● Arts: Performing

ARTS: PERFORMING - DRAMA

The drama program aims to provide a variety of opportunities for students to build performance and writing skills in theater and film. Drama is an expressive art that requires careful analysis and observation of the self - alone and in relation to others. To study drama is to study what it means to be human in a universal way and what it means to be us as individuals in a very specific way. We incorporate a variety of schools of dramatic thought and practice of 20th Century naturalistic theatre training. During our variety of projects and processes, we build a strong sense of community, support, and teamwork.

Fall Semester Courses

N/A Acting and Directing (Spring 2024) Playwriting Theatre Design & Technology

Spring Semester Courses

SPRING SEMESTER COURSES (1 credit)

ACTING AND DIRECTING *(open to all grades) (Offered spring 2024)

The purpose of this course is to build skills as an actor and a director. Students will study naturalistic acting techniques as developed by renown theater practitioners whose work span the last 150 years. The community of actors in the class will build a strong, collaborative team and create a safe space through drama games and theater exercises. Students will use improvisational acting to create character and define all elements of creating a scene. All members will be responsible for acting and directing specific scenes from contemporary plays. This course is designed for students who are comfortable speaking and performing as well as for the shy student interested in improving confidence and communication skills.

PLAYWRITING (open to 11th & 12th grades) This class will study the craft of playwriting by creating monologues, scenes, and short plays. In addition, students will study and practice screenwriting and evaluate the differences between the two forms. As students write their own plays, they will study the work of leading playwrights in the American Theater as a means to understand current trends and styles of contemporary dramatists. Students will share their final one-act plays or short films in a showcase at the end of the semester. This course may be taken for either Arts or English credit.

*This course is offered in alternating years. It will not be offered for the 2022 – 2023 school year.

THEATRE DESIGN AND TECHNOLOGY (open to all grades)

Theatre Design and Technology is at the heart of all theatrical productions produced at Moses Brown giving each of them a sense of magic to enhance the importance of the storytelling. Students will explore the theatre design process in the areas of scenery, costume, and lighting in partnership with the Acting & Directing or Playwriting classes on a piece of theatrical literature. The results of those collaborations will activate the production process and propel the utilization of the state-of-the-art technology in the Woodman Center and the Y-Lab. By exploring those technologies students will learn about the many different production techniques in the areas of stage carpentry and scenic painting, costume sourcing and sewing, theatrical electrics and light board programming.

ARTS: PERFORMING - MUSIC

The Upper School music program offers a variety of courses and performing ensembles that cater to non-musicians, beginning musicians, and more advanced students of music. The program emphasizes the practical/performance aspect of music and at the same time provides for academic development within the subject.

Yearlong Courses

AP Music Theory Chorus String Orchestra String Orchestra w/ Chamber Music The Pianist as Accompanist Wind Ensemble

Fall Semester Courses

Music Production Advanced Guitar Basic Music Theory (Spring 2024) Introduction to Guitar

Spring Semester Courses

YEARLONG COURSES (2 credits)

AP MUSIC THEORY * (open to 10th, 11th & 12th graders)

AP Music Theory is designed to develop a student's ability to recognize, understand, and describe the basic materials and processes of music that are heard or presented in a score written using traditional Western musical notation. This course will quickly review fundamental aural, analytical, and compositional skills using both listening and written exercises that were taught in the Basic Music Theory course, and will include more creative tasks, such as melodic and harmonic dictation, sight-singing, composition of a bass line for a given melody, realization of figured bass and Roman numeral progression, and analysis of repertoire including melody, rhythm, texture, and form. Prerequisite: Basic Music Theory OR permission of the Department Chair.

*This course is offered in alternating years. It will be offered in 2022-23; it will not be offered for the 2023 – 2024 school year.

CHORUS

Chorus is open to any student who expresses an interest in singing. An audition is not required, but an audition-style check-in will take place at the beginning of the year for voice placement. Repertoire will consist of classical, sacred, secular, world music, jazz, pop and contemporary. In addition, class time will be spent concentrating on music theory, vocal and sight-reading skills. The chorus will give several performances, both on and off campus, including Open Houses, winter and spring concerts, special assemblies, and occasional festival competitions or adjudications.

THE PIANISTAS ACCOMPANIST

This class will be scheduled concurrently with the Chorus and will provide training and practical experience in piano accompaniment. Accompanists from the class will work as rehearsal and performance pianists for the Chorus throughout the year. There may also be opportunities to work with instrumental soloists and small ensembles. Enrollment is based on ability and previous playing experience. Permission of the department chair is required.

STRING ORCHESTRA

String Orchestra is offered to any orchestral string instrumentalist. An audition is not required. Repertoire consists of original literature written and arranged for 5-part string orchestra. The orchestra will give several performances, both on and off campus, including Open House, a winter and a spring concert, and special assemblies. In addition, class time will be spent improving sight-reading skills, intonation, blending and ensemble playing. At various times throughout the year the orchestra may be broken up into smaller groups to explore chamber music literature. Students not enrolled in String Orchestra with Chamber Music will have one class a rotation dedicated to practicing their ensemble music, either individually or by section.

STRING ORCHESTRAWITH CHAMBER MUSIC

This course is for students who are enrolled in String Orchestra. Students who opt to participate in chamber music should sign up for “String Orchestra with Chamber Music.” These students will participate in the regular string orchestra class and in addition they will be assigned to a chamber ensemble. One day out of the class rotation chamber ensembles will rehearse their chamber music with a coach. Chamber groups will be expected to rehearse together outside of class, without a coach, once a rotation as well. Musicians must practice their chamber music and come to their coaching session with their music fully prepared. Students will present their work at a semester end concert, as well as perform off campus in service-related venues (nursing homes, senior centers, public schools).

WIND ENSEMBLE

This ensemble is open to brass, woodwind, and percussion players. Repertoire will consist of current, contemporary concert band music that will include themes and traditional compositions from American composers, as well as transcribed classics. The Wind Ensemble will give several performances, both on and off campus, including Open House, a winter and spring concert, special assemblies, and a festival competition or adjudication. An audition is not required; however, a student must have reasonable instrumental skills.

FALL SEMESTER COURSE (1 credit)

MUSIC PRODUCTION

This course introduces the fundamentals of music production and composition through a self-paced, hands-on experience using various computer software including digital audio workstations like GarageBand and Logic Pro X as well as Finale, for music notation. Students will learn to make beats, utilize chord changes and compose simple melodies using MIDI computer instruments, samplers and drum machines. Students will engage with and explore basic recording techniques and equipment. This course is suited both for beginners and experienced musicians.

SPRING SEMESTER COURSES (1 credit)

BASIC MUSIC THEORY (open to all students) (Offered Spring 2024)

The goal of a Basic Music Theory course is to develop a student’s ability to recognize, understand, and describe the basic materials and processes of music that are heard or presented in a score. This course will address the fundamental aural, analytical, and compositional skills using both listening and written exercises, including hearing and notating the fundamental musical skills of pitches, intervals, scales, keys, chords, meter, and rhythm. This course is recommended as a prerequisite for the AP Music Theory course.

INTRODUCTION TO GUITAR

This one semester course is designed for students with no previous guitar experience who wish to learn to read music and play the guitar at a beginning level. They will learn a variety of styles, skills and techniques required in becoming a successful solo and ensemble guitarist. The course will focus on proper posture, basic guitar maintenance, note reading, listening skills, rhythmic patterns, chord shapes and general musicianship. Class members will have a few informal opportunities throughout the semester to perform for their peers and community members.

ADVANCED GUITAR

This one semester course runs concurrently with Introduction to Guitar and is for students who have either completed Introduction to Guitar or by audition with the instructor. Advanced Guitar builds on the skills developed in the introductory course incorporating fingerstyle playing, barre chords, scales, and improvisation. Class members will work on solo and ensemble repertoire suited to their ability levels in a variety of styles including classical, folk, rock, and blues. Class members will have a few informal opportunities throughout the semester to perform for their peers and community members.

SELECT ENSEMBLES (No academic credit)

JAZZ ENSEMBLE

This ensemble is open to those students who play saxophone, trumpet, trombone, piano, guitar, bass or drums. Placement is by audition or by invitation of the Director. Repertoire will consist of big band, jazz, jazz rock, rock, blues, and funk. The Jazz Ensemble will give several performances, both on and off campus, including Open House, winter and spring concerts, special assemblies, MB Rocks (a fund-raising concert), and a festival adjudication. There are two jazz ensembles; one meets Monday and Thursday, and the other meets Tuesday and Friday both at 7:15 – 8:00am. (Participants may receive one term of co-curricular credit.)

PERCUSSION ENSEMBLE

This ensemble is offered to any student who can read rhythms and is interested in exploring the world of percussion. Repertoire includes standard percussion ensemble literature, world music, and improvisational exploration. The Percussion Ensemble will give several performances throughout the year, which may be on or off campus, including special assemblies and a winter and spring concert. In addition, class time will be spent improving sight-reading skills, blending, and ensemble playing. It meets on Monday and Friday mornings, 7:15 – 8:00am. (Participants may receive one term of co-curricular credit.)