New Contemporary Music Course Approved by Trustees

Huntington School Board members have approved a new high school music course titled, “Contemporary Music: Jazz, Hip-hop, Rap & More.” The class will be available in the 2024/25 school year. The one semester course will be open to students in grades 9-12. Enrollment is estimated to total 40.

“This course will examine contemporary music, beginning in or around the 1920’s,” states the course description presented to trustees. “It will focus on the influence of jazz on hip-hop and rap, and take a close look at various musical genres. It will allow students to discuss and explore influential artists, composers and musicians, and their impact on music history, culture, and politics. Students will take a close look at the aesthetics and creativity of several different periods in history. They will discover the origins of the music to which they may currently listen. No prior experience in music is necessary for enrollment in this course.”

The district’s Subject Matter Council approved the new course on May 17 and the Educational Development Committee gave its approval on May 23.

“One of the goals of the music department is to increase participation for students from a broad variety of backgrounds and with varied levels of prior knowledge and musical experience,” according to the rationale for the new course. “This course will be of interest to a wide range of learners and will allow students to participate in the high school music program with no prerequisite or participation in instrumental or vocal ensemble courses. The study of the history of music will allow students to explore the aesthetics and creativity of a period in history, connect to other content areas and disciplines, and increase overall their cognitive ability and academic achievement. Such study will provide a platform to encourage analysis and interpretation of texts, a key function in the development of critical thinking.”

The course will utilize existing faculty members. “This type of music course encourages students to evaluate contributions to history and culture and provides an avenue for student-driven instruction, individual expression, and the ability to make interdisciplinary connections,” states the new course rationale.

No additional funding is required to get the new course off the ground.