Music

The Sayles School of Fine Arts has two jazz bands, a wind ensemble, a full band and orchestra along with four select choirs. The SSFA Music program performs four major concerts annually involving approximately 250 students in each. Also, several piano recitals and community performances occur. Courses taught during the school day include - Music in Our Lives; Band; Show Choir; Women’s Choir; Orchestra; Piano I, II, III, and IV; Music Theory; Voice Seminar I, II, and III; Jazz Ensemble I and II; Serenaders ; Chamber Music; Drumming; Wind Ensemble; Chamber Choir; and IB Music. 

Our select chorus and instrumental programs have received numerous awards for performance. Chamber Choir has performed at level 6 New York State School Music Association (NYSSMA) and received a gold award.  Instrumental music recently received a gold award at the Oneida Jazz Festival. Collaborations with our music program have been extensive. Noteworthy regional choral groups have invited the SSFA to perform with them including the Octavos; Empire State Youth Orchestra Percussion Ensemble, and the Electric City Chorus. Our Jazz Combo opened for and performed at Proctor’s Theatre with Blood, Sweat and Tears. The music program has worked with other curriculum areas. A recent example includes a field trip for our 9^th grade students studying culture and religion in Global History class to a Catholic Church, Hindu Temple, and a Jewish Synagogue. In each location the students studied the architecture, listened to the culture’s music, and spoke with the religious leader.  

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