RANGER BANDS HANDBOOK

TEVIS JUNIOR HIGH SCHOOL RANGER BANDS HANDBOOK 2018-2019 Symphonic Band Jazz Ensemble Concert Band Marching Band Kelly K Willey, Director of Bands Tevis Junior High School A California Distinguished School 3901 Pin Oak Park Boulevard (661) 664-7211 Panama-Buena Vista Union School District kwilley@pbvusd.net 1

GOALS In alignment with the most recent Visual and Performing Arts Framework for California Public Schools, we hope the Tevis Ranger Band Program will help define "a balanced, comprehensive arts program as one in which the arts are studied as discrete disciplines related to each other and, when appropriate, to other subject areas in the curriculum." Students in a comprehensive program are expected to master the standards of an arts discipline, which are grouped under the following strands: a. Artistic Perception refers to processing, analyzing, and responding to sensory information through the use of the language and skills unique to dance, music, theatre, and the visual arts. b. Creative expression involves creating a work, performing, and participating in the arts disciplines. c. Historical and cultural context concerns the work students do toward understanding the historical contributions and cultural dimensions of an arts discipline. d. Aesthetic valuing includes analyzing and critiquing works of dance, music, theatre and the visual arts. e. Connections, relationships, and applications involve connecting and applying what is learned in one arts discipline and comparing it to learning in the other arts, other subject areas, and careers. PERFORMING ENSEMBLES CONCERT BAND The Ranger Concert Band is a performance ensemble comprised primarily of seventh grade students with some eighth grade students as well. These students have had at least one and perhaps two years of experience on their respective instruments. Besides some optional performance opportunities that may arise during the year, the following are required events for Concert Band members: Fall Dinner/ Concert Ratings Festival Fall/Winter Marching Rehearsals & Parades Winter Concert Spring Concert Spring Merit Trip 2

Students should be able to demonstrate a slightly better than average degree of proficiency on their instrument. They must also audition for the Director of Bands. Students in all bands are STRONGLY ENCOURAGED to take PRIVATE MUSIC LESSONS. SYMPHONIC BAND The Ranger Symphonic Band is a performance ensemble comprised of seventh and eighth grade students who have had at least two years of experience on their respective instruments. Besides some optional performance opportunities that may arise during the year, the following are required events for Symphonic Band members: Fall Dinner/ Concert Fall/Winter Marching Rehearsals & Parades Winter Concert Ratings Festival Spring Concert Spring Merit Trip Students should be able to demonstrate an above average degree of proficiency on their instrument. They must also pass a qualifying audition given by the Director of Bands. Students in all bands are STRONGLY ENCOURAGED to take PRIVATE MUSIC LESSONS. MARCHING BAND The Symphonic Band and the Concert Band combine in the fall/winter to form the Marching Band. Marching Band will rehearse on Tuesdays and Thursdays beginning at 7:30 am. Rehearsals will begin in September and continue through our marching performance in December. The Marching Band will perform at parades (e.g. Veteran's Day Parade and the Christmas Parade) and the Spring Merit Trip. Marching rehearsals and performances are required for Concert & Symphonic Band education. Missing the marching portion of band education will have a dire effect on a student s grade. Early Morning Marching Rehearsals 3

No Zero Period PE Yes, Zero Period PE Report to school at 7:30 a.m. Report to school at 7:30 a.m. Get your instrument and report to your rank/file in the Block Get your instrument and report to your rank/file in the Block Wear comfortable sport shoes and school clothes Wear comfortable sport shoes and school clothes Do not dress out Marching Roll is taken Marching Roll is taken 7:45 dismissed for PE roll (if your teacher requires it) ***Like Zero Period, there is no bus service and you must secure your own transportation and arrive on time for rehearsals*** JAZZ ENSEMBLE The Ranger Jazz Band is a performance ensemble comprised of students selected from the Symphonic Band. Students must be proficient on any one of the following instruments: Alto Saxophone, Tenor Saxophone, Baritone Saxophone, Trumpet, Trombone, Bass Guitar, Piano/Keyboard, Drum Set/Percussion. The Jazz Band has between fifteen and twenty-two members who will perform at various school and community events. 4

GRADING Grades will be determined using the following scale: 1. Daily Participation, Effort and Conduct 40% 2. Performances 40% 3. Playing Tests, Musicianship, Worksheets and Homework 20% Daily Participation, Effort and Conduct At rehearsals students should be eager to learn, work and grow together as fellow musicians. The following is expected of each musician daily: Instrument in proper working condition (Please have the student bring a note from his or her parents if the instrument is in the repair shop. In the note, please indicate how long the student will be without an instrument). Music - All students must bring their own music and method book in a folder to every rehearsal Pencil -- All students must bring their own sharpened pencil to every rehearsal Necessary Accessories - Reed players must have at least 3 reeds in playing condition at all times, cork grease, neck strap, valve oil, slide cream, water spray bottle, sticks, mallets, cleaning supplies, etc. Band Attendance good posture, attentiveness Sectional Attendance (Weekly) Special rehearsals-- Before/After School, Lunch or Evening rehearsals Performances The performance is the culmination of ALL work in class. All students MUST participate in rehearsals and performances. Any ensemble is a team in which all players are necessary. A Band Calendar of Events will be provided to each member. Please check the dates when you receive the calendar and notify Mrs. Willey by the end of August if your family has a conflict. If illness or a family emergency arises making a student miss a rehearsal or performance, please bring a note from the parent explaining the absence or call the Tevis office by the next day. Students missing a performance are subject to dismissal. 5

Performances require all materials and manners expected in our daily class. Additionally, incomplete or incorrect performance attire is unacceptable and will result in a lowered grade. An unexcused absence directly affect the student s grade. Each field trip the Ranger Band attends, busses will be our transportation. Safely transporting students is requisite for all trips, therefore, it is the District s policy that students attending a field trip must travel with the group on the bus to the site and returning to Tevis. (as per Ms. Gerrie Kinkaid, Assistant Superintendent, PBVUSD) Playing Tests, Musicianship, Worksheets and Homework Playing tests and worksheets will be given periodically each quarter to evaluate each student and to determine individual progress. Playing tests will be scales, seating, music, etc. Homework and Daily Practice -- Daily practice is vital for improvement of every member in the Ranger Band Program. Lack of home practice is obvious to the entire ensemble (hint, hint). If you leave school before the end of the day, please pick up your instrument before going home. Mrs. Willey will notice if instruments don t make it home each day. If you have an instrument that you leave at home and one you leave at school, please bring a signed note from your parent so Mrs. Willey knows. THE BAND ROOM (celestial sounds of oooo ) The Tevis Band Room is the BEST place!!! However, we must remember to treat the room, the instruments and our fellow musicians with respect. The way you enter the room should demonstrate your respect for our high standards (i.e. loud talking and running are unacceptable). Only music students should enter our room. The Band Room is off-limits to other Tevis students. It is an honor to be in the Band Room but, as much as we may love them, non-music students are prohibited. The Band Room will be opened most days at 7:35 a.m. for students to put their instruments in their lockers/cubbies, which will be assigned the first week of school. All students are encouraged to have their instruments insured, as the school district carries no insurance for personal instruments in case of theft or vandalism. Tevis Junior High 6

School and the Panama-Buena Vista Union School District are not responsible for lost or stolen instruments. If Mrs. Willey is in the room, band students are invited to practice or study before school, during lunch or after school (except on Tuesday & Wednesday). The room will be open at the end of the school day for students to pick up their instruments for home practice. Food and drinks WILL NOT be allowed in the Band Room at any time, GUM/CANDY INCLUDED. Gum chewing and/or eating/drinking in the room may result in a noon detention, a referral or both. REHEARSAL PROCEDURES Rehearsal is a time to make our group's musical performance better through careful study and meticulous practice. Rehearsal requires the concentrated effort of every member of the group. Upon entering the Band Room students should quietly take everything needed for rehearsal to their assigned seat (i.e. instrument, music, pencil, extra reeds, cork grease, neck strap, valve oil, slide cream, water spray bottle, sticks, mallets, etc.). Smaller cases are fine under/next to your chair. What s large? Tenor sax is getting pretty big be flexible about where cases need to go I am notorious for tripping over things in my fervor of teaching music. Students must be seated, ready to begin warm-up and tuning procedures when the bell rings or they may be marked tardy. Music should be placed in order of rehearsal (listed daily on board) before rehearsal begins. Please do not play your instrument before rehearsal! The podium is a platform in more than the literal sense of the word. It is a place from which musical gestures and suggestions can mold a group of individuals into a musical ensemble. Whenever the director or authorized person is on the podium, the members of the band will give him or her their undivided attention. This means total silence when the person is talking and quickness in responding to instruction. It s never wrong to be polite. A rehearsal ends WHEN the director ends it, not when the bell rings. Every student must put his or her music, instrument and accessories away properly at the conclusion of every rehearsal. This includes ALL percussion equipment (And don t forget to dispose of any scraps of paper or tissues that s just gross if you don t pick up after yourself). 7

Any student who does not maintain esprit de corps and the pride of a Ranger Band ensemble as a Ranger representative to the director, any other adult or another student is subject to dismissal from the band program. Infraction of any law while representing the Tevis Ranger Band will result in dismissal from the program. It is never wrong to have good manners. MUSIC Each musician is issued music and a folder so that he or she may practice nightly. Students are provided with photocopies so they may mark music in rehearsals. Only pencils are to be used to mark music. Any student that has lost his or her music is responsible for either: Borrowing the part or parts from another member of the section and making a copy on his or her own ---OR-- See Mrs. Willey before or after school to obtain a copy of the part or parts lost. Missing music issues must be handled before or after school, rather than during rehearsal. Music will be distributed throughout the year and added to students music folders. If a student is absent when new music is issued, his or her stand partner will be responsible for keeping the piece until he or she returns. WEEKLY SECTIONAL LESSONS Weekly sectional lessons are a vital part of the Ranger Band Program. Attendance is required. Weekly sectional lesson schedules will be will be posted in the Band Room. Sectionals are like the Elementary pull-out program where you leave one class to study music. The difference in junior high is that the times and days will change each week. When a student has a sectional lesson, the following procedure is to be followed: Students must politely request permission from their appropriate teacher to be excused for a sectional lesson. Students must make-up all work missed, including tests, at the convenience of that teacher. (Have I mentioned that it s never wrong to have good manners?) If the teacher does not allow the student to attend a sectional lesson, the student must return a Sectional Lesson Slip initialed by the teacher to Mrs. Willey within twenty-four hours of the missed sectional. If a student misses a lesson due to forgetfulness, his or her sectional attendance grade will be lowered. PERFORMANCE ATTIRE 8

Marching band uniform-- a full, formal parade uniform that will be checked out to band students. Students will provide flat black Dinkles Glide shoes (we will place the order as a group). Casual Concert Attire--used for the Fall BBQ, special rehearsals and travel. Jeans & tennis shoes, we will order the Music Department t-shirts as a group. No student will be denied participation due to lack of funds. If you are in need of assistance, please contact Mrs. Willey as soon as possible so arrangements may be made. TESTING Students will be individually tested each quarter to determine their progress in class. Areas subject to testing will be scales, key signatures, clapping and counting, music from class and sight-reading. SEATING Students in Symphonic Band, Concert Band and Jazz Band will be seated so that each member of the ensemble can best contribute to our TOTAL performance! Seating will be done several times per year in sectional lessons at the discretion of the director. CHALLENGE SYSTEM Students may improve their seat in the section by challenging a person seated above them. Challenge slips may be obtained from Mrs. Willey and should be filled out as follows: Music selected by the challenger Music selected by the person being challenged Date and time challenge is scheduled to occur 9

Challenges will be scheduled before and after school. The challenger must turn in the challenge slip at least SEVEN days before the challenge. The slip must be signed by: 1) the challenger 2) the person being challenged and 3) the director. If the challenger loses the challenge, he or she must wait FOUR weeks before re-challenging. Challenge slips will be accepted until two weeks before a performance. PRIVATE LESSONS Since Tevis Bands are devoted to the study and performance of literature for a large ensemble, members of these groups must gain the individual techniques, which are essential to this experience. As a student becomes more proficient, his or her musical enjoyment of music increases. Each musician will find that as the quality of individual playing improves, a greater body of literature is available for study and experience, thus enhancing the quality of the band. A student who attains a high level of musical achievement in junior high school often continues to participate in high school, college/university and adult/community bands. Although individual assistance is provided during rehearsals and sectional lessons, each band student is encouraged to study with a private teacher who is a specialist on his or her particular instrument. A private lessons teacher is able to devote an entire lesson toward addressing the needs of the individual student. The results of this type of attention simply cannot be attained in a large group setting. Any student interested in a private teacher recommendation may see Mrs. Willey. SCHOOL INSTRUMENTS The larger, more expensive, unique instruments, which are necessary to complete a well-balanced instrumentation in band, are available for checkout by students. Any student who checks out a school instrument is responsible for its care, safety, maintenance and repair as if it were their own instrument. 10

INSTRUMENT REPAIR The Ranger Band Program has a limited number of repair tools and equipment for Mrs. Willey to do some minor repairs. Please take major repairs to one of the following music stores: California Keyboards Nick Rail Music 2408 Brundage Ln 5111 Ming Ave (at Stine) (661) 327-5397 (661) 4124941 Instrument repairs are a huge waste of class time! Mrs. Willey does not have time to do repairs nor does she have the finesse to do the repairs correctly like a trained technician. Some students are embarrassed or afraid to tell me of an issue which means they are not learning what and how they should be in my class. Please make it part of your weekly routine to check with your student about supplies and repairs they may need. Thank you! PUBLIC RELATIONS As a member of a Ranger Band, you are in the spotlight of the school and the community. Each member must always demonstrate the high quality musical achievement and integrity that is part of the Tevis Ranger Band's reputation. You are representing your school and your community as well as yourself. You must always strive to reflect a positive image of YOUR SCHOOL, YOUR COMMUNITY and YOURSELF. CHAPERONES AND PARENT VOLUNTEERS Parent chaperones and volunteers are needed for almost every band trip. Parents who are willing to chaperone or volunteer should notify the director in writing. Please include your name, your child's name and a phone number and email. Chaperones will be assigned duties by the director as needed. Parents are needed to assist with uniform fitting, shoe sizing, the Fall Dinner, etc. If you are available, please let Mrs. Willey know. (***Parent Meeting 7pm August 21, 2018***) 11

CONCLUSION The Tevis Junior High School Bands are comprised of dedicated, enthusiastic and respectful musicians striving for the highest standards of musical and performance excellence. Individuals desiring acceptance into the program must set all personality conflicts aside. Success is only accomplished by each individual thinking and performing as one unit. The cohesiveness and unity of the band is unique in that individuals not only have the opportunity of generating their own excitement and enthusiasm but have the experience of becoming a part of the entire group's strengths and capabilities. Let s have an awesome year!!! kwilley@pbvusd.net School Phone: (661) 664-7211 12