Mission Statement

Our mission is to provide a comprehensive music education for every child.  It is our belief that music is one of the great arts of both our past and present civilizations.  Music is a unique combination of intellect and artistry, an academic discipline possessing a language of its own that cultivates the universal creative process, awakens feelings, and exalts the human spirit.  The process of music study allows students to not only gain a lifelong source of enjoyment, but also enhances the computational, reading and analytical skills considered so essential to success in the workplace.  When an understanding of the cultural and historical forces that shape social attitudes and behaviors is achieved, students are better prepared to live and work in a world community that is increasingly multi-cultural.  The adult life of every student is enriched by the skills, habits, and discipline acquired in the study of music.

Guiding Principles

The Student as a/an …

• Citizen - develops the critical and analytical skills required for lifelong learning, participation in, and enjoyment of music.  They acquire knowledge of musical vocations and avocations within and beyond the school community.
• Performer - has opportunities to participate in a variety of ensembles and as a soloist.  Performances include both notational reading and rote learning experiences of literature from a wide range of style periods, cultures, and genres.  An ensemble experience provides an interface between an individual response to music and a unified aesthetic experience.
• Listener - utilizes musical elements to respond to a wide variety of musical experiences.
• Critical Thinker - engages in higher order thinking skills that are essential to the development of independent musicianship; these skills can be demonstrated through writing, reading, and performance.
• Individual - develops and enriches his or her own humanity through self-reflection, inquiry, and the expression of emotional responses to the aesthetics of music.
• Composer - within a framework of common musical practice, takes creative risks, experiments, and problem-solves through the practice of composition and improvisation in a positive, supportive environment.

 The discipline of music is advanced through the study of…

• Literacy… Through the sequential instruction in aural/oral skills, reading, notation and improvisational skills, students will be able to compose, perform, analyze and critique music.
• Culture and History... Through analysis, guided listening and performance of culturally and historically diverse literature, students will establish interdisciplinary connections between the musical skills they are developing and the evolving world of music.
• Technology… Learners will utilize currently available technology to enhance the gathering, creating, performance and analysis of information as they address authentic musical tasks.
• Assessment… Through valid, rigorous, and reliable assessments that inform instruction, student performance data must be used to monitor, adjust, and differentiate to enhance student learning.