Greenburgh - North Castle UFSD Arts Mission Statement

It is the mission of the Art and Music department of Greenburgh - North Castle to present the arts as an outlet for individual expression.  Students are provided with a positive way to channel their energy while learning essential strategic methods for problem-solving through perceiving, responding, understanding, creating, evaluating, and developing.

The AP Studio Art Course is designed for students who are seriously interested in the practical experience of art. The course emphasizes making art as an ongoing process that involves the student in informed and critical decision-making.  

AP Studio Art through the College Board is not based on a written exams; instead, students submit portfolios for evaluation.

In general music class, students are exposed to a variety of activities designed to broaden musical experiences and develop skills. Listening activities help develop the child’s perception of music. A musical response is generated through movement, rhythmic activities, singing and playing instruments. The student is also encouraged to create and organize sounds into musical patterns.

This class is an introductory course of the Elements of Art and the Principles of Design for art students. Students will be introduced to art production, art history, art criticism and aesthetics. They will experiment with different media and processes from assigned projects.

Guitar/bass guitar ensemble: The guitar is one of the most in demand musical instruments in today's popular music. Students are attracted to learn how to play the guitar or the bass guitar due to its appeal and constant presence in music videos. Advanced students will concentrate on techniques such as pull off, hammer on, slide, bend, shift to different frets effortlessly and lastly to build a diverse repertoire of fast, medium, and slow tunes.

Jazz Ensemble: Is for students attending AP classes. It will provide a laboratory and real-world experience in the art of performance, leadership, musicianship, peer relationships and social skills. All the concepts learned in music theory and keyboard are applied as well as the strict rules in applied music and harmony. This class offers many opportunities for interdisciplinary studies as stated above. Students will be encouraged to write original compositions for class performance. Jazz Ensemble class presents an opportunity for the students in the music industry to record live performances and make connections with the two disciplines of music making

Students have the opportunity to attend many trips to NYC art museums, like the Whitney, or they visit local galleries in right here in Yonkers! Students spent time with artist Sheniqua Benitez at one of her recent shows. Students participate in the annual Young Artist Show hosted by the Katonah Art Museum.

These opportunities provide our students a glimpse at what it takes to be a working artist and they learn by doing what it takes to hang a show before the opening! Very exciting opportunities!

Career in Music Industry With the advent of digital technology and internet commerce such as iTunes, Spotify, Amazon.com. The field of music has drastically expanded into a myriad of sub-fields. Music students are required to hear and know the difference between analog and digital recordings. In this class students will experience the theory and practice of music making using computer software and 16-track recording equipment (MIDI Technology). More opportunities in this course will include internships with local music stores and recording studios.

Our students will learn the art of recording an entire disc, how to market it and design it from a professional standard and ethic. The apprenticeship component of this program will provide tangible hands-on experience and give students a chance to observe professionals at work. Students will be assigned to different tasks that lead to jobs such as: music editors, engineers, A&R, floor directors, liner note writers, performers etc. For an introduction to the Music Industry class, it is essential to have an iMac with the capacity to run software compatible to Reason or Finale7, Studio headphones, 2 studio monitors, drum machine, Mac adapters and mid-range microphones.

An artist residency is a highly structured, multi-session workshop that fosters learning in and through the arts. Generally, workshops are sequential, with each session building upon the previous one. Teaching Artists develop and implement residencies in collaboration with educators.

In schools, residencies serve as an instructional tool, helping students to master core curricula content in other subjects as well as addressing the Common Core Standards in the Arts. Residencies foster cognitive, developmental, social, and individual skills essential to success in one’s personal and professional life.