Volume

7

Choirs

Canyon View High School 2007-2008

CHORAL MUSIC HANDBOOK

1

CANYON VIEW HIGH SCHOOL

Choral Music Handbook

Adrianne J. Tawa, Choral Director

Canyon View High School

166 W 1925 N

Cedar City, UT 84720

(435) 586-2813

1

Table of Contents

I. Introduction1

Welcome Letter1

Power Standards2

Academic Goals3

Performance Goals3

Leadership4

Choir Presidencies4

Parent Committees5

Director5

II. Classroom Routines6

Beginning Class6

Attendance and Tardy Policy6

Hall Pass and Bathroom Policy6

Make-up Work Policy7

Extra Credit Opportunities7

Group Work7

Trips & Travel Policy8

Fundraisers8

Uniforms9

III. Student Behavior/Discipline10

Classroom Behavior10

Serious Offences Policy10

IV. Awards, Incentives 10

IV. Effectiveness/Evaluation11

Grading11

Competency Requirements11

I.Introduction

Welcome Letter

Dear Parents and Choir Students,

On behalf of our administration and faculty, I gladly welcome you to the Canyon View High School Choral Music Program. You are now a very important member of what has been recognized as one of the fastest growing and finest high school choirs in the state of Utah. I sincerely believe your involvement in choirs will be rewarding. You will sharpen your music skills and deepen your appreciation of life in general. I expect that you will have an enjoyable time being part of this organization, which continues to build a tradition of superior performance and musical excellence.

Music is an integral part of education. Music awakens imagination, opens the mind and activates the body. I believe vocal music training has merit for all learners. I strongly believe in the power of music to build bridges between logic and emotion. I am committed to helping all students gain organizational and study skills to help them be independent learners, to learn to ask well thought out questions and express themselves creatively.

I am pleased by the support for choral music shown from the students, parents, teachers and administration of Canyon View, and the Iron County School District Administration. I have high expectation for the choirs this year and am dedicated to ensuring that students have the training and tools they need to reach higher.

This handbook is provided to make your orientation to the choral music classroom a quick and easy task. I encourage both students and parents to read this handbook so that you may better understand policies, regulations and your new obligations. A Canyon View High School Choir Member should be cooperative, strive for the highest possible scholastic record, develop a wholesome attitude toward the choir, school, and community and in general, distinguish him/herself by always doing the right thing at the right time.

I am looking forward to working with each one of you. Your talents and hard work can make this year at Canyon View very exciting, fun-filled, and musically rewarding for all of us.

Sincerely,

Mrs. Adrianne J. Tawa

CVHS Choral Director

Power Standards for the Fine Arts

Canyon View High School

Fine Arts Mission: To instill in our students a life long appreciation for the cultural arts by developing a desire to participate and attend concerts, visit galleries, and continue production of the arts.

Music Arts

Production / A)Explore, understand, and refine techniques and processes in a variety of musical style and form.
B) Create music using techniques and style
elements.
Perceiving / A)Critique music.
B)Evaluate musical performances.
Expressing / A)Create meaning in music.
B)Perceive meaning in musical works.
Relating / A)Understand music and its’ relationship with culture, history and personal experience.
B) Understand music and its’ connection to other subjects.

Academic Goals:

  • Students will demonstrate self-respect and respect for others.
  • Students will demonstrate team-building skills.
  • Students will improve knowledge and use of musical language.
  • Students will demonstrate development of the voice as an instrument.
  • Students will demonstrate a willingness to meet high performance goals.
  • Students will demonstrate competency in the nine national standards of music education.

I. Singing alone and with others, varied repertoire of music.

  1. Improvise melodies, variations and accompaniments
  2. Compose/arrange music within guidelines.
  3. Reading & notating music.
  4. Listening to, analyzing and describing music.
  5. Evaluating music and music performances.
  6. Understanding the relationship between music, the other arts and disciplines outside the arts.
  7. Understanding music in relation to history and culture.
  8. Music vocabulary.

Performance Goals:

  1. Ensembles will perform at high levels in concert and festival/competition.
  2. Ensembles will participate in exchanges with other schools in the region.

Leadership

A successful activities program is multi-faceted. It is necessary to develop support structures beyond the director alone. If a program relies on the talents of one, it will only be a “good” as one. Our program at Canyon View will rely on the talents of many. Three leadership organizations will be established to help in the planning and executing of all choral music activities.

  • Choir Presidencies

Each choir will have elected and appointed officers. Student officers will give the student body a voice in decisions about activities and performing venues. Choir leadership will be responsible for helping the director recruit members to the choirs. Choir leaders will be trained in house management, concert etiquette, library and uniform management, organizing tours, beginning class with warm-ups, running sectional rehearsals and other rehearsals as necessary.

The atmosphere in choir will be free from negative language. Insulting remarks or yelling is not allowed. Mrs. Tawa will maintain a supportive positive environment so the creative process can thrive. Students must not take advantage of the good-natured atmosphere by being disruptive or by not paying attention in rehearsal. The council members will assist in the structuring and maintenance of the positive learning environment.

OFFICER RESPONSIBILITIES

President:

  • Begin class if Mrs. Tawa cannot
  • Arrange with other officers, pianists and leaders to play warm-ups
  • Help in the planning and facilitating of fundraisers
  • Help in the planning and organization of trips

Vice President:

  • Assist the president with all the above duties
  • Primarily responsible for costume assignments and inventory

Secretary:

  • Assist with roll taking and/or seat assignments
  • Assist in the distribution of music/folders
  • Coordinate with the section leaders.

Historian:

  • Make posters and flyers for advertisement purposes
  • Take photographs of special events
  • Maintain a scrap book of the years accomplishments

(Choir Officers Continued)

Section Leaders:

  • Work with sections as leader/conductor or accompanist during sectional rehearsals
  • Make sure your section has their music/materials every day
  • Report any delinquency within the section to Mrs. Tawa

Assistant Conductors:

  • Chosen by audition
  • Work with sections as leader/conductor or accompanist during sectional rehearsals
  • Conduct a minimum of one song on at least one concert.
  • Assist in program planning.
Parent Support

Parent support is essential to he success of our choir program. Parents will be asked to assist in specific ways such as help measure and wash costumes. Fundraising events, tour planning, chaperones and award functions/parties require the dedication of great parents.

  • Director

The director will assume full artistic and instructional responsibility for the choral music programs. The director will consult parents, student leadership and/or administration regarding artistic and academic decisions as needed. The director will aid parents, train and guide student leaders and work as liaison with administration. An open door policy exists for students, parents and administration. Appointments should be made in extenuating circumstances.

II.Classroom Routines

Required Materials

Each choir student will be assigned a music folder and slot number. They will be required to keep only these materials in their assigned slot and have them available every day at rehearsal.

  • Pencil
  • Single Subject notebook (70 or 80 sheet college ruled)
  • Music Folder

Beginning Class

  • Students will enter the class and leave backpacks etc. on the table near the door.
  • Gather music folder/journal and pencil and be to your assigned seat by the time the bell rings.
  • Read the board and organize your music in rehearsal order.
  • Follow any instructions regarding bell work or journaling.

Attendance and Tardy Policy

Students are expected to be on time and in class every day. When a student is absent, the parent should contact the CVHS Attendance Office within 48 hours either by a signed note or phone call, (586-2813) to excuse and absence. If the CVHS office has not been notified within 48 hour the absence will be considered unexcused.

  • Daily participation points will be awarded for students who are in class on time and participating with the group in the activities assigned. (20 points)
  • Students in class but not participating due to illness are expected to complete a rehearsal evaluation to retain participation points
  • Participation points will be deducted for students who are tardy with no official excuse, in writing from CVHS staff or parent (-5)
  • Truancy is not acceptable. If a student is truant (sloughing) once, they will receive a warning and parents will receive a phone call. If truancy occurs again, the student will be asked to find another class at the end of the term. handbook(– 30 points)
  • Students who are not in their seat at the bell are considered tardy. The door will be shut and students will be required to sign the tardy roll.
  • Three tardies per term equals one truant absence. See the policy above

Hall Pass and Bathroom Policy

  • Students have many opportunities to use the restroom on their own time. Students may use the restroom before school, during each of the seven minute breaks between class, at lunch and/or after school. Students are not allowed to interrupt the rehearsal by asking for a hall pass. In special circumstances, students may have an emergency and need to leave rehearsal. I will provide each student with two hall pass request forms per semester. The form will request the student name, reason they had to leave class/rehearsal and, the date and time they left class. I will note the time of return when they bring back the hall pass.

Make-up Work Policy

Since music is a participation class, any student absent will miss out on the daily exercises that make us better singers and musicians. Students will not be able to make up points missed for unofficial /unexcused absences or truancies. Each student will be expected to pass off individual learning goals and meet state core curriculum objectives (national standards). Students not meeting goals and objectives will be denied the opportunity to perform in concert, and will not be accepted into the course for the following semester.

  • Students are expected to get any missed information due to absences etc, from their section leaders.
  • Failed grades may only be remediated (fixed or made up) within one quarter maximum time period.

Extra Credit opportunities exist to make-up points missed due to excused absences or extenuating circumstances. Please consult with Mrs. Tawa and plan a course of action to make up missed points. Options are as follows:

Extra Credit Opportunities

Approved Concert Attendance20 points per concert

  • Student may attend an approved concert and submit a program from the event with a short two-paragraph review of the concert including comments about the performance and the music performed.

Music Library AidTBA

  • Students will assist with the organization and filing of the choral music library.

Music History Minute50 points possible

  • Students can work alone or as a group and develop a presentation for the class about a composer and/or historical information about one of the pieces we are working on in class. Presentation must include:
  • A poster to hang up in class with pictures and information about the topic
  • A one page paper appendix with research source information (Bibliography)
  • Oral presentation of the topic in front of the class.
  • If students work as a group they must include a short evaluation stating each persons responsibility. Pick up the evaluation form from Mrs. Tawa. Each person in the group must participate in the presentation.

Group Work

  • Small group work may be assigned. - Quartets
  • Students may be expected to keep a log of quartet practice time outside of class and be asked to pass off curriculum objectives working within their group.
  • Memorization and musicianship goals will be measured throughout the course as needed.

Trips

Off campus performing opportunities exist for groups who meet expectations. Planning will be accomplished with the parent committees, student leadership, administration, and choral director. Students must meet state activities eligibility requirements in order to travel and perform with the choirs. Students must also turn in a parent permission form before travel off campus may occur. – Please see your CVHS Student Handbook for eligibility and other travel requirements.

  • All State
  • Region Solo & Ensemble
  • Region Large Choir
  • NAU Choral Festival
  • ACDA Choral Festival
  • State Festivals
  • Spring tours 2007, 2010, 2013 (every three years)

Independent Travel

Our school policy prohibits students driving independently to school sponsored events. All students must plan to travel and stay with the team. In extenuating circumstances, parents may sign a consent form to transport their student to or from an event. This means the parent must drive the student. Students will not be allowed to drive their own vehicle. Ride sharing is not allowed. (Parent “A” may only drive Child “A” Parent “B” may only drive Child “B”)

Fundraising

Fundraising is often necessary for successful choral music programs and other activity organization in the public schools like athletics and drama. Our parent booster organization will determine the need and best approach for fundraising. Per Utah State activity guidelines, students may be asked to participate or sell in just one fundraising event per school year. Booster fundraisers and other for profit events may be held as determined.

Fundraising helps provide much-needed funds for materials like choir folders, uniforms, trips to festivals and competitions, sound equipment, etc.

Before a fundraiser, the student will be notified if the profit made on the sale will be applied toward the choir budget or toward the students personal travel expense for a tour or festival. The student, prior to each fundraiser, will sign an agreement indicating the disbursement of funds. The money raised belongs to the school; the profit earned by a student will be placed in that student’s name and will be used for travel purposes only.

Uniforms

An audience often decides how a group will sound before they open their mouths based on how the group looks. First impressions count. Canyon View High School choirs will wear uniforms that are clean, neat; wrinkle free and in tip-top condition. Hair and make-up will be clean and tidy. Students with dirty or incomplete uniforms (wrong shoes, missing tie/cummerbund, etc.) will not be allowed to perform and will loose half the participation points for the concert.

Girls Glee

No official uniform will be purchased. The uniform attire will consist of black from the waist down and a white shirt or top.

  • Young ladies will wear black full-length skirt or nice dress pants and a white long sleeve or 3/4 –sleeve-shirt. If a full-length skirt is unavailable, a modest below the knee skirt with black stockings will suffice. Black closed toe shoes are preferred.
Volume & BootCamp

No official uniform will be purchased. All boys should be prepared with a pair of dark dress pants, dark shoes (black is preferred) and a colorful dress shirt with a collar.

Colla Voce

Our advanced women’s ensemble gown is a black, mandarin collar gown. New gowns cost approximately $65 and will be purchased at the beginning of school.

A Cappella

A Cappella robes are teal and silver with a black CVHS monogram. An annual $20 robe fee will be charged to each student enrolled in A Cappella for alterations and cleaning. Replacement costs are $82.00 each.

  • Men will wear a shirt with a collar, long dark pants and dark shoes under your robe.
  • Women will wear black hoes and black, closed toe shoes
  • NO GUM BOOTS (SNEAKERS)
Madrigals

Madrigals wear tuxedos and formal black evening gowns.

  • Men’s tuxedos are available through the school for a one-time rental fee of $50.00 covering the alterations and minor repairs. Tuxedos must be dry cleaned upon return. If tuxedos are not returned the student will pay the cost of replacement – aprox. $160.00.
  • Ladies gowns are purchased new for approximately $80.00 and may be resold to upcoming Madrigal members when no longer needed. Ladies may choose to purchase new gown fashions from time to time.

  1. Student Behavior/Discipline Management

Classroom Behavior

Students will take personal responsibility for meeting education goals. Courteous, contributive behavior by every singer in the choir is essential. Student expectations listed in the “classroom routines” section of this handbook must be carried out by every student, every day. Participation points can be lost for the entire class and/or for individuals who cannot manage their behavior or contribute in a positive way. Some simple guidelines for the choral classroom are listed below.

  • Be to class on time.
  • Be prepared with materials – music, pencil and notebook/journal
  • No Gum
  • Sit in assigned seat.
  • Participate with a positive attitude.

Habitually Disruptive or Serious Offences Policy