Lmms Choral Program

2016-2017

LMMS CHORAL HANDBOOK

Chorus Director: Mrs. McCartney

Director’s assistant: Mrs. Shubzda

Email:

Welcome to Chorus at LMMS! This packet will give you all the information regarding LMMS Chorus. I look forward to working with all the students this year!

Curricular Choruses (These choirs meet during the school day, 9th period)

The LMMS choral program includes approximately 325 students, grades 6-8. Any student interested in chorus may sign up regardless of their skill level. Each grade level will develop/build their skills and interest in music, culminating in performances during the winter and spring. The students will develop skills such as basic musicianship, sight-reading, tonal memory, blend, intonation, balance, etc.

There is a choir for each grade level:

Ø Grade 6 chorus will meet days 1 and 4

Ø Grade 7 chorus will meet days 2 and 5

Ø Grade 8 chorus will meet days 3 and 6

CONCERT DATES ARE AS FOLLOWS!

(Please put these in your calendars as to avoid scheduling anything during this time!)

WINTER CONCERTS:

Dress Rehearsal: Monday, December 12th. Details will be released closer to the date.

December 14 and 15 @ 7:00PM in the auditorium

SPRING CONCERTS:

Dress Rehearsal: Monday, May 1st. Details will be released closer to the date.

May 3 and May 4 @ 7:00PM in the auditorium

** Please note that due to the large number of students involved in the LMMS choral program and the size of the auditorium, the chorus will perform 2 nights for each concert performance. It is extremely important that students are at both performances! The students must stay for the entire concert due to the Finale piece including all students. There are no tickets for the concerts. The seats are first come, first serve. We have never had a problem with not enough seats in the auditorium.

MUSIC:

All students receive a folder and music for chorus. Students are in charge of taking care of their music. The music and folders are school property and the students are responsible for them. Students may sign out their music it to take it home and work on it, however, they are responsible for bringing it back for the next scheduled chorus practice. If music is lost or ruined there will be a $15.00 fine.

Dress Rehearsal:

There is one dress rehearsal for the winter concerts and one dress rehearsal for the spring concerts. These dress rehearsals take place in an evening before the concerts. The reason for holding a dress rehearsal in the evening is to allow for all students to rehearse together.

Concert Attire for all curricular choruses:

Boys: / Girls:
- Must have a pair of black dress pants with only two front pockets and two back pockets. (No jeans, shorts, or cargo pants will be allowed.)
- White button down shirt, long or short sleeved.
- Tie
- Black Dress Shoes (No sneakers or sandals)
- Black Socks / - Dress (Black/White only and must have some type of sleeve or a cardigan to cover)
- White blouse (must have a sleeve or a cardigan to cover)
- Black dress slacks or black skirt (must be knee length)
- Black dress shoes (No stiletto heals; No sandals or sneakers)
- Stockings or slip if needed

If there are any questions about apparel please contact Mrs. McCartney or bring it in. There are available ties/shoes for students to borrow if needed. Please give notice to Mrs. McCartney before the concerts. If students come with anything but the appropriate uniform, they will not be able to perform in the concert.

*If there are any parents of boys who have dress shoes that have only been worn once or twice and they can no longer wear them, we will accept any donations to add them to the Chorus Department. We use these shoes for students and families who are unable to afford new shoes.

DROP/ADD PERIOD:

There are two semesters of choir, fall and spring. For the fall semester, students may drop or add chorus until October 7, 2016. For the Spring semester students will be given from January 3rd through January 13th to add or drop chorus. In order to drop successfully there is a form that must be signed by the parents and by Mrs. McCartney and returned to their guidance counselor. STUDENTS MAY NOT DROP AT ANY OTHER TIME, unless drop is a result of a disciplinary action!

GRADING AND ATTENDANCE:

While chorus is an elective, it is considered a class that is graded. Grades will be broken down into three sections: attendance (missing rehearsals and lateness), behavior, and participation.

Rehearsal Grade:

Rehearsal grades are based upon attendance and behavior during warm-ups, discussions, and rehearsal time.

Ø Each student begins with a 100% in chorus.

Ø Attendance is taken each day. It will be your responsibility to sign in everyday! Do not forget! Attendance shows on eSchool like a “Classwork Assignment.” Each day that you attend chorus you receive 10 points.

02/01/2013 02/01/2013 Attendance
Classwork 10.00 1.00 10.00 10.00 10.0000 100.00%
01/29/2013 01/29/2013 Attendance
Classwork E 1.00 10.00 10.0000 0.00% ß This does not affect their grade because it is Excused.
01/26/2013 01/26/2013 Attendance
Classwork 0.001.00 10.00 10.0000 0.00% ß This will affect their grade because it’s a 0.00!

Ø Students who are told to get rid of their gum or are eating any food will lose 5 points from their grade.

Ø Students who are told to be quiet lose 5 points from their grade.

Points may be made-up if a student misses a rehearsal for an unexcused reason or is sent to home room with a one page report on anything about music which is due two days after the rehearsal the student missed.

Performance:

All performances of the LMMS choruses are mandatory because they are part of the school curriculum. A chorus calendar with the concert dates is included in this handbook. Parents: please put all concert dates on your family calendar. Your child’s presence at performances is very important and worth 50% of their grade!

Students’ Performance grades are broken down as follows:

¨ Dress rehearsal is equal to a 50 point “Test Grade.”

¨ Each concert is equal to a 100 point “Test Grade.”

¨ If students are not in the appropriate dress, come late, or are misbehaving; this will result in losing points from their “Test Grade.”

Note: Performance grades will be lowered for inappropriate concert behavior such as talking or causing any kind of distraction during a performance.

Students who are going to miss a concert must have a written excuse handed in by the day before the concert day. Excuses handed in the day of will not count and willresult in a grade of "0" for the performance section of the concert grade. If the absence is excused, the student will be graded only on the student’s contribution to the performance up to that point and will not affect the overall grade. Forgetting about the concert, not having a ride, not having proper attire, etc. will not be considered unexcused concert absences and will result in a grade of “0” for the performance portion of the grade. Excused absences are those mentioned in the Attendance portion of the handbook below.

**If there are no performances during a grading period, grades will be calculated based on the rehearsal grade only.

Attendance:

EXCUSED ABSENCE POLICY:

Absences from rehearsals may be excused if the student or teacher emails or contacts me before that day’s rehearsal and it is a legitimate excuse. Making up work during class time is not a legitimate excuse unless we have worked out that no other time seems possible. If this becomes an issue it is the student’s responsibility to let me know and I will contact that teacher. Other excused absences will include emergencies and excused absences from school (i.e. leaving school early, medical illness, sick, etc.). Students may be excused for other reasons but ONLY if prior arrangements are made with the choir director. Any other reason is considered an UNEXCUSED ABSENCE. We meet so seldom it is important that you schedule make-up work with your teachers on other days during 9th period!

UNEXCUSED ABSENCE POLICY:

Failure to attend a rehearsal for any unexcused reason after the first one will result in disciplinary actions for skipping class, and participation on the chorus trip could be revoked. This is a very strict policy but must be enforced due to such high enrollment in all choirs.

This policy WILL BE enforced! All unexcused absences will affect your student’s grade. We see each other once (sometimes twice) a six-day cycle, and only have 30 minutes to warm up, make announcements, rehearse, and leave for the busses! If there are any questions regarding this policy please email me!

Remind101:

Parents and students are allowed to receive text message alerts through Remind101. Mrs. McCartney will use this app to send reminders and deadlines out digitally. Any student 13 and older is allowed to use this app. Any student under the age 13 can only use this app with their parent’s consent.

If interested in using this app please follow these directions:

1. Send a text to this number: 81010

2. The text should read: @lmmsch

3. You will then automatically be added to the LMMS Chorus Class.

CHORUS TRIPS: (8th grade, Cadence, Treble Choir & Aksents)

8th GRADE CHORUS will be taking a trip to NYC to see the Broadway musical. 100 tickets will be reserved and they will be sold first come first serve. The costs of tickets and the show will be announced soon.

CADENCE will participate in a number of trips this year as stated above. Students in Cadence will perform for nursing homes and community events in the winter and will participate at sports events and Hershey during the spring semester.

TREBLE CHOIR/AKSENTS will go to Dorney Park after performing at the LMMS High Note Festival.

All trips require payments that are due at specific times. There are fundraisers available throughout the year to help defer the cost of any or all trips. NO LATE FUNDRAISERS WILL BE ACCEPTED.

Extracurricular ENSEMBLES:

CADENCE:

This ensemble represents a select group of 6th-8th graders that are involved in a curricular chorus. Students must audition and not all who audition will be accepted. The number of students in this group will be anywhere from 40-50. This group will be performing at numerous venues including Veterans Day at LMMS, local tours of assisted living homes, elementary schools, hospitals, competitions, sports events and winter and spring concerts.

- Rehearsals will be Tuesdays and Thursdays from 2:30-4:00 during the Fall/Winter season and only on Tuesdays from 2:30-4:00 from January-May.

- There may be added practices if needed.

This choir builds upon the fundamentals of vocal technique, musicianship, and musicality. Sign-ups will be outside Mrs. McCartney’s Chorus Room, 203. All who are interested may sign up and at that time will get a sheet explaining the audition process.

Note: There will be two teachers present for the auditions. Students will NOT have to sing alone but in small groups. Students are responsible to bring all audition materials with them on their audition.

CADENCE UNIFORM:

Formal uniforms are provided for the members. There is no cost to the student for the uniforms. However, uniforms must be DRY-CLEANED BEFORE AND AFTER uses.

COSTS:

Cadence gets a chance to perform at many different events throughout the school year, including IronPigs, Phantoms, Hershey, Christmas Tree Lightings, Community events, school events, etc. However, many of these events cost money to participate. The average Cadence member will spend approximately $170 throughout the year to participate in this organization. Fundraisers are available to defer from ALL costs with Cadence.

AUDITION DATES: September 6th and September 7th after school and call backs will be September 8th after school.

TREBLE CHOIR

Treble Choir is a non-auditioned chorus that is open to any student in 6th-8th grade that is in curricular chorus. This chorus rehearses from January through May on Friday afternoons from 2:30 – 4:00pm. This allows for students in 6th grade to become familiar with school and their classes. If interested in this chorus please sign up outside Mrs. McCartney’s room when the time comes. The objectives of this choir is to allow students in choir to come together and work on balance, blend, choral tone, and to just have fun after school singing!

THE AKSENTS

The Aksents is a non-auditioned chorus that is open to any male student in 6th – 8th grade that is in curricular chorus. This chorus meets from January through May on Wednesday afternoons, from 2:30 – 4:00pm. If any student is interested please sign up outside Mrs. McCartney’s room when the time comes.

Sincerely,

Mrs. Kelly McCartney

www.eastpennsd.org/teacherpages/kmccartney ß New website address will be coming soon!

By signing the contract below, you and your child acknowledge that you have read and have understood all the requirements of the LMMS choral program.

Return this page to Mrs. McCartney or Mrs. Shubzda on or before October 7th, 2016.

Remind101:

(Students/Parents must have a cell phone to participate in Remind101)