Music Education in Schools
Thousands of scientific and academic studies have shown that music education improves academic achievement, builds communication skills, fosters creativity, develops teamwork and increases engagement in school.
Benefits of Music Education
Music education can enrich students’ lives and education. There are multiple benefits of participation in music programs.
Voice of the People
Peter Sroka, the music teacher at five elementary schools, sings his original song, "Voice of the People" with guest student-singer Adela Watson.
Music In Our Schools Link to this section
Music education improves academic achievement, builds communication skills, fosters creativity, develops teamwork, and increases engagement in school. SFUSD offers music classes and programs at every level. Elementary schools are served by instrumental music teachers, Music Artists in Residence, and music programs such as those offered by the SF Symphony and SF Opera. At the secondary level, middle and high school students can enroll in a wide variety of instrumental and general music programs (see the Offerings section below for more information).
The California Arts Standards for Music are designed to enable students to achieve music literacy. Unlike the other arts disciplines, there are five sets of performance standards for music:
- PK–8
- Harmonizing Instruments
- Ensembles
- Composition and Theory
- Technology
Developing music literacy means discovering the expressive elements of music, understanding the basic concepts of music, knowing the terminology that is used to comprehend music, developing the skills necessary to produce music, and being able to reflect, critique, and connect personal experience to music.
The standards describe expectations for learning in music regardless of style or genre. The standards impart the breadth and depth of the music experience through art-making processes. The standards can and should be the impetus for music educators to inspire their students to explore the many facets of music and prepare them for a lifelong relationship with music. For more information see the Music Standards and Curriculum section below.
SFUSD Music Offerings
Link to this section
This section includes music classes and programs offered in 2020-21
PreK Music
list of offerings coming soon
Elementary Music
All Elementary Schools are provided an Instrumental Music Teacher for the 4th/5th grade Instrumental Music Program
In addition, the following schools are provided a General Music Teacher to serve in the following schools:
Bessie Carmichael
Bessie ES
C. Lilienthal (Scott & Madison Campus)
C. Sloat
Carver
Chinese Immersion
Clarendon
Cleveland
Cobb
D. Feinstein
Dolores Huerta
Drew
Edwin & Anita Lee Newcomer School
El Dorado
Garfield
Glen Park
Guadalupe
J. Parker
J.Y. Chin
Lafayette
Lakeshore
Malcolm X
Miraloma
Monroe
Montessori
Peabody
Sunset
West Portal
Middle School Music
Aptos MS
- Band Advanced
- Band Beginning
- Band Int
- Music 7
- Music 8
- Orch Beg
- Orchestra Advanced
- Orchestra Intermediate
Bessie (Charmichael) K8
- Music
- Taiko
Brown Jr. (Willie) MS
- Band Advanced
- Music 6
- Music 7
- Music 8
- Orchestra Intermediate
Buena Vista Horace Mann K8
- Music 6
Denman (James) MS
- Band Advanced
- Band Beginning
- Band Int
- Orch Beg
- Orchestra Advanced
- Orchestra Intermediate
Everett MS
- Band Advanced
- Band Beginning
- Band Int
- Orchestra Advanced
- Orchestra Intermediate
Francisco MS
- Music 7
- Orch Beg
- Orchestra Advanced
- Orchestra Intermediate
- Piano Beginning
Giannini (A.P.) MS
- Band Advanced
- Band Beginning
- Band Int
- Music Lab
- Orch Beg
- Orchestra Advanced
- Orchestra Intermediate
- Orchestra Intermediate 7
- Vocal Advanced
- Vocal Beginning
- Vocal Intermediate
Hoover (Herbert) MS
- Band Advanced
- Band Beginning
- Band Int
- Music - Advanced
- Music 6
- Orch Beg
- Orchestra Advanced
- Orchestra Intermediate
- Vocal Advanced
- Vocal Beginning
- Vocal Intermediate
King Jr (Dr Martin L) MS
- Music Lab
Lawton K-8
- Band Int
- Orchestra Intermediate
Lick (James) MS
- Music 8
Marina MS
- Band Advanced
- Band Beginning
- Band Int
- Orch Beg
- Orchestra Advanced
- Orchestra Intermediate
- Vocal Beginning
Presidio MS
- Band Advanced
- Band Beginning
- Band Int
- Guitar
- Music 6
- Music 7
- Orch Beg
- Orchestra Advanced
- Orchestra Intermediate
- Vocal Beginning
- Vocal Intermediate
Revere (Paul) K8
- Taiko
Roosevelt MS
- Band Advanced
- Band Beginning
- Orch Beg
- Orchestra Advanced
- Orchestra Intermediate
Visitacion Valley MS
- Music 7
- Music 8
High School Music
Asawa (Ruth) SOTA HS
- AP Music Theory
- Band 2
- Band 3
- Dance 1
- Dance 2
- Dance 3
- Guitar 1
- Guitar 2
- Guitar 3
- Guitar 4
- Music Theory 1
- Orchestra 2
- Orchestra 3
- Piano Lab 1
- Piano Lab 2
- Piano Lab 3
- Piano Lab 4
- Vocal Music 1
- Vocal Music 2
- Vocal Music 3
- Vocal Music 4
- World Music
Balboa HS
- Band 2
- Band 3
- Guitar 1
- Guitar 2
- Orchestra 2
- Vocal Music 2
- Vocal Music 3
Burton (Phillip and Sala) HS
- Band 1
- Band 2
- Symphonic Band
- Vocal Music 1
- Vocal Music 2
- Vocal Music 3
- Vocal Music 4
Downtown HS
- Guitar 1
- Music Appr
- Music Theory 1
- Piano 1
Galileo HS
- Band 1
- Band 2
- Guitar 1
- Guitar 2
- Piano 1
- Piano 2
- Vocal Music 1
Jordan (June) HS
- Music Production
Lincoln (Abraham) HS
- Guitar 1
Lowell HS
- AP Music Theory
- Band 3
- Guitar 1
- Guitar 1A
- Jazz Band
- Orchestra 2
- Orchestra 3
- Piano Lab 1
- Piano Lab 1A
- Symphonic Band
- Symphony Orch
- Vocal Music 1
- Vocal Music 1A
- Vocal Music 2
- Vocal Music 2A
- Vocal Music 3
- Vocal Music 3A
Marshall (Thurgood) HS
- Band 1
- Band 2
- Piano 1
- Piano 2
Mission HS
- Band 1
- Band 2
SF Civic Center Secondary HS
- Music Appr
Wallenberg (Raoul) HS
- Band 1
- Band 2
- Symphonic Band
Washington (George) HS
- Band 1
- Band 2
- Band 3
- Dance 1
- Dance 2
- Dance 3
- Guitar 1
- Guitar 2
- Orchestra 2
- Orchestra 3
- Vocal Music 1
- Vocal Music 2
- Vocal Music 3
Links to PK-12 Arts Discipline Pages Link to this section
This page was last updated on January 7, 2021