When Thacher students want to make music, the School gives them as many opportunities as possible—in both course work and informal situations that students arrange, often with faculty members as advisors or co-creators.

In the Electronic Music course, students gain perspective on this genre by listening to different types of electronic music and learning its history. They also go into the campus studio, where state-of-the-art keyboards, computers, and software help them learn about synthesis, sound programming, and digital and audio editing. Soon students take on composing, modeling their work on various styles—musique concrete, minimalism, klangenforbenmelodie (sound-color melody), dub, ambient, and more. At the end of the course, students record a compact disc of the music they’ve created during the semester.

Thacher’s Instrumental Ensemble is made up of a varying number of experienced student musicians who take a one-semester course on chamber music. As well as gaining an understanding of the music they play—primarily Baroque and Classical—ensemble members perform at Family Weekend, the Holiday Concert, chapel services, and Assembly. In the second semester, many students continue their music by playing in the pit band for the winter musical. The course in instrumental studies also sometimes takes the form of a jazz ensemble.

Additionally, Thacher arranges private lessons in piano, guitar, bass guitar, winds, strings, brass, drums, and voice, taught by local professional teachers who come to the campus. These lessons typically culminate in a recital.

Music also thrives in the community in informal ways. Students have formed bluegrass, jazz, and rock bands that enliven Assemblies, coffee houses and talent shows. Juniors and seniors have created Independent Afternoon Projects in songwriting, piano, and violin.

Faculty members enthusiastically support all the students’ musical endeavors and work with them to achieve a performance level that yields deep, lasting satisfaction.