Music: The Music Department at South Side High School offers a robust and diverse curriculum that caters to a wide range of musical interests and skill levels. The program is designed to develop students as performers, creators, and scholars, with a focus on both collaborative ensemble work and individual skill development. Students can choose from a variety of performance ensembles, including Concert Band, Concert Orchestra, and Choraleers, which introduce them to standard literature and require mandatory participation in lessons and concerts. For more advanced musicians, there are audition-based, weighted-credit courses like Wind Ensemble, Chamber Orchestra, and Chamber Singers, which focus on challenging, advanced repertoire. The department also provides pathways for students interested in jazz, with Stage Band and the audition-based Jazz Ensemble offering opportunities to explore various styles and improvisation. Beyond performance, the curriculum extends into foundational music studies with Music Theory, a half-credit course that covers composition, harmony, and ear training. Additionally, the department embraces modern technology through Music Production, a course where students learn to use digital audio workstations (DAWs), synthesizers, and other electronic tools for recording and composition. For further study, the comprehensive two-year IB Music program is offered, which is a college-level course that supports students as they explore their roles as researchers, performers, and creators through their personal, local, and global contexts. This holistic approach ensures that all students, regardless of their background, have a place to grow and excel in their musical journey.

Kathleen Mark (Director of the Arts)

Doreen Fryling

Barry LeBron

Anthony Pomponio

Jennifer Weiss

• New York State Arts Standards: 
  • The New York State Learning Standards for the Arts outline the framework for student learning in dance, music, theater, and visual arts. You can find detailed information on these standards here: NYSED Art standards

• Relevant IB Subject Briefs:
  • IB Visual Arts Subject Brief: A brief for the visual arts course can be found here: IB Global Assets_Visual Artshttps://www.ibo.org/globalassets/new-structure/programmes/dp/pdfs/visual-arts---hl.pdf
  • IB Music Subject Brief: A brief for the music course can be found here:IB Global assets
  • IB Theatre Subject Brief: A brief for the theater course can be found here: IB Programs_Theaterchrome-extension://efaidnbmnnnibpcajpcglclefindmkaj/https://www.ibo.org/globalassets/new-structure/programmes/dp/pdfs/theatre-subject-brief-sl-hl-en.pdf
  • IB Dance Subject Brief: A brief for the dance course can be found here: IB Programs_Theater

https://www.ibo.org/globalassets/new-structure/programmes/dp/pdfs/6_dancehl.pd

Music Flow Chart