BEGINNING CHOIR 1-2

Grade Level: 9-12

Recommended Prerequisites: None

Meets UC/CSU “F” requirement

Beginning Choir I teaches students how to sing and how to read music. It is an opportunity to develop musical skills and to broaden the musical experience through rehearsal and performance. This is a performance class and students participate in all concerts and a spring festival. The make­up of this class could be mixed voices, women only or men only. Beginning Choir 2 is an extension of Beginning Choir 1 and includes further exploration of music theory and vocal techniques.

 

CONCERT CHOIR 1-2 (Advanced Mixed)

Grade Level: 9-12

Prerequisite: Audition and teacher recommendation

Meets UC/CSU “F” requirement

Concert Choir is the third choir in the sequence of the choral program, following Beg. I and Beg. II. It is a large choir consisting of mixed voices (men and women) or men only or women only. Audition is necessary, and knowledge of music theory is absolutely necessary. Students will continue to develop as choral musicians and learn the skills necessary to audition for either Women’s Ensemble or Classical Vocal Ensemble. This choir will participate in all concerts and festivals.

 

CLASSICAL VOCAL ENSEMBLE (Die Lieder Singers)

Grade Level: 10-12

Prerequisite: Audition and teacher recommendation

Meets UC/CSU “F” requirement

Classical Vocal Ensemble is a course for advanced choral musicians. Advanced choral and vocal technique will be taught in a small choir setting of 20-26 students. Classical and traditional repertoire will be studied and performed. This is a performance class, and students are expected to participate in all choral activities. Outside time is required. Activities will include school and community performances. The Classical Vocal Ensemble will represent the school at district and state levels in adjudicated festivals.

 

WOMEN’S ENSEMBLE

Grade Level: 10-12

Prerequisite: Audition and teacher recommendation

Meets UC/CSU “F” requirement

Women’s Ensemble is a course for advanced choral musicians through audition only. Advanced choral and vocal technique will be taught. Classical and traditional repertoire specifically written for women’s voices will be studied and performed. This is a performance class and students are expected to participate in all choral activities. Outside time is required. Activities will include school and community performances. The Women’s Ensemble will represent the school at district and state levels in adjudicated festivals.

 

FRESHMAN BAND

Grade Level: 9

Prerequisite: Basic knowledge of instrument

Freshman Band offers the student of instrumental music an opportunity to further develop musical skills and to broaden the musical experience through rehearsal and performance. All students are required to be enrolled in Marching Physical Education first semester.

 

ADVANCED CONCERT BAND

Grade Level: 10-12

Prerequisite: Previous band experience

Meets UC/CSU “F” and “G” requirements

Concert Band is designed for instrumental musicians. This is a performance class, and students are expected to participate in all band activities. Activities will include concerts for the band as well as solo and ensemble festivals. This band represents the school at District and state levels in concert festivals. All students are required to be enrolled in Marching Physical Education first semester.

 

WIND ENSEMBLE

Grade Level: 10-12

Prerequisite: Concert Band or Advanced Concert Band

Meets UC/CSU “F” requirement

Wind Ensemble is a course for advanced instrumental musicians. This is a performance class, and students are expected to participate in all band activities. Some outside time is necessary. Activities will include concerts for the band and various festivals. The Wind Ensemble will represent the school at District and state levels in concert evaluations.

 

INSTRUMENTAL ENSEMBLE

Grade Level: 9-12

Prerequisites: None

Meets UC/CSU “F” requirement

Instrumental Ensemble is a course for all levels of instrumental musicians. In the Fall Semester, the class is designed for marching band percussion students only. There are outside rehearsals coordinated with the Fall session for percussion students. In the Spring semester, small ensembles are encouraged, although solos may be prepared for the solo and ensemble festival held at two different locations in the county. The students may be required to participate in the solo and ensemble festival.

 

ORCHESTRA (STRING ENSEMBLE)

Grade Level: 9-12

Prerequisites: Previous experience playing an orchestral string instrument

Meets UC/CSU “F” requirement

Orchestra is designed for the stringed-instrument student who desires to play in a performing organization based upon orchestral instruments. The group will play a variety of string orchestra music and will perform at school concerts and at festivals.

 

TALL FLAGS - COLOR GUARD

Grade Level: 9-12 (Spring Semester)

Recommended prerequisite: Participation in Tall Flags the previous Fall

The Color Guard class provides students with the opportunity to develop musical/visual concepts, skills, and interpretations. These concepts will be used in conjunction with the marching program and the indoor tall flag instruction. Evaluation will be provided by the Southern California School Band and Orchestra Association and the California Tall Flag Association, in addition to teacher observation. This class does not meet the PUSD Physical Education graduation requirement or the CSU Fine Arts requirement.

 

MARCHING PHYSICAL EDUCATION

Grade Level: 9-12 (Fall Semester)

Prerequisite: Membership in Band MARCHING PHYSICAL EDUCATION/TALL FLAGS (Fall Semester)

Marching Physical Education is designed to develop a well-coordinated and precise marching unit. Students will learn to prepare and execute marching, dance, and drill routines. All band members are required to take this course. NOTE: A total of fifteen credits in Marching Physical Education may be applied toward the Physical Education requirement.

 

DRAMA 1-2

Grade Level: 9-12

Prerequisite: None

Meets UC/CSU “F” requirement

Drama 1 and Drama 2 are survey courses that include many facets of dramatic activity. Included are basic storytelling, voice and diction, exercises and movement, some improvisational work, and introductory acting. It is a beginning study of theater with in-depth looks at theater history and modern plays. Students will study plays and films and be able to critique them (verbally as well as written). A series of scenes must be presented. The students will be requested to attend one performance of our school play.

 

DRAMA 3

Grade Level: 10-12

Prerequisite: Drama 2 or Teacher Recommendation

Meets UC/CSU “F” and “G” requirements

Drama 3-4 and 5-6 are courses in play production. These courses include a detailed study of how plays are produced and directed. Included in the course is a study of the history of the theater and changes in writing and acting styles. Students are expected to perform scenes from classical literature after studying the influences of the various periods. In addition students are expected to perform in scenes from modern British and American dramatic literature, as well as to research a selected topic. Students will demonstrate an increased attention to detail and are expected to select a semester project and carry it to culmination. Students are also expected to participate in our PHS Fall or Spring production.

 

DRAMA 4

Grade Level: 10-12

Prerequisite: Drama 3 or consent of instructor

Meets UC/CSU “G” requirement

Drama 4 is a course in play production. The course includes a detailed study of how plays are produced, cast, and directed. Students will act in scenes for other directors. A continuing study is made of theater history and additional styles and terminology. Students will begin to learn principles of directing and technical theater as well as produce a memorized semester project. This is a performance class. Students should participate in our Fall or Spring production. Drama may be used to meet the PHS fine arts requirement but not the PHS English requirement.

 

DRAMA 5

Grade Level: 11-12

Prerequisite: Drama 4 or consent of instructor

Meets UC/CSU “G” requirement

Drama 5 continues the application of the play direction techniques introduced in Drama 4. Students are expected to select a semester project and to carry it to culmination. Drama 5 is a course in which students do creative exercises to illustrate characters and situations, as well as improvisational exercises. It is a beginning study of theater with in-depth looks at structure of theater and plays and more improvisations and pantomimes. Students will visit movies and plays and be able to write a critique of them. At least one basic scene and/or series of pantomimes must be presented. Also included is a study of the function of the playwright, the actor, the director, and the technicians. In addition, the students will study the written scripts of four genres: melodrama, comedy, farce, and modern drama.

 

DRAMA 6

Grade Level: 11-12

Prerequisite: Drama 5 or consent of instructor

Meets UC/CSU “G” requirement

Drama 6 is a course in which students explore advanced methods and techniques of acting, interpretation, and direction. Students are expected to participate in classroom scenes. Students are expected to research an individually selected topic. Costuming and makeup are also to be covered in this course. This is essentially a director's laboratory/workshop and a performance class with scenes and projects. This course may strengthen students’ expository writing skills. Emphasis will be placed on the multi-paragraph essay and on research, analysis, and writing about non-fiction. Developing advanced vocabulary skills will also be stressed.