Student Life

Chorale
This Large ensemble studies advanced choral ensemble literature and performs major works with the HSPVA orchestra. During the spring, chorale takes a tour to universities and/ or major choral festivals.

Madrigal Singers / Chamber Singers
These smaller ensembles study a capella ensemble literature. The madrigal singers perform 16 th and 17 th century choral music in renaissance costumes.

Young Performers
Students study various styles of popular, jazz, and Broadway music. They learn how to use a sound system. They learn to perform with choreography and Broadway staging. They are given the opportunity to present concerts at school and for the community.

Girls’ Chorus
This large ensemble sings a variety of literature for the female voice. Emphasis is placed on style, form, blend , intonation, independence of parts, and accompanied and a capella singing. The girls are given the opportunity to showcase their work through various public performances at school and around the city. Each year the curriculum includes a short concert tour to universities and / or high schools outside of Houston .

Mixed Chorus / Men’s Ensemble
The mixed chorus and men’s ensemble studies the fundamentals of singing and music reading in a choral setting. These ensembles are open to non-vocal majors by audition.

Vocal Production
This course is required for all entering vocal students. It is an overview of the singing voice and the mechanics of singing, breathing techniques, and the formation of vowels for healthy singing. Throughout the year we will also study phonetics in order to sing in foreign languages. The student will have performance opportunities in a recital format singing on Italian art song, one German art song, an English art song, and a song for the standard Broadway repertoire.

Class Voice
This is a one-semester course; the prerequisite for which is vocal production. The students continue their study of singing with occasional work in mini-private lessons. The music is selected to develop the individual needs of each singer.

Master Class Voice
This is a tear long course into which the students are placed with permission. In it the students study the standard foreign language repertoire and musical theater songs. The music is selected with the approaching senior year and college auditions, competitions, and recitals in mind.

Beauty Shop Singers
This girl’s small ensemble performs music of the thirties, forties, fifties, and sixties, and is in constant demand at luncheons, banquets, and meetings of senior citizens around the city.

Barbershop Quartet
Four advanced male singers who meet outside of class time for rehearsal. This group sings many P.R. performances throughout the year.

Senior Lab
Senior lab focuses on senior vocal recital preparation and repertoire building; survey of American musical theatre, survey of opera; assistance with college and scholarship audition tapes; and master classes in staging, interpretation, and foreign language diction.

Conducting (Elective)
Students learn the basics of conducting through the study an analysis of music from the Baroque through the Contemporary Periods.

20 th Century Music Literature (Elective)
The purpose is to take a brief look at major composers leading up to and including the 20 th century living composers. The overall goal is to have students begin to see that the changes which occurred in music are a product of the music, surrounding cultures, and events of the era. We do this through listening to each composers’ works, viewing videos of related artistic movements, visiting related exhibits in museums, and by doing research on each composer. The students are to discover most of the material for himself or herself with the teacher as a facilitator.

Music Theory I
Students acquire basic skills for reading music and music notation. This includes the identification of key signatures, learning to recognize and notate intervals, triads and simple chords, and the identification and notation of rhythms.

Music Theory II
Students build on skills learned in music theory I. Skills for basic part writing and harmonization is acquired. Skills for analysis of simple music are learned including harmonic, simple form, phrase and cadence analysis.

Music History
Students learn how to listen to music. They get an in-depth overview of important composers and historical events from 450 AD to the present. TAAS objectives employing writing skills are used for examining 20 th century American composers.

Music Literature
Students learn how to listen to music and receive and overview of important composers from the Baroque period through the twentieth century.

AP Music Theory III
Students build on skills learned in music theory II. Skills for basic part writing and harmonization are improved. Skills for analysis of more complex music are learned including harmonic, form, twentieth century analytic techniques. Students receive a short introduction to counterpoint composition and analysis. Students learn to compose for small ensembles. Students learn about transportation and ranges of all instruments.

Beginning class Piano
Students learn to read simple piano music, both hands together. They learn correct hand usage; simple form analysis as it applies to learning to play; dynamics; expression; musicianship and phrasing. Piano majors also enroll to learn piano pedagogy.

Sight Singing
Students learn aural identification of intervals, triads, and scales. They acquire skills for taking melodic and rhythmic dictation. They learn to sight-read in unison and in parts using solfege syllables. This class meets in conjunction with music literature.

Ear Training
Students learn aural identification of intervals, triads, and scales. They acquire skills for taking melodic and rhythmic dictation. They learn to sight-read orally using solfege or other systems. This class meets in conjunction with Music Theory I.

Mark Seliger, Media, 1977 -Award-winning photographer, Chief photographer with Rolling Stones Magazine. He has over 150 covers for Time, US, GQ, and Rolling Stones magazines.

Liz Ward, Visual Arts, 1977 - International award-winning artist, printmaker, painter who has had numerous one-woman shows in several countries. Now on the faculty of Trinity University

Tracy Schwartz Shane, Dance, 1975 - Broadway star with leading roles in A Chorus Line, Les Miserables, and Phantom of the Opera.

K. Todd Freeman, Theatre, 1983 - Tony award nominee for Broadway show, The Song of Jacob Zulu, and currently now with the Alley Theatre. He has appeared in numerous television shows and movies.

Robert Glasper, Jazz, 1997 - Blue Note recording artist with numerous hits and has numerous GRAMMY Music award nominations.

Helen Sung, Piano, 1989 - Fresh Sound recording artist and finalist in the 1999 Thelonious Monk International Jazz Competition.

Enid Graham, Theatre, 1998 - Tony Award nominee for her Broadway debut in 1999 production of Honour.

Jason Moran, Jazz, 1993 - Well-known jazz composer and Blue Note recording artist who has numerous GRAMMY Music Award nominations and has established a jazz scholarship at HSPV A.

Andre Hayward, Jazz, 1989 - Member of the Lincoln Center Jazz Orchestra and 1st Place Winner in the Thelonious Monk International Jazz Competition.

Chandra Wilson, Theatre, 1987 - Star of current TV hit, Grey's Anatomy.

Mireille Enos, Theatre, 1993 - Broadway star and Tony Award nominee for IIWho's Afraid of Virginia W oolj'.

Devorah IISamet" Cantor, Visual Arts, 1977 - Creator of original software called Macromind, now called Macromedia. It is presently one of the largest software companies in the world.

Mario Zambrano, Dance 1994 - Principal dancer with Netherlands Ballet and formerly with Chicago 's Hubbard Street Dance Company.

Jorge Garza, Vocal Music, 1987 - Juilliard graduate and well-known opera tenor performing with many of the world's best known opera companies.

Sara Hickman, Vocal Music, 1981- Popular recording artist, composer, and writer.

Footnote: HSPV A has had alumni featured at major international arts museums, and with prominent dance companies and musical groups. Locally, HSPV A has alumni with the Theatre Under The Stars, the Alley Theatre, the Houston Ballet, and the Houston Symphony.

District Choir: Nine Flores, Catalina Gimenez-Zapiola, Taylor Kitay, Adrianna Nelson, Brandon Parker

Region Honor Choir:

Ninth/Tenth Grade Choir - Jordan Coffing, Thomas Goedecke, Jonquel, Holiday Maricor Lisk, Kristen Ramsey, Rebecca Thompson

Treble Choir - Rachel Garrett, Canassa Phillips, Allison Reeves, Danielle Viele, Diana Young-Murray

Mixed Chorus - Dorian Allen, Sara Brannon, Caroline Caloway, Kenneth Eakins Jr., Robert Gibson, Mary Rose Grant, Lindsey Harris Jr., Sonia Ortiz, Caitlan Pitts, Alina Slavik Sarah Scherr, Carita Stewart

Selected to audition for the Texas All-State Choirs: Kenneth Eakins Jr., Sonia Ortiz, Caitlan Pitts, Alina Slavik

Alternates: Caroline Caloway, Lindsey Harris

Selected for the Texas All-State Choir: Sonia Ortiz, Caitlan Pitts, Alina Slavik

Houston Grand Opera High School Voice Studio: Elissa Edwards, Lauren McMicken

KPRC Channel 2—Gimme the Mike Houston Contest Finalist: Dorian Allen

Arts Recognition and Talent Search (ARTS): Honorable Mention, Visual Arts: Dena Feiveson (an instrumentalist)

Freshman
Theory I / Vocal Production
Sightsinging / Speech
Girls’ Chorus / Men’s Ensemble
Mixed Chorus

Sophomore
Class Voice / Class Piano
Music Literature / Ear Training
Girls’ Chorus / Men’s Ensemble
Chamber Singers / Girls’ Chorus / Mixed Chorus / Chorale

Junior
Masterclass Voice
Theory II / Music History
Madrigal Singers / Young Performers / Beauty Shop Singers Chorale

Senior
Senior Laboratory
Form and Analysis
Madrigal Singers / Young Performers
Chorale

Students will learn the rudiments of ensemble singing and vocal production.

Students will learn to read universal notation and symbols for pitch, rhythm, tempo, and expressions.

Student will learn to sigh read a choral score using the solfege system.

Students will learn various styles of ensemble singing.

Students will learn proper stage decorum.

Students will place Choral works within their cultural and historical contexts.

Students will learn to evaluate their performance and performances by other high school, university, and professional choral ensembles.

LEVEL I:

Students will learn basic vocalization and technique, vocal hygiene, and the International Phonetic Alphabet.

Students will learn basic music theory and the solfege sight singing method, with emphasis on intervals, key signatures, scales, and triads.

Students will learn several choral selections of various styles and periods and will relate the music to history, literature, and ethnomusicology so that they grow in cultural awareness.

Students will learn to sing a choral part independently—accompanied or a cappella.

Students will perform a minimum of two public concerts.

Students will be required to attend a minimum of two college level or professional choral ensemble performances.

LEVEL II:

Students will continue with the Level I requirements in both large and small ensembles. More emphasis will be placed on performance styles and appropriate stage presence, as well as stronger sight reading skills, solo singing, and repertoire building.

Students will perform a minimum of five public concerts.

Students will be required to attend a minimum of four college level or professional choral ensemble performances.

Students will be encouraged to enter District/Region auditions and other age-appropriate vocal competitions.

LEVELS III & IV:

Students will strive for greater artistic achievement in both ensemble performances and solo performances. Greater emphasis will be placed on unaccompanied singing in both large and small ensembles.

Students will perform major choral works with orchestral accompaniment, and greater emphasis will be placed on stylistic practices of various music periods.

Students will be encouraged to enter local and national age-appropriate vocal competitions.

Students will be required to attend a minimum of six college level or professional choral ensemble performances.

In addition to the above requirements, students in the choral music program at HSPVA are required to enroll in the following music academic classes, which promote musicianship, technical, and analytical skills:

Vocal Production (Class Voice)—Levels I, II, and III

Senior Lab (Senior Recital/Project Preparation and Repertoire Building )--Level IV

Scheduled Classes of Music Theory and History, Eartraining, Sight Singing, several small ensembles and Class Piano.