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Overview
The Middle School Music Program continues the practice of Orff-Schulwerk
(see Elementary Music Statement) at higher levels of development. The
commitment to music as a basic part of every student's education
continues, while simultaneously providing some choices for those
with special interest and talent. Learning through hands-on
music-making and creating one's own music remain at the core of
the experience while simultaneously demanding more academic
understanding of both music history and theory. 
While ensemble is primarily featured, folk dance, movement, song, speech
and body percussion remain an integral part of the program. The
curriculum is organized topically: 6th grade studies World music
and dance, 7th grade, the Western art music tradition and Composition,
and 8th grade, jazz from the Swing Era to the present day. These topics
determine the repertoire of pieces to be learned and also constitute
the academic core of the year's study.
The Music Classes
6th grade has music twice a week for 45 minutes. 7th and 8th grade
meet twice a week to play music and dance, and once a week to discuss
the homework assignment and listen to representative pieces. Listening
always demands an active response, from writing down feeling reactions
to the piece to mapping the form to moving to the music to identifying
key musical elements. Videos are sometimes used as part of the
discussion time. Homework assignments include continued listening
(using radio, their home recording collection and specially-made
tapes), researching information about musical styles and musicians,
reading and occasionally practicing specific pieces of music. Short
quizzes help prepare students for the two final exams of the year.
7th and 8th graders write a paper about a musician they have chosen.
Singing
 Every
week at Town meeting the entire Middle School sings a song or two, led
by a student or one of the faculty. This is both to keep alive the
all-school repertoire of songs sung at celebrations (see below) and
school-family gatherings, and to create a common song repertoire for
the Middle School students.
Besides opportunities for singing in music classes, we will also offer
aa voluntary choral elective open to all interested Middle School
students starting after the winter break.
After School Music Opportunities
Middle School students can study beginning violin, clarinet, flute,
saxophone and trumpet in small group lessons through the Extended
Day Program. Students with at least one year's experience on their
instruments can join the After School Band, led by Nzingah Smith.
Celebrations
Middle School continues to be an integral part of various all-school
celebrations. Middle Schoolers help run the Halloween celebration and
a volunteer 'Bateria" plays for the Samba Contest. Music and dance is
at the center of the Middle School Revels celebration in December.
Performance groups have often played in variety of situations,
ranging from shared concerts with other schools to performing at a
National Conference of Music Educators.
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