The Ellis School

Explore Our Curriculum

Middle School Performing Arts

  • General Music 5

    This course offers students the opportunity to achieve musical independence by building skills and broadening their performance abilities. Students focus on their musicianship skills through the study of note reading, rhythmic notation, and solfege. They apply these skills by playing basic ukulele and boomwhacker, singing, and analyzing music. In a comprehensive study of music history, students explore the foundations of music from around the world. They then learn how these historical origins affect modern music and the music we listen to today.

  • General Music 6

    Students continue to develop the skills and concepts necessary to articulate sound musical judgment when performing, listening to, selecting, and critiquing music through the study of music theory, composition, and history. Material covered in this course encompasses a variety of music that refines basic skills, and challenges students in more advanced techniques and concepts, including key signatures and advanced rhythmic dictation. Content includes in-class discussion, ukulele and boomwhacker performances, and creative group learning. Through these studies, students cover music of the Medieval era and Renaissance.

  • General Music 7

    This course begins with continuing development of musicianship skills with a more advanced study of music theory, including solfege, eurhythmics, chord structure, key signatures, rhythmic notation, and ukulele performances. This includes a compositional component which students write using learned musicianship skills. Students continue to listen to, compose, and critique music, especially pertaining to pieces from the Baroque and Classical eras as they study music history.

  • General Music 8

    General Music in grade 8 continues the advancement of musicianship skills culminating in multi-line composition theory, analysis, and performance. Students analyze the effects of technology and industry on music of the twentieth century as they study pieces from classical, instrumental, and vocal music; jazz and blues; rock n’ roll; and musical theater. Compositions and arrangements are performed by students using ukuleles, instruments, voices, or combinations of the above. Students work individually and in small groups.

  • Choir

    Performance Choice Course | Grades 5–8

    Choir provides an opportunity for students to cultivate their singing voices, music literacy, and ensemble skills. Students will develop vocal technique, including posture, breath control, diction, and expansion of the vocal range. Solfege and music theory will be studied as a means to reading, understanding, and creating music. Independence in two and three-part harmonies, ensemble performance practices, and building confidence will be emphasized. The ensemble will explore a broad repertoire of choral music from different time periods, styles, cultures, and languages, ranging from classical and folk songs to musical theater and pop. The choir performs at both the winter and spring concerts. All ability levels are welcome and encouraged.

  • Concert Band 5–6

    Performance Choice Course | Grades 5–6

    Concert Bandc in the Middle School provides students with opportunities to study a woodwind, brass, or percussion instrument. Students develop their understanding of musical concepts through playing both individually and as an ensemble. Focus is placed on developing musical independence and progression through technical skills on their instruments.. Members of each ensemble are exposed to many performance styles by studying various types of repertoire, from classical, to rock, pop, and jazz. Students meet for individual practice days once a cycle to address technique, musical literacy, and expressive playing. Students are responsible for acquiring their own instruments and additional private instruction is encouraged.

  • Concert Band 7–8

    Performance Choice Course | Grades 7–8

    Concert Bandc in the Middle School provides students with opportunities to study a woodwind, brass, or percussion instrument. Students develop their understanding of musical concepts through playing both individually and as an ensemble. Focus is placed on developing musical independence and progression through technical skills on their instruments.. Members of each ensemble are exposed to many performance styles by studying various types of repertoire, from classical, to rock, pop, and jazz. Students meet for individual practice days once a cycle to address technique, musical literacy, and expressive playing. Students are responsible for acquiring their own instruments and additional private instruction is encouraged.

  • String Ensemble

    Performance Choice Course | Grades 5–8

    String Ensemble provides students with the opportunity to perform as a part of a string orchestra on a violin, viola, cello, or double bass. Understanding of musical concepts is made evident through playing independently, learning technical skills, and practicing in expressive ensemble rehearsals. All playing levels are welcomed and supported. Students will explore performing traditional classical music, as well as alternative genres including rock, jazz, pop, and musical theater on string instruments. Developmental instruction on each instrument and individual attention to technique is provided as needed. In addition to increasing proficiency on their instrument, students will also be challenged to improve their knowledge and application of music theory, learn how to compose and improvise, and develop an understanding of music history and its relevance to performance. Students are responsible for acquiring their own instruments and additional private instruction is strongly encouraged.

  • Dance Ensemble

    Performance Choice Course | Grades 5–8

    Dancers of all proficiencies are challenged with a course of study that includes the technical side of dancing, the creative process, and the performance experience. Students learn the foundational elements of dance in modern, jazz, and ballet units. In the world dance unit, students learn a folk dance for presentation. An examination of Rudolf Von Laban’s use of space, shape, and effort introduces students to the creative process as they create original choreography in small group presentations. Students also recreate iconic works in various genres.

  • Honors Strings Ensemble

    Elective Course | Grades 5–8

    Honors Strings is a selective performance group designed to teach advanced playing skills, broaden musical repertoire, and encourage performance at various concerts. Students meet twice a cycle to learn and perform music on a high and challenging level and play in small ensembles as well as in a larger group. This course builds a solid repertoire that can be performed at any time and for any occasion. Enrollment is dependent upon faculty approval and an audition is required.

  • Mix and Splice

    Elective Course | Grades 7–8

    Mix and Splice is a creative music technology course where technology and music collide. Students create their own movie score complete with recording sound effects, plan and splice their own riff-off, and edit modern music so that it sounds like it is from years past. Students gain hands-on experience with technology such as GarageBand and Pro Tools in order to learn about cutting-edge innovations in music technology. Fulfills technology requirement.

  • Musicals Through Time

    Elective Course | Grades 7–8

    In this elective course, students will journey through time to explore musical theater songs from Broadway and Hollywood of the early 1900s, the Golden Age, and what’s being performed in today’s hottest shows. Students will investigate important performing artists, composers, and compositional and dramatic elements. Students will build music-reading skills and vocal technique, sing songs from the Great American Songbook, and research and present on a musical of their choice.

  • So You Want to Sing?

    Elective Course | Grades 7–8

    This trimester-long elective functions as a small group voice lesson, song study, and group performance opportunity. Students will learn and practice good vocal technique, including posture, breath support, and diction through learning vocal warmups, practice, and application. Songs studied will be taken from the Great American Songbook. Emphasis will be placed on style, vocal tone, musical expression, and communication. How can you truly communicate through your performance? Students will memorize and perform at least one solo and one duet or trio in front of the class. No prior singing experience is required in order to participate.

  • Clowning and Commedia

    Elective Course | Grades 7-8

    This trimester-long course begins with focusing on the famous Italian mask-based theatre of the 16th and 17th centuries and then transitions in today’s world of Clowning. Students will explore the characterization of each archetype through physical and vocal improvisation (as the art form is improvised melodrama) and then develop their own clown character based off of those learnings. To complete our time together, students will give a personally crafted clown performance in a self-created costume! Clowning and Commedia is based on understanding that the mask itself is the character and the actor is merely the vehicle channeling the archetype.

  • Acting Shakespeare: Performative History

    Elective Course | Grades 7–8

    This elective prepares young performers to be stage-ready for the Pittsburgh Public Theater’s Shakespeare monologue and scene competition. Students become versed in the life of the Bard and the 1500s London theatre scene as they hone their classical acting skills and learn proper audition techniques. During this course, everyone memorizes a scene and a monologue from Shakespeare’s folio to perform for fellow classmates, and each student chooses one piece to audition with at the contest. Have you wondered what it would be like to stand on the O’Reilly Theater stage, breathe in the excitement, and speak some of the most beautiful lines ever written? Here’s your chance!

  • Technical Theater

    Elective Course | Grades 7-8         

    Learn your way around the theater in this class as you take on an active role as a member of the cast or crew. You will learn the foundations of technical theater roles: directing, lighting, sound, set, costume, and stage management. Then we will learn the true meaning of theater through collaboration and develop unique shows using each others' ideas and gifts! We can even put these ideas to real-life use with our 6th and 7th grade production!

  • Theater Productions

    Theater is an extracurricular activity and a complementary element of the overall Ellis experience. Students in grades 5 and 6 are presented with the option of participating in a play and students in grades 7 and 8 may choose to participate ina musical. Most rehearsals are after school. Students participating in theater productions may join interscholastic or developmental athletic teams during production season with faculty and coach permission.

Faculty

6425 FIFTH AVENUE, PITTSBURGH, PA 15206
412.661.5992   |   admissions@theellisschool.org
6425 FIFTH AVENUE, PITTSBURGH, PA 15206
412.661.5992
admissions@theellisschool.org