Our Music Program has some new expansions in mind, one of them being the addition of an Advanced Piano class and the other being an AP Music Theory class. Now, what are these classes? Advanced Piano would teach more advanced techniques and pieces of music than our normal piano/keyboard class. AP Music Theory would use a traditional set up of a standard classroom with desks and would teach “how music is created” as stated by Music Teacher Jonathan Raman as well as how to apply that knowledge through composition of music. If it goes as planned, we would gain these classes in the upcoming school year of 2021. There are various potential benefits for students. Piano-playing students would be able to show off their improvement within a subject to colleges rather than it looking as if they have retaken a class and students with an interest in the functionalities of music would be able to quench their thirst for knowledge. Junior Bassoonist Justin Silva states that he would “definitely” take these classes and that music “relates to everything.” When asked about what exactly music can relate to, Silva mentioned among a variety of things that it relates to personality. This brings an interesting perspective to the addition of these classes because it brings up how it may affect the mindsets of students, and in consequence, our school’s culture. Part of the four-year plan for the music program is to teach students that “academics are important, first, then being students of life” stated by Jonathan Raman. This way of teaching is accompanied by the emphasis our music teachers put on unity rather than competition with the hope of creating mindsets that build each other up and influence a positive school culture. The more access to this part of our school’s culture, the more likely positivity spreads.

The expansion creates possibilities for many years to come. But by implementing them and turning them into reality, the music program has the potential to transform from the tight-knit family it is to a bigger, more musically diverse tight-knit family. But these are all possibilities and we cannot know for sure until next year’s class of 2021. For now, all we can do is wait and see.