The primary goal of the Sixth Grade music course is to make students comfortable with the subject. The music course allows students to describe and share their own musical tastes and at the same time forces them to recognize that with music, no two minds think alike! Time is spent on the vocabulary of music and on investigating the qualities of sound through several interactive assignments. Rhythmic dictation (the skill of notating what someone plays) as well as sight-reading and simple composition are introduced. The second half of the trimester is devoted to drum circles; students become well-acquainted with the wonderful South African collection of Djembe and Ashiko drums, and learn various patterns that are put together to form “dialogs.” In addition to their music class, Chorus gives the entire Sixth Grade an opportunity to come together twice a week to sing. The rehearsals are lively and the music is age appropriate, which makes it fun to sing. The Chorus performs in concert several times each year for the school community.

A year of development at this age makes a big difference in what students are capable of understanding in the abstract. The Seventh Grade music course builds on this growth and focuses on form and analysis using primarily modern genres of music. Students study the vocabulary that will aid them in their investigation of two long musical works. With this experience behind them, the remaining weeks of the trimester are spent analyzing and preparing a paper and creative project on Pink Floyd’s rock opera, "The Wall." Students work individually and in groups piecing together the story and music and discover the world of symbolism, the abstract, and the surreal.

In Eighth Grade, the focus shifts from the analysis of single works to an overview of American music (symphonic, jazz, and modern genres) followed by analysis of the development of music during one decade, the 1960s. No art is created in a vacuum, and understanding the sociology behind the music makes for a more rewarding listening experience. Great musical moments from the decade, such as selections from Monterey Pop, Woodstock, footage of the Beatles and The Rolling Stones, are presented on video and discussed as context for the major project students undertake. Students devote considerable time investigating a relevant musical/cultural topic or artist, and once becoming the class “expert” on that subject, present their work in the form of a video and/or oral presentation that is the culmination of their Middle School music study.

Our Upper School (Ninth-Twelfth Grade) Music Department, led by music teacher Jill Wangsgard, produces records every year on our own recording label, Broken Records.

If you are on campus or waiting in the pick-up line, tune your radio to 103.1 FM, The Bush School’s own music radio station! 103.1 FM is student-run and plays original music by Bush students throughout the day. The frequency is audible within a 200 yard radius of campus—it’s the perfect thing to listen to as you walk to class, park next to school, or wait in the pick-up line. Congrats to all of the students involved in this project!

Coursework explores the theory and process of composing, arranging, orchestrating, recording, and producing for both electric and acoustic works. All music in the Upper School music program is students' original compositions. Emphasis is placed on the importance of building strong group dynamics and how these apply to both the creative process and performance. There will be a presentation of the projects at the end of the term.

Chamber Ensemble
Electronica
Ensemble I, II, III, and Plus
Ensemble Unplugged
Musical Theater Ensemble
Pep Ensemble
Scoring the Game
Sound Design
Vocal Ensemble

The Venue is a concert held twice a year that serves as a culminating performance for ensemble classes.