Music, Choral & Instrumental Education

Music has tremendous value as an academic discipline. It contributes to the understanding of other subjects. In school there is a tremendous difference between learning and doing. With music, you do both.

Basic Text: Varied choral and instrumental literature.

General Objectives:

Through vocal and instrumental performance, students become involved in an in-depth study of music. The rehearsal becomes the performance classroom in which teaching is not only for concerts, but for concepts as well. Public performance is not a goal but a method which affords an opportunity to delve deeply into musical invention, experience musical expression historically and technically, and to interpret various styles and forms.

Major Units:

1. Performing: singing and playing using a varied repertoire of music.
2. Understanding Notation
3. Musical Interpretation: using dynamics, phrasing and technical concepts inherent in the repertoire.
4. Understanding Music: organized patterns, forms, temp, meter.
5. Discriminatory Skills: articulation, tone quality, pitch, scales.

Additional Information:

Although major units are the same for each grade level, the middle school program is sequentially organized. Each grade level builds and expands upon skills and concepts previously mastered. Musical concepts addressed encompass a wide range of musical experiences. The developmental nature of musical learning is approached by challenging each student to reach maximum potential individually and in the group setting.