Bristol Central High School

Music is a vital component in developing the whole child. Music education offers a unique learning opportunity to explore individual creativity, artistic expression and in-depth understanding of past and present cultures in our diverse world.

A comprehensive music education will enable students to develop their musical abilities through self-discipline and focus, leading to increased confidence in learning across the entire curriculum.

We believe that all students should have a comprehensive, balanced, and sequential curriculum of in-school instruction in music education in accordance with national, state and local standards, and that an education in music will develop the life-long learning abilities and aesthetic skills necessary to contribute to a more cultured, educated society.

Through a planned, sequential curriculum, Bristol Public Schools will educate each student in conjunction with the National Standards for music education enabling students to create, perform, and respond to music. Students should be able to demonstrate skills and knowledge in each of the following standards:

• Singing, alone and with others, a varied repertoire of music
• Performing on instruments, alone and with others, a varied repertoire of music
• Improvising melodies, variations, and accompaniments
• Composing and arranging music within specific guidelines
• Reading and notating music
• Listening to, analyzing, and describing music
• Evaluating music and music performances
• Understanding relationships between music, the other arts, and disciplines outside the arts
• Understanding music in relation to history and culture.

It is the goal of the Bristol Music Department to produce independent, disciplined, literate and informed life-long consumers and producers of music.

*Courses are available to all students as electives; frequently band and choral students plan to participate in the Music Program for all four years.

What career options might I have with a background in music?