AP Music Theory class holds year-end recital

A piano soloist, a brass quartet and a jazz ensemble are just some of the performers that will be playing in a May 29 AP Music Theory class recital.

The recital will showcase three to five minute compositions that students have been working on since January.

“It’s a great accumulation of all the things we have been learning from the beginning of the year,” said junior Kirstie Lee. “We have to incorporate a lot of things that we’ve been taught in the class that we’re going to have to use on the AP test.”

AP Music Theory instructor Jim Yowell works with the students to help them improve their pieces.

“We [had] check points for each minute of the piece,” said Yowell. “For each checkpoint, they’d bring me one minute and then we’d work on how to enhance it.”

Students finished their compositions around the end of April. Rehearsals and practices with the performers will take place in May in preparation for the recital, held in the band room.

“It’s better in the band room because it makes it less intimidating for us to perform,” said Lee. “It’s more intimate, less formal and more of a fun event.”

In the future, Yowell foresees the recital being held in the McAfee Center as the number of students enrolled in the class increases.

Though the recital counts as the final project for the class, the students are not graded on their composition.

“It’s more based on if they’ve completed their piece,” said Yowell. “To give them a grade based on their composition would be like grading someone on their appearance. A composition is like poetry. It’s an expression of yourself.”