GJHS Vocal Music Program Choir Handbook 2018-2019 Brad Hirsh, Director 970-254-6900 ext. 24152 brad.hirsh@d51schools.org Table of Contents: Course Descriptions.................................................. 2 Required Materials................................................... 3 Concert Uniform...................................................... 3 Class Structure....................................................... 4 Classroom Expectations.............................................. 4 Concert Attendance.................................................. 5 Make-Up Policy...................................................... 5 Grading Policy....................................................... 5 Calendar............................................................. 6 Lettering Requirements.............................................. 7 Agreement/Signature................................................ 8 1
Course Descriptions: Choir is a performance-based class in which students sing a variety of choral literature, spanning numerous time periods, genres, languages, cultures, and religions. It is my goal not only to provide students with an enriching choral experience, but to help them become excellent all-around musicians as well. Throughout the year, we will focus on music theory, aural skills, sight singing, and vocal pedagogy in addition to rehearsing literature during class. Women s Choir (1 st period) is for all women interested in vocal music. There is no audition or previous experience necessary. This ensemble participates in a CMU choral festival involving other high schools in the valley. Advanced Women s Ensemble (2 nd period) is an auditioned ensemble for women who want to excel in vocal music. This is an auditioned group in which members are held to the highest level of personal accountability. Weekly sectionals during lunch or after school are mandatory for this ensemble. Mixed Choir (3 rd period) is an auditioned ensemble for men and women who want to further their musicianship and vocal skill, while experiencing a mixed choir setting. Weekly sectionals during lunch or after school are mandatory for this ensemble. Leading Tones (4 th period) is a select group of seven women who will focus on barbershop singing, but explore other genres as well. Weekly sectionals during lunch or after school are mandatory for this ensemble. This group will have extra performances within the community. Westwinds Jazz Choir (5 th period) is our most selective group. This auditioned jazz choir is designated for our highest-level musicians who wish to pursue vocal jazz. Weekly sectionals during lunch or after school are mandatory for this ensemble. This group will have extra performances within the community. Men s Choir (6 th period) is for all men interested in vocal music. There is no audition or previous experience necessary. This ensemble participates in a CMU choral festival involving other high schools in the valley and performs with the Bookcliff Barbershop Chorus in April. Conchords A Cappella Choir (After School) is our modern a cappella group, which meets twice a week in the evening. This ensemble will require a substantial investment of time outside of school hours. Conchords will also have extra performances within the community. Chamber Choir (After School) will be re-introduced this year during Tiger Time with the women of Leading Tones and our top-auditioning men. This elite ensemble will require individual work and extra rehearsal outside of school. 2
Required Materials Music, Folder, and Pencil Students are responsible for having their music in class every day. Students will be provided with music, but are encouraged to attain a paper folder of their own. If students choose not to take their music home with them, I prefer that they leave it in the classroom folio cabinet. Remember that students are responsible for the music checked out to them. Students must pay to replace their music if it is lost or damaged. Please only write in pencil when making notes in the music and erase before returning it. Concert Uniform Students are required to wear the appropriate attire for all choral performances. The purpose of concert dress is to allow for uniformity in the professional sense; visually, the emphasis is not placed on individuals, but on the group as a whole. We follow the standard convention of dressing our women in black concert dresses, and the men in black concert tuxedos. Students may either purchase a uniform of their own to use all four years, or for a rental fee of $10 (new this year), a used uniform can be checked out to them from our inventory. Please be aware that students are responsible for all borrowed uniform items, and must pay to replace them if they are lost or damaged. All uniforms belonging to the choir department will require a temporary hem to adjust the length, and must be returned in good condition at the end of each school year. Women: Halle Dress ($70) Along with your dress, please wear black, close-toed dress shoes with no more than a 2 heel (no boots, tennis shoes, or sandals). Men: Concert Tux ($120) Your tux will include a vest, jacket, and pants. You need to provide your own white dress shirt (a long-sleeve button-up with a conventional collar), black calflength socks, black dress shoes, and a black tie. Leading Tones, Westwinds and Conchords: Students in these ensembles will need to purchase a uniform unique to the performing group. I would like to collaborate with the women on selecting a more practical uniform this year. Men will continue to wear a black shirt and pants with white suspenders and bow tie, which must also be purchased. 3
Class Structure Choir class will generally consist of the following components: Warm Up We will promptly begin every class with a warm up. Please be punctual and use this time to get focused on singing as a member of the ensemble. It is incredibly rude to use the bathroom during this time, to the director and your peers. Sight Reading This skill is pivotal for the vocal musician. We will practice reading melodies and/or rhythms every day, progressing in difficulty over the year. Rehearsal The meat of each class period is time spent rehearsing our choral literature, which brings us from reading a new piece to performing a final product. It is due to this component that ensemble development is part of students grades. Extra Materials On block days, we will have the opportunity to split rehearsal in half and pursue other knowledge and skills during this time. Those may include music theory, aural skills, audition prep, solo & ensemble prep, sectionals, improvisation, or arranging, depending on the class. Classroom Expectations Students should show up to class on time every day with their music folder and pencil. Daily attendance and participation is pivotal to every ensemble. Not only will unexcused absences be reflected in the student s grade, but more than five unexcused absences will disqualify the student from performing with that ensemble at the next concert. Students with excessive absences, even due to illness or other excused reasons, may be asked not to perform at the next concert. This is done on a case-by-case basis and at my own discretion out of respect for the students who do attend class regularly. Revised this year: Absent students will only be excused from ensemble development credit for school-related activities. Students will not receive credit for all other absences, including illness. Students who miss class due to illness will have the opportunity to make up lost credit by submitting record of equivalent personal practice time. Students are encouraged to bring a water bottle to class, but all other food and drink is not allowed during rehearsal. Cell phones and ipods should be put away at the beginning of class as well. Students who cannot exemplify self-control will be asked to place their phones in the folio cabinet until the end of class. Please do not use the restroom during instruction. At all times, a student s attitude in choir should be characterized by excellence, unity, enthusiasm, professionalism, and respect. Disrespectful behavior toward other students or myself will not be tolerated. Students who regularly exemplify poor attitudes about choir, the teacher, or their peers, will be encouraged to find a more suitable elective. The appropriate time to discuss concerns or disagreements with me is outside of class. 4
Concert Attendance Concert attendance is mandatory for all members of each performing group. Students are expected to stay the entire duration of the concert out of respect for their peers. Leaving early is unprofessional and unacceptable. In lieu of this expectation, it is my goal to be considerate of how long concerts are programmed to be (usually no more than 90 minutes). It is the student s responsibility to secure transportation to & from concerts, and to notify his/her employer about concert dates. There are few justifiable reasons for missing a concert, since concert dates are provided at the beginning of the year (page 6). Make-Up Policy Our performing arts department is moving toward a unified make-up policy, primarily regarding concert attendance. Of course it is impossible to make up a live group performance, but under the following circumstances, credit can be earned: - If a student misses a concert due to a valid school function (athletics, academic team, another performing group, etc.), the student is excused from concert credit. If the student would like to make up that credit anyway, he or she may do so by performing the concert material for me at a scheduled time. - If a student misses a concert due to extreme illness, that student may make up concert credit by performing the concert material for me at a scheduled time when the student is healthy. This must be done within two weeks of the performance. - If a student is deemed ineligible to perform due to excessive class absences, that student may earn up to 80% of concert credit by attending the concert as an audience member and writing a 1-2 page review of the concert. Grading Policy Performances 45% Fall Preview Concert 30 Fall Choir Concert 30 Combined Choir Concert** 20 Holiday Extravaganza 120 (30 per concert) Orchestra Concert** 20 Spring Choral Showcase** 20 Jazz Pre-Festival Concert** 20 Barbershop Concert** 20 Pre-Festival Concert 60 Colorado West Festival 60 Pops/Awards Concert 40 Ensemble Development 45% Daily (2 per day) 160 Sectionals (2 per week)* 30 Written Work < 10% Handbook Contract 10 Colorado West Reflection 20 *Sectionals apply to Advanced Women s Ensemble, Mixed Choir, Leading Tones, and Westwinds **Some performances only pertain to specific ensembles. Please see calendar (page 6) 5
Calendar Please make note of all performance dates in your own calendar. Performances in bold have grades associated with them. Call time for concerts is generally a half hour beforehand. It is the student s responsibility to sign in or make sure they are counted present at concerts. Additional performances may be added throughout the school year and some community performances are subject to change. That said, the most up-to-date version of our performance calendar will always be available on our choir website: www.gjhschoirs.weebly.com Date Event Performing Groups Location/Time September 10 CMU Choir Festival Women s & Men s Choir CMU/9:00am-2:00pm September 12 All State Registration Due Interested 11 th /12 th N/A September 12 Preview Concert All Choirs GJHS/7:00pm September 26 Fall Choir Concert All Choirs GJHS/7:00pm October 3 All State Jazz Auditions Due Interested 11 th /12 th N/A October 15 OMMS & WMS Rock-a-thon TBA OMMS & WMS/TBA October 16 Pre-All State Auditions Interested 11 th /12 th CMU/TBA October 17 Combined Choir Concert TBA GJHS/7:00pm October 26-27 All State Auditions Interested 11 th /12 th CMU/Fri. pm, Sat. am November 11-12 CCD Honor Choir Nominated Students CMU/All Day November 27-30 Musical Auditions Interested Students GJHS/TBA December 12 Extravaganza Dress All Choirs FCN/7:00pm December 13 Holiday Extravaganza All Choirs FCN/7:00pm December 14 Holiday Extravaganza All Choirs FCN/7:00pm December 15 Holiday Extravaganza All Choirs FCN/2:00pm & 7:00pm December 18 Orchestra Concert AWE & Men s GJHS/7:00pm January 19 EMS Rock-a-thon TBA EMS/2:00 January 24-26 All State Jazz Choir Selected Students Colorado Springs/All Day Jan 31 Feb 2 Colorado All State Choir Selected Students Denver/All Day February 15 Middle School Tour TBA EMS, WMS, OMMS/All Day February 22-23 Solo & Ensemble Festival* Participating Students GMMS/Fri. pm, Sat. am March 7-9 GJHS Musical Participating Students GJHS/7:00pm + Sat. 2:00pm April 2 Choral Showcase Chamber Choir CMU/7:30pm April 12 Jazz Pre-Festival Concert Westwinds Mesa Theater/7:00pm April 13 Barbershop Chorus Concert Men s & Leading Tones Avalon/2:00pm & 7:00pm April 23 Pre-Festival Concert All Choirs GJHS/7:00pm April 26-27 Colorado West Festival All Choirs CMU/All Day May 14 Pops/Awards Concert All Choirs GJHS/7:00pm May 19 Baccalaureate AWE & Men s GJHS/7:00pm May 24 Battle of the Choirs Conchords Edgewater/7:00pm *Participation in Solo & Ensemble Festival is required for lettering in choir Currently, all recruitment-oriented performances are marked TBA for performing groups. Ensembles will be assigned to these functions at a later date. 6
Lettering Requirements (Updated 8/14/2018) Varsity choir lettering is an honor for which all students may apply. Lettering students are expected to go above and beyond the normal responsibilities of a choir member. First-year letter recipients will receive an orange and black G ; students lettering for the second, third, or fourth time will receive a pin. In order to letter in choir, students must: Participate in choir all year Earn all A s in choir Attend all concerts Participate in Solo & Ensemble Volunteer for bingo at least once Acquire 200 points (underclassmen) Acquire 300 points (upperclassmen) Event # Points Your ensemble(s) earned Superior at Colorado West You received Superior rating(s) at Solo & Ensemble 20 per ensemble Excellent = 10 20 per entry Excellent = 10 10 each National anthem performance Please document events and dates/times Cast member or tech crew for GJHS musical 60 Participation in community musical/production Please submit a program from each production Participation in church/community choir Year round; please have director sign off Attendance at a school/community concert (not ours) Please submit a program from each production Auditioned for an all state choir (All State, All State Jazz) Selected and performed in an All State choir 30 each 30 10 each 20 each 80 each Nominated and performed in CCD honor choir 40 Auditioned for a collegiate program (seniors) 30 each Participated in choir all four years (seniors) 40 Choir Council Member 30 Private Lessons (voice or piano) Please document lesson dates and times Service for GJHS choirs Must be documented; please have me sign off at the time of service, NOT right before lettering applications are due. Total Lettering Application Due: Friday, May 3 rd 5 per hour 5 per hour 7
Agreement/Signature I understand and agree to the expectations stated in this handbook, including those concerning attendance and concert policies. I understand that I am financially responsible for the items checked out to me including music and uniforms if they are lost or damaged. I have also marked concert dates in my calendar and understand that performances are mandatory. Lastly, I understand that performing is not only an expectation in choir, but also a privilege that I earn by maintaining a respectful attitude and positively contributing to my ensemble. Student Name Student Signature Choir(s) in which you are singing this year Parent Name Parent Signature 8