Music

Concert Band
Concert Band is open to all 9-12 students who have participated in band at the Middle School, and is the prerequisite course for those that wish to further their musical participation in Wind Ensemble. Concert Band meets 3rd period daily, and focuses on the basic development of music literacy, healthy instrumental technique, ensemble, and performance skills.  Students attend weekly rotating lessons to reinforce sight-reading skills, strong technique, and solo and chamber ensemble performance. Students perform in four curricular concerts each year.

Wind Ensemble
The Amherst Central High School Wind Ensemble is the premier group in the Amherst School District band program, consisting of 10th-12th graders selected by audition. This curricular ensemble rehearses daily and maintains high standards for individual musicianship, instrumental technique, and music literacy. The Wind Ensemble has received numerous accolades, including the Grade 6 Gold with Distinction Award from NYSSMA, and Superior ratings at the Dixie Classic Music Festivals. 

Students from this ensemble have gone on to study at some of the nation’s top music schools and conservatories, including Eastman School of Music, Oberlin, Indiana University, the University of Michigan, Berklee College of Music, New England Conservatory, Northwestern, Juilliard, Ithaca College, Crane School of Music, and SUNY Fredonia. Former members are now performing professionally across the United States and Europe and are among the top music educators in Western New York.

Concert Choir
Concert Choir is open to all students 9 - 12, and is the pre-requisite course for those that wish to further their musical participation in Concert Chorale.  Concert Choir meets 5th period daily, and focuses on the basic development of music literacy, healthy vocal technique, ensemble, and performance skills.  Students attend weekly rotating vocal lessons to reinforce sight-reading skills, vocal technique and style, and solo and small ensemble singing.  If you would like to learn to sing, this is the place where you may discover a hidden talent!

Concert Chorale
The Concert Chorale is the culminating ensemble of the Amherst High School vocal music department.  Rehearsing 2nd period each day, “Chorale” is an elective, auditioned choir open to 10th – 12th graders.  Expectations for performance are high, and singers are expected to develop their music literacy, vocal technique, musicianship, and listening skills. The group sings a wide variety of music literature from the classical idiom to that of jazz, pop, and world music.  The Concert Chorale has twice toured to New York City, having performed both in New York and on Long Island.  In 2009, the Chorale commissioned a new work by NYC based composer, Chris Mueller as part of its NYC tour. Other highlights include being invited to perform Luigi Boccherini's Gloria with Buffalo's Camerata d'Sant Antonio under the direction of Chris Weber, a full performance of the John Rutter and the Mozart Requiem with professional soloists and the Amherst High School Symphony Orchestra, and most recently the Schubert Mass in G conducted by Dr. William Weinert of the Eastman School of Music.  

Symphony Orchestra
The Amherst Central High School Symphony Orchestra is an "audition-only" group that performs a concert series of eight concerts per year. The Symphony Orchestra meets every day as a curricular ensemble. They perform selections from the standard repertoire and very advanced difficulty. They also perform a Concerto Concert featuring all student soloists. This group has also participated in national competitions. 

Concert Orchestra
The Amherst Central High School Concert Orchestra is an orchestra made up of students in grades 9-12 that perform a concert series of four concerts per year. The Concert Orchestra meets every day as a curricular ensemble and perform music of moderate to advanced difficulty.

Basic Music Theory: This course provides an opportunity for students to study the elements of music more deeply, leading them to become a more proficient musician. Students start the year learning literacy in all clefs and end the year with harmonic analysis. This course works toward completion of a sequence in Music.

AP Music Theory: AP Music Theory is a pre-collegiate introduction to the science of Music Theory, equivalent to most first semester Music Theory courses at the collegiate level.  The class will focus on advanced aural skills, melodic and harmonic dictation, sight-reading, compositional skills, in-depth harmonic analysis of musical composition, and a general understanding of the history of Western music from the Renaissance period to the present. This course fulfills a requirement for a sequence in Music, and culminates with the AP Music Theory Exam.