Division:  Middle School

Department: Fine and Performing Arts:  Vocal Music 

Course Title/Code:  Seven/Eight Grade Chorus  ARTVO400

(year-long/five days per week)

Course Description:  Students survey musical and cultural styles of choral music, develop basic vocal as well as music reading skills, continue work in music theory, and nurture a love for singing. Students are introduced to three and four part music as their voices change and mature. The seventh and eighth grade chorus performs several concerts throughout the school year. Individual students may be allowed opportunities to participate in extra-curricular region and state level music events. 

Goals

This course is designed as a comprehensive approach to musicianship giving students an opportunity to listen, conduct, sing, evaluate, compose, and study different styles of music.  The class is designed to promote musical growth by teaching correct vocal technique for individual singing and group singing, strengthening music reading skills, offering basic ear training in rhythm, pitch, and harmony and performing a stylistically diverse music.  The level of expectation is mostly determined by the knowledge and ability the students bring to the class.   

Activities/Content

• Through listening to one another and working together on sight singing and rhythm examples students begin to develop a strong sense of ensemble. 
• Students work together to learn a particular section of the music, create a uniform sound, and sometimes sing in quartets or duets and evaluate themselves.
• Students practice daily correct vocal technique through vocal exercises and breathing exercises.  The goal is for the vocal exercises to transfer to the singing of choral selections.
• To further student growth in the area of music theory, students participate in daily music reading exercises, rhythm exercises, melodic exercises, or both.  The exercises are designed to be fun, stimulating, and at times very challenging.  Confidence in reading music, will allow for quicker learning of the vocal parts of all choral selections.
• Song selections will represent a variety of styles and difficulty from historical to pop and sacred and secular so as to challenge students to appreciate historically important as well as diverse styles of music.  
• Students will participate in approximately three school performances each year and at least one choral festival or competition.  During one trimester each year, students will have the opportunity to put their choral talents to the test by performing a staged concert that includes choreography of simple movements and some costuming. 
• “Enrichment” opportunities are offered for individual students who may wish to participate outside the regular classroom requirement.  Examples of such opportunities are North Carolina Middle School Honors Chorus, All-State Chorus, and voluntary performances by smaller groups of students.  Participation may be through an audition process, a selection process. or through an honorary earned opportunity.

Assessment

• Students are evaluated bi-weekly on their in-class participation, preparation, and commitment to the ensemble ethic. 
• Students are often asked to critique a rehearsal, personal effort, or a concert.  Sometimes section will critique each other for the practice of verbalizing correct music and singing terms and developing their listening skills.
• There are times when written quizzes, tests and/or vocal evaluations are given.
• Vocal evaluations may include singing in a quartet, individually onto a cassette tape or as the entire group.
• Choral performances are a major portion of the assessment each trimester.  Students usually have one performance each trimester that they are expected to participate.  This is where as a unit and individual, exactly what we have learned and accomplished as well as how much we have improved.  

Students will be expected to purchase the designated performance outfit.   

Resources: printed, internet & intranet sites, computer