ALTON HIGH SCHOOL SYMPHONIC HONORS ORCHESTRA SYLLABUS 2015-2016 MRS. PLUMMER The Symphonic Orchestra Honors curriculum is more rigorous and it is designed to prepare you for the college/university music program. There is a higher expectation placed on your theoretical and performance skills. As you know, it is an honor and a privilege to be a member of this ensemble. As members of the Symphonic Orchestra, your attendance is expected at all after school rehearsals and performances. You have already received the performance schedule for this year. You will receive after school rehearsal schedules with at least two weeks notice. It is your responsibility to make your parents aware of all performance and rehearsal dates, mark them in your agendas, and make the schedules work. Your total commitment to the orchestra is vital to our success. MATERIALS 1. Advanced high school and orchestral literature. 2. Essentials for Strings scale book; available at Halpin Music Co. or at the amazon link through abob.net 3. New set of strings for your instruments, as well as a back-up set. AFTER SCHOOL REHEARSALS The Symphonic Orchestra has very high expectations. Being a member of this ensemble requires extra time and effort on your part. We must have after school rehearsals in order to prepare our full orchestra music with the winds, brass and percussion, who rehearse even more than the strings do after school. They do not receive an orchestral grade. We also have to put both 4 th and 5 th hour string sections together. Strings receive points for all after school rehearsals in addition to the concert. You are given the after school rehearsal schedule several weeks in advance of your first rehearsal and it is your responsibility to be at all rehearsals. Work is not an excuse and athletics schedules are to be worked out between you and your coach. For security reasons, only music students are allowed in the music suite of the high school which includes the back hallway. Only music students are allowed in the orchestra room. Please have your non-music friends wait for you in the Gym/Auditorium lobby. The phone and the computers in the orchestra room are not for students personal use. Always ask permission first. Please do not set cases, books or purses on the percussion equipment or pianos. Students may not play the pianos without permission. CELL PHONES All students have the right to have their cell phones in either their pockets or their purses, but they are not to have them on or out during any rehearsal or class time. Referrals will be written. There may be times (e.g., Chamber, ILMEA, ILMEA All-State) that I will need to communicate with you via cell phone or text message. My cell communication with you is only for school and orchestral related activities. You never give out my phone number.
ID S All students are required to wear their own id s at all times. During rehearsal, cellists and bassist will remove their id so as not to scratch the instruments. GRADING SCALE A 100-90 B 89 80 C 79 70 D 69-60 F 59-0 Symphonic (H) students whose grade drops below a B will lose honors status. Students whose grade drops below a C in Symphonic Orchestra will be moved into the Concert Orchestra. EVALUATION 20% Homework, practice forms and other written assignments. Ten (10) points will be deducted from an assignment for each day late. Anything more than three days late will be an automatic zero. 30% Playing Tests 30% Performances 20% Semester Final Exam Two points are deducted from your concert grade each time you forget your instrument. If you are unable to play due to illness or injury bring a note from your doctor or parent. If you are unable to play because your instrument is in the shop, bring a receipt of repair. A broken string is not an excuse. You should always carry extra strings with you. All performances are required. Missing any single performance will result in a failing grade for that concert. The only excuses accepted for missing any single concert are family emergencies or illness in which case I must receive a phone call or email from your parents: 474-6967 or lplummer@altonschools.org. Your attendance at school is vital to your musical growth and academic success. If you have an unexcused absence, you will not perform or attend after school concerts or functions that same day. If your absence is excused, you will be given an alternate assignment to make up the performance grade. If you missed school and are feeling better, you may perform at the concert. PERFORMANCE REQUIREMENTS AND ASSIGNMENTS Symphonic Honors credit is earned, not given. Minimum of six (6) public concerts per year, including the IHSA Organization Contest. The IHSA Organization Contest is our state contest that supersedes all other IHSA functions, sport activities, field trips, or other school activities. Honors credit students have more advanced requirements for the fall scale and arpeggio test. ILMEA Auditions: over scales, ILMEA All-State audition material and sight-reading or Honors Etude Playing Test. After school rehearsals for each concert. IHSA Solo & Ensemble Contest project second semester. Playing exams.
One fine arts critiques per semester on LIVE performances. These critiques may be over any AHS music or theatrical performance of which the student is not a participating member. Critiques may also be on other live plays, musicals, and concerts (excluding pop concerts) in the St. Louis/Metropolitan area. Higher level music theory. Individual home practice/practice forms. Juniors who have been in Symphonic Orchestra will not have to audition their senior year. SEATING AND PLAYING TESTS There will be two (2) sets of playing tests each year, one in September the other in March. Playing tests will be announced with at least one weeks notice. All students should be prepared to take their playing test on the date announced. Playing tests will consist of excerpts from music currently being studied in orchestra. The performance will be critiqued on intonation, technique, rhythmic accuracy, dynamic interpretation, musicality, and overall general performance. You will be listed in seating order on programs. Students on first stand must maintain at least a B average in the class and are expected to attend all after school rehearsals. There are no challenges. Being a member of this orchestra requires a cooperative rather than a competitive spirit. Every single member of this orchestra is expected to play like a leader regardless of where you are seated. Eg. Concert Seating After 2 Playing Tests 1 2 3 4 5 12 6 11 7 10 8 9 All violins will take a playing test sometime during the second week of school to determine section placement. CONCERT DRESS Women: Dresses will be assigned to you by the end of September. You are to wear black closed or peep toe dress shoes or dress flats with your concert dress. No sandals. Dresses may be washed at home on cold and hung to dry or they may be dry-cleaned. Men: Tuxedo pants and jackets provided to you by the end of September. You are to provide and wear: solid white tuxedo dress shirt with a butterfly/winged collar, black bow tie, black socks, and black dress shoes with your tuxedo. No tennis shoes. You may need to purchase clip-on suspenders because the tuxedo pants do not have belt loops Students are responsible for all alterations. Cindy Kirbach will do Symphonic alterations for free. Contact her at: work: 465-8531, home: 466-1743, or cell: 792-7481.
REHEARSAL PROCEDURES Arrive on time with your instrument, your own music, and a pencil. Be seated in your appropriate chair and ready to rehearse as soon as possible. You are responsible for marking bowings, fingerings, or other changes discussed in sectionals and rehearsals. If your music has been lost, you are solely responsible for replacing it. Originals are $5 per copy. Please do not bring food and beverages in the rehearsal and performance areas. Water is fine. No gum. Chewing gum is an obsequious bovine habit. Talking will be kept to a minimum during rehearsals. If you are going to be sick, get yourself out of the rehearsal or off stage immediately. APPROPRIATE ORCHESTRAL BEHAVIOR Students are expected to present themselves in a mature manner at all rehearsals and concerts, on and off school property. The orchestral experience not only develops musical talents, but also helps the student to acquire performance etiquette. The following behaviors will not be tolerated: disrespect towards the teacher and students, foul or inappropriate language, loud and disruptive behavior, and lack of self-control. The following disciplinary actions will be taken to resolve any problems: 1. verbal reprimand 2. phone call to parent 3. referral to assistant principal 4. conference with parent 5. removal from the orchestra program LOCKERS All violins and violas will be assigned individual lockers. You are responsible for locking your orchestra locker at all times. The Alton H.S. Music Department, Alton H.S. and the Alton School District are not responsible for items stolen or damaged from your locker. Talk to me if you need to keep a textbook or two in your locker in the orchestra room. Cell phones and purses are to be locked in your lockers during rehearsals. Ladies in the cello/bass sections: purses are to be kept closed and tucked under your chair during rehearsal or I can lock them up for you. SECTIONALS Sectionals will take place during the A portion of 4 th hour. Watch the board and check the orchestra web site. A: Sectionals while everyone else goes to lunch B: Everyone in orchestra rehearsal C: Everyone in orchestra rehearsal D: Sectionals has lunch while everyone else is in rehearsal
INSTRUMENT RENTAL School violas, cellos, and basses are available to rent at a cost of $40.00 per year. AHS is very limited on violins. Everyone who plays on a district instrument at school must pay this fee regardless of instruments personally owned at home. Because of the large numbers of students, some instruments may be shared. You may transport instruments to and from school for home practice. Cellists and bassists will most likely share an instrument with someone in Concert Orchestra. Parents are responsible for ALL repairs to instruments. AWARDS Senior Pin Arion Award National School Orchestra Award to a senior who has shown above average dedication to the Alton High School orchestra program. EXTRACURRICULAR and COMMUNITY SERVICE MUSICAL ACTIVITIES I strongly encourage all students to participate in outside fine arts activities. Extra credit will be given as well as community service credit for giving back to our community without receiving compensation: Assisting at ABOB events Performing in small groups for nursing homes and retirement communities Alton H.S. Chamber Strings Ensemble (audition for new members) Pit Orchestra (audition ensemble) Alton Symphony Orchestra (rehearses Hatheway Hall, 7:30-9:30 Monday evenings) St. Louis Symphony Youth Orchestra Private instruction Extracurricular fine arts activities sponsored by the AHS Fine Arts Department: Band, Choral, Theater Performing in church services ALTON BAND AND ORCHESTRA BUILDERS The Alton Band and Orchestra Builders (ABOB) is a key figure in the success of the instrumental program in our district. They provide extra funds for your instruments, trips, music, parties, etc. All orchestra students are expected to help out in some way at the following ABOB events: Annual Cheese and Sausage fundraiser: Kickoff Aug. 25. Orders come in week of Sept. 28. ABOB Trivia Night: Fri, Oct. 16, 6:00 p.m., Atrium Hotel (formerly Alton Holiday Inn) 2016 St. Louis Cardinals Calendar sale, November. Calendars come in December Olde Alton Craft Fair: Sat., Dec. 5 & Sat., Dec. 6 (set-up Fri., Dec. 4) Music Matters Dinner/Auction: Sat., March 12 AHS Commons (set-up Fri., March 11) Butter Braid & Cookie Dough Sales: October and March Easy, virtually effortless ways for you and your family to support our music program: Shop Amazon to support ABOB. Simply get to Amazon via the link at www.abob.net homepage and ABOB will get a commission from your purchases- you will not have to spend any extra money! You can also check out our ABOB Amazon store at http://astore.amazon.com/a0a78219-20 Schnucks e-script Card: FREE; just pick up and take to any cashier and register it under Alton Band and Orchestra Builders. A percentage of your total monthly purchases come back to ABOB. Keep up with everything happening in the Alton High School Orchestra program at www.abob.net.
Please sign this page and return to Mrs. Plummer. Thank you. I have read this syllabus and understand its contents, which include the rules for rehearsals, appropriate orchestral behavior, concert dress, and rehearsal and concert attendance. Student s Signature Date I have reviewed my student s Alton High School Orchestra Syllabus and orchestra schedule. I give Mrs. Plummer permission to contact my child via his/her cell phone for school and orchestral related communications. Parent/Guardian Signature Date Please contact Mrs. Plummer with any questions. lplummer@altonschools.org 474-6967 Thank you!