Colorado State Music Standards

Standards in Music The Colorado Academic Standards in music are the topical organization of the concepts and skills all Colorado students should know and be able to do throughout their preschool through twelfth-grade experience. 

1. Expression of Music: The expression of music is the process of practice, refinement, and performance/demonstration of acquired musical knowledge and skills to communicate a range of thoughts and emotions. 

2. Creation of Music: The creation of music is the demonstration of learned skills in the composition, improvisation, and arranging of music, using, but not limited to, written notation, iconic symbols, or graphic and electronic representations.

3. Theory of Music: The theory of music is the understanding of the distinctive language, conventions, mechanics, and structure of organized sound present in all cultural musics. Investigation of cultural music theory allows for a more complete understanding of all aspects of the musical process. 

4. Response to Music: Response to music focuses on the knowledge and perspectives needed to make informed evaluations and critiques of music. It also addresses the historical, cultural, and societal contexts which are often the beauty, heart, and soul of music.