High School Benchmark

Grade 9

Grade 10

Grade 11

Grade 12

1.  Perform with expression and technical accuracy a large and varied repertoire of  vocal and instrumental  literature with a moderate level of difficulty including some song performed from memory.

Perform with expression and technical accuracy a large and varied repertoire of vocal and instrumental literature with a moderate level of difficulty including some songs  performed from memory.  (Develop repertoire throughout high school)

Sing music artistically accurate from folk, classical and pop genres.

2. Perform music written in four parts, with and without accompaniments.

Perform music written in four parts.

Introduce singers to SATB music eventually a cappella.

3.  Perform in large and small ensembles, demonstration well developed ensemble skills.

Perform accurately with appropriate technique in large and small ensembles.

Identify the melody in other parts of the ensemble.

Identify the relationship between all the parts of the ensemble.

Perform in large and small ensembles demonstration well developed ensemble skills.

5.  Read an instrument or vocal score of at least four staves.

Read solo line in a score with a piano accompaniment.

Students work in small ensembles.

Read a score of 3-4 staves with varied instruments or clefs.

Read an instrumental or vocal score of at least four staves.

6.  Sight-read accurately and expressively, music with an appropriate level of difficulty.

Sight-read accurately and expressively, music with an appropriate level of difficulty.  (Continue to develop at skill appropriate level throughout high school.

Use moveable “Do” solfeggio system for sight singing.

7.  Stylistically improvise appropriate harmonizing parts.

Sing and play simple melodies from memory and improvise harmonies starting a third or fifth above the melody.

Create and arrange harmonizing parts to familiar songs in small groups.

Stylistically improvise appropriate harmonizing parts.

Harmonize to existing vocal melody lines.

8.  Improvise original melodies over given chord progression, each in a consistent style, meter, and tonality.

Improvise original melodies over given chord progression, each in a consistent style, meter, and tonality.

Vocalize new melody over exiting harmony in chord work.

9.  Arrange pieces for voices or instruments, other than those for which the pieces were written, in ways that preserve or enhance the expressive effect of the music.

Arrange pieces for voices or instruments, other than those for which the pieces were written, in ways that preserve or enhance the expressive effect of the music.  (Continue to develop through regular practice the skills described in II.MI5)

Switch voice parts to change timbre of composition.

10.  Demonstrate an extensive knowledge and use of the technical vocabulary of music.

Demonstrate an extensive knowledge and use of the technical vocabulary of music.

Use work book/sheets to learn vocabulary of music.

11.  Analyze aural examples of a varied repertoire of music, representing diverse genres and cultures, by describing the uses of elements of music and expressive devices.

Analyze aural examples of a varied repertoire of music, representing diverse genres and cultures, by describing the uses of  elements of music and expressive devices.

Compare and contrast difference performances of same works.

12.  Identify and explain compositional devices and techniques and their purposes, giving examples of other works that make similar uses of these devices and techniques.

Describe the compositional devices and techniques used by a few representative composers from the classical and romantic periods and what makes them representative of the style and period.  (Continue to develop repertoire throughout high school).

Describe the compositional devices and techniques used by a few representative jazz composers and what makes them representative of the style.  (Continue to develop repertoire throughout  high school)

Discuss why certain pieces sound distinctive to style?

13.  Make informed critical evaluations of the quality and effectiveness of performances, compositions, arrangements and imp5rovisations applying specific criteria.

Make informed critical evaluations of the quality and effectiveness of performances compositions, arrangements and improvisations applying specific criteria

Use past experience to evaluate effectiveness of concert.

14.  Evaluate a  performance, composition, arrangement, or improvisation by comparing it to similar or exemplary models.

See III.HS.2,III.HS3,III.HS.5

See III.HS.2, III. HS.3, III.HS,5.

Observe other choirs and learn from their strengths. 

Evaluate a performance, compositions, arrangement, or improvisation by comparing it to similar or exemplary models.

15.  Classify by genre or style and by historical period or culture unfamiliar but representative aural examples of music and explain the reasoning behind their classification.

Classify by genre or style or culture aural examples of music from various regions in Africa, and the Orient.

Describe the distinguishing characteristics of various genres of jazz and the distinguishing characteristics of the major periods in classical music.

Contrast performance styles and explain cause and effect.

Classify by genre or style and by historical period or culture, unfamiliar but representative aural examples of music and explain the reasoning behind their classification.

16.  Identify sources of American music genres, trace the evolution of those genres, and cite well  known musician  associated with them.

Classify by genre or style aural examples of music from various regions in America.

Identify well known musicians associated with the various styles and genres of American music.

Use Jazz in performance and explore origins.

17.  Identify various roles that musicians perform, cite representative individuals who have functioned in each role, and describe their activities and achievements.

Identify well-known instrumental and vocal soloists in various musical genres.

Identify well-known musicians throughout history in various genres and  periods.

Explore biography of composers from vocal work.

Identify various roles that musicians perform, cite representative individuals who have functioned in each role, and describe their activities and achievements.

18.  Analyze the impact of electronic media on society and culture.

Analyze the impact of electronic media on society and culture.

Use digital piano to create accompaniment for choir to sing with.

19.  Explain how elements, artistic process and organizational principles are used in similar and distinctive ways in the various arts and cite examples.

Describe how the artistic process and organizational principles are used in music. See II.HS.4, II.HS.5, II.HS. 6, II.HS.7, III.HS.2, III.HS.3.

Describe how the artist process and organizational principles are used in one other art form.

Compare modern sculpture to atonal musical compositions.

Explain how elements, artistic process and organizational principles are used in similar and distinctive ways in the various arts and cite examples.

20.  Compare characteristics of two or more arts within a particular historical period or style and cite examples from various cultures.

Identify the basic characteristics of one art form within a particular historical period or style.  See III.HS.2.

Identify the basic characteristics of various art forms within a particular historical period or style.

Compare the basic characteristics of various art forms within a particular historical period of style.

Use history to compare the arts of a culture.

21.  Explain ways in which the principles and subject matter of various disciplines outside the arts are interrelated with those of music.

See V.MS.2, V.HS.1, V.HS.2.

See V.MS.2, V.HS.1, V.HS.2.

See V.MS.2, V.HS.1, V.HS.2.

Explore patterns and math ratios to musical compositions.

22.  Analyze and consider the use of music and media for the future.

Analyze and consider the use of music and media for the future.

Sing 20 century piece and discuss direction of modern composers.