TAMALPAIS UNION HIGH SCHOOL DISTRICT
Larkspur, CA

Course of Study

CONCERT BAND (Band - Intermediate)

I.  INTRODUCTION

Purpose

Concert Band is the first performance group class in the instrumental music program. Students may have completed Beginning Band prior to enrolling in this course or have previous instrumental music training. Students then progress to Symphonic Band when their musicianship reaches the required level. 

This is a multi-grade, multi-level, lab ensemble class which allows students to continue developing their technical, ensemble and musicianship skills with an increased emphasis on the group product, public performance, and on the achievement of satisfying aesthetic experiences through the rehearsal and performance of suitable grade II and III concert band literature. Concert Band prepares the student for participation in Symphonic Band and ultimately for participation in college musical ensembles and other community amateur or professional musical groups.  Individual practice to perform the assignments is necessary.  Performances are required and these may include classical and "pops" concerts and solo or small ensemble events, during and after school hours.

Tamalpais District Outcomes, National Standards for Arts Education and California State Framework Standards

This class particularly addresses the following Tamalpais District Student Learning Outcomes:

  2.  Read/view and analyze material in a variety of disciplines
11.  Appreciate, interpret, experience, create and/or perform artistic work
12.  Demonstrate school to work/post secondary transition skills and knowledge

This class also may address these Tamalpais District Students Learning Outcomes:

  3.  Use technology to access information, analyze/solve problems and      communicate ideas
10.  Analyze current issues from historical, political, economic, geographic, scientific and multicultural perspective
13.  Participate in community, social, civic or cultural service

This class addresses these Content Standards from the National Standards for Arts Education in Music:

2.  Performing on instruments, alone, and with others, a varied repertoire of music
3.  Improvising melodies, variations and accompaniments
4.  Composing and arranging music within specified guidelines
5.  Reading and notation music
6.  Listening to, analyzing, and describing music
7.  Evaluating music and music performances
8.  Understanding relationships between music, the other arts, and disciplines outside the arts
9.  Understanding music in relation to history and culture

This class also addresses the music standards for grades 9-12 of the California State Framework for Visual and Performing Arts:

1.3 Sight-read music accurately and expressively (level of difficulty: 3; scale: 1-6)
1.4 Analyze and describe significant musical events perceived and remembered in a given aural example.
1.5 Analyze and describe the use of musical elements in a given work that makes it unique, interesting, and expressive.
1.6 Compare and contrast the use of form, both past and present, in a varied repertoire of music from diverse genres, styles, and cultures.
2.4 Perform on an instrument a repertoire of instru7mental literature representing various genres, styles, and cultures with expression, technical accuracy, tone quality, and articulation, by oneself and in ensembles (level of difficulty: 3; scale: 1-6).
3.1 Analyze how the roles of musicians and composers have changed or remained the same throughout history.
3.3 Compare and contrast the social function of a variety of music forms in various cultures and time period.
3.4 Perform music from a variety of cultures and historical periods.
3.5 Compare and contrast instruments from a variety of cultures and historical periods.
3.7 Analyze the stylistic features of a given musical work that define its aesthetic traditions and its historical or cultural context.
3.8 Compare and contrast musical genres or styles that show the influence of two or more cultural traditions.
4.1 Compare and contrast how a composer's intentions result in a work of music and how that music is used.
4.2 Analyze and explain how and why people in a particular culture use and respond to specific musical works from their own culture.
5.1 Explain ways in which the principles and subject matter of music and various disciplines outside the arts are interrelated.
5.3 Identify and explain the various factors involved in pursuing careers in music. 

Articulation with Other Department Courses

Concert Band provides a transition from Beginning Band to the Symphonic Band.  Concert Band may also lead to participation, with concurrent enrollment, in supplementary music classes such as Jazz Band.

D.  Course Goals 
Concert Band allows students to continue improving their technical, ensemble and musicianship skills, through study, rehearsal, and performance of the best appropriate concert band literature.  Also, this class begins to develop group ensemble skills and the aesthetic experience of artistic performance of appropriate level band literature.  The class prepares students for participation in Symphonic Band and eventual further college or community musical activities.

II.  STUDENT LEARNING OUTCOMES

A.  What Students Will Do

Concert Band is a transition class from the individual personalized attention of Beginning Band to becoming a full functional contributing member of a large artistic ensemble in Symphonic Band.  This is a rehearsal class in which suitable concert band literature is rehearsed and performed.  At the end of the year, students will Perform all 12 major scales and a one octave chromatic scale in eighth notes a MM quarter note = 120 bpm or faster.  They will perform one or more minor scales.  They will listen to, analyze and describe selected musical examples.  

The student may be asked for written and/or oral reports.  Each student will create and maintain a portfolio of student performances which may consist of recordings, printed programs, notes, articles, observations, written analysis, evaluations, assessments and honors or awards representative of their work. 

Students will demonstrate, through individual and public performance, mastery of their individual music parts and improved knowledge and skills of:
·	Individual tone quality
·	Ensemble tone quality
·	Musical dynamics
·	Intonation
·	Articulation
·	More complex rhythmic problems
·	Phrasing
·	Breath control
·	Correct posture
·	Correct playing position
·	Care of the instrument
·	Basic musical terms and symbols
·	Key signature
·	Time signature
·	Group listening skills
·	Rehearsal skills 
·	ensemble skills 
·	music theory

Student Assessment

The teacher will evaluate the student's performance and will give a course grade based on objective in-class written and performance test, written and/or aural reports, an evaluation of the students individual and ensemble performance in a group of this level, the teacher's assessment of the student's daily attendance, rehearsal participation and contribution, and the student's attendance at required in-school and after school concerts and other performances.  Written criteria for these assessments will be given to the student at the beginning of the school year or semester.

Course Assessment

The effectiveness of this course will be assessed at least once a year using a variety of information including the instructor's subjective evaluation and student feedback in various forms such as comments or a survey.

III.  METHODS AND MATERIALS

A.  Methods

Concert Band is a lab class taught through ensemble rehearsal and performance.  Emphasis is on the improved technical and esthetic quality of the ensemble product.  The venue for this is the class rehearsal and most of the rehearsal time and effort is given to individual and sectional attention as deemed most appropriate by the instructor.  

Additionally, students may listen to or watch recordings of significant or relevant performance and be expected to discuss, analyze, give aural or written reports, and/or critique their own or other's performances.

B. Materials

These or similar musical selections may be used:

Chorale for Band by Erickson
Irish Folk Tune arr. by Kinyon
The Pink Panther by Mancini arr. by Warrington
Rock-a my soul arr. by Stevens
Simple Gifts arr. Polyhar
Toccata for Band by Erickson

Supplementary material may also be used such as:

Ensemble Drill by Fussell
Total Musicianship by Bencrushuto
24 Arban-Klose-Concone Studies arranged by Rusch
42 Chorales for Band arranged by Gordon

Appropriate aural and visual recording may be used. 

Technology

Computer technology may be used for tutorials and ear training.  The Tap machine may be used for rhythm work.  A TV-VCR will be used to present appropriate tutorials and performances and a video camera may be used to record student performances.  A sound system will be used for playing recordings and recording equipment will be used to record student performances.  An electronic tuner and an electronic metronome may be used.

IV.  GENERAL INFORMATION

Concert Band is a one year, 10 credit course. It may be repeated for credit for an additional 10 credits.
 
A.  Prerequisites

Admission to this class requires the permission of the instructor plus either satisfactory completion of Beginning Band with a grade of "C" or better, or successful completion of an audition.

B.  Graduation Requirements

Successful completion of one full year in this class satisfies the district's one year Fine Arts Graduation Requirement and equals 10 credits.

C.  UC/CSU Entrance Requirements

This course is accepted for UC  “f” or "g" admissions requirement and the CSU Fine Arts requirement.

Approved:  6/27/89
Revised:      6/04