Course Description:

San Marino High School Chamber Choir is the most advanced vocal ensemble offering. Chamber Singers produces and performs 4 concerts annually. On top of all the concerts, the group makes guest appearances for many community events and fundraisers. This vocal ensemble regularly earns the highest ratings and receives standing ovations at all the choral festivals. San Marino Chamber Choir also travels nationally and internationally for choir tours during the spring break. This course is UC approved.

Course Content:

Singers are vocally challenged through advanced level of singing and complex harmonies from choral music from Medieval Period up to Twentieth Century atonal compositions. To increase creative expressive, singers are also asked to perform music with choreography. Singers learn to work in small groups (sectionals) and become leaders within the group. To increase aesthetic awareness, students are encouraged to research for interesting multicultural choral music and present to the conductor. Singers also get many chances to work with professional conductors and guest adjudicators throughout the country.

ESLRs Addressed by Curriculum:

• Critical Thinking
• Technological Literacy
• Post-Secondary Preparation

Critical Standards:

Artistic Perception

1.1 Read a full instrument or vocal score and describe how the elements of music are used.
1.3 Sight-read music accurately and expressively (level of difficulty: 4; scale: 1-6).
1.5 Analyze and describe the use of musical elements in a given work that makes it unique, interesting, and expressive.

Creative Expression

2.1 Sing a repertoire of vocal literature representing various genres, styles, and cultures with expression, technical accuracy, tone quality, vowel shape, and articulation - written and memorized, by oneself and in ensembles (level of difficulty: 4; scales: 1-6).
2.2 Sing music written in three of tour parts with and without accompaniment.
2.3 Sing in small ensembles, with one performer for each part.

Historical and Cultural Context

3.2 Identify uses of music elements in nontraditional art music (e.g., atonal, twelve-tone, serial)
3.4 Perform music from a variety of cultures and historical periods.
3.6 Compare and contrast musical styles within various popular genres in North America and South America

Aesthetic Valuing

4.1 Compare and contrast how a composer's intentions result in a work of music and how that music is used.
4.3 Compare and contrast the musical means used to create images or evoke feelings and emotions in works of music from various cultures.

Connections, Relationships, Applications

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.