Arts > Performing Arts > Middle School Choral Music

The Harvard-Westlake choral music program offers five different ensembles at the middle school: Madrigals, Vocal Ensemble, Wolverine Singers, Treble Chorus, and Tenor Chorus. These five classes allow students of any voice part and experience level to rehearse and perform as part of an ensemble throughout the school year. Students in the choral music program learn vocal technique and music literacy skills while preparing for our choral performances. Students in advanced ensembles also have an opportunity to audition for our annual Vocal Solo Show, which is dedicated to solo singing. Advanced choirs perform at local choral festivals in the spring and Madrigals generally takes an additional overnight trip during the school year. Students of all backgrounds and experience levels are encouraged to join our choral music program.

Courses

Tenor Chorus

This beginning-level course for students with developing and changing voices focuses on the fundamentals of singing and music literacy. Students who have or will develop a lower vocal range are encouraged to enroll regardless of their current stage of voice maturation. Typically, this chorus is made up of new baritones, mid-voice tenors, and unchanged tenors who are new to choral singing. The course covers breathing, pitch matching, tone production, and the coordination of the young voice and also introduces the fundamentals of sight-singing. A varied repertoire accessible to inexperienced singers is explored. After-school rehearsals are generally limited to the week of a concert or performance.

Treble Chorus

This beginning-level course for students with developing treble voices focuses on the fundamentals of singing and music literacy. Typically, this chorus is made up of students new to choral singing who have treble voices that will remain in the soprano–alto range. The course covers breathing, pitch matching, tone production, and the coordination of the young voice and also introduces the fundamentals of sight-singing. A varied repertoire accessible to inexperienced singers is explored. After-school rehearsals are generally limited to the week of a concert or performance.

Vocal Ensemble

This auditioned ensemble is for intermediate-to-advanced treble voices. The ensemble is made up of singers with soprano and alto ranges who have some prior singing experience. The course focuses on improving vocal technique and musicianship skills, including sight-singing and music literacy. The repertoire is varied and generally includes multiple voice parts. Independent a cappella groups may be derived from this ensemble. Vocal Ensemble represents the school in the community. After-school rehearsals are generally limited to the week of a concert or performance.

Wolverine Singers

This auditioned ensemble is for intermediate-to-advanced tenor, baritone, and bass voices. The ensemble is made up of students who have some prior singing experience. Students may join this ensemble regardless of their stage of voice maturation. The course focuses on improving vocal technique and musicianship skills, including sight-singing and music literacy. The repertoire is varied and generally includes multiple voice parts. After-school rehearsals are generally limited to the week of a concert or performance.

Madrigals

This advanced ensemble is for experienced singers representing all voice parts who are dedicated to the choral art. The course focuses on improving vocal technique and musicianship skills, including more advanced levels of sight-singing and music literacy. The repertoire is drawn from a cappella as well as accompanied styles in genres ranging from classical to contemporary and is generally voiced for four-part ensembles. Independent a cappella groups may be derived from this ensemble. Madrigals represents the school in the community. After-school rehearsals are generally limited to the week of a concert or performance.

Middle School Choral Music

Courses

Faculty