Solebury School offers a comprehensive music program that includes Chorus, Instrumental Ensemble, Jazz Roots Ensemble, as well as private music lessons on campus. In addition, music electives are offered during our Arts elective times. These electives include Composition, Orchestration, and Arrangement, Music: Rhythm and Harmony, and Bach and American Jazz. The Introduction to the Arts course for middle school students includes a semester of music theory and performance.
Our music students perform for the school community four times during the year, and also have the opportunity to perform in several other venues.
Director: Phyllis Arnold
Many students who have never sung a note find enjoyment in singing with the chorus and trying something new. Students are encouraged to learn how to read music and understand intervals during warm ups. They then learn new music in small group sectional rehearsals and come together at least once a week to practice as a whole chorus. The chorus has many opportunities to perform live, in venus such as the Trenton Thunder or Philadelphia 76er's games, the Lambertville Winter Festival, Cabaret Night, Solebury School's Graduation and four concerts at the school, all of which are open to the public. The program is choral-based, with emphasis on a full harmonic sound. Several students have been selected for Bucks County Music Educator's Association County Chorus over the past ten years. In addition, several of our alumni have gone on to study music in college.
Across the Universe Ensemble (formerly Instrumental Ensemble)
Director: Gregory Lipscomb
Across the Universe Ensemble is designed for both instrumentalists and singers. Singer/songwriters, as well as classically trained musicians, are encouraged to participate. Students are expected to read music and have a basic command of their instruments/voices.
There is the opportunity to perform original works as well as other music of various styles. Students learn to stretch themselves across different styles as they study the art of playing together as a musical team, both rhythmically and harmonically. Also, each student is encouraged to develop his/her sight-reading and ear-training skills.
Students perform at least four times throughout the school year, a concert at the end of each trimester, and a winter holiday concert. Additionally, students are often asked to perform at a variety of other school functions, including open houses, the annual dinner auction, graduation, and other special events.
Jazz Roots Ensemble
Director: Cathy Block
This class offers a hands-on approach to the playing of jazz and blues music. Scales and rhythms are emphasized early in the course. Once this is mastered, the focus shifts to style and study of transcriptions of well-known works by soloists in the jazz and blues traditions (Louis Armstrong, Miles Davis, and Robert Johnson, etc.). Students perform in live concert situations at least four times during the school year.
Private Music Lessons
As a service to students, the music department has arranged for outside music teachers to come to Solebury School to provide private lessons for students. These lessons are at the students' expense and are scheduled during the students' free periods and after school. At the moment, lessons are offered in piano, voice, trumpet, flute, violin, viola, guitar, bass guitar, string bass, saxophone, and drums. A list of music instructors is available upon request.