As the end of the 2022-2023 school year is fast approaching, students are busy signing up for their classes for next year. For anyone interested in music – whether you’re an advanced musician, or just a beginner – the DePaul Prep Music Department has just the class (or classes!) for you. 

This year, DePaul Prep offers Beginning Band, Advanced Band, Choir, and Music Production classes. They are looking to expand even more by adding three new classes next year: Advanced Choir, Jazz Combo, and String Orchestra, where students will be invited to start or advance their musical journeys. 

You may be wondering, ‘Why should I take a music class at DePaul Prep?’ Well, there are several reasons, the first simply being that “they’re fun and enriching,” as Mr. Rocks said. They’re also very different from a lot of other classes. You won’t be doing a lot of writing and reading – rather, you will be using and improving on the skills that you have, and it will be a great opportunity to make friends with similar interests. 

Sophomore Zoe Pileggi said that, “music class is a fantastic place to bond with friends! I’ve formed so many relationships with wonderful people,” and she is “excited to see DePaul grow into new programs next year!”

Students do not need to have a musical background to sign up for a music class. For some classes, there is an audition component; however, DePaul Prep offers many beginner classes, where teachers welcome students of all levels of experience. 

Mr. Rocks described music classes as, “way more than what students see at Mass and pep rallies…” and there is often the, “misconception that the only thing the band works on is stuff to play at school events, and choir only prepares for masses.” However, this is definitely not the case. While these school performances are a key component to the classes, students also have the opportunity to play more interesting and difficult songs, with more depth. 

When looking for arrangements, the teachers first consider what students will actually enjoy playing – it is hard to play music you don’t enjoy. They also gauge the difficulty of the piece to make sure that students have fun while also being pushed beyond their comfort zone. 

Claire Stiglicz, a junior, says that DePaul Prep’s musical “environment is so supportive and really fosters growth. The teachers (and students) are so kind and we are very tight knit. You will definitely learn a lot (and have fun) if you take a music class at DePaul!” She recommends that students interested in music “should definitely join the family” and “will definitely learn a lot (and have fun) if [they] take a music class at DePaul!”