MUSIC ENSEMBLE OVERVIEW
The Sussex after-school music ensembles were created to offer a variety of music learning opportunities for students.
Financial Assistance: Available for families who qualify for tuition assistance, email Lisa Whitcomb for details.
Intro to Guitar 1: Grades 3-8
This beginning workshop is designed to give students an introduction to playing guitar. Students will learn the basics of melodic note-reading, proper guitar-playing technique, an introduction to chord playing, and much more. This is a great choice for students who may be interested in picking up their first instrument or for those who play other instruments and are interested in trying guitar
Group size: 12 students
Schedule: Session 1: 7 weeks September 12 to Oct 24, Mondays 4:00–4:50 P.M.
Price: $150
Open to the public
Barred Instrument Ensemble: Grades K-5
This beginning workshop is designed to give students an introduction to playing piano. Students will learn the basics of melodic note-reading, proper piano-playing technique, an introduction to chord playing, and much more. This is a great choice for students who may be interested in picking up their first instrument or for those who play other instruments and are interested in trying piano.
Group size: 16 students
Schedule: Session 1: 7 weeks September 12 to Oct 24, Mondays 3:00–3:50 P.M.
Price: $150
Open to the public
Intro to Piano 1: Grades 3-8
This ensemble is for students who want to gain music-playing skills, learn the basics of reading music, and play music with others in a group setting. Throughout this class, students will get the opportunity to practice those skills while playing barred instruments such as xylophones, metallophones, and glockenspiels, as well as hand drums. This is a great opportunity for students to begin building music-playing skills, and it is a great building block to learning how to play an instrument. We will conclude the session with a short performance of our song
Group size: 10 students
Schedule: Session 1: 6 Weeks Sept 7 to Oct 19 (No meeting Sept 14), Wednesdays 3:00–3:50 P.M.
Session 3: 7 Weeks Jan 9 to March 6 (No meeting Jan 16; no meeting Feb 20), Mondays 3:00–3:50 P.M.
Price: $150
Open to the public
Pop Rock Audition Ensemble:
Grades 5-8 Year Round
This ensemble runs for the entire school year. This is the premier Sussex music ensemble. This group will have a minimum of four performances during the school year on-and off-campus. All instruments and voice types are welcomed in this group with the expectation that students come to rehearsals knowing their parts. We will be moving through a lot of music, so outside-of-rehearsal practice is an expectation. In the past, this group has performed here at Sussex, at the ZACC, and at the Wilma. If you have any questions about auditions, please email Josh.
Group size: 12 students
Schedule: 30 weeks Sep 6 to May 2, Tuesdays 4–4:50 P.M.
Price: $600
Blues Ensemble: Grades 3-8
This ensemble is designed for students who have some experience with an instrument and are looking to play with others. Students will choose an instrument, learn the basic function and technique of playing music with others, and perform a song as an ensemble. They will be learning the 12-bar blues song form as well as the blues scale. They will have the opportunity to learn how to improvise a solo and play a supporting role while others are improvising. Students must have access to their instrument choice at home so they are able to practice and record.
Group size: 10 students
Schedule: Session 1: 8 Weeks Sep 6 to Oct 25, Tuesdays 3:00 to 3:50 P.M.
Price: $150
Intro to Digital Music: Grades 3-8
This workshop will introduce students to the loop midi controller in Garage band. They will learn the basics of this app as well as how to combine loops, the basics of music composition and arranging, recording MIDI tracks, and making their own loops. For this workshop, they will not need to bring any materials as everything will be provided by the school
Group size: 15 students
Schedule: Session 1: 8 Weeks Sep 6 to Oct 25, Tuesdays 5:00 to 5:50 P.M.
Price: $150
Open to the public
Music Together
Did you know that your child was born musical? It’s true! Your little one can learn to dance and sing just as naturally as they learn to walk and talk. Music Together helps children of all ages—from babies to 5-year-olds—discover their inner music-maker by playing with the grownups they love. (That’s you!) The magic of music is inside all of us. We can help you discover it—together! Spend quality time with your little one and meet other new moms and dads in a Music Together class near you. As you sing, dance, and play, you’ll learn lots of musical ways to support your baby’s development. (Ages 6mos–5 Years)
*Families are welcome to audit one class to make sure it is a fit for your family. After that, an invoice will be sent for the session.
Group size: 12 students
Schedule: Tuesdays 10:15–11:00 A.M.
Session 1: 10 Weeks Sept 13 to Nov 15
Session 2: 4 Weeks Nov 29 to Dec 20 $80
Session 3: 10 Weeks Jan 3 to Mar 28 (No meeting Jan 17, Feb 21 or Mar 21)
Session 4: 10 Weeks April 4 to June 6
Price: 10 week session $240 / 4 week session $80
Open to the public
Sussex Choir: Grades K–8
In this 8-week group setting, students will have the chance to sing songs together in two- or three-part harmony. Students will have an introduction to vocal techniques, sight-singing, breath support, and more. This is a great option for anyone who enjoys singing at any level.
Group size: 30 students
Schedule: Session 2: 7 weeks Nov 1 to Dec 20 (No meeting Nov 22), Tuesdays 3:00–3:50 P.M.
Session 3: 7 weeks Jan 9 to March 6 (No meetings Jan 16 or Feb 20), Mondays 4:00–4:50 P.M.
Session 4: 8 weeks March 13 to May 8 (No meeting March 20th), Mondays 4:00–4:50 P.M.
Price: $150
Open to the public
Intro to Pop-Rock: Grades 3–5
This ensemble is for students who are fairly new to their instrument and who are interested in playing music with others. In these sessions we cover the basics of playing music together and will finish the session with a short performance of the piece that was learned. This is a good opportunity for students to become more comfortable with their instrument and how they can fit well into a group. All instruments are welcome.
Group size: 12 students
Schedule: Session 2: 7 weeks Oct 26 to Dec 14 (No meeting Nov 23), Wednesdays 3:00–3:50 P.M.
Session 3: 8 weeks Jan 4 to Feb 22, Wednesdays 4:00–4:50 P.M.
Session 4: 8 weeks March 1 to April 26 (No meeting March 22nd), Wednesdays 3:00–3:50 P.M.
Price: $150
Intro to Guitar 2: Grades 3–8
This workshop is meant to build on the intro to Guitar 1 and to give students more depth in their understanding of how to play the guitar. Students will learn more about playing melodies on more strings, more chord shapes and strumming patterns, and more about playing music with others. This is a great choice for students who have completed intro to Guitar 1 or who have played their instrument for a while and are interested in learning more.
Group size: 12 students
Schedule: Session 2: 7 weeks Oct 31 to Dec 19 (No meeting Nov 21), Mondays 4:00–4:50 P.M.
Price: $150
Open to the public
Class Piano 2: Grades 3–8
This workshop is meant to build on intro to Piano 1 and to give students more depth in their understanding of how to play the piano. Students will learn more about playing hands together, chord shapes, major and minor scales, and playing music together. This is a great choice for students who have completed intro to Piano 1 or who have played their instrument for a while and are interested in learning more.
Group size: 16 students
Schedule: Session 2: 7 weeks Oct 31 to Dec 19 (No meeting Nov 21), Mondays 3:00–3:50 P.M.
Price: $150
Open to the public
Intermediate Performance Ensemble: Grades 3–8
This ensemble is a blast for students who have some familiarity with their instrument and are looking to play more music with others. All instruments and voice types are welcomed in this group with the expectation that students come to rehearsals knowing their parts. We will spend the first half of the session “getting the parts down” and the remainder of the sessions playing our songs through. We will be learning two songs in this group
Group size: 10 students
Schedule: Session 3: 7 weeks Jan 3 to Feb 28 (No meetings Jan 17 or Feb 21), Tuesdays 3–3:50 P.M.
Price: $150
Open to the public
Intro To Acapella: Grades 5–8
In this all-vocal group, students will expand their knowledge of two- and three-part harmonies, vocal percussion, and singing without any accompaniment. They will be assigned parts and given recordings and materials they will use to practice their parts outside of group meetings so we can use group rehearsals to practice singing our parts together. The session will culminate in a short performance of the piece we have been working on.
Group size: 15 students
Schedule: Session 3: 7 weeks Jan 3 to Feb 28 (No meetings Jan 17 or Feb 21), Tuesdays 5:00–5:50 P.M.
Price: $150
Open to the public
Nature’s Music: Grades K-5
Spring. If your student is an outdoor enthusiast, this is a great opportunity to pair the outdoors with music making! Throughout this session, students will be given the opportunity to study and learn about nature’s music through listening to different soundscapes, making music with natural objects, and creating an improv performance using natural instruments. This is a great opportunity for students to gain a different perspective on how to make music and engage within the variety of soundscapes we experience in spring in Montana.
Group size: 10 students
Schedule: Session 4: 8 weeks March 13 to May 8 (No meeting March 20), Mondays 3:00–3:50 P.M.
Price: $150
Songwriting: Grades 3–8
This songwriting workshop is designed to give students an introduction to songwriting or to provide our seasoned songwriters with the opportunity to dig in deeper. All students will come away with at least one song they have written. If your student plays an instrument, they are welcome to bring and use it to aid in their songwriting. If they do not play an instrument, don't worry! We have tools to help them put music to their lyrics.
Group size: 15 students
Schedule: Session 4: 8 weeks March 7 to May 2 (No meeting March 21), Tuesdays 3:00–3:50 P.M.
Price: $150
Open to the public
Electronic Music Composition: Grades 3–8
In this composition course, students will listen to and analyze four songs from differing genres, and using Soundtrap for Education, they will choose one of those genres to compose a song in. This is a helpful session to attend before the songwriting workshop because the compositions they create can be used to support their lyric writing
Group size: 12 students
Schedule: Session 4: 8 weeks March 7 to May 2 (No meeting March 21), Tuesdays 5:00–5:50 P.M.
Price: $150
Open to the public
Sussex Alumni Ensemble
This ensemble is geared towards students who have graduated from Sussex and others who are looking for opportunities to play music with friends. This ensemble is driven primarily by the band members and is supported by Josh. The students will have at least one performance opportunity if not more. Students are expected to practice their instrument outside of rehearsal time and show up ready to play.
Group size: 12 students
Session 2: 7 weeks Nov 1 to Dec 20 (No meeting Nov 22), Tuesdays 5:00–5:50
Price: $150
Open to the public