Senior School Departments

At the Senior School level, the breadth of course offerings is considerable. For information on the different departments and the courses, make a selection from the list below. For a complete guide to course requirements and detailed descriptions, see the Course Handbook, also below.

Music is part of our daily life at SMUS. Passion, creativity, skill and precision all come into play through our ongoing engagement with music. Student musicians perform at concerts, create original music for service fundraisers and play for peers during lunchtime concerts. Our courses cover technique, history and theory.

Most students who join SMUS in Grade 9 or 10 usually have between two and four years of musical experience. All Grade 9 students are required to take Band, Strings or Choir. At the Grade 11 and 12 level, some courses require auditions and acceptance is based on the discretion of the music director. For students who want extra training, SMUS can organize personal lessons with accredited professionals.

Our band program prepares students for performance-oriented ensembles and allows them to:

understand and appreciate the value of teamwork;
develop individual skills on their instrument of choice;
express themselves through improvisation; and
compose music.

Group Options

Concert bands
Swing Band
Brass Ensemble
Jazz Ensemble
Orchestra
Orchestra for the Musical Production

Courses

	Title	Grade
	Concert Band 9	9
Students are required to have at least one year’s playing experience and a good understanding of basic playing techniques. This course is performance-oriented with concert opportunities throughout the year. Young musicians practice and fine-tune their skills.
	Concert Band 10	10
Concert Band 10 at SMUS is a continuation of Concert Band 9. Students play at a high level and display their talents in concert. Individual practice on the instrument at home, to develop tone and technique, greatly enhances the ensemble as a whole.
	Concert Band 11	11
This course requires students to have a minimum of three years playing experience or have taken private study. Repertoire ranges from symphonic to music from the movies, musicals and pop. Grade 11 students perform with their Grade 10 and 12 counterparts.
	Concert Band 12	12
Students should have a minimum of four years playing experience or have taken private study. Repertoire in this course ranges from symphonic, to music from the movies, musicals, and pop. As part of the Senior Concert Band, the Grade 12 students perform with their Grade 10 and 11 counterparts throughout the year.
	Jazz Band	9, 10, 11, 12
An elective offered outside the timetable, the cross-grade Jazz Band plays music written for big-band instrumentation in jazz, Latin and popular music idioms. Learning to improvise is a major component.

Strings students play a range of music, from classical to contemporary. Musicians form a complete classical string ensemble and combine to create the school orchestra (violin, viola, cello and bass).

Our strings program prepares students for performance-oriented ensembles and allows them to:

understand and appreciate the value of teamwork;
develop individual skills on their instrument of choice; and
study professional repertoire.

To enter the strings program, students need to have some previous training and new students joining SMUS enter the strings program at the discretion of the musical director.

Group Options

Jazz Ensemble
String Orchestra
Full Orchestra
Orchestra for the Musical Production

Courses

	Title	Grade
	Strings 9	9
Students with previous playing experience (three-year minimum for new students) play the orchestral stringed instrument of their choice (violin, viola, cello or bass). This course improves tone and intonation. All students enrolled participate in the school orchestra. Vibrato and high position shift work are introduced.
	Strings 10	10
Mastery of any single component of playing is ongoing, whilst continually reviewing and improving upon existing skills. As students graduate into the higher grades they are expected to perform more often, in smaller ensemble groups and in the orchestras. New bowing techniques are continually being introduced.
	Strings 11	11
As students mature technically they are able to express musical ideas on their instrument with greater clarity. The interpretive aspects are more fully explored at this stage. The art of phrasing and legato playing is studied as well as discussions as to various bowing possibilities. Much depends on the individual abilities of the players and there is a continual perfecting of technique and intonation that will continue throughout their musical life.
	Strings 12	12
Students enrolled in this course are expected to have an extensive repertoire and performing experience. Class time is spent cleaning up technical shortcomings and attaining greater mastery in shifting, vibrato, intonation and various bowing and phrasing techniques.

Our program instils an appreciation and command of choral music as well as improving vocal skill. The program develops each student’s innate musical ability and exposes them to professional standards through performance in concerts and musical productions.

Students learn the basic techniques of choral training, including:

technical competency
diction
style
arrangements
sight reading
ear training

Group Options

Concert choirs
Vocal Jazz Ensemble
Orchestra for the Musical Production
Various small ensembles

Courses

	Title	Grade
	Concert Choir 9	9
This course requires previous singing experience, either solo or in choir. Students learn the historical context of music and some theory, as well as improve their overall vocal and breathing techniques. Several performances occur throughout the year.
	Concert Choir 10	10
This course continues Concert Choir 9. Students begin to master the elements of tone, tuning, breath and musicality with greater confidence and accuracy. Historical context and theory are also continued. Multiple performance opportunities occur throughout the year.
	Concert Choir 11	11
As a continuation of Concert Choir 9, students will continue to work on mastering the elements of tone, tuning, breath and musicality with greater confidence, accuracy and sensitivity. Historical context and theory will continue to be addressed through the repertoire being prepared. Attendance at school concerts is mandatory to fulfill the requirements of this course.
	Concert Choir 12	12
Students learn to convey a composer’s intentions and develop music sensitivity. Singers improve technical competence (diction, tone quality, intonation, breath control) and utilize this in performances throughout the year. History and theory will continue to be addressed through the repertoire being prepared, supplemented by educational videos and classroom work.

Schaffter Hall, our music building, boasts individual practice rooms and classrooms where students can study and practise.

Three large ensemble classrooms (Band, Strings, Choral)
Four practice rooms
Two student lounges
Ample instrument storage space
Two rock band practice areas

Instruments

Grand pianos
Upright pianos,
Drum sets
Upright basses
Electric guitars
Electric bass
Roland Juno synthesizer
Guitar and bass amplifiers
Electric stand-up bass
Acoustic guitars with pickups,
Percussion (vibraphone, marimba, timpani)
Many other band and strings instruments

Day students are to provide their own instruments, which may be rented or purchased from one of the local music stores. Rent-to-purchase plans are available through these stores. The Senior School owns several instruments that can be leased to students while attending the school. Boarders will be provided instruments rented to them by the school.

Student-Run Groups

When musicians assemble, music happens. Our students can create their own rock bands, jazz trios, string quartets – whatever interests them. These independent groups use school music facilities and our teachers support them, often finding them performance opportunities.

Annual Musical Production

Every student can take part in our annual musical production, but singers and musicians have a special role. Lead and supporting roles require strong vocalists. Some of our band and strings players are selected to play in the pit orchestra, which performs the complete musical score.

Music Events

Our Arts Council produces open music events every year. Keep the Beat, a fundraiser for War Child Canada, offers students a chance to perform at school or record original music for an annual album. Musicians and singers can also play for other students at lunchtime acoustic concerts.

International Opportunities

For musically-inclined students, SMUS often offers a trip to a music hot spot. Previous trips have been to Cuba, Europe and the United States. Students perform at concert halls and attend musical events during these trips. The tour includes cultural and historical context for music.

BCMEA Honour Ensembles

More advanced players can audition for the BCMEA Honour orchestra, concert band, concert choir, jazz band, or vocal jazz ensemble. Students from all over BC partake in this intensive four-day workshop and perform at the BC Music Educator's Conference with a professional conductor.

Education Extension

Over summer and school breaks, the Education Extension Office offers day and residential programs for students who sing or play an instrument. From opera to junior jazz band, students have an opportunity further develop their talents or discover new ones.

Senior School Course Handbook 2019-20

Published: March, 2019

A guide to Senior School courses with descriptions to help our students plan an optimal school year.

1.28 MB

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Senior School Departments