concert band - orchestra - percussion - guitar - pep band
MUSIC
LOWER SCHOOL
Music performances give students the opportunity to showcase the skills they’ve learned. Music at Lower School begins at the JK level with wonderful seasonal performances throughout the school year. When students enter Grade 3, 4, and 5, they expand their choral music experience to learn recorders, band and string instruments. Annual performances include Grandparents’ Day Concerts, the Thanksgiving Concert, the Holiday Sing-Along, Spring Concert and more.
MIDDLE SCHOOL
Middle School students have the choice to take part in band, chorus, and guitar. In addition, many small groups also form during the year to rehearse and perform music for special occasions. Some of our groups perform off campus in local and regional festivals and have consistently been rated in the two highest categories.
UPPER SCHOOL
Parker musicians perform at important School events such as Spring Arts Night and Commencement, as well as at school assemblies, lunchtime concerts, athletic events, the Holiday Concert, and several major talent shows throughout the year. Student musicians have the opportunity to perform and compete in off-campus venues including community events and the annual Forum Music Festival in Anaheim.
Concert Band
Exposure to band practice begins in Grade 4 at Francis Parker. All students participate recorder practice and preform at one of the annual performances. In Grade 5, students may choose to join the concert band with an instrument of their choice. The program continues through Grades 6, 7, and 8 as compositions become more advanced and the band grows larger. In Upper School, musicians practice and preform together as the Lancer Concert Band.
Parker's concert band, from Grade 6 to Upper School, has consistently placed in the Silver and Gold Categories at the Form Music Festival in Anaheim. The program truly exemplifies instrumental band at its finest.
Orchestra
Students begin playing violin in the Grade 4 as a part of the required music rotation. In Grade 5, they may continue with their practice. The Lancer Orchestra begins in the Upper School, and preforms at various events throughout the year.
Percussion
Percussion is open to Middle Schoolers as a music elective. This class provides an introduction to percussion techniques, note reading, rhythmic awareness, and ensemble playing techniques. Percussion uses O Passo, a Brazilian movement-based method, to create a foundation for understanding rhythm and playing together as a group. Students perform as percussionists in ensembles including other instruments such as wind ensemble or rock band.
Classical Guitar
Middle School guitar students learn to read standard notation, tablature and chords in first position while playing in various ensembles with students of similar experience. The course emphasizes both classical and contemporary techniques of playing the guitar. The course also emphasizes team exploration as students choose their own selections for presentation in small classical and “rock project” ensembles during the course of the year.
The areas for the Upper School of instruction includes the study of classical guitar through ensemble literature, including from the Renaissance, Baroque, Classical, and Modern eras.
Contemporary Guitar and Pep Band
Contemporary Guitar's repertoire is wide-ranging, including: modern and classic rock, jazz, blues, and classical pieces performed in a rock style. The ensemble performs at Music Assemblies, the Holiday Program, and Arts Night. During the individual group portion, the class is divided up into smaller “bands,”each consisting of three or four students. These bands select their own songs to learn, and/or choose songs from the Pep Band repertoire, and then perform their song selections during lunch-time concerts.
Pep Band is designed to challenge the individual abilities of each participant and the entire ensemble. This ensemble performs at all home football, basketball, volleyball games and various events throughout the year.