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Writing a Course Description for Chorus

Cindy was working on her course descriptions (go, team, go!!!) and got stuck with music class.

  I would like to count all the singing our youth group does as Choir but not sure how to write it on a course description or on the transcript. How can I best represent this in a transcript and Course description. Oh yeah, they do a drama in the performance too!

It's so common for kids who love one kind of fine art (like singing) to love LOTS of fine arts (like drama.) Choir is a GREAT fine art - that's what I took in high school, same course description for all 4 years, and I got a total of 4 credits during high school for it. I had friends in high school that took choir, band, and orchestra every single year - and earned 3 high school credits in music every single year. Feel free to put choir and drama both on your transcript.

First, read this review of the 3 Ingredients of a Great Course Description

When you get stuck, try to find a high school course description from a public school. I found a choir course description from Antigo High School in Wisconsin, a public high school, but you can pilfer wording from any school with a similar class, and then modify it to fit your needs.

TREBLE CHORUS
Grades 9 – 12
1 Credit
1 Year
No Prerequisite

The Treble Chorus is a women’s chorus that sings a variety of music. It is open to any interested female in grades 9-12. All females in the choir program will be placed into Treble Chorus their freshman year. All students with no choir experience must have a voice placement interview with the instructor before being allowed to participate. Focus will be placed on proper vocal production, sight-reading, diction, music theory, and functioning as a musical ensemble. Required concerts for the Treble Chorus include: the Fall Concert, Holiday Concert, Clinician and/or Large Group Contest, and the Spring Concert. Other performances are possible during the course of the school year. The Treble Chorus meets daily.

Take the words and phrases you like from that description. Look how they offer 1 credit per year, and the course description doesn't change from year to year. It doesn't say "Chorus 9" or "Chorus 10" it's just the same title and description year after year.

Then look at the grading criteria that is used by the public school. I found this choir class syllabus from Marshall High School in Illinois. Grab more words from this music class, and mix it with the other words. Read this description for some great idea for grading choir, when you don't use tests.

 High School Syllabus - Chorus Grading Procedure

25% Class participation and preparation
(The teacher clarified that this means three things; bringing music, positive attitude, and participation, which I assume means singing.)

25% Written work
(Personally, I would skip written work, but if you wanted to do this, you might have your child write a one page paper on what it's like to sing, or serve the needy through music.)

50% Performances
(List the performances - this teacher listed 6 performances. We don't have to plan them ahead, though, just list the performances you have done.)

You can go through the same process to find a drama class. I know that it can be a challenge to get this done, but the rewards are worth it, when you get into that special college, or get the scholarships that you really need. I'd love to help you with your course descriptions, if you would like some guidance, encouragement or support. Check out the Comprehensive Record Solution.

I suggest you work on course descriptions every single year and keep them up to date. Perfection is not the goal - getting them DONE is the goal. You have plenty of time to change them before you need them for college applications. The most important thing is to get them on paper now, while the information is fresh in your head, and before the real crunch time begins.

If you are swimming in fine arts too, you might like this article: Fine Art Fanatics
If you don't even know what fine arts are, then you might like this article: Art For The Art Klutz

Keeping high school records is a job you really need to do.   Have you started?