Arts & Humanities
General Music
Every student in Kindergarten through Grade 8 receives weekly general music instruction. Elementary students receive instruction a minimum of once a week for the entire year. Middle School students receive instruction twice a week for the first half of the school year.
Fundamental music skills and a general appreciation of a wide variety of secular and sacred music is taught to each student so that the student can utilize her/his musical abilities to their fullest potential. The music curriculum enables every student to develop a thorough appreciation of music so that her/his contacts and involvement with music throughout her/his life will be nurturing, satisfying, uplifting and meaningful. As part of the general music program each class in Kindergarten through Fifth Grade is required to sing with their class in the annual School Christmas Services in December. In addition to the work and studies in the classroom, each grade participates in at least one performing arts related field trip during the year to Washington, D.C. or Baltimore. Trips include outings to the symphony, the opera, the ballet, plays, musicals, chamber, jazz and dance recitals and concerts, etc.
Choral Program
In addition to the general music program, Ascension also offers a three-tiered, elective choral program which is open to all students in grades Kindergarten through Eighth Grade. The choral program is a performance based program that strives to teach each student proper vocal technique through age appropriate choral literature and structured vocal training. As a child progresses through the program, from K-8, an emphasis is placed on developing the skills necessary to allow the students to accurately and easily sight-read notated music and sing in two, three, four and five part harmony. The students are taught the necessary skills that allow them to feel comfortable and excited about participating in public performance. The choral program is structured as follows:
Lambs Choir - All students in Kindergarten and First Grade rehearse together on a weekly basis and are invited and encouraged to come and sing as part of the Lambs Choir one Sunday a month during Ascension Lutheran Church’s 10:30 am Sunday morning Service of Worship. In Lambs Choir an emphasis is place on matching tones and pitch, good diction, singing in long phrases, singing with motions and actions and learning to sing and blend as part of a group. All music in Lambs Choir is learned through the oral tradition.
Junior Choir - Junior Choir is an elective course that is open to all students in second through fifth grades. The choir rehearses once a week and the students sing one Sunday a month during Ascension Lutheran Church’s 10:30 am Sunday morning Service of Worship. In Junior Choir an emphasis is placed on learning how to follow a notated music octavo or score as opposed to learning music solely through an oral tradition. The choir members learn to find and sing in their "head" voice in addition to their normal "chest" voice. The students are taught to feel comfortable singing in two and three parts in rounds, partner songs and simple two and three part harmonic structures.
Middle School Vocal Ensemble - The Middle School Vocal Ensemble is an elective course that is open to all students in sixth through eighth grade. The choir rehearses twice a week and the students sing for four major musical occasions throughout the year: a Festival Reformation Service in October, an Advent and Christmas Service of Lessons and Carols in December, a Festival of Choral Music in February and a fully costumed and choreographed “Broadway” style musical in May. In Vocal Ensemble, emphasis is placed on being able to sight read and sing complex notated music in three to five parts. Students are taught to sing in varied musical styles from many different time periods of music, in numerous languages and from various corners of the earth. Although students must learn to read music for rehearsal purposes, the students are required to memorize their music for almost all of their performances.
Instrumental Music Program
Ascension School’s instrumental music/concert band program is an elective that is open to all students in grades 4-8. Lessons are offered on flute, clarinet, saxophone, trumpet, French horn, trombone, baritone and percussion. All students enrolled in this program receive a weekly half-hour group lesson with a small group of students during the school day. Lesson times are rotated weekly so that students do not miss the same general classroom subject each week. Once beginning students have reached a certain level of proficiency, as determined by the band instructor, they are invited to join the concert band, which rehearses every Friday morning before the start of the school day. The concert band performs a winter concert, a spring concert, and one joint concert each year with our sister school, Concordia Lutheran in Hyattsville, MD. The cost of the weekly lessons and participation in the school band is not included in the general tuition and is billed separately by an outside agency.
Musical Theater
Ascension School runs a very active and a very unique Musical Theatre and Opera program. All students in Kindergarten through Fifth Grade, and all members of the Middle School Vocal Ensemble, participate in two "Broadway' style musicals as part of Ascension’s Spring Arts Evenings in May. The students spend two months learning and memorizing a large selection of songs that are then fully staged and choreographed. The students also participate in making scenery, props and costumes for their performances. The fully integrated songs and dances of each class are then performed with scenery, costumes and lights and accompanied by several professional musicians to standing room only crowds. Ascension Lutheran School has been honored to participate in unique programs for arts education sponsored by Washington National Opera through the support of its benefactors. Ascension was one of only nine schools in the Kids Create Opera Partners program, the only private school selected in the Washington area and the only school in Prince George’s County. Under the guidance of David Simmons and Edward Salners, Ascension’s fifth graders have written and composed words and music for eight original opera productions as the “Fifth Dimension Opera Company”.
In addition to the creation and performance of their own operas, the students have also had opportunities to tour the Washington National Opera Costume Studio, participate in training sessions with students from other Kids Create Opera Partners to experience the basics of stage combat, stage makeup, and choral singing.
The visual arts are an important part of the curriculum for students at Ascension Lutheran School. Students in grades K-5 participate in weekly formal art instruction. Students will be exposed to classes in drawing, painting, collage, color, perspective, weaving, and sculpture. Students in Middle School will receive art instruction based upon the study of art masterpieces. Our Middle School art program provides students with a first look at art history that will serve them well as they move on to high school. The visual arts program culminates with a student art show that is held in conjunction with our performing arts spring concert.