Performing arts: music & drama

Music

The primary goal of the department is to provide an experience through which students can consider themselves to be musicians: musically literate, technically secure and confident in performance. The emphasis of the middle school music program in Grades 5 and 6 is on instrumental and choral ensembles; performing together in a safe and mutually supportive environment is at the core of a student’s musical experience. Beginning in Grade 5, all students learn either a band or string orchestra instrument, and sing in the grade-level choir. In Grade 7, students have the opportunity to choose two performing arts disciplines (choir, band, orchestra, starter band, starter orchestra, and drama), which they take throughout the entire year, switching between those two disciplines during the performing arts block. In Grade 8, students narrow their choice to just one discipline that they specialize in for the entire year. 

In line with the rest of the core academic subjects, students in music are assessed against a set of standards. The reporting standards below are derived from the four National Core Arts Standards of perform, create, connect and respond.

Reporting standards:

• Perform: Musical literacy 

  • I can read notes and rhythms 

  • I can demonstrate an understanding of musical vocabulary. 
     

• Perform: Playing skills 

  • I can play rhythms and pitches accurately 

  • I can perform stylistic elements 

  • I can self-evaluate and improve my performance.
     

• Respond and connect 

  • I can listen, describe and evaluate music 

  • I can relate music to self, society, history and other disciplines. 
     

• Create 

  • I can imagine, explore and create new musical ideas 

  • I can make musical decisions to refine original work using established structures and prompts.

Additionally, each student receives a rating on their performance on the six ASL Approaches to Learning: Collaborative, respectful, responsible, reflective, engaged and resilient.

ASL is a member school of the Association for Music in International Schools (AMIS), and through this organization a number of extracurricular opportunities exist for our most advanced musicians.

Drama

The middle school drama program engages students in a variety of cooperative activities designed to channel thoughts and emotions in a creative and productive manner. Through role play, improvisation and puppetry, students experience and develop self-confidence, self-awareness and communication skills as well as an appreciation for the dramatic arts. Grade 5 students take drama once a cycle the entire year, focusing on creativity, imagination, collaboration and communication. Grade 6 students take drama for a quarter of the year in which they explore improv, production, script production and a deep investigation into the creative process. In Grades 7 and 8, drama moves to the performing arts block where students can choose from other performing arts disciplines (drama, band, choir and orchestra). Grade 7 students who take drama are introduced to drama as a performative art form that focuses on the actor, acting techniques and rehearsal process. In Grade 8, students dive into the world of musical theater, where scene work and movement are emphasized as storytelling devices. Students who participate in Grade 7 and 8 drama have performance opportunities throughout the year.