The Music Academy

BEGINNING LEVEL classes require no experience.  Students will be expected to practice 3-4 days a week for a minimum of 30 minutes each practice session.  The beginning level classes are:

PERFORMANCE CLASSES

Beginning Instruments- Woodwinds, brass and percussion are instruments taught in beginning instruments. (no string instruments)  Students will learn to read music and music symbols as well as learn to play an instrument.

Beginning Guitar- Students will learn to play classical guitar.  Students will learn to read music and music symbols as well as learn to play classical guitar.

Mixed Chorus- (for both male and female voices) Students will learn to sing four part choral works while learning to read music, solfege and music symbols.

THEORY CLASS

Music Technologies- students study music theory (the science of music), piano keyboarding and ear training (the ability to hear music and write it down) in a computer lab setting. 

INTERMEDIATE/ ADVANCED LEVEL classes require a student to have experience reading music and music symbols.  Students are required to practice 5 days a week for a minimum of 30 minutes each practice session.

PERFORMANCE CLASSES

Intermediate/Advanced Band: Students must be able to read music and rhythm and play a woodwind, brass or percussion instrument.  Students are expected to practice 5 days a week for at least 30 min. each session.

Jazz Band- students are required to audition for this class.  Students must be able to read music and rhythm.  Specific instrumentation for jazz band consists of: Alto Sax, Tenor Sax, Baritone Sax, Trumpet, Trombone, Acoustic Bass, Piano, Drums, Guitar.  The main focus of the class is improvisation and ensemble playing.  Students are expected to practice 5 days a week for at least 30 minutes each session.

Intermediate /Advanced Orchestra: Students must be able to read music and rhythm and play an orchestral string instrument.  Students are expected to practice 5 days a week for at least 30 min. each session.

Women’s Chorus:  Female students sing three to six part choral works while learning and improving their music reading, solfege and music symbols.  Students are required to audition for this choir and should have choral singing experience.  Students are expected to practice and go to weekly sectionals and rehearsals.

Men’s Chorus:  Male students sing three to six part choral works while learning and improving their music reading, solfege and music symbols.  Students are required to audition for this choir and should have choral singing experience.  Students are expected to practice and go to weekly sectionals and rehearsals.

Chamber Choir:  Students are accepted by audition in order to join the Chamber Choir, demonstrating proficiency in singing a range of no less than two octaves, sight reading music for four or more parts, singing in an ensemble of four or more voices, and singing in a variety of languages and styles that reflect different musical cultures and historical period.

Vocal Jazz: Through study and performance, the course explores jazz music and its evolution into the vocal setting with experiences in ensemble and solo singing (improvisation & scatting). Students are selected by audition and rehearse 3 hours per week.

Intermediate/Advanced Guitar:  Students will learn to play guitar as part of a classical guitar ensemble.  Students are required to audition for this class should be able to read music and have classical guitar playing experience.  Students are expected to practice 5 days a week for at least 30 min. each session.

MUSIC THEORY & ANALYSIS

Music History:  Students will take a survey class that covers all of the genera’s of music, Medieval, Renaissance, Baroque, Classical and Contemporary and the most famous composers of each.

AP Music Theory: Students must have the recommendation of their Music Tech teacher to be enrolled in AP Music Theory.  In this class, students learn to apply all the ear training, dictation, composition, and theory skills learned in Music Tech to written and aural music examples.  Students will also learn 4 part writing and analysis.  Students are expected to take the AP exam. Students will compose a piece for their final project.

In the grid below are examples of the schedule for a 9^th grade student at three different music levels.

Glossary of Music Terms:

Ear Training- An instructional course that teaches how to hear music and write it down.

Genre- A category of artistic works.  Examples: Renaissance, Baroque, and Classical.

Improvisation- Spontaneous music composition.  Making up a melody on the spot.

Music Theory- The study of how music is put together.

Solfege- For eartraining and sightsinging, singing the degrees of the scale with symbols (do, re, mi, etc.).