Performing Arts

Category: Performing Arts / Description: Our students explore music, dance, and drama and expand and refine their talents through classroom work and a range of extra-curricular activities including the Drama Program, Jazz Band, the Tri-M Music Honor Society, and select performance ensembles. Our relationships with organizations like the Boston Symphony, the Citi Performing Arts Center/Wang Theater, the Emerson and Huntington Theaters, the North Shore Music Theater, Shakespeare & Company, and Berklee College of Music allow students to attend performances by musicians and artists from around the world. Our courses benefit students who have a casual interest in music, drama, and dance, as well as those who wish to pursue a career in the performing arts. Our goal is to develop well-rounded students who appreciate the joy that the performing arts can bring to life, as well as the important personal and social values that music, dance, and drama can develop and reinforce. The Performing Arts Department curriculum is aligned with the current Massachusetts State Curriculum Frameworks.

Course Number: C625A /Category: Performing Arts, Elective /Credits: 2 /Recommended Grades: 11,12 /Level: Advanced Placement /Length: Full-Year / Description: AP Music Theory is an in-depth look into how music is constructed. The course involves analyzing notated music, composing music, dictating melodies and harmonies that you hear, and singing melodies and harmonies at first sight. The course primarily focuses on the music composition practices of the Common Practice Period (1600-1900) but also considers more contemporary music. This is a college-level course and prepares students to pass the AP Music Theory Exam.

Course Number: C620 / Category: Performing Arts, Elective / Credits: 2 / Recommended Grades: 9,10,11,12 / Level: College Prep / Length: Full Year / Description: Cantare is an advanced choral ensemble that performs challenging music from a variety of styles and cultures. The course stresses music theory, music history, and sight singing. Participation in concerts is mandatory and singing in the Spring All-School Musical is highly encouraged. Prerequisites: Audition with the instructor.

Course Number: C604 / Category: Performing Arts, Elective / Credits: 2 / Recommended Grades: 9,10,11,12 / Level: College Prep / Length: Full Year / Description: Students improve their skills on woodwind, brass, or percussion instruments while learning to perform in a large ensemble. Music theory, ear training, music history, and a range of musical styles and composition are covered. Individual/group practice is expected and performances are mandatory. Prerequisite: One year of previous instrumental instruction or the permission of the instructor.

Course Number: C655 / Category: Performing Arts, Elective / Credits: 1 / Recommended Grades: 9,10,11,12 / Level: College Prep / Length: Semester / Description: Students study the basics of several types of dance including ballet, jazz, and hip-hop. Classes consist of: (1) a short physical warm-up; (2) technique drills related to each dance style; and (3) a final application of the technical elements learned. Each student develops a group of several ‘combinations’ related to each dance style and participates in a final recital. Proper dance attire is required for each class.

Course Number: C657 / Category: Performing Arts, Elective / Credits: 1 / Recommended Grades: 10,11,12 / Level: College Prep / Length: Semester / Description: Students explore a range of more difficult dance techniques. Emphasis is placed on performance, world dance, and original student choreography. This class ends with a final recital performance. Proper dance attire is required for each class. Prerequisite: Successful completion of Dance 1 ‘ Foundations or the permission of the instructor.

Course Number: C651 /Category: Performing Arts, Elective / Credits: 1 /Recommended Grades: 9,10,11,12 / Level: College Prep / Length: Semester / Description: Students experience a practical approach to drama in a workshop setting. They study elements of drama including acting, writing, make-up, set design, costume design, lighting, characterization, staging, directing, and theatrical history. Students experience different forms of drama through a variety of activities, and are encouraged to participate in the Fall Play and/or the Spring All-School Musical.

Course Number: C653 /Category: Performing Arts, ElectiveCredits: 1 / Recommended Grades: 10,11,12 / Level: College Prep / Length: Semester / Description: Students take a much more in-depth approach to theater and build on the techniques and skills they learned in Drama Workshop 1. They analyze characters, plays and musicals, develop playwriting skills, and refine performance techniques. Students study the elements of drama as seen from the perspectives of both a critical viewer and a production team, and are encouraged to participate in the Fall Play and/or the Spring All-School Musical. Prerequisite: Successful completion of Drama Workshop 1 or the permission of the instructor.

Course Number: C606 / Category: Performing Arts, Elective / Credits: 1 / Recommended Grades: 9,10,11,12 / Level: College Prep / Length: Semester / Description: Through in-class lessons students learn basic skills in guitar technique such as chord strumming, picking, and reading music. Music used in the class includes folk, popular, and classical styles. Students perform in four quarterly in-class recitals.

Course Number: C608 / Category: Performing Arts, Elective / Credits: 1 / Recommended Grades: 10,11,12 / Level: College Prep / Length: Semester / Description: Students who already play guitar are given the opportunity to develop a variety of personalized styles ranging from classical music to rock improvisation. Guitar 2 students are encouraged to own their own guitar. Prerequisite: Successful completion of Guitar 1 or the permission of the instructor.

Course Number: C605 / Category: Performing Arts, Elective / Credits: 1 / Recommended Grades: 9,10,11,12 / Level: College Prep / Length: Semester / Description: This course allows students who have never played an instrument the opportunity to study a woodwind, brass, or percussion instrument while also learning to perform in a large ensemble. Music theory, ear training, music history, and a range of musical styles and compositions are covered. Individual/group practice is expected and performances are mandatory.

Course Number: C627 / Category: Performing Arts, Elective / Credits: 1 / Recommended Grades: 10,11,12 / Level: College Prep / Length: Semester / Description: This advanced course teaches the foundations of music theory, writing multi-part harmonies, and songwriting. Students also learn elements of music technology and recording skills through student-centered projects. These projects encompass a variety of musical genres and production techniques, including singer/songwriter, blues, rock, rap, hip-hop, classical, and film scoring. Students foster a deeper appreciation for all genres and styles of music and develop the confidence and self-awareness to produce their own music. Prerequisite: Demonstrated proficiency on a musical instrument and/or vocal performance, either through successful completion of Guitar 1 or Piano 1 or an audition with the instructor.

Course Number: C609 /Category: Performing Arts, Elective /Credits: 2 /Recommended Grades: 9,10,11,12 /Level: College Prep /Length: Full Year /Description: Students improve their skills on stringed instruments, including violin, viola, cello, and upright bass while learning to play in a variety of different styles within a large ensemble. Music theory, ear training, and music history are also included within the curriculum. Individual and group practice is expected and all performances are mandatory as part of the course.

Course Number: C630 / Category: Performing Arts, Elective / Credits: 1 / Recommended Grades: 9,10,11,12 / Level: College Prep / Length: Semester / Description: Students combine elements of music and dance to create grooves and musical compositions with their body. Students use movements such as hand clapping, foot stomping, stomach slapping, knee slapping, jumping, and finger snapping to develop a catalog of ‘grooves.’ Students create and perform a final composition. This course ends with a final recital performance.

Course Number: C622 / Category: Performing Arts, Elective / Credits: 1 / Recommended Grades: 9,10,11,12 / Level: College Prep / Length: Semester / Description: Students learn basic piano technique and music theory through in-class lessons. Musical selections include classical, modern, popular, and world music. Students critique well-known piano selections from various periods of history, and perform in four quarterly in-class recitals.

Course Number: C624 / Category: Performing Arts, Elective / Credits: 1 / Recommended Grades: 10,11,12 / Level: College Prep / Length: Semester / Description: Students broaden and develop the techniques learned in Piano 1 and expand their repertoire. Students perform in four quarterly, in-class recitals. Prerequisite: Successful completion of Piano 1 or the permission of the instructor.

Course Number: C820 /Category: Performing Arts, Elective /Credits: 1 /Recommended Grades: 11,12 /Level: College Prep /Length: Semester / Description: Students taking Video Production will learn Apple’s Final Cut Pro video editing software in order to create content suitable for documentary and local news media. Students will also learn how to generate their own content suitable for video editing. This course should be available to juniors and seniors with excellent communication skills who have demonstrated an ability to work with advanced software applications (such as the Intro to Digital Design and Music Production classes), or who already have video capturing and/or video editing experience. This course will serve all students of all academic levels who meet this criteria, and is particularly well-suited to students who are interested in a career in video production.