Excellence in Fine Arts

Several ensembles perform throughout the year including:

4th Grade Band

5th Grade Band

Middle School Concert Band

Upper School Symphonic Band

Eagles Jazz Band

Eagles Pep Band / Drumline

Pit Orchestra

Middle School Chorus

Upper School Chorus

With a comprehensive band and choral program, our students are frequently seen in the community performing at various events and venues. With small class sizes, and the flexibility of smaller ensembles, our instrumental students are able to learn music quickly, performing various styles of music at a high proficiency. Our choral students in middle and upper school sing from 2-5 part harmony, often in multiple languages.

One of our main objectives in the music department is to create well-rounded musicians with a thorough knowledge of repertoire.

Beginning in fourth grade, students have the option to join the HHCA Instrumental Program.

In fourth grade, students work to build basic proficiency on their instrument through weekly practice and rehearsals. We use the respected Standard of Excellence band method by Bruce Pearson and 4th graders have an opportunity to perform at the Christmas and spring concerts.

In MS and US band, students every other day for a regular period of band class. Our students focus on achieving personal musical goals of a higher ability and are expected to practice on a daily basis. As an ensemble class, we emphasize the fundamentals of instrumental music including blend, balance, tone, intonation, and technique. We study, practice and perform several styles of music to create versatile musicians.

All middle and upper school band students will participate in either the middle school concert band or upper school symphonic band. They will also have the option of being part of the Eagles Jazz Band or Pep Band / Winter Drumline.

Our instrumental students perform all the time: at home varsity football games, at our school concerts, in the pit for our theatrical productions, and many times in the community. 

Many of our advanced instrumental students have been fortunate enough to work with organizations including the Junior Jazz Foundation, Palmetto Bluff, the Island School Council of the Arts, the Arts Center of Coastal Carolina, Jazz Corner and many more!

Although singing is an integral part of our lower music curriculum, students are strongly encouraged to join the chorus beginning in middle school or earlier.

In middle school chorus, we aim to achieve a proficient level of choral singing by emphasizing vocal technique, tone, diction, and ensemble blend as we work up to singing in 2-3 different parts. Our upper school chorus, builds on their middle school foundation by singing in 4-part harmony with a more advanced vocal technique and ensemble blend. 

All choral students are expected to complete a comprehensive study of music theory with our ‘Theory Thursdays’ program. By learning how to read notes, rhythms, and chords through practical usage of our portable keyboard lab, our choral students are well prepared to be vocalists that can also play an instrument.  

Our choral ensembles also perform at several school concerts, community performances, SCMEA and Carowinds competitions and select events.  Our students sing in a variety of styles from classical to jazz, pop, rock, worship, Broadway and much more.

AP Music Theory is a college-level course designed for juniors and seniors with an extensive music background who wish to pursue a degree in music at the university level. 

The ultimate goal of the course is to develop a student’s ability to recognize, understand and describe the materials and processes of music that are heard or presented in a score.  

With a comprehensive curriculum building on the fundamental skills of pitch, rhythm, melody, harmony, rhythm and form, students will develop aural, sight-singing, compositional and analytical skills based on several techniques.  The course will culminate with an AP exam in May to serve as a guide for granting students credit or placement at the college level.

In addition to preparing for the AP exam, there is also a focus on learning important and relevant 21st century music theory skills including a thorough understanding of piano and guitar, the use of technology in music and a focus on jazz theory / improvisation. 

With AP theory as the most difficult course offered in the music department, many of our students will go on to pursue further studies at the university level.