Vocal Music
We believe that music is basic to the human experience and an integral part of a complete education. All students, regardless of ability, should have an opportunity to participate in music and develop their individual talents. By balancing skill acquisition with artistic expression, we strive to help each student maximize his or her musical potential. Students' involvement in music making fosters life skills such as leadership ability, self-discipline, problem solving, cooperation and community building. The ultimate goal of the Mounds Park Academy Music Department is to cultivate within our students a lifelong appreciation and commitment to music.
Course Offered
Course offerings are contingent on MPA policies regarding student enrollment numbers for each class.
Camerata Choir
MPA is a community that sings! This is truly evident in the Middle School, where all seventh and eighth grade students participate in choir. Separated by voice part, Camerata Choir members practice the elements of good singing. Through vocal exercises, students learn how to breathe properly, unify vowels, energize consonants, and expand their ranges. While studying a wide variety of music, singers learn to function within a choir and demonstrate knowledge of their vocal part. Students showcase their work in two public concerts per year.
| Quarter 1 |
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Students focus on the elements of singing: breathing, phonating, pitch matching, score reading, sight-singing, and basic harmonies. They are introduced to what it means to be a member of a choir (routines, responsibilities, how their part functions, etc.) while learning their music for the December concert. |
| Quarter 2 |
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Choir members continue to focus on the elements of singing while also developing choral blend, vowel formation, and expression. This is achieved through the study of age appropriate vocal exercises and their concert repertoire. Final preparations (memorization, fine tuning) are underway for the December concert. |
| Quarter 3 |
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Through learning new concert music, students continue to work on aural and sight-reading skills, part-singing, blend, and expression. At the end of the quarter, singing and written assessments measure their knowledge of their vocal part and the music. |
| Quarter 4 |
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Students refine their listening and reading skills, develop a consistent tone, extend their ranges, and become more expressive musicians while learning their concert repertoire. Final preparations have begun for their May concert. Afterwards, students work on individual and large group evaluations, sight-reading music, and voice placing for the following year (eighth graders only). |
