|
Curriculum
The choral music program at Bishop Seabury Academy is integral to the school's liberal arts mission and all students participate. The lower school students learn basic sight-reading skills and three-part singing, and they enjoy multiple performances throughout the year. Students have the opportunity to be part of the prestigious award winning upper school choir where students study and perform a wide range of music, from classical chamber music to modern jazz, Broadway musical to traditional opera.
Course Objectives
Courses will help the student develop the ability to recognize, understand, and describe the basic materials and processes of vocal music. The Choral Music Program takes students to a high level of performance and musical knowledge. Students will use listening, performance, written, creative, and analytical exercises to develop their aural, sight-singing, written, compositional, and performance skills.
In this pursuit, this course will emphasize:
• Standard rhythmic and metric notation
• Standard musical notation
• Diatonic scales, melodies, and harmonies
• Musical structure and form
• The Vocal Instrument- Technique and Physiology
• Sight-singing and personal performance strength
• Music History and Composers
• Audience etiquette and response
• Ensemble and solo performance skills
Field Trips and Events
Field trip opportunities will be available throughout the year. Field trips are offered to students in good standing who complete the required paperwork by the assigned deadline for each field trip. Because some of our optional field trips will require quick response to reserve spots or tickets, students will sign up using the following procedure:
| • |
Students will sign up on the available sheet in the choir room as field trip opportunities are offered. |
| • |
Parents will receive an email listing those students who have signed up and a final sign-up deadline. At this point, parents please contact me at this point to add or remove your child’s name from the list and/or sign up as a volunteer.
|
| • |
At the sign-up deadline, those students and volunteers signed up for the field trip will be obligated to turn in all field trip at the established deadline. |
Honor Choir Opportunities
Honor Choir opportunities will be available to students during the year with the Kansas Choral Director’s Association and the Kansas Music Educators Association.
Performances
Headed by Choral Director Margie Lawrence, the flexible and eclectic group performs for various community activities and meetings throughout Lawrence. School related performances include the Fall Concert, Bishop Seabury Academy Convocation, Lessons & Carols, KSHSAA Competition, Spring Concert, Baccalaureate and Graduation.
Margie Lawrence is Director of Choral Activities at Bishop Seabury Academy where she oversees a Middle School Girls Ensemble, Middle School Boys Ensemble, combined Middle School Chorus, 7th-12th Grade Women’s Ensemble and the Seabury Chamber Singers. She is also the Director of Development at the Academy and brings an impressive record of organizational leadership and business development with schools and churches.
Lawrence graduated with a B.A in Music Education/Choral Conducting Emphasis from California State University-Fullerton studying under Howard Swan, Harold Decker, Gordon Paine, and John Cooksey. She continued her studies with acclaimed conductors and professors as Helmuth Rilling, Roger Wagner, Robert Shaw, Paul Salamunovich, Helen Kemp, and Charlene Archibeque. Her love of choral music and teaching took her into Music Ministry where she assumed the position of Director of Worship Arts, directing the 400 member children’s choral activities of a 5000-member church. She has served as a clinician and adjudicator for events with American Choral Directors Association, Hawaiian Island Ministries, Chorister’s Guild, UC Davis, UC Santa Cruz, Mount Hermon Music Conference, and Bay Area Churches.
Lawrence has also been a guest speaker in the areas of Building Worship Teams, Vocal Techniques, Children’s and Teen Music Programs, Producing Musicals, Women in Worship, The Special Needs Child and Families, and Family Worship.
Professional affiliations: ACDA, KCDA, MENC, NATS, UMKC Midwest Center for Nonprofit Leadership, and the National Charity League.
Her husband of 25 years, Doug Lawrence, is a CEO Presentational coach and a reknowned concert artist. Margie and Doug moved to Lawrence in July 2008 to be near their grandchildren, Thomas and Emma Silvestri. Their daughter, Annelise Lawrence, is 21 and lives in Lawrence with her parents.
Date Appointed: 2009
| 