BFS
Our Strategic Vision
 

Our Music Program

Music Education Throughout The Grade Levels

Our music program provides a challenging and supportive learning environment for all students regardless of their level of expertise. Repertoire is drawn from a range of styles, periods, and cultures, and students gain an understanding of the role that music plays in daily life.

Lower School Music

In the Lower School, students explore their talents as performers and music creators using approaches that include Kodaly, Orff, and Dalcroze. Students learn the foundations of sight singing, vocal technique, improvisation, composing, music reading, and instrumental work.

Middle School Music

Starting in fifth grade, music options include chorus, where students learn different vocal techniques and voice parts, orchestra where they develop technical skills to play violin, viola, or cello, where they improvise and play repertoire on wind and brass instruments.

Upper School Music

Ninth and tenth grade music offerings include chorus, and chamber ensemble. At this level, courses dive deeper into sight reading, dictation, music history, theory, and composition, and instrumental students maintain a practice schedule of at least 45 minutes a day.

Our International Baccalaureate (IB) program offers a performance focus in chorus, chamber ensemble or jazz band, with participation granted by audition. Students learn performance and technical skills and study music in Western society, international music, musical literacy, and music theory.