Music Department
#901 BEGINNING ENSEMBLES GRADES 9-12
Level: 2 Credit 1.0 FULL YEAR
Prerequisite: Instructor Approval
Course Description: Beginning Band and String Ensemble is designed to start students (or refresh their memory from previous middle school playing) on band and string instruments, learning the basics of music. By the end of the year, students will be ready to play easy arrangements of music of various styles, with possible performances. Those with their own instruments are encouraged to sign-up.
Course Assessment: Attendance/Participation in rehearsals every class period (40%), Quarterly performance/literacy examinations (10% per quarter), Participation in Fall and Spring concerts (10% per concert).
#902 JAZZ ENSEMBLE GRADES 9-12
Level: 2 Credit 1.0 FULL YEAR
Prerequisite: Audition and Instructor Approval
Course Description: Advanced Jazz Band is designed to offer students opportunities to rehearse and perform jazz, popular and Latin music selections. Classes are used for rehearsals. It is a performance- based class. There will be concerts throughout the year. Those with their own instruments are encouraged to sign-up. Those who have played instruments in the past are also encouraged to audition.
Course Assessment: Attendance/Participation in rehearsals every class period (40%), Quarterly performance/literacy examinations (10% per quarter), Participation in Fall and Spring concerts (10% per concert).
#903 CHORUS GRADES 9-12
Level: 2 Credit 1.0 FULL YEAR
Prerequisite: Audition and Instructor Approval
Course Description: Chorus is designed to offer students opportunities to rehearse and perform vocal literature from a variety of genres. Classes are used for rehearsals. It is a performance-based class. There will be concerts throughout the year. Music reading is not a prerequisite for participation, but students will gain reading skills.
Course Assessment: Attendance/Participation in rehearsals every class period (40%), Quarterly performance/literacy examinations (10% per quarter), Participation in Fall and Spring concerts (15% per concert).
#904 PIANO AND THEORY I GRADES 9-12
Level: 2 Credit 1.0 FULL YEAR
Prerequisite: Instructor Approval max. limit: 12
Course Description: This course is designed for those who want to learn to read music and play piano. Students begin by acquiring note-reading skills to learn melodies, then learning simple accompaniments. The emphasis is on literacy and performance.
Course Assessment: class work and class performances-50%, quizzes-10%, quarterly exams-40%.
#905 PIANO AND THEORY II GRADES 9-12
Level: 1 Credit 1.0 FULL YEAR
Prerequisite: Piano and Theory I (or audition) and Instructor Approval max. Limit: 12
Course Description: This course is designed for those students who can read music and already play the piano to some extent. There will be emphasis on playing music with both hands. There will also be instruction on advanced theory and application of theory in music.
Course Assessment: class work and class performances—50%, quizzes—10%,
quarterly exams—40%.
#906 ISSP COMPOSITION AND ARRANGING GRADES 9-12
Level: 1 Credit 1.0 FULL YEAR
Prerequisite: Ability to play an instrument and/or basic music literacy skills (determined by instructor). Willingness to perform and/or have work performed in concert.
Course Description: Composition and Arranging is designed for students who want to apply literacy and notational skills to both original student compositions and music by others. Activities include “lifting” music from recordings, notating music from a variety of styles and traditions, learning orchestration techniques (instrumental and vocal abilities, ranges and transpositions), and gaining facility in talking about music through developing and applying vocabulary in musical situations.
Course Assessment: composition/arrangement project (quarterly progress)—40%, transcription assignments (in-class and homework)—40%,
dictation assignments (in-class)—20%.
#999 TEACHER’S AIDE GRADE 12
Level: None HALF/FULL YEAR
Prerequisites: Teacher approval, placement by Guidance
Student must have completed all junior course requirements
Course Description: Students enrolled, as a teacher’s aide will be required to be an advocate for success and demonstrate a desire to go beyond the basics. This course is suited for the student who expresses an interest in the teaching field. Students will be given assignments to assist teachers or classes according to their particular abilities or talents. Some examples of assignments include: acting as a mentor, role model or tutor to other students, assisting the teacher in preparing for lessons or organizing classroom activities and creating bulletin boards.
Students will sign a contract that states their expected role as a teacher’s aide. Students may earn work credit for service as a teacher’s aide.
*Dependent on course length.
Course Assessment: Students are assessed based on their attendance, performance and productivity as stated in their teacher’s aide contract. This is a pass/fail course.