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Music

students perform on stage at the Rio Theater

The goals of the Music Department are to encourage ensemble participation, enhance knowledge of music theory and history, and build musicianship by offering a wide variety of musical groups and theory application courses, from beginning to advanced level. Emphasis is placed on accuracy of rhythm, pitch, dynamics, and blend to build confidence in performance skills. In addition to formal theory courses, the Music Department incorporates notation, pitch recognition, and tonal memory into the practice of each ensemble.

Kirby School’s Audiolab, an on-site digital recording and sound mixing studio, complements the traditional music program by providing an outlet for modern and popular musical styles such as rock, pop, and electronic dance music. We showcase talented student performers and develop skills in recording, mixing, and producing music. We also explore the intersection of art and science by studying the science of sound, the technology of music recording, and the art of creative sound editing.

Curriculum

Music theory is complemented by many performing groups and classes including chorus, string methods, jazz choir, chamber choir, jazz band, and orchestra. Performers use the school’s recording studio to gain experience with production techniques and to record music with the assistance of the audio engineering class. The following courses are available to students within their academic schedules:

Middle School High School By Audition
  • Chorus
  • String Methods
  • Music Appreciation
  • (Grade 8 Rotation)
  • Introduction to Guitar
  • Introduction to Piano
  • AP Music Theory
  • Digital Music Production: Recording
  • Digital Music production: Mixing
  • Chamber Orchestra
  • Jazz Ensemble
  • Chamber Choir
  • Jazz Choir

 

Cafe Concert Performance

Will Gust and Carson Landry perform Voodoo Child by Jimi Hendrix at Kirby's annual Cafe Concert.

Close up of student singing
Kirby Choir at Disneyland
Kirby choir at Disneyland
6th grade students play string instruments
students using mixing board
Students hold signs on stage
Students set up their instruments
Students set up their instruments
Student band plays on stage outside under tent
Jazz singers sing on stage
Student performs on stage
student sings on stage
students play stringed instruments on stage
Student looks on at computer
Student sings onstage with band behind her
student plays bass on stage at concert
Students play music outdoors under tent
Student sings at the Rio theatre

Students performing at Kirby's annual Winter Concert, demonstrating their talent and the effort they've put into the material over the course of the semester.