Music — Band, Chorus, and Orchestra

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Orono Middle School Band
6th Grade Band (1 year of prior experience)
7th/8th Grade Band (2-3 of years of prior experience)
Independent Study (No prior experience, independent work during above classes)

COURSE GOALS:
1. To deepen each student's aesthetic awareness through music appreciation;
2. To develop musical and technical skills through playing an instrument;
3. To develop and build upon music theory and listening skills;
4. To provide performance experiences in an ensemble setting.

FORMS OF ASSESSMENT:
1. Each member will have "daily performance assessments" during class rehearsal.
2. In a musical ensemble the "final exams" are the performances. It is very important that all band members attend and participate in each performance.
3. Students may periodically have individual summative assessments.
4. Following "individual assessments" and "final exams", students will self assess, and set future goals.

RSU 26 Arts Calendar
First Day Handouts
20 Important Benefits of Music in Our Schools

Orono Middle School Chorus
Grade 6 Chorus
Grade 7/8 Chorus

PURPOSE
From the beginnings of recorded human history, across all time and in all cultures, music has played a part in human life. Music provides the opportunity for aesthetic experiences. These experiences combine the physical, intellectual, emotional, and spiritual responses of human beings into moments of wholeness. Musical experiences can communicate in ways that cannot be expressed in language; they can continue throughout one's lifetime; they can be communally and individually creative and satisfying. Students are exposed to quality choral literature and are given the performance opportunities to share what they have learned.

COURSE OBJECTIVES:
1) To provide a setting in which students can learn about music
through performance.
2) To develop self-discipline, character and control.
3) To expose students to quality choral literature.
4) To develop fundamental understandings and skills that will lead
students to experience beauty through music.
5) To foster appropriate behavior in a group setting.

MAJOR UNITS:
1.) Students will prepare for a Winter Concert in December, an
All-Choirs Concert in March and a Spring Concert in May.
2.) Students may have other opportunities to perform in other special
concerts and festivals.

FORMS OF ASSESSMENT:
1. Each student is an important member of the ensemble. It is
important for students to have a good attitude and to understand
that their contribution to the ensemble is crucial to its success.
2. In a musical ensemble the "final exams" are the performances. It is very important that all chorus members attend each performance.
3. Students may be periodically assessed in class.
4. Individual contribution to the group on a daily class basis is worth 60% of the quarter grade. Performances are worth 40% of the quarter grade.

Orono Middle School Orchestra

DESCRIPTION:
The purpose of applied music education, is to develop life-long musical understanding, musical skills and sensitivities.

Just as each person has some intelligence, each person has some musical ability, where the inner self begins to feel and express in ways that music allows us, and culminating in an educated aesthetic performance.

Throughout the whole year, orchestra students will rehearse, discuss and perform, with critical knowledge, classical compositions of past and present literature, as well as music from other genres. Historical context, style, and expression, must be part of a literate performer.

It is required that each student must have his/her instrument, music and pencil at all times during classes, rehearsals and performances.

COURSE OBJECTIVES:
All Orono Middle School Orchestra students will:

be able to express and communicate through an interpretation of a solo, chamber music, or an orchestral composition.

become literate and perform with the historical context, style and expression of a composition and its composer in time.

be able to understand that discipline, responsibility and persistence are skills for a successful performance.

be able to continue with the joy of applied music as part of a successful life style.

MAJOR UNITS:
1. Scales/arpeggios, skills/techniques for the left and right hands, standard orchestral, and solo/chamber music literature, and the nomenclature of universal music terms and language.

2. Winter Concert - During the month of December, students will prepare a repertoire of holiday and classical music.

3. Orono City All Orchestras Concert - This program benefits and features the individual as well as the ensemble by grade and as a whole. The program is encouraging and enjoyable. Parents, please encourage your child to perform a solo piece.

4. Community Concert - Our OMS orchestra will reach out to share the joy of music and our pursuit for learning.

5. Spring Concert - This presentation encourages the students to display attitudes, behaviors, skills and concepts with as much control as possible throughout their performances. The repertoire will parallel with their growth.

FORMS OF ASSESSMENT:
1. Daily class participation - All students will have class work then home work to prepare.

2. Students will have periodic check points over etudes, skills and repertoire passages.

3. All concerts and performances are evidence of student work and assessment.

4. There will be individual and self-evaluation as needed over all public concerts and performances.