Music Department

Welcome to Lawrence's music department, one of the most well-developed, diverse, and unique music departments on Long Island. The mission of the Lawrence Music Department is to advocate for and enhance the musical education of the students and members of the community through skill development, performance, and exposure to the arts.  The focus is on nurturing the aesthetic experience through immersion in the wide variety of musical and artistic programs offered in our schools.

All-District Elementary Schools Instrumental Festival  
The All-District Elementary Schools Instrumental Festival is held in March as part of our celebration of Music In Our Schools Month.  This event has always been a source of tremendous community pride.  Students from all four Elementary Schools, Band, and Orchestra programs, are selected to perform.  In preparation for the culminating evening performance, students come together for two rehearsals in one of the district schools.  The growing number of students participating in our Elementary Schools Music Program has made it necessary for us to hold this event in the High School Gym to accommodate our large enthusiastic audience.

Audition Policy
SEATING AUDITIONS
Many music performance organizations hold regular auditions.  The purpose of these auditions is to evaluate individual progress and to place students in the appropriate section of the ensemble.  There may be times when a teacher will rotate the seating to allow students the opportunity to assume different roles in the ensemble.  In order to adequately prepare themselves, students are notified in advance for all seating auditions.

ENTRANCE AUDITIONS
Certain performance organizations require auditions for entrance.  These include Jazz Ensembles, Chamber Orchestras, Orchestra Winds, and Advanced Choral Ensembles.  As a prerequisite for entrance into any of these ensembles, students must first be enrolled in Band, Orchestra, or Chorus.

When to Consider When Buying an Instrument
As a young child begins study on an instrument, it is advisable for the family to rent an instrument from the district.  Purchase of the instrument should be considered when a child demonstrates a long-term commitment to instrumental study.  It is recommended that parents consult with the school Music teacher before purchasing an instrument.  The teacher can assist in answering questions regarding size, brand, quality, and price.

Dance Program
Lawrence is one of only three schools in New York State to have a 5-Unit Sequence in Dance for Regents Credit.  This enables the student to receive five full years of a dance curriculum that has been written and approved according to the New York State Standards for the Arts.  It is a program that fulfills both the arts requirement and the 5-Unit Sequence necessary to achieve an Honors Regents Diploma.  New York State has recognized this program by inviting Lawrence to participate in the New York State Arts Assessment in Dance Field test in the 2001-2002 school year.  It is also a unique course to place on a transcript for college application, representing a commitment and dedication to a specific subject.

The 5-Unit Sequence in Dance is aligned with the four NYS Standards for the Arts and addresses all areas of dance.  Students learn a variety of body techniques, including Modern, Jazz, Ballet, Ethnic, and Musical Theatre.  They also learn several body-conditioning techniques such as Yoga, Gyrokinesis, Pilates, Meditation, and Ideokinesiology.  Students learn the fundamentals of choreography and have multiple opportunities to create their own work, workshop creatively with other students, and collabo