Basha High School Orchestras Handbook 2015-2016 Mr. Ajay Patel Director of Orchestras 5990 S. Val Vista Dr Chandler, 85249-9028 patel.ajay@cusd80.com (480) 224-2100 x2279 www.bashabears.com > Faculty > Ajay Patel > Orchestras
Introduction Welcome to the Basha High School Orchestra program! My name is Ajay Patel, and this is my 10th year as Director of Orchestras. I earned my BA in Music Education and my MM in Cello performance at ASU. This year, I have a new musical adventure I have begun as the Associate Conductor of the Scottsdale Philharmonic. Additionally, my cello and I travel all over the world, and have been principal cello for the China Tour of the American Festival Orchestra. I have a private cello studio, and perform in various professional valley orchestras, and am a substitute cellist for the Arizona Opera. Ensembles: Concert Orchestra This ensemble performs grade 2-3 level orchestral literature, and focuses on ensemble development skills and instrumental technique. By the end of this class, the students will be able to demonstrate an understanding of intonation, balance, and rhythm as they pertain to individual preparation and ensemble rehearsal. The students will progress towards 3 octave scales and arpeggios. This class is preparatory Chamber Orchestra. This ensemble participates in ABODA festivals. There is a $100 class fee for this course. This includes registration fees and transportation to ABODA Festivals, Orchestra T shirt, music, performance uniform and other costs related to the orchestra program. If you need to rent an instrument, there is an additional fee of $40. Fees are payable to the bookstore. Provide Mr. Patel with a receipt. Entry requisites: 2 Octave major scales up to 2 sharps and 2 flats Favorite music either studied privately or in class, demonstrating level achieved. Perform a solo piece or work which demonstrates level of playing ability. Symphony (Chamber) Orchestra This ensemble performs grade 4 to professional level orchestral literature, and continues to refine ensemble development skills and instrumental technique in context of the more difficult literature. This ensemble participates in ABODA festivals and also performs as a full orchestra in combination with Symphony Orchestra and Symphonic Band. This ensemble will have an intensified focus on performance, and will tour Elementary and Jr. High programs as well as community event and school event performances. Individuals in this ensemble are expected to audition and participate in Regional, Solo and Ensemble, and All State Festivals. This course requires more time commitment outside of school hours. There is a $130 class fee for this course, payable to the bookstore. This includes uniform, regional audition fee, ABODA Festivals (including the State ABODA Festival),
Orchestra T shirt. If you need to rent an instrument, there is an additional fee of $40. Fees are payable to the bookstore. Provide Mr. Patel with a receipt. This fee does not include costs beyond the Regional audition. Regional Participation, All State Audition, All State Participation are $25 for each event. Solo and Ensemble Festival: $20 per solo/duet entry, $7 per member of an ensemble. Fees are to paid to the Orchestra EC account in the bookstore. Audition: 3 Octave scales and arpeggios, major and minor, all keys. Perform a solo piece or work which demonstrates level of playing ability. AMS ORCHESTRA This is the Accelerated Middle School (AMS) students, a class that is required as part of their fine arts curriculum. This syllabus will also serve as the guidelines for this ensemble. AMS orchestra will have the same expectations as the High school ensembles, but will operate on their own concert schedule. All beginning students must purchase a copy of String Explorer book 1 (for your instrument), as this will be the beginning book for their first steps into instrumental music. This book can be purchased at many local music stores or online. Students that play violin or viola will also need a shoulder rest. There are a few instruments that can be rented, but there will not be enough for each student. BHS Orchestra Mentor Teacher program There is an opportunity for high school musicians to earn community service hours and learn how to teach your instrument. AMS has several 6th grade students that are just beginning their instruments, and I will pair them up with available high school mentor teachers to begin their study of their instruments. There will be 3-6 students per mentor teacher. Times are Monday, Wednesday and Friday from 2:20-3:15. Placement and Auditions Placement auditions are scheduled by making an appointment with me during the week before school starts, or during the first week of school. Students that have not auditioned will be enrolled in Concert Orchestra. In addition to the audition, I would like a recommendation from your previous teacher or private instructor attributing to your character and work ethic. Opportunities to move to the next orchestra at semester will be offered to those individuals who demonstrate the requisite ability and rehearsal behaviors to do so.
Rehearsal expectations All Basha General School policies for behavior and attendance from the Student Handbook are observed. In order to create a safe and secure learning and rehearsing environment, no profanity will be tolerated. The student handbook will be reviewed in the first period class on the first day of school. When the bell rings for class, the students will be in their seat with their instruments unpacked ready to tune. For each class period, each student will have their: 1. Instrument 2. Music 3. Shoulder rest, mute, rosin, cello/bass anchor etc. If the student does not have these materials, your class participation grade will be affected: 1 st infraction: Warning Further infraction: Reduction of weekly participation grade by 20 points Rehearsal Etiquette: Stay in the rehearsal. Do not talk during the rehearsal; listen to what the director is instructing, even if it is not specifically addressing you. Write in everything, bowing, phrases, etc. Raise your hand if you have a question or need clarification. Stay mentally present in the rehearsal; do not do homework or read. No food or drink in the classroom except for bottled water. No gum in the class room. No cell phones during class, unless specific direction is given to utilize them. Bathroom use is permitted, use the bathroom pass and sign out. If bathroom use becomes excessive (either in length or frequency) your class participation will be reduced. The first minutes of class are for you to unpack, get your music and get to your seat. Do not use the beginning of class to use the bathroom. Profanity is not tolerated in the classroom environment. No Food or Drink in the classroom, unless special permission or circumstance is provided by the director. Music: Classroom music folders and original sheets of music do not leave the classroom except during sectionals. You will be provided practice copies for home use. If your assigned folder and music are lost, you and your stand partner will be responsible for the cost of replacing the folder and original music. At the end of rehearsal, all folders must be returned to their cabinet slots. Conference: In order to utilize conference to practice or get extra help, you must obtain a conference pass from me. If you are in the orchestra room during class without a pass, you will be sent back to your classroom. If you sign up to come during conference but do not appear, you will not be permitted to attend conference for a period of two weeks.
Violin Sections: Violin sections will be auditioned and be given 1st and 2nd violin assignments that will rotate from piece to piece within a quarter. The concert master of the orchestra will remain in the first violin section to lead the orchestra and assist the director, or a coconcert master will be appointed and will rotate with the section. This decision is at the discretion of the director. Communications: Remind: Remind is a safe and easy communication texting tool for teachers, students and parents. If you download the remind app, you will also be able to initiate chats, respond to polls, and view pdf documents sent via remind. Without the app, you will still be able to receive class texts, and participate in chats initiated by the teacher. To join, send the following as a text to 81010 Concert Orchestra: @bashacon Symphony Orchestra: @bashasym AMS Orchestra: @bashaamso GroupMe: This is a two way communication to keep a group connected. I will use this for orchestra council, small performance ensembles, and section leaders. I will generate groups and invite you to them. You may also use GroupMe to create your own groups. Email: The old tried and true. Please feel free to email me at any time on my school address, patel.ajay@cusd80.com. This is the best way to get ahold of me individually, other than face to face. Do not send assignments and playing tests to this address, I will not accept it as turned in. Permission Slips: Permission slips must be turned in by the due date, or you will not be permitted to participate in the related activity. A student/parent crafted makeshift permission slip, or verbal permission are not acceptable. Permission slips are made available a variety of ways: as paper copies, sent via remind (pdf) and posted on the orchestra website (pdf)
Diversity Statement: All individuals have a right to an educational environment free from bias, prejudice and bigotry. As members of the Basha High School educational community, students are expected to refrain from participating in acts of harassment that are designed to demean another student s race, gender, ethnicity, religious preference, disability or sexual orientation. Attendance: All consequences pertain to the semester Absences (excused or unexcused): Absences 1-3 will be reported to the student, and a call home to the parent will be made if necessary. After the 3rd absence, the attendance office will be calling home and following through with the absence consequences as outlined in the student handbook. Unexcused absences will result in a reduction of 20 class participation points per absence. 9 absences may result in the removal of the student from the course. Tardies: 1st tardy: warning 2nd tardy: 10 minute detention 3rd tardy: 10 minute detention, call home 4 tardies and higher: referral to administration Make up work will be assigned at the discretion of the director.
Performances School Concerts There will be a school performance every quarter, reflecting student progress for that grading period. These performances are mandatory and are equivalent to exams in other classes. All performances will be held in the Basha High School auditorium unless otherwise indicated. Concerts will have a call time of 6:15 and begin at 7:00. If you miss a performance and do not contact me prior to the concert you will receive a 0 for that concert, and will remain a 0 until I hear from you or your parent as to why you missed that concert. If (when) you or your parent notify me that you will be missing (or have missed) a concert for a non-emergency reason, you will receive 50% for that concert. If you have a valid emergency and cannot be at the concert, you will have the opportunity to complete an alternate assignment for full credit. If you are injured or unable to play, your attendance is still expected at all concerts; you will still receive full credit. As with any conflicts, communication is essential. Most scheduling conflicts, sports, family, babysitting, etc. can be worked out if you have planned enough time to address them and communicate with me. Any opportunities for extra credit will be at my sole discretion. Concert dates for 2015-16 (tentative): September 8th, 2015 Fall Concert November 24th, 2014 Winter Concert February 23rd, 2016 Spring Concert May 3rd, 2016 Final Concert May 24th, 2016 (Graduation, Wells Fargo Arena) Other performances will be announced as they are scheduled. AMS concerts will be communicated via Ms. Cook and announced in class. AMS concerts will take place during the normal school period. ABODA Festival Performances ABODA (Arizona Band and Orchestra Director s Association) organizes performances in which the students have the opportunity to be evaluated by other well established educators and musicians, and perform for other schools. These festivals occur about once a semester, and are hosted by other schools. ABODA field trip performances will have an itinerary sheet that specifies when the bus will be leaving, which groups will be performing, the performance circuit for the ensemble, and when the bus will be returning. Students are required to participate in all of the activities to receive full credit for class. Students must ride the provided transportation unless other arrangements are made in advance with the director s knowledge. Participation in ABODA events requires the students to maintain a passing grade in all of their classes
Solo and Ensemble Solo and ensemble occurs in the fall, and functions similar to the Festival performances emphasizing solos and small ensembles. The Solo and Ensemble festival is a three tier system. The first tier will be based on a video recording of your performance that will be uploaded to an ABODA website, and then evaluated by a qualified adjudicator. Those selected (Superior rating) will then move to tier two, which is a live performance and evaluation at the AMEA Conference in January. Those selected will then perform in a Third tier honor performance at the All State Festival. The evaluations become increasingly more rigorous with each tier. Participation in ABODA events requires the students to maintain a passing grade in all of their classes. All above performances are mandatory and are part of your orchestra grade. If you have a conflict, you must let the director know at least 3 weeks before the concert. If I think the reason for the absence is qualified, I will assign makeup work that will substitute for your grade absence. Orchestra Trip There are no out of state trips scheduled for the 2015-2016 school year. There are preparations in place for a 2016-2017 trip to Carnegie Hall in New York. This trip will be for the Symphony Orchestra, with invitations to individuals in Concert Orchestra that are interested in participating and are able to perform at the requisite level. The Orchestras will participate in an ABODA style festival in Flagstaff AZ in place of a spring trip this year; details will be forthcoming. All Regional, All State Orchestra In January the students have an opportunity to audition for and participate in an orchestra that is comprised of the best string students in the region, and later in the state. Audition and excerpt information will be passed out as soon as the organization makes them available. Students in the Chamber orchestra are strongly encouraged to participate. Participation in ABODA events requires the students to maintain a passing grade in all of their classes. Concert Dress The Performance uniform will be as follows: Boys: Black tuxedo, white tux shirt, black socks, black dress shoes Girls: Black orchestra dress, dressy flats Non-compliance with the dress code will result in a lowering of your performance grade. Uniforms are rented from the school. Rental for the uniform is included in your class fee, and covers maintenance of the uniform and to periodically replace worn uniforms.
Students are responsible for temporary hemming, and dry cleaning the uniform at the end of the school year for return. Uniforms will not be accepted without a dry cleaning receipt. No permanent alterations may be made to the rented uniforms. All uniforms must be returned at the end of the school year, or the student will be charged a replacement fee. Grading Policy 30% Concerts and Performances,100 pts/concert See Performances 30% Classroom Behavior and Participation,100 pts/week See Classroom/ Rehearsal expectations 30% Playing Tests, 100 pts/test There will be weekly playing assignments given, and you will record your tests and email them to the following address: Concert Orchestra: bashaconcert@gmail.com Symphony Orchestra: bashasymphony@gmail.com AMS Orchestra: bashaamsorchestra@gmail.com These emails are for playing assignments and written assignments only; other communications should be sent to my school email address. Recording guidelines: 1. Say your name, instrument and class. Make sure that your audio file has your name as the file name 2. Files must be continuous and unedited, and your own playing 3. Files must be emailed by midnight of the due date 4. All instructions, including metronome and/or drone indications must be present in the recording. 5. Failure to follow the recording guidelines will result in a 0. (No 50% policy) If you do not have the means to record at home, you will be provided recording equipment at school for use during conference. Due dates will not be changed if you do not plan ahead and make time for recording your tests.
10% Written Assignments, 100 pts/assignment Reflection and evaluation papers will be assigned after each concert to observe and evaluate improvement after each concert. Papers may also be assigned on a particular composer, observed performance, or review of assigned reading. A weekly in class journaling assignment will also be given. Grading Scale The following will be used to determine the grade for a particular quarter: 90-100 = A 80-89 = B 70-79 = C 69-70 = D 50-59 = F Semester grades are calculated: Quarter 1 (3) = 40% Quarter 2 (4) = 40% Final Exam = 20% Infinite Classroom Online Parents can access their child s grades and assignments by accessing the internet portal from the school website. See your school handbook for more information. Discipline If an undesirable behavior develops into a consistent pattern, a meeting will be held between the director and the student. A plan will be developed and signed by the director, student and parent to help modify this behavior. If a severe problem arises, or the behavior modification plan is not effective, the appropriate administrator will be contacted.
Office Hours, extra help I will be available before or after school, and during conference period on Wednesdays and Thursdays by appointment. You will need to obtain a pass to meet with me during conference. Please schedule ahead and make sure to keep your appointments and help sessions. Student Orchestra Council At the beginning of the semester, an orchestra council will be elected to serve as counsel representing the orchestra body. The positions are as follows: President Vice President Secretary Treasurer Historian Photographer Stage Manager Librarian Lettering It is possible to earn letters and pins in orchestra. The Student orchestra organization will develop the criteria and maintain records of accomplishment. Lettering applications can be downloaded from the orchestra website, from the documents section. Field Trips The orchestra will participate in various field trips that are not performance related. Details and itinerary will be provided. As the departments and organizations are becoming responsible to pay for the transportation requirements for all field trip
Parent Chaperone Parent Chaperones will be needed for field trips and festivals. I will send out a letter requesting assistance and a means to contact me. Instrument Check out If you are a violinist or violist, it is strongly recommended that you rent/ own your own instrument. There are a few instruments available, but they are reserved for students who have no means of having an instrument otherwise. Once these needs are filled, the remaining violins and violas will be assigned. If you have a cello or bass at home, you will share an instrument with another student in class. You may have to bring an instrument from home for a performance, as there may not be enough instruments for combined pieces. If there are enough instruments, you may check out an instrument for home practice. Instrument rental is $40 for the year with a signed contract. Student is responsible for any damages to the instrument while it is in their possession. Lockers There are lockers provided for violin and viola students. Locks will be provided and must be used. Your locker is school property and may be accessed at any time. Make sure that your lock is locked even during class to avoid involuntary displacement of lock by another student. If your locker is frequently unlocked, you will lose the benefit of having a locker. Your locker is for the sole storage of your instrument and music; if you keep your gym shorts, lunch, and trash in your locker, you will lose your privilege to use a school locker. If you lose your lock, you will be charged a replacement fee of $10. All locks will be turned in at the end of the year, and lockers must be empty and clean. Orchestra Booster There is no formal Orchestra Booster, but parent assistance is needed to help with the program. Please contact me if you are able to volunteer with the following: Uniform Checkout/ organizing, Senior Flowers, Stage decoration, Performance opportunities for the students, etc.
Basha High School Orchestra Receipt of Policies Please complete the following information: Circle one: Concert Orchestra Symphony Orchestra AMS Orchestra I have read and understand the policies and consequences related to my enrollment and participation in orchestra: Printed Student Name: Student Signature: Student Email: Student Cell: T Shirt Size (circle one): Youth X Small Youth Small Youth Medium Youth Large Youth X Large Adult Small Adult Medium Adult Large Adult X Large Adult XX Large Adult XXX Large Parent Name: Parent Signature: