Instrumental Music

Upper School Concert Band

The Concert Band was formerly known as the Wind and Percussion Ensemble or the Instrumental Ensemble. With the addition of a growing organized string program, it is necessary to distinguish the different performance ensembles. The Concert Band is made up of ninth through twelfth grades. This ensemble will perform at the Halloween Concert, A Holiday Extravaganza, winter and spring concerts as well as assist in the production the Music Man in February. For the first time in the school’s history, this ensemble will also be participating for a rating and competing with other bands in a music festival in the spring.

Upper School Orchestra

In the Upper School Orchestra, students continue to improve and refine intermediate and advanced performance skills and musical concepts needed to perform music from a wide variety of musical styles, cultures, and different historical periods. An awareness of the importance of music in our lives is studied in two ways. Specifically, how does music touch our daily lives as a source of beauty and inspiration, both in our listening and in our playing? Generally, what is the impact of music on society (both historically and culturally) and how can this be studied and confirmed. Students in this orchestra will perform a minimum of six concerts per year, both in our school and in the community. At this more advance level, students also have the opportunity to audition for and perform in groups such as GISA All-Select Orchestra, GMEA All-State Orchestra, and other metro area orchestras such as the Atlanta Symphony Youth Orchestra.

Upper School Jazz Band

This is one of the most dynamic and exciting ensembles on campus! Musical performances span the music of the big bands to contemporary jazz bands. We even have some Pop and Funk thrown in as well. This ensemble performs at the same concerts as the Concert Band, but will also perform in the community and for special occasions on campus. The Jazz Band will compete at a music festival this spring along with the Concert Band.

Wolverine Attack Pep Band & Drumline

This is a fun, high energy, school-spirited band consisting of students willing to commit their time and talents to support our school. The Wolverine Attack will perform at home football games, pep rallies, perhaps a few basketball games, and several other events throughout the community. This year, this band will also compete in the GISA Marching and Pep Band competition in the Fall.

Walker Consort - an ensemble that performs Renaissance and Early Baroque music on historically analogous instruments including recorders, double reeds, trombones, strings, and percussion. In addition to concert performances, the group performs (in historical costume) at the Georgia Renaissance Festival.

Varsity Bells

Varsity Bells is a before school activity open to Upper and Middle School students and Faculty. It is recommended for students currently taking bells or former bells students. Students will have the opportunity to explore deeper into hand bell music with technique and more complex music. The first Varsity Bells performance occurred at the Fine Arts Showcase 2009 and the group is invited to play again 2010. They will also be invited to play in quarterly chorus concerts and other performances will be announced.

Middle School Band

The Middle School band program is a participation-based opportunity for students to learn to play a traditional band instrument while developing concentration, teamwork, problem solving, and time management skills. The 6th grade is our beginning band, where students pick their choice of instruments and first learn to create music as a group. We focus on instrumental training as well as the basics of musical literacy, including note reading, rhythm, and musical terms. In the 7th and 8th grade bands we further their instrumental skills and look deeper into the structure and context of music. As students progress by year, we encourage them to develop more individuality in their roles in the band. There are opportunities to play more specialized instruments, and the musical parts become more diversified, which requires greater responsibility. In all classes we spend time listening, both to musical masters and our peers, and developing critical analysis and writing skills.

Middle School Orchestra

The Middle School orchestra program is an elective, participation based opportunity for students who wish to learn to play one of the symphonic strings. In the 6th grade orchestra students select an instrument to play, learn the basics of instrumental performance to include: reading music, individual skills necessary to perform on their instrument, ensemble skills necessary to perform with others, along with the development of other non musical skills such as concentration, teamwork, analysis and real time evaluation. The 7th and 8th grade orchestra students continue to refine the skills learned, develop advanced orchestral skills such as vibrato and shifting, learn to write and improvise music, and begin the process of learning the importance of music through the study and performance of music of different historical periods and cultures.

Middle School Jazz Band

The MS Jazz Band is an extracurricular group that meets before school on Wednesdays to explore jazz and rock styles of music. The Jazz Band is a chance for students to acquire additional musical experiences and confidence. We listen and talk about the history of jazz music and use those examples to encourage creativity and spontaneity. The Jazz Band also provides the opportunity for motivated students to apply their knowledge of secondary instruments, including drum set, bass, piano, and guitar.

Walker Lower School

Musical instruction is an integral part of a child’s education. It develops higher order thinking skills, collaborative teamwork, self-discipline, and an aesthetic sense of culture. The elements of music of which the students are learning are rhythm, melody, harmony, dynamics, form, tempo, meter, and timbre. The music curriculum is spiral from Pre-K through 5th grade. It utilizes various strategies to create a well-rounded curriculum that includes solfegé with Kodály hands signs for singing and Orff-Schulwerk methodology for instrument instruction. Students in the Lower School refine their music reading skills by learning standard musical notation. Students in the third & fourth grade learn to play the soprano recorder. They use higher order thinking skills by composing their own music for the soprano recorder and students in the 5th grade begin basic classical guitar skills. All students construct timelines where famous composers are placed with historical events of an era. Technology is also highly intergraded into the curriculum with the use of the Promethean Activboard and other music software. Today’s music student needs the technological skills to thrive in an ever changing society. Every Lower School student is involved with the Spring Play. The lead and crew parts are cast with 5th graders and the dances and songs are performed by all the grades.

Walker Preschool

Musical instruction is an integral part of a child’s education. It develops higher order thinking skills, collaborative teamwork, self-discipline, and an aesthetic sense of culture. The elements of music of which the students are learning are rhythm, melody, harmony, dynamics, form, tempo, meter, and timbre. The music curriculum is spiral from pre-K through 5th grade. It utilizes various strategies to create a well-rounded curriculum that includes solfegé with Kodály hands signs for singing and Orff-Schulwerk methodology for instrument instruction. Students in the Preschool begin their musical reading skills using the Laurie Zentz Heart Chart. Students are able to sight-read simple quarter note, quarter rest, and eighth note patterns then apply the pattern to the pitched and un-pitched percussion instruments.