Music

CONCERT BAND   (MUS1220, MUS1210)
Credit:  ½ to 1 credit - meets 50 mins, 3 or 6 days per cycle, full year
Prerequisites:  None
Open to:  All Grades

The concert band program is open to anyone who plays a concert band instrument.  The course is recommended as a full credit in order to take advantage of the full concert band experience, but is available as a ½ credit course.  The jazz and marching bands are selected from the membership of the concert band by audition and rehearse after school.  All instrumental organizations compete and perform throughout the school year for both school and community functions.  Students wishing to participate in two musical organizations should enroll in the ½ credit course in order to participate in concert band and choir or orchestra.


CONCERT CHOIR   (MUS1120, MUS1110)
Credit:  ½ to 1 credit - meets 50 mins, 3 or 6 days per cycle, full year
Prerequisites:  None
Open to:  All Grades

The concert choir program is open to all interested students.  The course is recommended as a full credit to take advantage of the full choral experience. Choraliers, Show Choir and Jazz Choir members are selected from the membership of the concert choir.  All choral organizations compete and perform throughout the school year for both school and community functions.  Students wishing to participate in two musical organizations should enroll in the ½ credit course in order to participate in concert choir and band or orchestra.


GUITAR   (MUS1400)
Credit:  1/2 credit - meets 50 mins, 3 days per cycle, full year
Prerequisites:  None
Open to:  All Grades

This structured, tiered-learning course is designed for the beginning guitarist.  Students will learn to play guitar by reading music on the staff, chord charts, and tablature while exploring a wide variety of musical styles.


INSTRUMENTAL REPERTOIRE   (MUS3250)
VOCAL REPERTOIRE   (MUS3150)
Credit:  1/3 to 1 credit - meets 50 mins, 2, 3,  or 6 days per cycle, full year
Prerequisites:  Participation in Concert Band, Concert Choir or Orchestra
Open:  Juniors, Seniors

This course will emphasize advanced techniques, methods and performance preparation as it applies to repertoire within the genres of musical theatre, jazz, pop and classical pedagogy.


JAZZ IMPROVISATION (MUS1410)
Credit:  1/2 credit - meets 50 mins, 3 days per cycle, full year   
Prerequisites:  Must be able to read standard music notation.  Must play a standard “Big-Band” Jazz Band instrument at a proficient level.
Open to: All Grades

This structured, tiered-learning course is designed for the beginning jazz player.  Students will learn to hear and recognize chord changes, learn jazz “riffs”, and learn to apply a variety of improvisation skills to jazz band music.


MUSIC APPRECIATION  (MUS1000)
Credit:  1/2 credit - meets 50 mins, 3 days per cycle, full year
Prerequisites:  None
Open to:  All Grades

Do you love music but wish you knew more about its origins, influences and evolution?  Are you ready to expand your play list beyond the last thirty years? In this course you will learn about the development of western music, beginning with medieval chant and culminating in the present day. You will develop your ear and your intellect as you listen to, discuss and study a broad selection of great music composed and performed over the last five hundred years (chamber, symphonic, operatic, jazz, rock, avant garde and music for cinema). Ultimately you will take away a much greater appreciation for music.


MUSIC THEORY I   (MUS3240)
Credit:  1 credit - meets 50 mins, 6 days per cycle, full year
Prerequisites:  Permission of department, must be able to read music
Open to:  Sophomores, Juniors and Seniors

This course is designed for students who are considering a career in music, musical theatre or other closely related fields.  The course will study major/minor scales, key signatures, time signatures, circle 5ths, simple/complex rhythm patterns, transposition and composition.


MUSIC THEORY II  (MUS4240)
Credit:  1 credit - meets 50 mins, 6 days per cycle, full year
Prerequisite:  MUST have completed Music Theory I
Open to:  Juniors and Seniors only

This structured, tiered-learning course is designed for the serious musician who are considering a career in music, musical theatre, or other closely related fields.  Students will continue to build on the concepts of Music Theory I and will develop more intricate music theory skills.


ORCHESTRA   (MUS1320, MUS1310)
Credit:  ½ to 1 credit - meets 50 mins, 3 or 6 days per cycle, full year
Prerequisites:  
Open to:  All Grades

The orchestral program is open to all interested students.  The orchestra competes and performs throughout the school year for both school and community functions. Students wishing to participate in two musical organizations should enroll in this course in order to participate in orchestra and band or choir.  Students wishing to participate in two musical organizations should enroll in the ½ credit course in order to participate in orchestra and concert band or choir.


PERCUSSION   (MUS1420)
Credit:  1/2 credit - meets 50 mins, 3 days per cycle, full year
Prerequisites:  Permission of the department
Open to:  All Grades

This class will explore basics, techniques, and fundamentals of playing various instruments in the percussion family as related to the Concert Band.  Note & Rhythm reading would be used to perform on various Concert Band percussion instruments.  Each student will need to supply their own drum sticks and method book.  Information concerning sticks and book will be given out at the first class.  Drum Set will NOT be part of this class.


THE VOICE   (MUS1140)
Credit:  1/2 credit - meets 50 mins, 3 days per cycle, full year
Prerequisites:  Permission of the department
Open to:  All Grades

This class will explore basic fundamentals and techniques of singing while using all different genres of music from Classical to Pop/Rock.  Students will develop good breath support, vowel placement, tone quality and stylistic considerations.  Classroom participation is a must.  No performances are scheduled outside the classroom.