The courses at Rejoice are designed to give a well-rounded musical education to every student, while allowing each one to focus on one area of specialization.
YEAR ONE
THEORY
Required Course - 28 weeks
To be a truly effective musician, the skill of basic music reading and writing must be mastered. This course covers major and minor scales, all intervals, triads and their inversions, rhythm and time, etc. Students will also receive practical application of the material studied.
MUSIC APPRECIATION
Required Course - 10 weeks
Learning what to listen for in music is key to appreciating it. This class will broaden the students’ understanding of different musical styles, with emphasis on melody, harmony, rhythm, musical texture, and instrumentation.
HARMONIZATION
Required Course - 10 weeks
This course will cover the basics of harmony, with an emphasis on applying proper harmonic principles using familiar songs. The students will also learn how to use chords creatively to bring out the most in a melody.
RHYTHM
Required Course - 14 weeks
A good sense of rhythm is crucial for any musician. Music performed with rhythmic accuracy will have excitement and will invite audience participation. This course will help to develop a strong sense of rhythmic pulse in the students, as well as accurate rhythm reading and performance.
SIGHT-SINGING & EAR TRAINING
Required Course - 10 weeks
The students will learn how to read and sing music at sight, as well as taking music dictation. Aural identification of intervals, chords, and rhythms will also be taught.
CONDUCTING
Required Course - 7 weeks
Conducting skills are an important part of a music ministry. The students will learn basic conducting and rehearsal technique while getting practical experience in the classroom.
MUSIC IN SCRIPTURE
Required Course - 7 weeks
The foundation for music ministry must be the Word of God. The Scriptures will be opened in detail to show the high priority God places on music. The student will discover what music is, who it’s for, and why we enjoy it.
COACHING
Required Course - 7 weeks
Any leader in a music department of a Local Church or a Christian School will be called upon to coach a group of singers or instrumentalists from time to time. This course will give principles upon which successful coaching technique can be built. There will be opportunity to audit actual coaching sessions.
PRIVATE INSTRUCTION
Required Course - duration of enrollment
Private lessons are by far the most effective means of training musicians on their instrument. Rejoice offers professional instruction from qualified teachers.
PERFORMANCE GROUPS
Required Course - 28 weeks
The entire student body will be involved in performance groups. Emphasis will be placed on good practice habits, rehearsal technique, and working as a team, with the ultimate goal of ministering. This will be one of the highlights of the students’ study.
YEAR TWO
MUSIC TECHNOLOGY
Required Course - 7 weeks
In the last 50 years, music has changed dramatically, due to the development of electronics and other technology. In this course, an overview of current technology will be presented including Sound Equipment, Recording, and MIDI, with hands-on experience.
PRIVATE INSTRUCTION
Required Course - duration of enrollment
Private lessons are by far the most effective means of training musicians on their instrument. Rejoice offers professional instruction from qualified teachers.
PERFORMANCE GROUPS
Required Course - 28 weeks
The entire student body will be involved in performance groups. Emphasis will be placed on good practice habits, rehearsal technique, and working as a team, with the ultimate goal of ministering. This will be one of the highlights of the students’ study.
COMPUTER MUSIC PRODUCTION
Required Course - 7 weeks
The computer is playing a greater role in everyday life, and the music industry has benefited tremendously from this. This course will unveil some of the possibilities that are available to a computer-literate musician. Generous demonstration time will enhance the students’ understanding of this exciting field.
HARMONIZATION
Required Course - 10 weeks
A continuation of the 1st year course.
ACOUSTICS
Music is made of sound, yet most musicians have no clear idea of what sound is and how it works. Students will learn about acoustics as it applies to instruments, as well as more general concepts of sound production. With a basic understanding of the science of sound, any musician will be more effective in his craft.
MUSIC IN YOUR CHURCH
Required Course - 14 weeks
In any Local Church, music plays an important role in many different areas, from nursery to worship services. This course will present music as it is used in various departments of the church.
CONDUCTING
Required Course - 7 weeks
A continuation of the 1st year course.
SIGHT-SINGING AND EAR TRAINING
Required Course - 10 weeks
A continuation of the 1st year course.
COACHING
Required Course - 14 weeks
A continuation of the 1st year course.
MUSIC HISTORY
Required Course - 14 weeks
To properly appreciate today’s music, we must understand where it came from and how it developed. This course will give an overview of the progression of Christian music from Biblical times until the present, with an emphasis on recent and contemporary styles.
SOUND REINFORCEMENT
Required Course - 7 weeks
Most every church has a sound system, and the congregation is dependent on the soundman to deliver sound that is pleasing to the ear, as well as free from distractions. The students will learn basic principles of good sound reinforcement from proper micing to equipment maintenance.
ARRANGING/ORCHESTRATION
Required Course - 21 weeks
For a group of instruments to effectively work together, their music must be arranged. This course will deal with the basics of instrumentation, voicing, texture, and harmony, as they apply to instrumental and vocal music.
VOICE
Required Course - 7 weeks
God has made it very clear that He expects all Christians to sing! In this course, the students will learn the fundamentals of good singing, as well as the rewarding experience of singing in a group.
SONGWRITING
Required Course - 7 weeks
Every worshipping Christian will get a song from the Lord from time to time. Some of these songs are to be shared for congregational use. This course will show how to develop a song and will deal with a variety of issues from good doctrine to solid melody, harmony, and rhythm.
RECORDING AND ENGINEERING
Required Course - 7 weeks
This course will explore the exciting and ever-changing world of sound recording and music production. The students will learn how to listen in a studio, as well as techniques of modern digital recording.
FINALE
Required Course - 7 weeks
This course offers training and practical experience in using Finale, a music notation computer program. Students will learn how to create and edit a musical score, add lyrics, vocal parts, and much more. This course will help students in the song writing course offered later in the school year.
RHYTHM
Required Course - 14 weeks
A continuation of the 1st year course.