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Portage Education Foundation

Portage Athletic Foundation
Music Department

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Orchestra
The Orchestra program is a performance orientated music group. We learn skills that are required to make music and also challenge the brain. We offer those challenges through discipline, structure, repetition and crazy fun! Because orchestra students are together for 3-7 years in this class they develop a strong group or family feeling not present in most other classes offer in Portage. Orchestra students continue to be among the best in academic performance (grade point and math and science center to mention a few,) and are more likely to be talented at many, many activities and interests. For more information on this program please contact Leo Hazen

Band
The Band Program at Portage North Middle School has a long tradition of excellence and high performance levels.  Over 160 students in grades 6-8 make this one of the largest organizations at NMS.  Students begin their band careers in "like instrument groups" to get a strong fundamental knowledge of the skills necessary for high levels of performance.  In 7th Grade our program shifts to a large ensemble style class.  Students begin to learn about ensemble techniques and are beginning to perform at very high levels.  Our 8th grade program is a culmination of all of the skills that they have developed over the course of 2 years as well as a preparatory class to ensure that the students will have the skills necessary to perform at Portage Northern High School.  Each year our students actively participate in many district, regional, and state competitions and honors festivals.  Above all - our students are learning and growing in their love and appreciation of music!  For more info please email Josh Bartz 

PNMS CHOIRS
The Portage North Middle School Choirs have a tradition of wonderful singing and great potential to continue to grow.  Emphasis will be placed on promoting healthy singing, performance at concerts and adjudicated festivals, music literacy, sight singing including use of solfège and Curwen hand signs, introductory knowledge of the piano keyboard, music composition, critical music listening skills, music mapping, writing skills, and the study of how all creative endeavors and human life are connected.

Teaching strategies and media will include vocal modeling, instructor and student lead lecture, small group cooperative learning, kinesthetics, student composition of word and music, keyboard modeling, audio recordings, video recordings, two and three dimensional works of art, live performances, the appearance of guest musicians/artists, guest clinicians, attendance of Portage Northern High School performances and rehearsals during the school day when possible.

 The Choir Program includes the 6th Grade Mixed Chorus, 7th Grade Mixed Chorus, 8th Grade Mixed Chorus, 7th and 8th Grade Women’s Ensemble, and the 6th, 7th and 8th Grade Select Choirs.  Performances include the Fall Showcase, the Winter Concert, Pre-festival Concert, District Choral Festival, Spring Pops Concert, and the Eighth Grade Awards Ceremony.  The PNMS Choirs have also had successful performances at State Choral Festival in 2008 and 2009.

MUSICAL THEATRE AT PNMS:  
Portage North Middle School has a long tradition of high quality musicals.  Each year the Sixth Grade Mixed Chorus and Sixth Grade Select Choir present a Disney Kids! musical.  Past productions include Cinderella, The Jungle Book, Sleeping Beauty, 101 Dalmatians, and this year’s Aladdin.  In addition to this Sixth Grade Musical, all sixth, seventh and eighth graders have the opportunity to audition for the All School Musical.  Past productions include Annie Junior, Willy Wonka Junior, and Seussical the Musical Junior.  This year’s production will be Into the Woods Junior.  For more information concerning auditions for our musicals see Mr. Jordan’s eboard

 Robert C. Jordan
Director of Choirs
Portage North Middle School
Marching Band Assistant Director
Portage Northern High School
rjordan.portage.site.eboard.com