Syllabus

MARIN SCHOOL OF THE ARTS JAZZ BAND
Prerequisite: All students must pass an audition to be admitted to the program
Eligibility: Grades 9,10,11,12

The Marin School of the Arts Jazz Band has approximately 18 to 24 members. The band is made up of saxophones, trumpets, trombones, drums, bass, guitar and piano. Students will be exposed to a wide variety of jazz covering swing, bebop, Latin, blues, ballad, fusion, and popular music. Students in the class will be playing music that is appropriate for an advanced high school or intermediate college band.

Students will be working on a variety of skills that include intonation, accuracy of rhythm, articulations, phrasing and style characteristics. The Marin School of the Arts Jazz Band performs extensively in the community and at many festivals. Students are expected to make time available for performances and festivals. Students are required to take private lessons and to practice outside of class.

MARIN SCHOOL OF THE ARTS CONCERT BAND
Prerequisite: All students must pass an audition to be admitted to the program
Eligibility: Grades 9,10,11,12

The Marin School of the Arts Concert Band is an advanced concert band with approximately 24 to 36 members. The band is made up of flutes, clarinets, oboes, English horns, bassoons, bass clarinets, alto saxes, tenor saxes, baritone saxes, French horns, trumpets, trombones, baritone horns/euphoniums, tubas, string basses, tympani, and percussion. Students will be exposed to a wide variety of music covering different styles and periods from Baroque to Modern. Students in the class will be playing music that is appropriate for an advanced high school or intermediate college band. Students will be working on a variety of skills that include intonation, accuracy of rhythm, articulations, phrasing and style characteristics. Members of Marin School of the Arts Concert Band will perform in the community and at festivals. Students are expected to make time available for performances and festivals. Students are required to take private lessons and to practice outside of class.

MARIN SCHOOL OF THE ARTS CHAMBER MUSIC
Prerequisite: All students must pass an audition to be admitted to the program
Eligibility: Grades 9,10,11,12

All students not participating in the Marin School of the Arts Jazz Band are required to take Marin School of the Arts Chamber Music. Chamber Music consists of numerous small groups ranging in size from two to seven musicians. These groups are made up of flutes, clarinets, oboes, English horns, bassoons, bass clarinets, alto saxes, tenor saxes, baritone saxes, French horns, trumpets, trombones, baritone horns/euphoniums, tubas, string basses, tympani, and percussion. Students will be exposed to a wide variety of music covering different styles and periods from Ancient to Modern. Much of the music will be professional level. Students perform at monthly Soiree concerts. Students will be working on a variety of skills that include intonation, accuracy of rhythm, articulations, phrasing, style characteristics, and solo performance skills. Students are required to take private lessons and to practice outside of class.

MARIN SCHOOL OF THE ARTS STRING ENSEMBLE
Prerequisite: All students must pass an audition to be admitted to the program
Eligibility: Grades 9,10,11,12

The Marin School of the Arts String Ensemble is made up violins, violas, cellos, basses, and piano. Students will be exposed to a wide variety of music covering different styles and periods from Baroque to Modern. Students in the class will be playing music that is appropriate for their skill level. Students will be working on a variety of skills that include intonation, accuracy of rhythm, bowings, articulations, phrasing and style characteristics. Students are required to take private lessons and to practice outside of class.

*In addition to performing ensembles, all students in the Marin School of the Arts will take classes in Music Theory, Music History, and Ear Training.

Performance Groups:
• Students will be participating in multiple groups.
• Students will participate in Chamber Music of many different configurations.
• All students who play a wind, brass or percussion instrument will be in Concert Band.
• Piano students will be eligible to play with the Jazz Band, Choirs, or Chamber Music.

All students will have a regular program of music theory, ear training, composition, and music history. These classes will be on Tuesday and Thursday.

Music Theory
There are three levels of Music Theory. At the start of each year students are evaluated based on placement tests and placed into classes based on skill and knowledge level. Students will learn the basic rudimentary structure of Western tonal music. Topics will include intervals, chords, melody, form, and harmony. Students will learn by completing written exercises and analyzing existing music. The basic principles of theory will also be used as a platform for composition instruction. Students will use their knowledge of theory to build creative works. As students progress they will move into more advanced theoretical concepts.

Music History
Students will be exposed to a broad range of musical history. Starting with the basic building blocks of Western classical music, students will listen to and learn about the rich history behind the music they perform. The course will lead up to the music of the present century and will include jazz, rock, blues, pop, and more, in addition to classical music. Different music from around the world will also be heard and discussed.

Ear training
There are three levels of Ear Training. At the start of each year students are evaluated based on placement tests and placed into classes based on skill and knowledge level.
Students will learn to recognize pitch and rhythm by ear. They will learn to take dictation (notate music heard onto paper by ear), recognize chords, and identify intervals. Musical samples will start simply and progressively add more altered notes and difficult rhythms. Students will also learn to sing and internally hear melodies on sight. General musicianship will also be discussed, with topics including music notation, score reading, knowledge of instrument transpositions, musicality, and more. As students progress they will be introduced to more advanced concepts.

Extra Curricular Opportunities
• Musicals
• Festivals
• Chamber Music Concerts
• Community Performances
• Joint projects with other arts focus areas
• Tours

Tuesday and Thursday theory/ear training components stretched to a one-hour period. The accompanying period will be shortened to forty minutes. This will accommodate a half hour theory/ear training session followed by a half hour music history session.

Sections Offered:
Two 6th Period and two 7th Period sections.

After-School Offerings:
Small jazz groups
Monthly concerts
Special projects
Festivals