Classes

Classes

Text Box: This course is designed to teach fundamental music concepts and music terms as well as skills necessary to perform on a music instrument in a class setting. Students must be at least 8 years old to participate. This class is for those with no experience (or less than one year of experience) playing a band instrument. The class meets one day a week and assignments will be given for home practice. Occasionally students will perform in concerts for parents and others. Students will need the class method book “Essential Elements 2000—Book 1” for their instrument, a cleaning kit for their instrument, a folding music stand and a pencil.

Text Box: This course is for those students who have successfully completed the Beginning Band course, or for those who have played their instrument one year. Students will learn fundamental music concepts, music terms, major scales, and skills necessary to improve performance on their band instrument. The class meets one day a week and assignments will be given for home practice. Students will perform band repertoire of various styles which is appropriate for their level of skills and occasionally perform in concerts for parents and others. Students will need class method book “Essential Elements 2000—Book 1” for their instrument, a cleaning kilt for their instrument, a folding music stand, and a pencil.

Text Box: This course is for those advanced students who have successfully completed Intermediate Band course or by audition for those who may be new to the program. Audition material will include Concert F, Bb, Eb, and Ab scales one octave, 16 measures of a prepared solo and sightreading. Concert Band is a performance organization and students will be expected to participate in band performance activities including concerts and community events. Students will also be encouraged to participate in GMEA Solo & Ensemble performance evaluations Band repertoire will consist of a variety of band literature, including sacred, secular, and popular styles of music at Grade 2 to 4 level of music Student will need to purchase “Symphonic Warm-Ups for Band” by Claude T. Smith, published by Hal Leonard Corp. Each student will need a folding music stand and a pencil for each class. Completion of weekly assignments, occasional playing tests and regular home practice are expected of students at this level.

Text Box: Performance class with full rhythm section (guitar, bass, keys, drums), brass and woodwinds. Students prepare 4 to 8 pieces per semester and perform at concerts for the school as well as at outside public events. The performance literature includes great works by Herbie Hancock, Louis Armstrong, Dizzy Gillespie, Miles Davis, Duke Ellington, and many other influential jazz composers throughout history. Students read written music and charts as well as improvise and solo. Attention is paid to style, tuning, rhythm, and dynamics throughout the learning process.

Text Box: Performance class. Only percussion instruments are played in this class. Students learn several pieces each semester ranging from virtuosic mallets pieces to drum pieces to playing on trash cans. They perform at school concerts and compete at Solo and Ensemble. Students read written music as well as learn by rote.

Text Box: Based upon the curriculum “Music Play” by the renowned music educators with GIA Publications. Students explore and learn to recite rhythms. They learn that a “whole note” is long, a “quarter note” is faster. They also learn the body positions for solfege, along with learning the ability to change their voices to match pitches. They explore rhythm on a variety of child-friendly instruments such as drums, tambourines, shakers, kazoos, and xylophones. Children also explore with expressive movements with classical music, based upon the educational program by Peggy Luman and John Feierabend; learning how to move their bodies to mimic the music’s style, dynamic, and rhythms they hear. The class is geared for children ages 4-5; 3 year olds are welcome to join if a participating parent accompanies them. At the end of the year, students are well prepared to begin Suzuki Violin.

Text Box: Begins with music basics, students learn the meaning of basic music vocabulary, staff, grand staff, treble clef, bass clef, D.C. al fine, time signature, dynamic markings, quarter note, half note, whole note, quarter note rest, double bar, and measures. Once there is a good knowledge of these basics, the students progress to reading notes and rhythms on the staff for the treble clef. At this point the recorder is brought into the learning process. Using the “Nine-Note Recorder Method” by Penny Gardner, students are introduced to the recorder; learning fingers, and pitch sounds, the student learns to play a song by first evaluating the music, going over the fingerings for the instrument and then playing the song. Once students progress to a level of proficiency, they move onto the “Duet Book” by the same author, where students play together great hymns such as “Amazing Grace”. This class is geared at students ages 7-9 years. A 6 year old with an introduction to music background could also join in, provided help is available at home. By the end of the year students are prepared to continue music with more difficulty, or move to a primary instrument.

Text Box: Private 1 on 1 guitar instruction—1/2 hour lessons are designed specifically for each student’s skill level whether a beginner, intermediate or advanced student. Beginning students learn the rudiments of the guitar and to read music. They progress through Hal Leonard Guitar Methods. Songs are introduced appropriately as part of the process through out the semester. Intermediate and advanced students may study specific styles including jazz, blues, country, bluegrass, contemporary Christian, folk etc.

Text Box: This is an introduction to the keyboard. Students will need a portable keyboard with a minimum of 61 full-size keys, touch sensitive, sustain pedal, headphone jacks, headphones, music stand attached to the keyboard, an AC adapter for practice at home and two sets of batteries to bring to class. Students will also need Alfred’s Basic Piano Library Lesson Book Complete, Level 2—3 for the Later Beginner (green in color), a pencil, a folder with pockets, and notebook paper.

Text Box: These classes are continuation of the previous level. Students with experience that are new to the program will tested for placement in the proper class.

Text Box: Teacher placement/audition.

Text Box: The class will work through various decades of dance styles. This is a coed class, which means all the steps will be set for both male and female, but will not need to have an equal number because dances will be done as an ensemble rather than partners. Dance steps include swing, quickstep and jive, seventies style, and soft shoe STOMP.

Text Box: Teacher placement/audition.

Text Box: Teacher placement/audition.

Text Box: Teacher placement/audition.

Text Box: Ballet will be a mixture of traditional and lyrical. Tap will begin with the basics and gradually increase difficulty as the class progresses. We will work on technique the first semester. We will have a recital in the spring for both ballet and tap. Christian/praise and inspirational music will be used for the performances. Ballet and tap shoes are required. Costume fee is required.

Text Box: Teacher placement.

Text Box: These classes are continuation of the previous level. Students with experience that are new to the program will tested for placement in the proper class.