Band

5th Grade Band

All 5th grade students have the option to participate in the Central band program, beginning in 5th grade. The class rehearses three times per week, and each student also has an individual lesson once per week. At this level, students will work through a beginning level instrumental book while focusing on tone, rhythm, and fingerings. The 5th grade band performs at the Spring Concert. 

6th Grade Band

Open to 6th graders who have already been in band, this class continues where 5th grade band left off. Students meet three times per week and work through a second instrumental book while deepening their knowledge of notes, fingerings, and rhythms. 6th grade students also have weekly lessons where they focus more on blending and controlling their sound. 6th Grade Band performs at the Christmas Concert and Spring Concert.

7th-8th Grade Band

This level of band continues to build on the notes, fingering, rhythm, and other concepts from previous years while also including a higher focus on small and large ensemble playing. These students perform at a portion of the pep band performances, as well as the Central Showcase, the Christmas Concert, and the Spring Concert.

Concert Band

This course builds on previous years of instrument study and is open to 9th-12th grade students who have previously learned an instrument. In this course, students focus on how to best use their instrumental musical gifts to bring glory to God. The class meets roughly every other day, and each student has a lesson once every two weeks. Pep band performances, four concerts (Fall, Christmas, Spring, and Pops), ensemble contests, and festivals are all required parts of Concert Band which offer opportunities to share the students' talents with their community. Additionally, concert band students have the opportunity to play in the Prairie Winds Concert Band, a community group based in Willmar, and to participate in Central Showcase and Solo/Ensemble Contest.

Choir

Elementary Music

In elementary music, we work to glorify God through His gift of music and movement! Throughout the year we sing songs, learn instruments, create movement, learn concrete and abstract ideas of music, and prepare for our three concerts: Christmas, Spring, and Grandparents Day.  Elementary lessons will include fun activities and songs as the students focus on their goals to become more tuneful, beatful, and artful. 

Middle School Choir

All 6th, 7th and 8th Grade students participate in Middle School Choir. 6th graders meet as a class on alternating days, and 7th & 8th graders meet on alternating days as an all girls/boys choir.  Music Theory, Appreciation, History, and Performance are all focused on. The curriculum provides students with an opportunity to sing, understand, and appreciate music from a wide variety of styles, cultures, and historical periods. The Middle School Choirs perform at two concerts throughout the year - the Christmas Concert and the Spring Concert.

Concert Choir

Concert Choir is open to all high school students and may be taken each semester. Students learn to sing in different styles, genres, and languages. Through the repertoire, students improve their skills in sight-reading, music notation, and vocal production. In addition to the regional Large Group Contest in March, the choir performs one concert per quarter - at the Fall Concert, Christmas Concert, Spring Concert, and Pops Concert.