BEGINNING CHOIR

This course introduces and reinforces a variety of beginning music and vocal skills. Students practice development of breath control, singing posture, basic diction principles and rehearsal procedures. Students are exposed to a variety of musical styles including those with historical and cultural significance. They learn to read and notate simple rhythms and melodic lines based on Kodaly‘s solfege method. Students also learn, use and demonstrate an understanding of basic music vocabulary. Sixth graders are given the opportunity to compete in a district-wide concert and sight-reading contest and to perform in school and community concerts.

SELECT CHOIR

This course reinforces and builds on all the skills introduced in beginning choir. Sight-reading is expanded to include new meters, dotted and tied rhythms and more difficult intervals based on Kodaly‘s Solfege method. Second-year choir students learn to sing in parts as well as how to determine the pitches of the scale based on key signatures. Seventh and eighth graders are expected to interpret and perform pieces that include the usage of accents, phrasing, and dynamics. Both seventh and eighth graders are given the opportunities to compete in small and medium ensembles, solos, All-region Choir, and UIL Concert/Sight-reading contests and to perform for both school and community concerts.