Philharmonic Orchestra

Students enrolling for Philharmonic Orchestra should have completed a minimum of a three year middle school orchestra program and pass the audition for Philharmonic Orchestra. Students will be expected to have a solid basic music foundation and willingness to expand their technique and musicianship. 

Semester 1

Unit 1: Fall Performance 

• Students will be reviewing rhythms and notes from previous classes and expanding to more complex notes and rhythms. 
• Students will refine anatomical needs of playing string instruments. 
• Students will refine listening and evaluation skills. 
• Students will review care and maintenance of their instruments. 
• Students will refine tuning with pegs and fine tuners. 
• Students will understand ensemble and orchestra expectations and necessary materials. 

Unit 2: Winter Performance 

• Students will be able to perform a variety of rhythms alone and together for their class at an age appropriate level. 
• Students will be able to create their own rhythms and perform them for their class at an age appropriate level. 
• Students will be able to perform their concert music alone and with others. 
• Students will be able to identify, articulate, and discuss a variety of the elements of music at an age appropriate level. 
• Students will understand the expectations and purpose of performance at an age appropriate level.

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Semester 2

Unit 3: Adjudicated Performance 

• Students can analyze repertoire for technical considerations and can select repertoire based on personal choice at age appropriate level. 
• Students will value and connect with the history, context and meaning of a piece of music at an age appropriate level. 
• Students will refine and demonstrate collaboration, empathy, teamwork, responsibility and advocacy. 
• Students will expand on their rhythms and note reading at an age appropriate level. ● Students will be able to perform their concert music alone and with others. 

Unit 4: Spring Performance 

• Students will understand musical considerations within the “pop” genre. 
• Students will prepare for expanding all skills for future years or post high school. 
• Students will be able to reflect on skills attained and overall progress. 
• Students will be able to perform their concert music alone and with others. 

Essential Questions

• How do musicians make creative decisions? 
• How do musicians improve the quality of their creative work? 
• When is creative work ready to share? 
• How do performers select repertoire? 
• How does understanding the structure and context of musical works inform performance? 
• How do performers interpret musical works? 
• How do musicians improve the quality of their performance? 
• How do context and the manner in which musical work is presented influence audience response?