Choir
Choral Music 10 - 5 credits
No prerequisite
Co-requisite: Choir 15/25/35
This course is designed to build fundamental musical skills with focuses on vocal technique, sight-reading, ear-training, history and theory. Students have the opportunity to sing music from a variety of genres, and a large range of musical ability and experience can be accommodated. This course will be scheduled in the regular timetable except for students that are unable to fit it into their timetable because of academics. Students in band (Instrumental Music) are not required to take this course in order to enroll in Choir 15.
Choral Music 20 - 5 credits
Prerequisite: Choral Music 10
Co-requisite: Choir 15/25/35
This course is designed to build fundamental musical skills with focuses on vocal technique, sight-reading, ear-training, history and theory. Students have the opportunity to sing music from a variety of genres, and a large range of musical ability and experience can be accommodated. This course will be scheduled in the regular timetable except for students that are unable to fit it into their timetable because of academics. Students in band (Instrumental Music) are not required to take this course in order to enrol in Choir 15/25/35.
Choral Music 30 - 5 credits
Prerequisite: Choral Music 20
Co-requisite: Choir 15/25/35
This course is designed to build fundamental musical skills with focuses on vocal technique, sight-reading, ear-training, history and theory. Students have the opportunity to sing music from a variety of genres, and a large range of musical ability and experience can be accommodated. This course will be scheduled in the regular timetable except for students that are unable to fit it into their timetable because of academics. Students in band (Instrumental Music) are not required to take this course in order to enrol in Choir 15/25/35.
Choir - 3 credits
No prerequisite
Co-requisite: Choral Music 10/20/30 except for students in band
This is a course that will allow the choral student to participate in a performing concert choir singing in a variety of musical styles and genres. Rehearsals will be held once a week on Tuesday afternoon outside the regular timetable for the entire school year. This course requires a commitment to a variety of performing experiences including concerts, workshops, and festivals.
Band
If students do not own their own instruments, rentals are available.
Instrumental Music 10 (Woodwind) - cohort a - 5 credits
Prerequisite: Previous instrumental experience (school band/private study)
This section is for students who play woodwind instruments (flute, oboe, bassoon, all clarinets, all saxophones)
This is an introductory course in high school instrumental music. This course is an instrumental techniques based course. Study of technical, theoretical, historical and ensemble aspects of instrumental musicianship will be covered. Students enrolled in Instrument Music 10 also need to be enrolled in Band 15 (morning Concert Band) for the co-curricular Music Performance based course for an additional 5-credits. Students in Partial IB or Full IB program that are unable to fit Instrumental Music 10 into their timetables, should enroll in Band 15. All other students should register in Instrumental Music 10 and Band 15.
Instrumental Music 10 (Brass) - cohort b - 5 credits
Prerequisite: Previous instrumental experience (school band/private study)
This section is for students who play brass instruments (trumpet, French horn, trombone, euphonium, tuba)
This is an introductory course in high school instrumental music. This course is an instrumental techniques based course. Study of technical, theoretical, historical and ensemble aspects of instrumental musicianship will be covered. Students enrolled in Instrument Music 10 also need to be enrolled in Band 15 (morning Concert Band) for the co-curricular Music Performance based course for an additional 5-credits. Students in Partial IB or Full IB program that are unable to fit Instrumental Music 10 into their timetables, should enrol in Band 15. All other students should register in Instrumental Music 10 and Band 15.
Instrumental Music 10 (Percussion) - cohort c - 5 credits
This class section is for all percussionists and string bass players.
** Please note this is a multi level class and you will be enrolled in the appropriate level course for your grade ie. Instrumental Music 10/20/30** Prerequisite:
For Instrumental Music 10: Previous instrumental experience (school band/private study)
For Instrumental Music 20/30: previous level of Instrumental Music (10 or 20)
This course is an instrumental techniques based course. Study of technical, theoretical, historical and ensemble aspects of instrumental musicianship will be covered. Students enrolled in Instrument Music 10 also need to be enrolled in Band 15 (morning Concert Band) for the co-curricular Music Performance based course for an additional 5-credits. Students enrolled in Instrumental Music 20/30 must also co-register in Band 25/35 (Morning Symphonic Band). Students in Partial IB or Full IB program that are unable to fit Instrumental Music 10/20/30 into their timetables, should enrol in Band 15/25/35. All other students should register in Instrumental Music 10/20/30
Instrumental Music 20 (Wind) - 5 credits
Prerequisite: Previous instrumental experience (school band/private study)
This section is for students who play woodwind instruments (flute, oboe, bassoon, all clarinets, all saxophones)
This is an introductory course in high school instrumental music. This course is an instrumental techniques based course. Study of technical, theoretical, historical and ensemble aspects of instrumental musicianship will be covered. Students enrolled in Instrument Music 10 also need to be enrolled in Band 15 (morning Concert Band) for the co-curricular Music Performance based course for an additional 5-credits. Students in Partial IB or Full IB program that are unable to fit Instrumental Music 10 into their timetables, should enrol in Band 15. All other students should register in Instrumental Music 10 and Band 15.
Instrumental Music 20 (Brass) - 5 credits
Prerequisite: See Instrumental Music 20 (Wind) above
Instrumental Music 30 (Wind) - 5 credits
Prerequisite: Previous instrumental experience (school band/private study)
This section is for students who play woodwind instruments (flute, oboe, bassoon, all clarinets, all saxophones)
This is an introductory course in high school instrumental music. This course is an instrumental techniques based course. Study of technical, theoretical, historical and ensemble aspects of instrumental musicianship will be covered. Students enrolled in Instrument Music 10 also need to be enrolled in Band 15 (morning Concert Band) for the co-curricular Music Performance based course for an additional 5-credits. Students in Partial IB or Full IB program that are unable to fit Instrumental Music 10 into their timetables, should enrol in Band 15. All other students should register in Instrumental Music 10 and Band 15.
Instrumental Music 30 (Brass/Percussion) - 5 credits
Prerequisite: See Instrumental Music 30 (Wind) above
Band 15 (Concert Band) - 5 credits
Prerequisite: Junior high music or equivalent private study Co-requisite: Instrumental Music 10 (Brass, Woodwind or Percussion)
This course allows the band student to participate in a performing concert band. It will be offered two times per week during early morning rehearsals outside of the regular timetable for the entire school year. Concert band and Symphonic band are scheduled in this way to allow the group to perform for the entire school year while receiving five credits. This course requires a commitment to a variety of performing experiences including: concerts, workshops, festivals, and band trips, which occur on evenings and weekends. Parents of students in Band 15 (and Band 25 and 35) are members of the Sir Winston Churchill Band Parents’ Association and volunteer to support the program. Parents are responsible to pay the extra costs associated with Band Trips and Band Festivals. These costs will be outlined at the Annual General Meeting of the SWC Band Parents’ Association held every September.
Band 25 (Symphonic Band) - 5 credits
Prerequisite: Junior high music or equivalent private study Co-requisite: Instrumental Music 10 (Brass, Woodwind or Percussion)
This course allows the band student to participate in a performing concert band. It will be offered two times per week during early morning rehearsals outside of the regular timetable for the entire school year. Concert band and Symphonic band are scheduled in this way to allow the group to perform for the entire school year while receiving five credits. This course requires a commitment to a variety of performing experiences including: concerts, workshops, festivals, and band trips, which occur on evenings and weekends. Parents of students in Band 15 (and Band 25 and 35) are members of the Sir Winston Churchill Band Parents’ Association and volunteer to support the program. Parents are responsible to pay the extra costs associated with Band Trips and Band Festivals. These costs will be outlined at the Annual General Meeting of the SWC Band Parents’ Association held every September.
Band 35 (Symphonic Band) - 5 credits
Prerequisite: Junior high music or equivalent private study Co-requisite: Instrumental Music 10 (Brass, Woodwind or Percussion)
This course allows the band student to participate in a performing concert band. It will be offered two times per week during early morning rehearsals outside of the regular timetable for the entire school year. Concert band and Symphonic band are scheduled in this way to allow the group to perform for the entire school year while receiving five credits. This course requires a commitment to a variety of performing experiences including: concerts, workshops, festivals, and band trips, which occur on evenings and weekends. Parents of students in Band 15 (and Band 25 and 35) are members of the Sir Winston Churchill Band Parents’ Association and volunteer to support the program. Parents are responsible to pay the extra costs associated with Band Trips and Band Festivals. These costs will be outlined at the Annual General Meeting of the SWC Band Parents’ Association held every September.
Instrumental Jazz 15, 25, 35 - Jazz Ensemble - 5 credits
Co-requisite: Enrollment in Instrumental Music Course
The Jazz Ensemble is a performance-based instrumental ensemble open to grade 10-12 students. Students meet twice a week in the PM block (Monday and Wednesday) and perform multiple times throughout the year for school-wide events, local concerts and festivals. This ensemble focuses on technique, style, groove, and improvisation.
Seven Important Skills You Learn by Studying Music
- Comprehending. Learning to perceive and derive meaning from musical sounds – for example, to identify a musical theme – sharpens your ability to comprehend abstractions.
- Solving Problems. The ability to understand a problem and reach an appropriate solution is one of the most important skills you can learn. Learning the basics of musical language, such as harmony, or interpreting a work through performance teaches this skill.
- Reasoning Logically. Applying particular lessons to other problems and situations requires sound reasoning. When you learn to analyze a musical work from a cultural, structural, or historical perspective, or to improvise within a certain musical style, both inductive and deductive reasoning grow stronger.
- Making Value Judgments. Learning to comprehend, consider, and evaluate in music can help you make informed decisions in other aspects of life. Discriminating between great and lesser works or justifying musical choices in compositions can teach you how to make and uphold value judgments.
- Using Symbols. The ability to use symbols distinguishes the human race among all forms of life. Learning to read, write, and interpret musical notation provides access to a nonverbal world of thought and strengthens the use of other symbol systems as well, such as mathematics or language.
- Conceptualizing. You learn to classify and generalize by learning to identify different types and styles of music, to recognize how different cultures use music for personal expression, and to recognize common elements in different works.
- Communicating. Perhaps the greatest gift of music is its ability to cultivate our feelings and thoughts through nonverbal means. Being able to express those feelings and thoughts – and to respond to them in others – is part of every successful program of music study and indispensable in your total development.
The message is clear: a well-organized, sustained education in music gives you intellectual and creative advantages that last a lifetime.
