The Girard Academic Music Program (GAMP) is a magnet secondary school in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. The school is operated by the School District of Philadelphia.
GAMP covers grades five through twelve, and offers many extracurricular activities including: concert band, orchestra, chamber strings, jazz band, concert choir, high school and middle school choirs, middle school band, theatre productions, instrumental lessons for beginners. Because there are so many extracurricular activities related to music, there are relatively few non-musical ones.
The school is very concentrated on the performing arts but still enjoys a fine academic tradition. GAMP offers an advanced placement course in Music Theory.
Principal Dr. Angelo Milicia and Music Director/Assistant Principal Dr. Jack Carr administer the school. The school is broken up into three primary aspects. The first is Music Theory/Music Technology, which every student must take. The concentration of these subjects intensifies when students enter the high school level. The next aspect is Instrumental. Students who take lessons are required to participate in the beginner level bands. When they reach the high school level they may enter the more complicated bands that the school offers. Their open eighth or free period is geared towards the practice for these musical ensembles. Last is the vocal training. All students from grades 5-12 are required to participate in the choir with the choirs being broken up into Middle School Choir (grades 5-8), and High School Choir (grades 9-12). However there are students that exceed others at the art of singing and can try out for the special Concert Choir which only includes high school students, but exceptions can be made for students in 8th grade with exceptional vocal talent. The Concert Choir is the heart and soul of GAMP, touring and performing for many high-ranking officials in the Philadelphia School District, and also performs for other musical fixtures in the Philadelphia Area. The Concert Choir has performed for United States President Bill Clinton and Barack Obama, the Philadelphia Phillies, Mayor of Philadelphia John Street, and many other local political and district officials.
GAMP is very popular with the South Philadelphia community and known for musical theater and talent shows, alternating annually. However this tradition has recently been changed into an annual musical, and an annual student run talent show.
Read more about Girard Academic Music Program: History, General Information, Choir Participation, Instrumental, Core Academic Programs, School Uniforms, Mascot, Sports
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