Departments / Music

Welcome to the Methacton High School

Music Department!

Jeff McCoach - Band Director

Elizabeth Francisco - Choral Director

Jennifer DeSanto - Orchestra Director

The Music program is designed to provide opportunities for all students to explore the many facets of music. Performance is a major focus including Band, Orchestra, and Chorus. Theory and Composition courses afford advanced training for aspiring professionals and guitar classes offer to all a lifelong skill for the enjoyment of making music.

Performing ensembles offered at Methacton High School include:

Concert Band

Jazz Band

Brass Ensemble

Marching Band

Indoor Percussion

Winter Guard

Concert Choir

Chorale

Jazz Choir.

String Orchestra

String Ensemble

The Tri-M Music Honor Society is a chapter that is part of the National Association for Music Educators.

The Music Department is supported by an active parent association: the Methacton Music Boosters.

Band

The Methacton HS Concert Band is a performing arts class that is scheduled during the regular academic day. The class follows an established curriculum, and includes instrumental performance alone and in groups, music theory, playing tests, as well as other graded assignments. Students rehearse a wide variety of musical literature in preparation for several public concerts each year. There are also several evening rehearsals prior to each concert performance.

The MHS Jazz Band is a co-curricular activity which meets 1 time per week beginning in the early winter. The Jazz Band performs in many public concerts, and is part a festival association which affords the students an opportunity to receive expert evaluations 4 times per year in local contests. Auditions, which are held in November or December, are open to any student with performing experience on sax, trumpet, trombone, piano, bass, drums and guitar.

Contact Jeffrey McCoach

for information regarding Concert Band, Jazz Band, Marching Band, Indoor Percussion, and Winter Guard.
Choral Groups

Concert Choir

The Methacton High School Concert Choir is a performing arts class that meets during the regular academic school day. Concert Choir performs music of diverse time periods, musical genres, and foreign languages. In addition to vocal technique, students in Concert Choir study related aspects of music theory including sightreading. Students are evaluated based on class participation, written theory assignments, singing tests, and rehearsal and concert attendance. Participation in Concert Choir includes attendance at several afterschool and evening rehearsals and performances. Any student interested in singing can schedule Concert Choir and no audition is required.

Chorale

For students with a more advanced knowledge of music and vocal technique, the Methacton High School Chorale offers an environment where singers can study more challenging choral literature. Chorale is an auditioned ensemble which also meets during the school day. Students who register for Chorale must also attend rehearals on scheduled Monday evenings from 6:30 PM to 7:30 PM.

Jazz Choir

Jazz Choir is an auditioned accapella jazz ensemble of approximately twenty-four singers. In addition to Jazz, this group performs a variety of accapella music including Renaissance madrigals and other more traditional types of vocal literature. Because of it's size and level of advancement, Jazz Choir has a more regorious concert schedule and is available for community performances by request. Jazz Choir rehearses on scheduled Monday evenings from 7:30 PM to 8:30 PM and occasionally rehearses before school at 7:00 AM.

Barbershop Quartets and Ensembles

Methacton High School has several Barbershop Quartets which rehearse and perform periodically throughout the school year. These groups are auditioned and are limited to two per grade level. Barbershop Quartets have the option to participate in Barbershop competitions which occur in various local venues throughout the school year.
Orchestra

String Orchestra offers an opportunity for students to rehearse and perform a wide variety of classical and popular literature while playing several performances throughout the year. This course allows for expansion of string techniques and literature.

String Ensemble offers an advanced opportunity for students to rehearse and perform an expanded variety of classical and popular literature while playing several performances throughout the year. This course allows for expansion of string techniques and literature.
Additional Music Course Offerings

GUITAR: Offered in grades 9-12

Guitar is designed for the student who wants to explore guitar playing.

    Rock styles as well as folk, jazz and classical repertoire will be used in class. Techniques explored include pick style and finger style. Primary chord study using strumming will be developed. The study of music notation and theory is included in the course and is learned through workbooks and technology. Students will use nylon acoustic guitars provided in school. Advanced students will work on expanded chord study using both strumming and finger-picking. Guitar may be selected for one or both semesters of the school year, and be repeated all four years as schedule allows.

MUSIC THEORY AND COMPOSITION: Offered in grades 9-12

   The purpose of this course is to acquaint the student with the basic principles of melody, harmony, rhythm, and music literature, and to afford an opportunity for beginning experiences in music composition. It should be considered a necessity for prospective music students.

ADVANCED PLACEMENT MUSIC THEORY: Offered in grades 10-12

   This course is a continuation and advanced version of Music Theory and Composition. Music literature and all phases of intermediate composition and harmony are covered. Ear training, sight-singing, elementary keyboard and analysis are also studied. The content of this course mirrors a first-year college music theory course and only the serious music student should apply.

DIGITAL AUDIO ENGINEERING: Offered in grades 10-12

Are you interested in a career in the Music Industry? If so, this course will explore aspects of digital audio recording and live performance applications. Using industry-standard hardware and software, students will explore recording with acoustic instruments (including voice) and with software/MIDI instruments. How this is applied to live performance is also part of the experience. Understand of music notation and theory is encouraged, but it is not a prerequisite.

Band

Choral Groups

Orchestra

Additional Music Course Offerings

Methacton Alma Mater

Methacton Music Alumni Colleges/Universities

Celebration of the Arts

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