Skip to main content » Skip to section navigation » Site map » Top of page

Instrumental Music - Jazz and Orchestra

Home » Arts » Upper School Arts » Instrumental Music

Bringing people together through music-making.  

Music serves as an important medium to bring people together at Menlo School. A community of musicians—who are also thinkers, artists, and athletes—the Menlo School instrumental music program welcomes intermediate and advanced musicians interested in creating music with their peers. Repertoire is chosen to celebrate and develop the unique musical identities of each student in the ensemble.

Menlo Orchestra 2017-2018

Courses

  • Menlo Jazz Band

    Menlo Jazz Band is open to all instrumentalists interested in elevating their musicianship through developing their performing and improvising skills through jazz and other jazz-related genres. In addition to learning standard tunes, students will also learn to create their own arrangements and original compositions for the band. The Jazz Band will perform at casual and formal events throughout the year. Past performances have included music by Miles Davis, Wayne Shorter, Stevie Wonder, John Hanson ’20, and Leo Jergovic ’21. Jazz Band may be repeated for additional credit.

  • Menlo Orchestra

    Menlo Orchestra welcomes traditional instrumentalists who are interested in gaining a foundational appreciation of music-making in an orchestral ensemble. The curriculum and repertoire is led by student interest, coupled with deepening knowledge, background, and application of music theory. This ensemble will engage you in a creative and collaborative process that will elevate your musicianship, expand appreciation, and challenge convention of what genres orchestras can explore. This orchestra perform several concerts throughout the year and past performances have included music by Tchaikovsky, Copland, Joe Hisaishi, Sufjan Stevens, and Frank Ocean. Orchestra may be repeated for additional credit.

Leo KitajimaLeo Kitajima

Instrumental music teacher Leo Kitajima is an active musician and educator with an eclectic background in violin pedagogy, improvisation, composition, and arranging. He earned his Master of Music Education degree at Northwestern University and is interested in creating lessons that intentionally connect different disciplines. Leo has co-founded a music education think-tank, WE ARE LIKE MUSIC, to promote creative musical projects for young musicians. He has also taught at the Colburn School of Performing Arts, Pasadena Conservatory of Music, and is a masterclass teacher for many music workshops around the country.

Video: Menlo Orchestra Creative Arts Week Performance

Video: Menlo Orchestra leads the Upper School in live karaoke

Video: Menlo Jazz performance at the annual holiday assembly