Band/Orchestra

Honors Concert Band (Wind/Percussion Ensemble/Marching Band) Grades 11-12

Prerequisite: Completion of 2 years of Concert Band/Adv. Concert Band or Teacher recommendation

Weighted GPA

Honors Concert Band is open to all students grades 11-12 who are proficient on a band instrument and have completed two years of Concert Band/Adv. Concert Band. Honors Concert Band provides students with continued learning and understanding of the basic musical elements, including scales, technical studies, tone production, rhythm and musical styles. As a performance oriented class, students will be expected to commit to the rehearsal and performance schedule which includes community and school performances, competitions, festivals, and on campus concerts. Students are required to perform at all home football and various other school athletic games, competitions, concerts and community events.

Advanced Concert Band (Wind/Percussion Ensemble/Marching Band) Grades 9-10

Prerequisite: Previous Enrollment in Concert Band/Adv. Concert Band/Intermediate Band or Successful Audition

Advanced Concert Band is open to all students who are proficient on a band instrument. Advanced Concert Band provides students with continued learning and understanding of the basic musical elements, including scales, technical studies, tone production, rhythm and musical styles. As a performance oriented class, students will be expected to commit to the rehearsal and performance schedule which includes community and school performances, competitions, festivals, and on campus concerts. Students are required to perform at all home football and various other school athletic games, competitions, concerts and community events.

Concert Band (Winds/Percussion/Strings Ensemble) Grades 9-12

Prerequisite: Prior Musical Instrument Experience

Concert Band is open to all students who are proficient on a wind, percussion, or string instrument. Concert Band provides students with continued learning and understanding of the basic musical elements, including scales, technical studies, tone production, rhythm and musical styles. As a performance oriented class, students will be expected to commit to the rehearsal and performance schedule which includes community and school performances, competitions, festivals, and on campus concerts. Marching Band is NOT required of this ensemble.

Orchestra (Strings Ensemble) Grades 9-12

Prerequisite: Prior Musical Instrument Experience

Orchestra is open to all students who are proficient on a string instrument. Orchestra provides students with continued learning and understanding of the basic musical elements, including scales, technical studies, tone production, rhythm and musical styles. As a performance oriented class, students will be expected to commit to the rehearsal and performance schedule which includes community and school performances, competitions, festivals, and on campus concerts.

Jazz Ensemble Grades 9-12

Prerequisite: Successful audition

Corequisite: Enrolled in a Concert Band or Beginning Band Course

Jazz Ensemble is primarily a performance-based class with multiple performances throughout the year. Music theory, history, and improvisation will also be emphasized. Students will study and perform music compositions from all periods of jazz history, with a focus on the roots of the music. Auditions are held after the first week of class and at the end of the school year.  As a performance oriented class, students will be expected to commit to the rehearsal and performance schedule which includes community and school performances, competitions, festivals, and on campus concerts.

Beginning Band Grades 9-12

This course covers introduction to learning woodwind, brass, and percussion instruments and topics in concert and performance. Music selections represent different genres, periods and cultures. Our goal, through the use of a wide variety of music, is to assist the development of aesthetic judgment, independence and a greater musical understanding in students. On campus concerts performances are required throughout the year. 

Guitar Grades 9-12 (Semester or Year Long)

Prerequisite: None

Students will learn the basics of music and performance through the study of guitar.  Music Terminology, rhythmic figures, and reading notation (standard, lead sheets, and tablature) will be learned.  At the end of the course, students will have the knowledge and experience necessary to continue to develop in an advanced course or on their own.  They will develop an appreciation for art music and an understanding of music genres and the music industry.

Piano Grades 9-12 (Semester or Year Long)

Prerequisite: None

Students will learn the basics of music and performance through the study of piano.  Music Terminology, rhythmic figures, and reading notation will be learned.  At the end of the course, students will have the knowledge and experience necessary to continue to develop in an advanced course or on their own.  They will develop an appreciation for art music and an understanding of music genres and the music industry.

AP Music Theory Grades 9-12 

Prerequisite: None (Prior Musical Experience is Highly Suggested)

The AP Music Theory course corresponds to one-to-two semesters of typical, introductory college music theory and aural skills coursework. Students learn to recognize, understand, describe, and produce the basic elements and processes of performed and notated music.

Course content extends from the fundamentals of pitch, rhythm, timbre, and expression to concepts of harmonic function, phrase relationships, and tonicization. Students study these concepts in heard

and notated music, with emphasis on identification and analysis of musical features, relationships, and procedures in full musical contexts. Repertoire for analysis on the AP Music Theory Exam ranges from European Baroque pieces to folk and popular music from across the globe. Students develop musicianship skills through melodic and harmonic dictation, sight singing, and error detection exercises. Writing Exercises further emphasize the foundational harmonic and voice-leading procedures of Western art music. Because college curricula vary for beginning music theory courses, the college-level course equivalency of AP Music Theory will vary from one institution to the next.

Ethnic Studies & Music Grades 9-12 (Semester)

Prerequisite: None

In this Music & Ethnic Studies course, students will develop and cultivate respect, empathy, and solidarity with historically marginalized groups of people reflected in our local demographics (Native Americans, African Americans, Latino/a/x Americans, Asian, South Asian & Pacific Islander Americans, Middle Eastern and others ) through the study their music. This may include, but not limited to, the study of musical origins, influence in the American musical landscape, social movements, hands on music making, and connections with other art forms.