Symphonic Orchestra

Students enrolling for Symphonic Orchestra are sophomores, juniors, or seniors that have completed a year of Concert Orchestra and passed the audition for Symphonic Orchestra. Students will be expected to have knowledge of first through fourth position, solid tone quality, and basic knowledge of music theory. Students will be expected to provide their own instrument. 

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 intonation skills. 
• 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 an 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?