The Shoreline School District has a long tradition of fine music programs extending back to when the school system was founded in 1944. With a talented music staff, passionate for music education, and a community that supports it so strongly, it is no wonder that students here have experienced the highest levels of musical success.
Our elementary music program includes vocal music, rhythmic movement, theory and numerous types of ethnic and instrumental experiences from pre-kindergarten through sixth grade. At the fifth and sixth grade levels, all students have the opportunity to receive instrumental music instruction during the school day. This includes classes in both band and string orchestra. Over 95% of Shoreline fifth graders learn to play an instrument. In addition, individual schools offer unique performance groups that include Select Choirs, Steel Drum Band and Mock Marimba Band.
At the middle school level, our students participate in award winning musical organizations that include bands, jazz bands, choirs and orchestras. Year after year, these fine musical programs are represented at district and regional festivals and recognized for their superior performances.
The quality of music education in Shoreline, reaches its peak in our high schools. Both performance and non-performance music courses are offered at the high school level.
Non-performance classes include, AP Theory, Piano Lab and Guitar classes. Our concert choirs and jazz choirs are invited regularly to perform at prestigious invitational festivals from Benaroya Hall in Seattle, to The Phil Matson Jazz festival at New York’s Carnegie Hall. They continually receive Superior ratings at local and regional and national festivals as well. Our orchestras receive top honors at regional festivals and also perform at national festivals in Boston and New York and in concert at Carnegie Hall.
With performances from Victoria, B. C., to Limerick, Ireland, our marching bands have been awarded trophy after trophy. Shoreline concert bands continue taking first place awards at festivals throughout the northwest and our Jazz Bands have received first place awards at such respected national jazz festivals as The Annual Berklee Jazz Festival, held in Boston. They have also been invited to perform several times, at the highly respected, “Essentially Ellington Festival”, at Lincoln Center in New York.