Welcome to VAPA Music Department
BUSD Music is a world-class program that is unique in our commitment to deliver music education to EVERY student in the district. All students in Berkeley Unified study music for three years- general music in 3rd grade (Orff, singing, recorder, note-reading) and- our flagship program- all 4th and 5th graders choose an instrument that they study for 2 years twice a week in small instrument-alike groups of 10-15 students with a teacher who specializes in that instrument. Our middle and high schools offer outstanding band, orchestra, chorus, guitar, and mariachi classes and ensembles.
Our staff of over 19 full-time, fully-credentialed music teachers, a VAPA Technician, and Music Equity and Inclusion Specialist all work as a team, collaborate, learn together, and operate as an itinerant-but-cohesive music school within BUSD. Headquartered in our own office building and warehouse in beautiful West Berkeley, we provide every student with an instrument and centrally manage sheet music, supplies, and instrument inventory as well as provide a hub for art professional development.
Equity, inclusion, and representation continue to be integral values in our department. Many equity resources are available for your perusal on this site, but we also invite you to partner with us in this work.
We owe many thanks to Berkeley voters (for our BSEP funding!), our community partners, and especially to our Berkeley families- for supporting their students’ music education.
Elementary Music Grades K-5
All Berkeley students take Music grades 3-5. Third graders receive one class per week of General Music- singing together, music games, note and rhythm reading, learning to play simple melodies on the recorder, and playing instruments like Orff instruments and ukuleles. All BUSD 4th and 5th grade students choose an instrument and receive two classes per week in small instrument-alike groups that focus on learning the basic techniques of their instruments not only as an introduction to the instrument, but to prepare them for the heterogeneous instrumental ensembles offered in middle school. Dance, Drama, Visual Arts, and TK-2 Music programs may look different at every school based on the school communities Arts priorities.
- National Core Arts Standards
- Grades 4 and 5 Curriculum:
- Band Instruments: Essential Elements
- String Instruments: String Basics
Middle School Music Grades 6-8
All BUSD students are invited to participate in ensemble music classes. Band, Orchestra, Chorus, and Jazz Band (also Mariachi at Longfellow). Curriculum is mostly made up of Music literature/repertoire and supplemented with method books. BUSD music teachers are committed to selecting pieces of music from diverse composers and sources that reflect the rich variety of cultures, racial/ethnic backgrounds, geographic origins, and gender that is available to us in today’s academic music literature. Every middle school aims to provide Dance, Drama, and Visual Arts pathways for students, but programs may vary per school based on school community priorities.
- Ensemble classes use teacher-selected repertoire or literature Ensemble classes use Books 2 and 3 of Standard of Excellence and to supplement their main ensemble music literature.
High School Music Grades 9-12
Students can take many classes and levels of Band, Orchestra, Jazz, Chorus, Guitar, Electronic Music, and Music Theory. The school offers classes for new musicians, intermediate offerings, and even AP and IB music classes.
Berkeley Symphony Orchestra
The Berkeley Symphony Orchestra Music in the Schools program provides Meet the Symphony concerts at each Elementary school in November. Berkeley Symphony Musicians visit each K-5 classroom for a demonstration and personal interaction. In February students K-5 join the Symphony for the I Am a Performer concert.
