Music

 

Music Course Descriptions

AMU1O – Grade 9 Introduction to Instrumental Music – A beginning course for students wishing to learn how to play a brass, woodwind or percussion instrument.  Students will be allowed to choose what instrument they would like to play, keeping in mind that for an ensemble to work, a variety of instrumentation works best.  Written work is theoretical, one day per week, focusing on reading the musical staff and understanding signs and symbols.  

AMU2O – Grade 10 Instrumental Music – A continuation of the grade 9 instrumental course.  More intricate rhythms, higher register notes, scales and studies provide the foundation for more difficult pieces.  Students perform as part of the classroom ensemble.

AMU3M – Grade 11 Instrumental Music – This senior level music course offers students the opportunity to learn a second instrument, in addition to more advanced performance music on their primary instrument.  Written work involves writing major and minor scales, and beginning transposition.

AMU4M – Grade 12 Instrumental Music – A Senior level music course offered for students wishing to develop their solo performance practices, music leadership skills and perform challenging music in a small ensemble and as a large group.  Senior music students will learn a second instrument, participate in concerts, assist with developing musicians and perfect their own tone and musicianship through challenging phrasing.

AMV2O – Vocal Music– An introduction course for students with little or no traditional singing experience.  Students will learn proper singing technique, breath support and be exposed to several genres of music.  Understanding the piano keyboard at an introductory level is covered.

AMV3O – Vocal Music – This second year course requires singers to complete scales, studies, and solo performances to expand their performance abilities.  Students will sing as part of a larger choral ensemble and work to develop their own personal style.  Students will continue to combine singing with some beginning piano pieces.  Traditional choral music is combined with pop, country and rock and an introduction to musical theatre is added.

AMV4M – Vocal Music – This advanced vocal course is for students wishing to perform more challenging repertoire, take a leadership or solo roles within the context of the larger ensemble and participate in concerts as a soloist.  Written work is one day per week and piano studies are incorporated into the curriculum.  Harmonized duets are part of the final project.  Musical theatre, pop, country and beginning gospel are covered as part of the curriculum, in addition to traditional choral repertoire.  Musical theatre repertoire is performed in costume, within the context of creating the character for the stage with facial expressions and gestures.

AMG3O – Guitar Music –  An introduction for students wishing to learn the basics of the guitar.  Note reading on the staff, simple chord progressions and beginning rock songs are covered as part of the curriculum.   Written work is focused on the musical staff.

AMG4M – Guitar Music – More advanced guitar studies for students that have completed the introductory course or taken private lessons on the guitar.  This course expands the repertoire covered in grade 11, introduces riffs and more advanced bar chords and staff reading.  Music theory assists in improving performance practices and comprehension.