Music Program

INSTRUMENTAL MUSIC DESCRIPTIONS - Mr. LaVoie & Ms. Damigella

CONCERT BAND

• The Concert Band is open to any student who is interested in playing a woodwind, brass or percussion instrument and meets during the school day as a graded elective class. All band musicians perform in their grade level Concert Band. The Concert Bands introduce students to a wide variety of band literature. Performance in Concert Band focuses on the development of the basic techniques needed for performance on wind and percussion instruments. Skills learned in Concert Band provide the foundation for all the ensembles offered at the middle school. Each grade level Concert Band meets twice per week during the school day and performs in the winter/spring concerts. Band students are also scheduled for a sectional class that meets once per week according to a rotating schedule. Concert Bands for students in grades six, seven, and eight also perform in the M.I.C.C.A. Concert Festival each spring.
• If your child is not signed up for band, but would like to join, please email Mr. LaVoie so that he can arrange for the office to make a schedule change.  The music department has a website designed to help students select an instrument if this is their first time playing in band. To select an instrument please click here to view the website. Beginning instruction is offered for students in 6th, 7th, and, 8th grade. 

EXTRA CURRICULAR INSTRUMENTAL ENSEMBLES 

• 6TH GRADE STAGE BAND - Stage Band is a beginning level jazz band, which provides an introduction to jazz literature, performance techniques, and improvisation.  Participation in this ensemble is open to all 6th grade band students, by audition in the fall.  Stage Band rehearses after-school on Wednesday afternoons from 2:30-3:20 P.M. Stage Band performs at the M.M.S. Jazz Night with Guest Artist, 5th Grade Orientation,  M.A.J.E. Festival, and the spring concert.
• 7TH & 8TH GRADE JAZZ BAND - Jazz Band further develops a student’s performance and improvisation techniques, as well as, provides the opportunity to perform more advanced literature. Participation in this ensemble is available to 7th and 8th grade students who participate in their grade level concert band, by audition. The Jazz Band rehearsal schedule will be determined this fall.  Interested students should contact Mr. LaVoie.  Jazz Band performs at M.M.S. Jazz Night with Guest Artist, A.R.H.S. Jazz Night with Guest Artist, M.A.J.E. Festival, U.N.H Clark Terry Jazz Festival, as well as, the spring concert.
• CHAMBER ENSEMBLES - Chamber Ensembles are formed each year to introduce students to small ensemble literature and to develop the skills needed for independent musicianship.  Band students in grades 6-8 may participate.  A sign-up at the beginning of the year is required for participation.  The chamber ensembles rehearse before school one day a week for 40 minutes.  Chamber musicians perform at the winter/spring concerts, M.M.S. Chamber Night concert and the M.I.C.C.A. Solo and Ensemble Festival in May.

MELICAN MIDDLE SCHOOL MUSIC - Mrs. Getchell

Music Room 110-111

• All students take general music once per week for the entire school year.  In class, students will learn to play ukulele, piano, and explore guitar and other percussion instruments.  All students will have opportunities to explore music composition, drama, music history, music journal writing/active listening, and dance over the course of the middle school experience. 
• Chorus and band are optional elective classes that students can sign up to participate in, and are held in place of an extra flex block.  All students in all 3 grades are also welcome to audition for the school wide musical, directed by Mrs. Getchell during the months of January - March after school.

CHORAL ENSEMBLE DESCRIPTIONS - Mrs. Getchell

CONCERT CHORUS

• All choral musicians perform in their grade level Concert Chorus.  We have a 6th Grade Concert Chorus, 7th Grade Concert Chorus, and 8th Grade Concert Chorus.  The Concert Chorus is open to any student who is interested in singing and meets during the school day as a graded elective class.  If your child is not signed up for chorus, but would like to, please email Mrs. Getchell so that she can arrange for the office to make a schedule change. 
• The Concert Choruses introduce students to a wide variety of choral literature and styles, singing in unison and in harmony.  Performance in Concert Chorus focuses on the development of the basic techniques needed for healthy singing such as breath control, phrasing, tone, intonation, and expression. Skills learned in Concert Chorus provide the foundation for all the vocal ensembles offered at Melican Middle School.  Each grade level Concert Chorus meets twice per week during the school day and performs in the Winter concert in December and Spring concert in June. 

EXTRA CURRICULAR VOCAL ENSEMBLES - Meet Before School 7:00-7:40am (days TBD)

GIRLS AND BOYS CHORUSES

• Girls and Boys Chorus are vocal ensembles that are mixed with 6th, 7th, and 8th grade choral students. Girls Chorus is open to any choral student by audition in the fall. Boys Chorus is open to any choral student by sign-up in the fall. We sing literature that is designed to be appropriate and fun for changing adolescent voices. Both ensembles perform in the Evening Of Song Concert in the winter and in the final spring choral concert.

SELECT CHORUS

• Select Chorus is an advanced vocal ensemble comprised of 7th and 8th grade choral students interested in singing challenging vocal literature.  It is open to any 7th or 8th grade choral student by audition in the fall.  We sing mostly 3-4 part harmonic music in soprano, alto, tenor and baritone (if applicable to the students) range.  This group is designed to provide advanced experiences in rhythm, harmony, expression and style.