Music Study: Ensembles and Classes

At Fieldston Upper students can study music in a wide variety of ensembles and classes.

The Fieldston orchestra, wind ensemble, and chamber music classes focus on standard classical literature as well as more modern pieces. Basic instrumental skills are reinforced and music theory and history are incorporated into the rehearsals as they apply to the specific pieces being studied.

See sample repertoire for the orchestra, wind ensemble, and chamber music.

Students who study percussion can take either percussion techniques as part of the orchestra and wind ensemble or percussion ensemble, a separate ensemble that studies basic percussion methods as well as improvisation, composition and various styles of contemporary music.

See the Percussion ensemble rep list.

Fieldston offers six different jazz classes, two large ensembles and four small jazz combos. In all of the classes students learn music from the standard jazz repertoire, basic jazz theory and history, and continue the study of basic instrumental technique. The large ensembles focus on improving basic ensemble skills such as sight-reading, intonation, and section playing, while the combos focus primarily on improvisation and jazz theory.

See the sample rep list for concert jazz, jazz ensemble, jazz skills, improv I, improv II, and improv III.

All students in Fieldston’s vocal program take chorus where they will learn and perform everything from J.S. Bach’s Magnificat to Broadway show tunes, spirituals, and Polynesian folk music. Advanced students may also join the Vocal Jazz Ensemble and the Fieldston Opera Company.

See the sample rep list for the chorus, vocal jazz ensemble, and Fieldston opera company.

Fieldston Upper music students may also take electronic music. In this series of courses, students learn to create music with computers, utilizing software such as Reason and Digital Performer, creating MIDI (Musical Instrumental Digital Interface) projects incorporating original compositions and/or sound design pieces. They also use music notation software such as Finale and Sibelius. Students will be able to produce CDs of their music.

Year-long music theory and history courses are offered at Fieldston. Students in music history study the history of music from early musical forms to contemporary pieces through reading, recordings and live performances. Music theory is offered at two levels, one for beginning students and a more advanced level for musicians who has studied previously. Students study basic part writing and functional theory as well as contemporary techniques such as 12 tone row construction and set theory.