MUSIC

MHS HONORS MUSIC

HONORS CHORUS
HONORS BAND
HONORS WIND ENSEMBLE
HONORS ORCHESTRA
HONORS GUITAR

Grades 11, 12
Full Year: 5 credits

Prerequisite: One year minimum of ensemble experience at the high school level, plus satisfactory audition and department recommendation. Students entering their junior or senior year who are taking Band, Chorus, Orchestra, Guitar or Wind Ensemble are eligible to audition for honors credit status. Honors status is an extension of the coursework required for the ensemble. In addition to the standard curriculum for the ensemble, there is an additional workload and course expectations.

Goal: The overall goal of offering honors credit within an ensemble is to provide an opportunity to award due credit to music students who tirelessly dedicate themselves to their art. The program seeks to develop and enrich a student’s performance capabilities, musical perceptivity, artistic sensitivity, and overall musicianship. Students, in turn, earn honors credit that is to be weighted in their GPA.

Selection Process:

  • Rising Juniors and Seniors who are recommended for Band, Wind Ensemble, Orchestra, Chorus, or Guitar are welcome to audition for the MHS Honors Music program.

  • Directors will provide audition information and requirements to their students.

  • Auditions for the Honors Music program will be held in June each year.

  • All three MHS music faculty members will be present for the auditions.

  • At the conclusion of each audition, the music faculty discusses each student's audition privately and determines whether they are admitted to the program.

  • Students are notified of their audition results by the last day of school.

  • Teachers communicate with Guidance regarding which students shall be placed on the Honors track.

Honors Requirements:

  1. Students must attend all scheduled lessons with no less than 80% lesson attendance

  2. Students must attend every scheduled school performance/concert as outlined in the course syllabus

  3. Students must participate in at least TWO of the following:

  • Jazz band

  • Jazz chorus

  • Pit band

  • Marching band

  • Spring musical

  • String Nonet

  • Approved outside ensemble

  • Private music lessons

  • Additional curricular ensemble at MHS

  • Additional music elective at MHS

4. Students must choose TWO of the following additional requirements:

  • Perform in a recital at MHS with no less than two teacher-approved pieces of music

  • Perform an appropriately challenging solo at a public performance. Solos must be significant works worthy of study and accompanied by a pianist or appropriate orchestral accompaniment.

  • Write a 3-5 page research paper on a teacher-approved musical topic. Writing guidelines must follow MHS English Department policy.

  • Compose or arrange a written piece of music. Length and complexity of the piece must be pre-determined in conjunction with the teacher

5. Students must meet with their teacher for a performance assessment at the end of each marking period