Mixed Chorus (MU 9282)
Girls Chorus (MU 9260)
One credit per year
Grades 9-12
Mixed and girls choruses are designed to meet the needs of students with limited choral experience. Emphasis is placed on understanding notational skills, such as rhythm, pitch, and basic music symbols essential to accurate interpretation of the music score. Accurate pitch and tone production, breathing technique, and part singing will also be stressed. Students will encounter a wide variety of vocal literature and be provided with an opportunity to explore and develop their special abilities in music.
Concert Choir (MU 9289)
Once credit per year
Grades 9-12
Prerequisite: Audition and director's approval
Students are expected to demonstrate increased skills in music fundamentals and vocal development. An awareness of blend, balance, tone production, and sensitivity to musical direction will also be stressed. Students become acquainted with the great heritage of choral literature. Concert performances are an important part of the group activities. After-school rehearsals and performances are required of all students. Membership is based on ability, interest, and experience and requires the director's approval.
Madrigal/Vocal Ensemble (MU9280)
One credit per year
Grades 9-12
Prerequisite: Audition and director's approval
Students are given the opportunity to develop high standards of musicianship. Emphasis is placed on artistic performance and interpretation of the music score with increasing vocal maturity and flexibility. Students become acquainted with great heritage of vocal literature utilizing foreign language texts on a medium to an advanced level. Public performances are a critical part of the group activities. After-school rehearsals and performances are required of all students. Membership is based on ability, interest, and experience and requires the director's approval.
Intermediate Band (MU9243)
Intermediate Orchestra (MU9238)
One credit per year
Grades 9-12
Prerequisite: Beginning band/orchestra or director's approval
These courses are extensions of the beginning classes. Instruction is continued in the basics of music performance. Emphasis is place on developing the concepts of tone production, stylistic performance, and ensemble awareness. After-school rehearsals and performances are required of all students.
Advanced Band (MU 9234)
Advanced Orchestra (MU9239)
One credit per year
Grades 9-12
Prerequisite: Audition and director's approval
These courses give students the opportunity to develop high standards of musicianship. Emphasis is place don artistic performance commensurate with the standard of the finest professional groups. Students become acquainted with the great heritage of symphonic literature. After-school rehearsals and performances are required of all students. Membership is based on ability, interest, and experience and requires the director's approval.
Music Appreciation (MU 9146)
One-half credit
One semester
Grades 9-12
Music Appreciation is a semester course designed for students interested in learning to understand and enjoy music. Live music performances are an important part of the course offering. Topics of special interest include country, rock, jazz, electronic music, and the classics. Students learn to describe music using the appropriate vocabulary and to make value judgments regarding performances and style.
Music Theory I (MU 9225)
One-half credit
One semester
Grades 9-12
The first semester of music theory places emphasis on sight-singing, simple dictation, musical forms, and the basic principles of how music is organized. The course includes a review of notation, musical terms, basic rhythms, pitch recognition, and the structure of scales, intervals, and chords.
