Music

Three faculty members teach music in a curriculum that begins in the Lower School and spirals upwards to the Upper School. The clear focus of the Academy's music program is choral singing. That focus has been the tradition at this school for many years and serves as the core of the department. However, the department also focuses on the development of music appreciation and theory that will allow any musician -- vocal or instrumental -- to develop skills and pursue excellence in the discipline of music.

 

Lower School

The study of music begins as an enrichment activity at the Lower School. All students are exposed to music on a rotational basis, and there is an elective opportunity for students to perform in our Lower School singing ensemble. The Lower School Chorus performs at school and also in the community. Furthermore, students are also introduced to theater under the auspices of the music program. The music teacher, along with the classroom and resource teachers at each grade level, directs each grade level in a class play or pageant that is performed for the entire school community.

 

Middle School

At the Middle School level, music appreciation continues to be taught on a rotational basis to all students in the 5th grade. Furthermore, there is a choral ensemble in the Middle School that performs for student assemblies and in two major public concerts each school year. Students also participate in the All-State Choral Festival and Choral Performance Assessments.

Upper School

The Upper School Chorus has become one of the premiere choral programs in the state. Our chorus is comprised of students who are not auditioned. The chorus performs a wide variety of repertoire from renaissance to contemporary and consistently receives "Superior" ratings at District, State and National Festivals. Choirs at the Academy have been invited to perform at State Conventions of The American Choral Directors Association and State and National Conventions of The Music Educators National Conference. They have also been featured with the New England Symphonic Orchestra at Carnegie Hall. They have had successful tours in South Carolina, Louisiana, Georgia, Tennessee, Texas, New York, California and Florida.

Along with chorus, students in the Upper School can also enroll in music theory, AP music theory, and applied vocal music. Through the music curriculum, serious students of music can attain the theory background needed to pursue continued academic study of music at the collegiate level. In fact, many graduates of the Academy's music program have gone on to either study music or participate in various choirs, glee clubs and ensembles at the college level.