Fine Arts

MEN’S CHORUS (ALL GRADE LEVELS)

Men’s Chorus is an entry-level performance course for any student interested in singing. Any and all musical skill levels are welcome to join this group. Skills taught over the course of the year include vocal technique, basic music theory, music analysis, and performance. Repertoire includes music from various backgrounds and styles and incorporates pop and modern music. Each semester culminates with a large concert.

Honors Select Chorus

• Humanities Division Chair & Fine Arts Department Faculty Approval

• Audition Required

Honors Select Chorus is the top performing ensemble at St. Augustine Prep. Students placed in Honors Select Chorus must have an advanced understanding of music. These students perform advanced repertoire from varying styles and time periods. Students who take Honors Select Chorus learn various skills such as advanced vocal technique, sight reading, music analysis, performance, range, and musical expression. The Select Chorus participates in various performances and recording projects throughout the year.

PIANO (ALL GRADE LEVELS)

The Piano I course introduces new students to basic piano playing skills and expands on intermediate students’ previously existing piano skills. This class covers basic piano technique, piano repertoire, music theory, and sight reading skills. Students work individually and in small groups during class to practice their technical and performance skills. Each student has his own self-contained headset and keyboard for individual work during class, as well as access to the piano lab for practice.

MUSIC THEORY AND COMPOSITION (SOPHOMORES, JUNIORS, SENIORS)

Music Theory and Composition is an introduction to fundamental musical theory, both writing and listening. Topics studied in this course include rhythmic and melodic notation, chords, sight-singing, musical analysis, and song writing. Students develop skills in visually and aurally identifying major, minor, diminished and augmented chords, rhythms in simple and compound meter, simple intervals, and basic song forms. Using the skills acquired through ear training and analysis, students write their own music and improve their knowledge of song forms and popular chord progressions. Upon completion of this course students are able to comfortably write and notate their own music.

Advanced Placement Music Theory

• Prerequisite: Successful completion of Music Theory and Composition with a grade of 94 or above.

• Humanities Division Chair & Fine Arts Department Faculty Approval

AP Music Theory is designed for the serious and experienced musician. The student must have a strong foundation in piano, orchestral music, private instrumental lessons or have had choir or band experience. The aural skills necessary for success on the AP Music Theory exam include melodic and harmonic dictation, sight singing and harmonic construction. Through extensive aural practice and musical analysis, students develop the aural skills necessary to discern intervals, chords and rhythmic figures in simple and compound meter. They are also able to correctly take melodic, harmonic and rhythmic dictation, and analyze scores and compose four part chorales in the Common Practice style. The course prepares the student to take the AP Music Theory exam in May.

Intermediate Stage Band

• Humanities Division Chair & Fine Arts Department Faculty Approval

Intermediate Stage Band is open to any student who plays a band instrument. This ensemble includes guitar, piano and drum set and may include saxophone, clarinet, French horn, flute, trombone, and trumpet. Students are expected to have had some prior experience in a band or with reading music. Intermediate Stage Band members are introduced to music written for big bands, including jazz, rock, fusion, Latin, and pop. Students develop ensemble and solo skills and learn how to articulate and phrase different styles of music. The ensemble combines with the Advanced Stage band to perform larger Concert Band pieces. Students participate yearly in a Christmas concert and a spring concert.

Advanced Stage Band

• Prerequisite: Audition Required

Advanced Stage band is for the accomplished musician. Students should be competent in sight reading and be willing to prepare challenging music for festivals and concerts. Standard instrumentation includes 5 saxophones, 4 trombones, 4-5 trumpets, piano, bass, guitar and drum set. Advanced Stage Band members play a variety of styles of jazz music in a traditional big band setting. These may include Dixieland, Big Band Swing, Bebop, Cool, fusion and Latin music. In addition to the primary emphasis on ensemble performance, students are taught fundamentals of music theory while continuing to develop their jazz improvisation skills. The Advanced Stage band performs in both the Christmas and spring concerts.

GUITAR I (ALL GRADE LEVELS)

• Prerequisite: Each student must provide his own acoustic guitar.

Guitar I is an introductory course for the beginner guitar student. Students learn to read music for the guitar, chords, ensemble playing, correct position, and fundamental technique. The group performs at a concert in the spring.

Guitar Ii

• Prerequisite: Completion of Guitar I or recommendation of instructor as determined through audition.

• Each student must provide his own acoustic guitar.

This is an elective course with an emphasis on music reading skills and ensemble performance practices. Students must have a good foundation in reading music and chords. Students in Guitar II play music written for 3-5 parts and learn to play independently over the range of the guitar. The group has performances at Christmas and in the spring.

ART AND DESIGN I (SOPHOMORES, JUNIORS, AND SENIORS)

This course addresses the fundamentals of making art from technical skill development to conceptual thinking. Students explore a variety of mediums and processes including drawing, painting, mixed media, printmaking, and clay. Students will learn and apply the elements of art and principles of design to projects that reflect their personal interests.

Art And Design Ii

• Prerequisite: Successful completion of Art and Design I

Art and Design II expands and refines the concepts introduced in Art and Design I. This course stresses an increased expression of individualism through a variety of 2D and 3D media gaining project-based technical skills to strengthen students’ visual literacy. Critical thinking and a problem-solving approach are used as students experiment with more advanced art media and techniques. This experimentation promotes creativity and higher-level thinking skills that benefit students in all areas of their daily lives.

GRAPHIC DESIGN AND PHOTOJOURNALISM (SOPHOMORES, JUNIORS, AND SENIORS)

The course introduces students to graphic design and effective visual communication. Students create graphics, logos, and advertisement kits in Adobe Illustrator, Photoshop, and InDesign. This course focuses on the processes and technology used in the digital art field and the importance of strategic, creative problem solving.

2D AND 3D DESIGN: DRAWING, PAINTING & SCULPTURE

• Prerequisite: Successful completion of Art and Design I & II

This course is designed to increase technical skills with a strong emphasis on drawing, painting and creating sculptural works of art. During this year, students will learn figure drawing, interior and exterior perspective, and refine their skills of still-life observation drawing. Later in the year, students utilize 2D Design skills by applying their drawing and creative planning process to explore ceramics, sculpture and other contemporary media. The elements and principles of art and design are used and applied to both 2D and 3D art forms through a wide variety of media and materials. Students build a portfolio of two-dimensional and three-dimensional artwork while exercising self-evaluation and making critical assessments during various stages of their work. This course requires a high level of commitment and motivation from the student as he develops his creative independence.

BROADCASTING AND MEDIA ARTS PRODUCTION (SOPHOMORES ONLY)

In this course, students learn to produce live events, make and produce prerecorded news stories, and post event highlight packages. They learn the basics of a live event including: writing a script for announcers, announcing live events properly, basic editing techniques, camera operations and recording procedures, how to use the production laptop, and how to create the graphics for an event. The class works with the Broadcasting Club, and there are responsibilities outside of the classroom. Evaluation of this course is largely project-based.

ADVANCED PLACEMENT STUDIO ART: 2D, 3D OR DRAWING

• Prerequisite: Successful completion of Art and Design I and II

• Humanities Division Chair & Fine Arts Department Faculty Approval

The AP Studio Art course is designed for highly self-motivated art students who wish to achieve mastery as they develop their skills in composition, problem solving and execution. This course requires intense and time-consuming focus on two sections of the AP Portfolio: sustained investigation and selected works. Students must create 20 high quality artworks which are photo-documented for submission. Students can expect to work a minimum of 5-10 hours per week outside of class.

Note: AP Studio Art is offered as a single period elective; however, a student may opt to take Studio Art as a double-period. The double period option may be taken one time during the student’s high school career.