBA.

AP MUSIC THEORY

Year Course

 5 credits

Prerequisite: 2 years experience or teacher approval

Open to: 11, 12

The Advanced Placement Music Theory course enables students to engage in college level work in the areas of reading and analyzing notated music and aural training. Particular emphasis will be placed upon developing listening skills, sight singing ability, and knowledge of topics including keys, scales, intervals, chords, harmonic progressions and chromaticism. The successful student will gain the skills necessary to function intelligently in any musical situation. Some universities grant a Humanities credit for scoring high on the AP Music Theory Exam. The course requires concurrent enrollment in band, orchestra or choir and teacher recommendation. Other students with experience in music will also be considered.  All students are required to take the AP Exam.

PIANO I

Semester Course

2.5 Credits

Prerequisite:  None

Open to:  All

Piano 1 is an introductory course designed for students with little or no prior experience in piano playing. Over the course of the semester, students will gain basic piano playing and music reading skills, and will also familiarize themselves with chords, chord progressions, and reading chord charts, giving them the ability to learn to play along with songs they know and enjoy.

PIANO II

Semester Course

2.5 Credits

Prerequisite:  Piano I or teacher approval

Open to:  All

This course is a continuation of Piano I, and addresses all topics covered in Piano I at a more advanced level. Students will expand upon their knowledge of chords and chord progressions, and will learn various rhythmic patterns designed for chordal piano accompaniment. 

MUSIC PRODUCTION I

Semester Course

2.5 Credits

Prerequisite: none

Open to: So., Jr. Sr.

Music Production I is an entry level course that will explore how to produce music on your computer.  Students will learn how to record, edit and create music using a Digital Audio Workstation (DAW) and an audio interface.  The goal of the course is to provide students with the basic tools to record, mix and master a recording by the end of the semester using GarageBand or other similar programs.   

MUSIC PRODUCTION II (will be offered 2027-2028)

Semester Course

2.5 Credits

Prerequisite: Music Production I or teacher approval

Open to:  10-12

Music Production II is an advanced level course that will expand the concepts learned in Music Production I. This course will explore more complex software, taking you through exercises and projects designed to strengthen your technical understanding of DAW’s and the creative process of Music Production. Students will work with MIDI editing, MIDI real-time controls, audio recording and editing, and working with QuickTime video. By the end of the semester, students will be able to record, edit, mix and master a multitrack recording.

GUITAR I

Semester Course

2.5 Credits

Prerequisite: none

Open to:  All

Guitar I is an introductory course designed for the beginner, in which fundamentals of guitar playing are introduced, developed and improved.  Primarily a performance-based course, Guitar will cover the following foundational music skills, such as:

• Reading Chords

• Reading basic musical notes, rests, symbols and  tablatures

• Basic guitar playing techniques, including strumming and picking

• Tuning, instrument care and basic maintenance

• Different music forms, structures and styles

• Performing different song styles

GUITAR II

Semester Course

2.5 Credits

Prerequisite: Guitar I or teacher approval

Open to:  All

Guitar II is a continuation of Guitar I, and addresses all topics covered in Guitar I at a more advanced level such as:  

• Continued use of musical notes, rests, and symbols 

• Reading more advanced tablatures

• Reading more advanced chords and chord structures

• Continued use of various guitar playing techniques, including more advanced strumming and picking patterns.

MUSICAL THEATRE WORKSHOP (will be offered 2027-2028)

Semester Course

2.5 Credits

Prerequisite: none

Open to:  All

In this course, students will develop both a theoretical and experiential understanding of the musical theater genre. Students will gain an understanding of the history and evolution of musical theater by reading, viewing, and analyzing various scripts and performances.

Through performance workshops, students will develop acting, singing, and movement skills for musical performance. The course may also include elements of stagecraft including lighting, sound, costume, and set design.

Course Objectives

• To foster a connection with and appreciation for musical theater

• To analyze, interpret, and evaluate musical theater performances

• To acquire and apply musical theater terminology

• To engage in the performance process of work selection, preparation, rehearsal, and presentation

• To develop techniques for auditioning and performing

MUSIC IN SOCIETY 

Semester Course

2.5 Credits

Prerequisite: none

Open to:  All

Whether it’s social, emotional, political or personal identity, music is connected to all aspects of society.  This course will examine the evolution of music throughout our history and its impact on society and culture. Through listening, analysis, reflection, and interpretation, students will have the opportunity to investigate the historical and cultural developments of music and discover its impact on their culture, and their lives.

SONGWRITING & PERFORMANCE 

Semester Course

2.5 Credits

Prerequisite: Piano I, Guitar I or teacher approval

Open to:  All

This is a performance-based class. From putting lyrics to music, to coming up with a catchy hook, Songwriting & Performance is a class for anyone interested in songwriting. Students will be given the opportunity to create modern music through practice, performance, and experimentation. The elements of songwriting will be explored and practiced in a practical setting. Students should be able to play a non-concert instrument (piano, guitar/ukulele, bass, electronic, drumset) and/or be willing to sing. Composing, arranging, and songwriting of various styles and genres will be developed and rehearsed, culminating in student performances.

MUSIC IN FILM & ENTERTAINMENT (will be offered 2027-2028)

Semester Course

2.5 Credits

Prerequisite: None

Open to:  All

Students will explore how the creative use of music impacts what we see and experience in some of the most impactful pieces of cinema and other visual media, spanning the mid-20th Century through today. Students will study musical styles and techniques used to connect the audience to the stories being told.  The works of a variety of film composers will be analyzed and studied. The students will also learn basic editing software in order to produce their own soundtrack to a film scene.

INTRODUCTION TO THEATRE

Semester Course

2.5 Credits

Prerequisite: None

Open to:  All

This course provides practice for actors in voice, movement and performance using scenes from a variety of plays, as well as improvisation and mime. Students learn skills of projection and characterization by performing and critiquing scenes from plays and by developing original characters in specific settings. Emphasis in this course is on acting technique, scene analysis, and directing principles. Students will refine their skills by studying, analyzing and performing a wide variety of scenes representing multiple genres of theatrical style and craft.