Music & Performing Arts
Symphonic Band #1700 (.5 credit)
Symphonic Band is an instrumental ensemble. Students rehearse and perform standards of concert band literature as well as solid arrangements of popular music. The music requires home practice. The group performs at the Winter Concert, Festival of the Arts, the Woodmere Chamber Concert, and Commencement. Attendance at these performances is mandatory. The class is yearlong. (Grades 9-12)
Concert Choir #1705 (.5 credit)
Concert Choir offers the serious vocalist a yearlong opportunity to learn, practice, and perform the musical elements (harmony, rhythm, timbre, dynamics) and forms of classical, Broadway, and contemporary music. The choir performs at the Winter Concert, Festival of the Arts, Chamber Concert, Senior Awards, and Commencement. Attendance at these performances is mandatory. (Grades 9-12) Prerequisite: Student audition and/or teacher recommendation.
Show Choir #1706 (.5 credit)
Show Choir offers students the opportunity to perform a variety of contemporary music, including Broadway musicals, jazz, and rock "n" roll (from the fifties to the present). The group performs at the Winter Concert, Festival of the Arts, and Commencement. Attendance at these performances is mandatory. The class meets twice a week before school. (Grades 9-12) Prerequisite: Student audition and/or teacher recommendation.
Band/Choir Combination (.5 credit)
TBand/Choir Combination offers vocal and instrumental musicians an opportunity to participate in Symphonic Band and Concert Choir. Please refer to the course information for Concert Choir #1705 and Symphonic Band #1700. (Grades 9-12) Prerequisite: Student audition and/or teacher recommendation .
Music Theory I #1710 (.5 credit)
Music Theory I is the first part of a complete course on musical theory. Students delve deeply into the mechanics of music to understand why music works the way it does. Students study pitch topics including scales, intervals, chords, harmonies, and figured bass as well as rhythm topics like tempo, meter, and syncopation. Students learn to use Finale music notation software as well as Musition and Aurelia theory training packages. (Grades 9-12) Co-requisite: The student must be a member of a Springfield band or choir.
Music Theory II #1714 (.5 credit)
Music Theory II is the second part of a complete course of musical theory. Students continue their study of theory by exploring topics such as form, transposition, instrumentation, orchestration, and compositional techniques. Students use advanced Finale skills and continue to drill using Musition and Aurelia software. (Grades 9-12)Prerequisite: Music Theory I. Co-requisite: The student must be a member of a Springfield band or choir.
Broadway Musical Ensemble #1715 (.5 credit)
The Broadway Musical Ensemble class offers students the opportunity to produce and perform a Broadway musical each semester. Students learn the proper vocal techniques needed to perform a variety of musical theatre genres. The students also develop self-critiquing skills as they refine their talents for the performances. Students are required to perform for the public and are assessed on their class participation, written pre-production assignments, and final performance. (Grades 9-12)
Theatre I #1720 (.5 credit)
Theatre I offers an introduction to acting and play production. Students develop and refine physical characters as they interpret assigned scripts. Students build and apply their peer and self-critiquing skills as they plan and prepare a final production. This performance-based class focuses on the development of a full-length play performed at the end of the semester during the school day. (Grades 9-12)
Theatre II #1722 (1 credit)
In Theatre II students produce and direct one act plays. Students in this class work in small groups to choose plays which they will produce. Students are responsible for the entire production. Acting, directing, set design, costuming, make-up, and advertising are all parts of the students’ decision-making process. Students present their performances at the end of each semester. (Grades 10-12) Prerequisite: A minimum final grade of B+ in Theatre I or Broadway Musical Ensemble
Theatrical Art & Design #1721 (1 credit)
Theatrical Art & Design focuses on the process of “page to stage.” Student work develops and evolves as students analyze various scripts and make artistic choices to create designs for stage productions. The class observes past design work at Springfield and other secondary schools as well as professional theater designs (by seeing one or more productions and visiting a scene shop). Students are assessed on their ability to problem solve and create practical, functional art and their ability to collaborate with classmates to achieve a thematic goal. Students must maintain a sketchbook/journal to document their ideas and reflections on their learning. (Grades 10-12) Prerequisite: Art I, Theatre I or Broadway Musical Ensemble.
Composing and Arranging #1716 (.5 credit)
Composing and Arranging is designed for advanced students who have completed the Music Theory courses and wish to learn advanced compositional techniques including fugue, contra faction and modeling, surrealism, and aleatoric music. In addition to creating, producing, and recording their own original works, students will study scores by prominent arrangers and composers like Bach, Mahler, Sammy Nestico, Krysztof Penderecki, and John Cage. Prerequisite: Music Theory II. Co-requisites: Symphonic Band or Concert Band.
Reading Music for Ear Musicians #1717 (.5 credit)
Are you a guitarist who reads tabs and can play tunes by ear? Or a percussionist who reads rhythms but is eluded by pitch? This course is designed for students who are already playing and performing music, but are not reading traditional music notation. Students will learn to read mensural notation for every instrument and will complete the course with the ability to correctly read and write the pitches and rhythms they hear in their favorite music. Limit: 10 students per semester.
Guitar Lab #1718 (.5 credit)
The Guitar Lab course is designed as an exploration for studnets interested in developing basic guitar skills including standard tuning, alternate tunings, major, minor, and pentatonic scales, chords, strumming, fingerpicking, and walking bass lines. Students will learn guitar and bass guitar skills and will complete the course with live performances, video and audio recordings. Limit: 15 students per semester.