The Salisbury Township School District curriculum and technology committee meeting was held Oct. 30 at Lehigh Carbon Community College. Members of the committee visit the college once a year for a dinner and tour of the facility.

Rachel Reinecke, chair, Department of Visual and Performing Arts in Salisbury, spoke with the committee regarding high school music elective offerings which are “current, interesting to the students, would allow the students to make music and would be aligned with best practices from the National Association for Music Education.”

Reinecke proposed the following electives: “Beginning Guitar,” “Modern Band” and concert band moving into the block as a credited class.

During her presentation, Reinecke said high schools in Lehigh and Northampton counties offer bands (concert, jazz and wind ensemble), choruses (concert, chamber, select ensembles), orchestras, piano and computer or music production.

In that research, Reinecke said Salisbury does not offer guitar (beginning and levels), music theory or music appreciation/history.

The proposed beginning guitar semester long class would provide instruction in both strumming and finger-picking. Students should expect to learn to play simple songs and chordal accompaniments by the end of the course.

In a survey to students, Reinecke said 113 students in grades eight through 11 expressed an interest in this course.

The modern band semester long class has a goal of performing pop music with a class prerequisite of both beginning piano and beginning guitar or teacher recommendation. Seventy-three students expressed an interest in the modern band class.

“It is a newer class concept that is widely discussed and suggested by the National Association for Music Education,” Reinecke said. “We are recommending this elective be offered on a rotating basis with music production. Modern band would be introduced in the 2019-2020 school year.”

Regarding concert band, Reinecke said enrollment has averaged 40 students over the past five years. She said students and parents frequently ask why it is not a credited class.

Reinecke said “concert band provides students with the opportunity to participate in an instrumental ensemble.” Evening performances including the winter and spring concerts would be required as well as additional opportunities to participate in honor groups including Lehigh County Band and the PMEA Festival Bands.

Following questions from the committee, it was decided the recommendations would go to the program of studies review in January 2018.