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Music Academic Courses

Music Academic Courses

  • Concert Band (MU600, MU601, MU602 (¼ credit), MU603, MU604, MU606, MU607, MU609, MU610) (1 credit, ½ credit)

    Prerequisite: A minimum of one year of concert band experience in middle or high school or audition with the music instructor to assess ability.

    This course is open to students who wish to play traditional concert band instruments. Prior experience with your instrument is required. The focus will be on ensemble skills, reading musical notation, and other musical concepts.

    Participation in any school concert is a class requirement. Each school may have a limited number of instruments available to rent. This class may be offered to students in the 9th, 10th, 11th, and 12th grades. This class may be repeated for credit.

    It is recommended that each school adopt full group rehearsal periods weekly.

    Concert Choir (MU616, MU617, MU619, MU620, MU622, MU623, MU625, MU626) (1 credit, ½ credit)

    Open to anyone with a desire to sing a varied repertoire of choral music. Emphasis will be placed on singing alone and with others, as well as the development of musical reading skills and ensemble skills. No experience is necessary.

    This class may be offered to students in the 9th, 10th, 11th, and 12th grades. Participation in any school concert is a class requirement. This class may be repeated for credit.

    It is recommended that each school adopt full group rehearsal periods weekly.

    Music Applications (MU670) (½ credit)

    This class offers an introduction to CTECS music course topics. Novice to intermediate music skills will be developed according to National Core Arts Standards.

    This class may be repeated for credit.

    Introduction to Guitar (MU646) (½ credit)

    Open to all students who wish to learn to play the acoustic guitar. Emphasis will be placed on performing a variety of music alone and with others, as well as the development of musical reading skills and ensemble skills.

    If a student wishes to enroll but does not own a guitar, a limited number of school instruments are available.

    Advanced Guitar (MU649) (½ credit)

    Prerequisite: Introduction to Guitar and instructor approval

    Open to students who successfully completed Introduction to Guitar and would like to continue more advanced study. Students will learn higher-level repertoire and techniques with greater emphasis on public performance.

    Participation in any school concert is a class requirement. This class may be repeated for credit.

    Introduction to Drumline (MU660) (½ credit)

    Open to all students who wish to learn percussion instruments. Emphasis will be placed on performing a variety of music alone and with others, as well as the development of musical reading skills and ensemble skills.

    Advanced Drumline (MU760) (½ credit)

    Prerequisite: Introduction to Drumline or instructor approval

    Open to students who successfully completed Introduction to Drumline and would like to continue more advanced study. Students will learn higher-level repertoire and techniques, with greater emphasis on public performance.

    Participation in any school concert is a class requirement. This class may be repeated for credit.

    Piano (MU680) (½ credit)

    Piano offers basic piano instruction to students. Classes will focus on keyboarding skills, including hand position, posture, and location of notes in both right and left hands.

    Students will develop music literacy through theory lessons as part of the course of study. Students will perform a variety of repertoire alone and with others.

    This class may be repeated for credit.

    Drumline and Piano (MU684) (½ credit)

    Prerequisite: Introduction to Drumline and Piano and instructor approval

    Open to students who successfully completed Introduction to Drumline and Piano and would like to continue more advanced study. Students will learn higher-level repertoire and techniques with greater emphasis on public performance.

    Participation in any school concert is a class requirement. This class may be repeated for credit.

    Voice Class (MU634) (½ credit)

    This class offers vocal music instruction for students interested in learning to sing. Classes will focus on healthy vocal production, musical literacy, use of solfege, and study of varied repertoire selected depending upon the needs of the students.

    This class may be offered to students in the 9th, 10th, 11th, and 12th grades. There is no prerequisite for this class, and the class may be repeated for credit.

    Advanced Music Independent Study (MU690, MU691) (1 credit, ¼ credit)

    11th or 12th Grade Option

    Prerequisite: Instructor approval

    Topics may include music theory, music technology, composition, and performance. In addition, students will have the opportunity to mentor freshman music students with their musical studies.

    In essence, this course will help students gain a perspective on how to be a musician and/or music teacher. Students will also gain knowledge of how to continue their music studies beyond high school.

    Music Therapy (MU771, MU772) (½ credit, ¼ credit)

    Open to all music students. Topics include the brain and music, how music can relieve pain, patients and music, music as a tool for movement, and music and relaxation techniques.

    Students will learn basic guitar, keyboard, and drumming skills to bring an awareness of music and music therapy to their future work.

    Popular Music and Diversity in American Society – UConn ECE (MU780) (1 credit)

    (NCAA Approved Course)

    See Section XV for Honors/Advanced Level Selection Criteria.

    This college-level course for advanced learners provides an introduction to popular music and diversity in America, including jazz, blues, Top-40 pop, rock, hip-hop, and other genres. Musicians and their music are studied in the context of twentieth-century and contemporary American society, emphasizing issues of race, gender, class, and resistance.

    To be successful in this course, students need to be independent, self-motivated, and ready to take on the challenge of participating in seminar-style discussions.

    Students who enroll in the UConn Early College Experience (ECE) program and successfully complete this course are eligible to earn three (3) UConn college credits for the Popular Music and Diversity in American Society course (ECON1003). See page 11 for more information.

    Electronic Music I (MU763) (¼ credit)

    Students will learn the history of electronic music and instruments with listening examples that highlight the important people, technology, and techniques associated with the style.

    Electronic Music II (MU764) (¼ credit)

    Students will learn to create and compose electronic music with the use of technology and instruments.