Welcome to 7th/8th grade performing strings! The goal of this ensemble is to offer a broader range of performance experiences for Westerly musicians so they have an opportunity to showcase the skills they have built over the previous two years. 

Students are expected to bring their instrument to school each day they have string class, as well as to bring their instrument home at night so they can practice; students may not leave their instruments at school overnight or over the weekend. Students will keep track of their home practice via Practice Logs. 

During string ensemble, students will learn physical techniques, music theory, music appreciation, and ensemble skills . During home practice, students will learn how to practice autonomously and will further develop the skills and techniques they are learning during class. We will also learn the history of string instruments, study important string musicians (past and present), and will perform a wide variety of music.

At varying points of the year students will have the opportunity to learn guitar and ukulele. Instruments will be provided for class instruction, these skills will be showcased at the spring arts festival.

The 7th/8th Grade Band is Westerly's Performing Band, where students participate in a number of performances throughout the school year. The Performing Band class is a culmination of students’ work on their instruments from previous years and students showcase their learning by practicing and performing challenging music. Students are expected to regularly practice their instruments and music from class in order to perform at the highest level of which they are capable. Overall, students will continue the learning of their instrument, deepen their understanding of music notation, showcase their learning in performance settings (i.e. concerts), and develop an understanding of how music relates to identity, citizenship, and culture.