To: Parents/Care provider(s)
From: Robert Booth, Charles Gasque, Arthur Zorn RE: 5145 Music Department
Date: September 1, 2007

Music Department Calendar:

Please find our calendar of events for the school year. It is our hope that each student will review this with their parents/care provider(s). Planning ahead will ensure students do not miss any performances. Participation in all of our activities (except for the New York Trip) is expected and is a factor in determining grades.

Attendance in Morning Block Band and Chorus:

This year students will either be in band or chorus, but not both. Band and Chorus will meet four days a week. Most weeks it will be Tuesday through Friday. If it is necessary to do Monday through Thursday, students will be notified in advance. Mondays may be used to meet with teachers from other academic areas, make up assignments, or study in the library. Additionally, AM Block on Monday is when the SHS Chorale will meet. Any student may audition to be a member of this select vocal ensemble. The Band directors will be available Monday AM block for individual instruction or sectional rehearsals. Since students have one AM block free per week, they are expected to attend all four Band/Chorus rehearsals each week. Students may not miss a rehearsal (class) to meet with teachers from other academic areas. It is suggested that students see teachers on Mondays and or during their TA time.

Please Note:

There will be no AM Block Band/Chorus on the following days...Each Monday (unless told other wise) December 18 (day after the Winter Concert) May 22 (day after the Spring Concert)

NEW YORK CITY!

On Friday March 7, Band and Chorus students will travel to NYC and attend a Broadway Musical, a New York Philharmonic Orchestra concert, visit the Museum of Natural History, Ellis Island and the Statue of Liberty. We will also attend a Jazz performance at the Blue Note in Greenwich Village. We will return Sunday Night, March 9 by 8:00 PM. A detailed itinerary with costs will be coming home in a few days.

GRADES!

The AM Block Band and Chorus have similar expectations, the following are general guidelines: Band/Chorus is not an extracurricular activity. Students with passing grades receive one credit which fulfills the graduation requirement of one fine art credit. Daily attendance and participation in class activities are important factors in determining grades. Being prepared for class, staying focused and active participation are daily expectations. Attendance at all concerts / performances (plus football games & parades for Band students) is also factored into the semester grade. Please see the Music Department Calendar, this will help you and your family to plan ahead.

Chorus Grades:

Chorus students will receive a grade of B, If they meet the general guidelines stated above. To receive a grade of A.. .

• the student will demonstrate to the instructor their ability to sing the more challenging songs we are working on. This can be done after school as a solo or with two or three others, before the end the marking period.
• Being accepted by audition into any of the various music festivals will enable a student to earn an A (in this case the student will not be asked to come after school to sing for the instructor)

To receive a grade of A+ the student must meet all of the above criteria plus do some form of additional vocal related activity.

• Being extra helpful to the department by filling music, helping with fund raising, running sectional rehearsal, and/or festival audition rehearsals
• Being a member of the SHS Chorale or a church/community choir or being a cast member of a musical are some examples.

Band Grades:

The following grading policy was implemented four years ago and has proven to be successful for the individual student's musical growth and the development of the band as a whole. The main component to this continued growth is individual practice outside of rehearsals. Band students will receive a grade of B, If they meet the general guidelines stated above.
To receive a grade of A. .

• The student must practice his/her instrument at least 2 hours per week. This is best as a daily routine instead of all on one day. Practice record sheets are available in the band room for students to record their practice time. At the end of each week the sheet must be signed by either a parent/care provider or one of the band directors. Students will turn in their record sheets at the start of each week. To receive a grade of A+ the student must meet all of the above criteria plus do some form of additional band related activity such as auditioning for music festivals, or service to the dept. (filling music, running sectionals for their instrument, repairing instruments, playing in a pep band at basketball games).

Concert "Uniforms"

Our music department supplies each student with concert uniform/outfit. Students may obtain the uniform/outfit any time after school. It is suggested students do not wait until the day of the performance. We need at least a month if we have to order more "uniforms". Please note, ladies dresses may be altered to obtain a better fit. Do not change the style of the dress, the point is to have all the students look the same. Hemming can be achieved with duck tape or you can have it done professionally for about $30. We suggest the duck tape! As the dresses are sleeveless, some ladies choose to also wear a black sweater or jacket, this is fine. In addition, we ask ladies to wear black shoes and a single strand of while pears ( dollar store pearls are fine). Men are given a black vest and a tie. The men supply their own long sleeve white shirt, black pants and shoes. The school uniform/outfits are completely machine washable and pretty much wrinkle free. It is suggested you wash them after each performance. Students may keep their outfits as long as they are members of the band or chorus. They must be returned when the student is no longer enrolled in band or chorus.

OTHER INFORMATION

We will be updating our departments www.SHSBTC.org web page next week. This is a good place to find out what is going on and how to contact us. If you do not have use of a computer, just call the school at 476-4811 and leave a message.
If you have a minute in the AM, stop in and see us at the start of the Band/Chorus rehearsals. Parents are welcome to sit in on these rehearsals anytime, just come and enjoy!

Look for the NYC trip information packet and encourage your student to audition for all the various music festivals (Winooski Valley, VT All State and New England Music Festivals).

After you have read the preceding paragraphs, please have your student return just the following statements signed to one of the music teachers.

Parent/Student Contract

__________________________

Parent or Care Provider

__________________________

Student