High School Music

The High School music curriculum expands upon the Middle School’s and offers both open-admission ensembles and higher-level, auditioned groups in instrumental and in choral music.

The instrumental music program offers a Concert Band (ninth/tenth grades), Jazz Ensemble (eleventh/twelfth grades), Big Band (ninth through twelfth grades), Trevor Clefs (nine through twelfth grades advanced jazz ensemble), Music Theory, and independent study of music with computer technology for composing, recording and editing.

Open-admission choral offerings include the Treble Chorus (girls), Troubadours (boys), and Ragarasa (Indian Classical Singing.) Auditioned groups include the A Capella Singers and boys’ and girls’ barbershop quartets.

Performances are an integral part of the music program in Middle School and High School. Formal evening concerts in the fall and spring are supplemented by in-school assembly performances and by special, off-campus performing opportunities, adjudication events and singing camps throughout the year.

Music Electives

Big Band: (full year - 1 credit) Prerequisites - Previous band experience required. This 15-20-member ensemble consists of woodwind and brass instruments with a rhythm section of piano, bass, guitar, and percussion. The Big Band plays songs in the jazz and popular repertoires drawing on the vast amount of material available for jazz orchestra, from Count Basie and Duke Ellington and the traditional swing repertoire to the more modern era of music for film, funk and rock. The emphasis is on developing musicianship through contrasted part playing, working together in instrumental sections, and includes improvisation within a more orchestrated setting.

Concert Band: (full year - 1 credit) Prerequisites - Experience preferred; Basic instrumental skills required. Concert Band consists of different woodwind and brass instruments, keyboard, guitar, percussion, and drums. Students play pieces and arrangements from mostly 20th century popular, concert, folk and other repertoires. Attention is given to developing musicianship and instrumental skill through the continued study of fundamentals such as proper sound production, articulation, intonation and knowledge of the student's instrument. The study of scales and technical exercises plus developing sight-reading music is an important part of the curriculum.

Concert Band with Theory: (full year - 1 credit) In addition to the regularly scheduled Concert Band Class, students will meet for one additional period per cycle to study music theory. As a study of the building blocks of music, theory is an essential tool for all musicians, providing them with a common technical language and a means of understanding the organization of music.

Jazz Ensemble: (full year - 1 credit) Prerequisites - Concert Band or other instrumental experience required. Jazz Ensemble is a small combo consisting of woodwind and brass instruments with a rhythm section of piano, bass, guitar, and drums/percussion. The ensemble plays material from the different eras of jazz, from early swing, modern and Latin styles, plus some material from rock and popular repertoires. There is more focus on improvised solos in the jazz and creative music traditions and analysis of theory and applied techniques such as chord/scale relationships and harmonic progressions and devices. The group performs in Holiday and spring concerts and assemblies.

Treble Chorus: (full year - 1 credit) Prerequisites - For Female Voices. The goal of the Treble Chorus is to build musicianship and community through singing a culturally diverse repertoire of songs for alto and soprano voices. Vocal training includes tone production, breathing, diction, and attention to phrasing. Reading music notation from full choral scores, solfege, and sight singing are important aspects of the curriculum and rehearsal process. The Treble Chorus performs two or three times a year in evening concerts and at assemblies and also sings the national anthem at a Mets game in the spring. Treble Chorus members have the opportunity to audition to sing in solo quartets. The quartets give several performances during the year and also participate in a Barbershop conference.

Troubadours: (full year - 1 credit) Prerequisites - For Male Voices. The Troubadours sing unison to multi-part songs for tenor and bass voices, including those from the Barbershop tradition. Vocal training includes tone production, breathing, diction, and attention to phrasing. Reading music notation from full choral scores, solfege, and sight singing are important aspects of the curriculum and rehearsal process. The Troubadours perform two or three times a year in evening concerts and at assemblies and also performs the National Anthem at Shea Stadium every spring. Troubadour members have the opportunity to audition to sing in solo quartets. The quartets participate in Barbershop conferences during the year and also give several performances.

Ragarasa: This course focuses on singing classical Indian music. A variety of scales (Ragas) are explored through imitation and improvisation, as well as the importance of intention in creating “taste” (rasa) or mood, both of which are essential to the Indian concept of music making. Indian solfege or harmonium accompaniment is used.

A Capella Singers: (membership by audition) is an advanced SATB ensemble that sings a capella music from many historical periods and in many styles. The ability to sing one-on-a-part with an open, resonant sound is a prerequisite. Strong reading skills are also important.

Barbershop Quartets: (membership by audition) experience in-depth training in the art of singing four-part harmony, one-on-a-part. Tuning with just intonation, vowel matching, overtone generation, and presentation techniques are all practiced in preparation for two adjudication events and several performances throughout the year.