  Home Performing Arts Department Curriculum Faculty SRTC Concert Dress  Lower School  The music curriculum is designed to stimulate children's interest in music and to help them discover its basic concepts using the Carl Orff-Schulwerk approach. The children are exposed to choral work, recordings, game songs, dances and instruments. They gain experience in front of an audience by staging performances, which are created to enhance the curriculum. Optional private music lessons are available, and a band program begins in third grade. Middle School Students in grades 5-8 meet twice weekly for performing arts
class. This class is designed to be a continuation of the Lower
School program. (see Lower School) Instrument playing, singing,
and movement remain essential to the program, and more focus is
given to improvisation and recorder playing. More difficult musical
concepts and advanced techniques are also introduced at this level.
In 7th and 8th Grade students are introduced to a wide variety
of topics in Performing Arts class, which meets twice per week.
These topics include
music
of different cultures, in-depth study of musical concepts and
music history, perceptive listening, musical styles, and the
varying functions of music in society. This class also incorporates
performance projects, composition projects, and an introductory
unit on guitar. Upper School Upper School students must successfully complete a one-trimester credit in the performing arts. Choices include: Concert Band: A performance organization open to all interested students from beginning to advanced levels. In addition to rehearsing as a group, the students will study a specific instrument. The Concert Band will perform throughout the year both on and off campus and may also provide opportunities to perform as a soloist. The group performs standard concert band literature and other styles including: classical, show tunes, marches, contemporary and pop/rock. Jazz Band: A select performance group consisting of the standard jazz band instrumentation. Students are selected by audition in the fall. Students auditioning on brass, saxophone, or percussion must be members of the Concert Band. The repertoire performed includes: big band, blues, swing, funk, Latin and rock. The Jazz Band performs several times throughout the year both on and off campus. Concert Choir: This performance group is a non-select chorus which is open to all men and women interested in singing. The group performs standard choral literature representing all styles of music. Concert Choir provides several opportunities to perform on and off campus throughout the year. This choir will also perform selections that will feature certain sections, such as songs just for the women or the men. Vocal Ensemble: A smaller vocal group of select members. Interested students will audition to join this group. The Vocal Ensemble offers many opportunities to sing both on and off campus throughout the year. The repertoire includes: a cappella selections, madrigals, contemporary music, and classical music. Vocal Ensemble members must also be members of the Concert Choir. Music Theory: This one-trimester class is designed for serious music students who wish to enhance their knowledge through detailed analysis of music composition and basic compositional techniques. Students entering this course must have a good working knowledge of music reading and performing. Music Exploration: This class explores various styles of music from classical to popular and is designed to give students a better understanding of the place of music in history and how music relates to society. Students learn how to listen perceptively with concepts in mind such as melody, harmony, form, dynamics, and rhythm. The renaissance, baroque, classical, romantic, and 20th Century periods are studied as the development of music over three centuries is explored. Students will also be introduced to modern musical theater and opera. |