Over twenty years ago, Charlestown High School was ended its music program due to unfortunate budget cuts that needed to be made. Today, Berklee College of Music Graduates Jennifer Manzanillo and Adam Calus are bringing the music back to Charlestown. Through getting the necessary equipment/instruments into Charlestown, implementation of creative curriculum and effective planning/advocacy for the new program to sustain, Adam and Jenn begin their reconstruction of the Music Department at Charlestown High School.
Through PledgeMusic you can donate specific items to the band OR get CHS memorabilia. We’re also offering limited opportunities to have the band perform at your house or even get the band room named after you!
In the Fall, we plan on including the following courses in our curriculum:
Band:
This will be a course offered that is unlike any other in the current BPS curriculum. Students will learn to play one of the 4 popular rhythm section instruments (Guitar, Bass Guitar, Drum Set or Keyboard, what it takes to form a band using these instruments, and how to perform/write/record material as the type of “band” they decide to form.
Drumline:
Also relatively unique to BPS, this course will be a better resourced/more in depth version of the after school program that was offered this past spring 2015. Students will learn the various aspects of drumline performance including (but not limited to), basic technique, rudiments, showmanship, competition standards, parade performance aspects, improvisation, composition, arranging and more.
Music Production:
This will be the first class of its kind in the BPS curriculum. Students will learn the basics of operation in DAW programs, how to engineer sessions, learn about different kids of mics, learn how to “make beats” and learn what it takes to be a successful, business savvy producer in today’s music industry. We will also be working with Outside the Box Agency to bring a recording studio to CHS soon.
Music within its Cultural Context:
This course will specifically highlight the important role music has played within Africa, American Society, the Caribbean and around the world. Students will be analyzing artists that used their music to educate the public and raise awareness about social issues that were currently affecting their society. We will also be looking at music from various cultural backgrounds and comparing and contrasting them with music from different eras and relating everything back to what was going on historically when the music was made.
Principles of Vocal Technique:
This course will teach students the fundamental techniques pedagogy, voice technique. Students will cover classical works from the Marchesi, Vaccai, 27 Italian Art Song. Course is designed to teach students how to warm up/cool down their voices properly, proper vocal technique, increasing vocal vocabulary and range and vocal health forums. Repertoire for this course will range from classical works, negro spirituals and jazz blues and pop music.
Artist Development/Music Business Blended Course:
This course will be designed to teach students techniques in their perspective instruments which could include voice, keyboard/production, guitar etc. The course will cover basic theory in performance which will help the students analyze different genres of music which will enhance their own songwriting abilities. In addition, we will analyze the career of various successful artists within the music industry. The overall purpose of this course is to guide the student into figuring out who they are as artist, where do they fit into the music industry and give them some knowledge about the how the current music industry works and how to market themselves.