Music

Elementary

Kindergarten through 3rd grade students learn the basics of rhythm, notation, vocabulary, pitch, body movement/coordination, and general musicianship skills through a wide variety of activities, games and exercises based generally on the Orff-Schulwerk model of Elementary music education. Students are continually challenged and learn through an expansive repertoire of literature based in Western Tradition and from around the world. In addition to these activities, 4th grade students learn to play ukulele.  They learn to read music, chord charts, and TAB all while singing and performing contemporary music as an ensemble. 

All students perform a variety of songs in concert once every school year.

Choir

Starting in 5th grade, students have the opportunity of expressing themselves through the gift of singing.together as one! Here they are challenged to develop their rhythm, vocabulary, pitch-matching, notation/music reading skills and use proper posture, diction and breathing techniques. Their abilities to sing in-tune with confidence and independence develop as they perform repertoire based in Western Tradition and spanning all across the globe as well as through almost every musical genre. 5th-7th grade choirs perform in two part harmony. 8th-12th graders move into three and four part harmonic and polyphonic music by joining either or both the non-audition Symphonic Choir or the elite, audition only Carta Crescendos.

In addition to concert once every school year for all choirs, 6th-12th grade students also have the opportunity of performing as soloists and/or in small ensembles for adjudication every Spring at the local Solo/Ensemble festival. Carta Crescendos also have the privilege of performing as a whole for the same purpose as well in a variety of other venues and capacities as ambassadors for their school.

Band

The band program at STEM begins in fifth grade with an introduction to wind instruments in beginning band. Sixth and seventh grade band classes continue to develop note reading, musicianship, and the technique and skills required to perform with traditional wind and percussion instruments.

Symphonic band is the high school band. Symphonic band expands on individual and ensemble playing, higher level musicianship skills and technique, and involves more in-depth exploration of music through historical and cultural contexts.