Music Curriculum
Length: Year
Prerequisite: None
Entry Level: 9 (no audition required)
Through this class the student will develop an understanding and application of good vocal technique, tone quality, and musical skills. This class seeks to improve student confidence in singing while increasing the knowledge of basic music reading skills, the ability to interpret/perform music symbols and music of many varied styles.
Length: Year
Prerequisite: Audition (instructor approval)
Entry Level: 10
Students in this class will develop choral leadership skills through independent and choral singing of advanced choral literature. The Concert Choir travels to different festivals throughout the year and is revered as the top choir among students and faculty in the Polson Schools. Students participate in advanced choral reading and interpretation, sing collegiate level vocal literature, and perform in many styles and languages, often without piano accompaniment.
Length: Year
Prerequisite: Audition
Entry Level: 10 (Grade 9 with instructor approval)
Throughout this class, singers will learn to adjust the color of their voices and improve their sight-reading skills and understanding of basic music theory. Singers will participate in concerts and festivals throughout the year with some travel involved. Students will increase the speed with which they perform and interpret music symbols and learn to sing in a stylistically correct manner
Length: Semester
Prerequisite: Participation in PHS Band or Choir, instrumental proficiency.Entry Level: 10
Music Theory is a one-semester course that is designed to expand knowledge of music learned in the PHS Music Department. Students will develop musical skills that will lead to a better understanding of musical structure, composition, and instrumentation. Throughout this course of study students will analyze and create music through understanding of techniques employed in western music.
Length: Semester
Prerequisite: Music Theory
Entry Level: 10
An introductory lab type music recording and production course covers the basic equipment and techniques of digital music recording. Elements include: condenser and dynamic microphones, microphone placement, creation of original work, podcasting, and music editing. Hands-on experience with studio equipment is provided in classroom instruction.
Length: Semester
Prerequisite: None
Entry Level: 9
A cross-curricular course, Soundscapes explores a global sense of music and its significance across cultures, including listening without boundaries, to the music of the world. The course cultivates a global sense of music and its significance is explored across cultures, introducing a diverse musical repertoire and development of listening skills applicable to all music. A three-part model for listening—sound, setting, and significance—facilitates comparisons of various musical styles and meanings. Soundscapes helps students listen to all music and understand its place in an interconnected world. Development of a view of music as an ever-changing, geographically unrestrained form of human expression. Study of global music affords the opportunity to contextualize music within its own culture while making connections to the music in our own lives.
Length: Fall Semester
Prerequisite: Consent of Instructor
Entry Level: 10
This class is a non-performance course that explores the history and development of western music. It examines the ways in which music has played a role within past cultures and cultures today.
Length: Spring Semester
Prerequisite: 2 years in choir, current choir enrollment, consent of instructor
Entry Level: 11
Voice class is designed to teach fundamentals of singing including breathing, tone production and diction. The purpose is to enhance student performance capability, knowledge of the voice and enjoyment of music through the study of repertoire, technique, physiology, and musical style.
Length: Semester
Prerequisite: None
Entry Level: 9
A cross-curricular course, Soundscapes explores a global sense of music of the world. The course cultivates a global sense of music and its significance is explored across cultures, introducing a diverse musical repertoire and development of listening skills applicable to ALL music. A three-part model for - listening, sound, setting, and significance-facilitates comparisons of various musical styles and means, Soundscapes helps students listen to all music and understand its place in an interconnected world. Development of a view of music in an ever-changing, geographically unrestrained form of human expression. Study of global music affords the opportunity to contextualize music within its own culture while making connection to the music in our own lives.
Length: Year
Prerequisite: Band
Entry Level: 9
Concert Band is a combination of musical instruction and performance for school, community events. The class is an all-in-one incorporation of marching band, pep band, music appreciation, music history, music theory, aural training, instrumental pedagogy, music technology as well as study and performance of traditional, educational and contemporary wind band literature. The band and student groups also compete and travel for district and state music festivals.
Length: Year
Prerequisite: Concert Band, audition
Entry Level: 10
Symphonic Band is a large ensemble consisting of wind and percussion instruments. This band is open to students, grades 10-12 that have met the requirements of the proficiency playing test and have the approval of the director. Rehearsals are oriented toward the seasonal performance demands of the group. Symphonic band is a combination of musical instruction and performance of school, community and state events. The class is an all-in-one incorporation of marching band, pep band, music appreciation, music history, music theory, aural training, instrumental pedagogy, music technology as well as study and performance of advanced, traditional and contemporary wind band literature. The band and student groups also compete and travel for district and state music festivals. Symphonic Band also may include student opportunities to tour, with funds raised by students.
Length: Year
Prerequisite: Middle School Band and Director Approval
Entry Level: 9
This class is designed to strengthen student’s abilities on a variety of percussion instruments. Counting techniques, stick and mallet control, and ensemble playing will be stressed. Primary emphasis will be on reading musical notation as applied to melodic percussion instruments such as marimba, xylophone, vibraphone, etc. Percussion students will perform at band concerts as an ensemble. They will also assist Concert and Symphonic Band with percussion needs.
Length: Semester
Prerequisite: Participation in PHS Band or Choir, instrumental proficiency.
Entry Level: 10
Music Theory is a one-semester course that is designed to expand knowledge of music learned in the PHS Music Department. Students will develop musical skills that will lead to a better understanding of musical structure, composition, and instrumentation. Throughout this course of study students will analyze and create music through understanding of techniques employed in western music.
Length: Semester
Prerequisite: Music Theory
Entry Level: 10
An introductory lab type music recording and production course covers the basic equipment and techniques of digital music recording. Elements include: condenser and dynamic microphones, microphone placement, creation of original work, podcasting, and music editing. Hands-on experience with studio equipment is provided in classroom instruction.
Length: Semester
Prerequisite: None
Entry Level: 9
A cross-curricular course, Soundscapes explores a global sense of music and its significance across cultures, including listening without boundaries, to the music of the world. The course cultivates a global sense of music and its significance is explored across cultures, introducing a diverse musical repertoire and development of listening skills applicable to all music. A three-part model for listening—sound, setting, and significance—facilitates comparisons of various musical styles and meanings. Soundscapes helps students listen to all music and understand its place in an interconnected world. Development of a view of music as an ever-changing, geographically unrestrained form of human expression. Study of global music affords the opportunity to contextualize music within its own culture while making connections to the music in our own lives.
Length: Fall Semester
Prerequisite: Consent of Instructor
Entry Level: 10
This class is a non-performance course that explores the history and development of western music. It examines the ways in which music has played a role within past cultures and cultures today.
Length: Semester
Prerequisite: None
Entry Level: 9
A cross-curricular course, Soundscapes explores a global sense of music of the world. The course cultivates a global sense of music and its significance is explored across cultures, introducing a diverse musical repertoire and development of listening skills applicable to ALL music. A three-part model for - listening, sound, setting, and significance-facilitates comparisons of various musical styles and means, Soundscapes helps students listen to all music and understand its place in an interconnected world. Development of a view of music in an ever-changing, geographically unrestrained form of human expression. Study of global music affords the opportunity to contextualize music within its own culture while making connection to the music in our own lives.
Length: Semester
Prerequisite: None
Entry Level: 9
The main objective of this course is to develop and expand students’ appreciation of music through learning to play the guitar. Students will learn the basics of playing guitar through in class rehearsals and studying musical notation and history. Guitars may be checked out through the school.