Concert Choir Syllabus

Miss Clippinger

Room 114

Course Description

Welcome to Concert Choir. This information should answer your questions about this class. Below are the responsibilities and expectations for each member of this choir. Most of them may affect your grade. Please become familiar with each.

Concert Choir is for students who enjoy singing and want to improve their skills. The group performs a variety of music types and styles. They perform four evening concerts per year as well as take various field trips. Performance attendance is required.

Upcoming Performances:

Wednesday, Oct. 15: HS/JH Choir Concert, 7:00

Sunday, Dec. 7: HS/JH Choir Concert, 7:00

Tuesday, March 17: HS/JH Choir Concert, 7:00

Sunday, May 17: HS/JH Choir Concerts, Jr. High @ 3:00, HS @ 7:00

Attendance, including helping to set up and put things away, is required at all concerts. There is one concert each 9 weeks. The first unexcused concert absence will lower your grade for that 9 weeks 2 letters. Any additional unexcused concert absences will result in an “F” for that 9 weeks.

Expectations: A choir is a group activity. Your actions, attitude, and decisions have an effect on those around you. My classroom procedures and rules are based on this.

  • Come prepared
  • Participate
  • Communicate
  • Show respect for people, property, and procedures
  • Rehearse the way we want to perform
  • Attend all performances

Music and Folders: You will be assigned a folder and music and a place in the music cabinet. If you lose it or damage it you will be charged $12 for the folder and $2.00 for each piece of music in it. If you fail to have it in class, it will hurt your grade.

Grading: Each day of class is worth 10 points. At the end of each week, the points are combined and entered as one grade (usually 50 points). The grade is based on items such as participation, behavior, and effort. Some examples of actions that will result in a loss of points for that day:

  • Being tardy/not in seat after the bell when attendance is taken.
  • Not paying attention and/or distracting others.
  • Disrespect to other students or adults.
  • Refusing to participate.
  • Excessive talking.
  • Chewing gum. (It’s hard to sing open vowels around a wad of Double Bubble.)

In addition, there may be occasional performance quizzes, worksheets, or other graded activities.

These weekly grades will be used determine your base 9 weeks grade. One unexcused concert absence will lower your grade for that 9 weeks by 2 letters. Any additional unexcused concert absences will result in an “F” for that 9 weeks

Performing at the concert is the culminating event of each nine weeks, much like a final exam. Attendance is crucial both for the student personally and for the performance of the group as a whole. Since the students know about their concerts far in advance, most absences will be unexcused. Here are a few examples of excuses that have not been accepted in the past: Sporting events, birthday parties, family visits, not having a ride, babysitting, work, drivers ed.

There are a few exceptional instances in which a concert absence can be excused; I will determine this on a case-by-case basis. In order to evaluate this, the student needs to bring in a note detailing why they were absent. If the absence is excused, the student will be allowed to make up the absence with a written assignment. Failure to complete the assignment would then be treated the same as an unexcused absence.

Concert dress:

You will be assigned a choir robe to wear for concerts. You will need to have nice pants and shoes to wear underneath. We will also be purchasing UHS Choir t-shirts to wear under the robe and for field trip performances. If you do not already have a shirt, you will need to bring in $5 by September 28th so that we can order them. Checks should be made out to Utica Choir

If you are not properly attired, you will not be allowed to perform and it will count as an unexcused absence.

There is a $15 pay-to-participate fee for choir (HS Vocal Music). Checks should be made out to UHS Choir. We will be doing a choir fund raiser starting next week that will give students the opportunity to earn money to help pay for these items and fees. Last year, 35 students took advantage of this, and many of them earned enough to pay their entire fees.

Course Objectives

This course is designed to help improve your skill as a singer and musician. You will learn to develop your voice and music reading ability. We will focus on the following Standards, adapting instruction to fit the songs chosen for each concert.

  • I Historical, Cultural and Social Contexts

Students demonstrate knowledge and understanding of a variety of music styles and cultures and the

context of musical expression or events, both past and present. Students identify significant contributionsof composers and performers to music heritage. Students analyze the historical, social and political forcesthat have influenced the function and role of music in the lives of people.

  • II Creative Expression and Communication

Students sing, play instruments, improvise, compose, read and notate music.

Benchmark A: Sing and/or play, independently or in ensembles, demonstrating technical and stylistic

accuracy and musical expressiveness with appropriate responses to a leader's cues and gestures.

  • III Analyzing and Responding

Students listen to a varied repertoire of music and respond by analyzing and describing music using correct

terminology. Students evaluate the creating and performing of music by using appropriate criteria.

  • IV Valuing Music/Aesthetic Reflection

Students demonstrate an understanding of reasons why people value music and a respect for diverse

opinions regarding music preferences. Students articulate the significance of music in their lives.

  • V Connections, Relationships and Applications

Students identify similarities and differences between music and other arts disciplines. Students recognizethe relationship between concepts and skills learned through music with knowledge learned in othercurricular subjects, life experiences and potential careers in and outside the arts. Students develop a desirefor lifelong learning in music.

Course Outline

Each concert’s rehearsal plan varies. It is dependent on many variables such as the songs chosen, which change for every concert, and the skill level of the group involved. Below is a rough outline based on last year.

1st 9 weeks

Week 1

  • Review class rules and expectations.
  • Conduct individual voice testing of students in order to evaluate their skill level and place them in the proper section.
  • Assign seats, folders, and other classroom business.

Week 2

  • Introduce songs for Fall Concert.
  • For those students new to choir, explain the concept and basic rules of music reading including how to find and follow their part. Identify basic marking such as repeats, dal segnos and codas.
  • Students follow their part while listening to the songs.

Week 3

  • Begin to rehearse songs. Typically, parts are introduced in small sectionals, with only one or two parts rehearsing at a time.

Week 4

  • Continue rehearsing songs. Begin to put sections together.

Week 5

  • Continue rehearsing songs. Focus on problem areas as needed.
  • Hold auditions for any solos.

Week 6

  • Continue rehearsing songs. Focus on problem areas as needed.

Week 7

  • Run songs in concert order. Work on finishing touches.

Week 8

  • Run songs in concert order. Work on finishing touches.
  • Hold any necessary combined rehearsal with other groups.
  • Move platforms to the stage.
  • Fall Concert is performed.

Week 9

  • Review and evaluate concert. Discuss strengths and weaknesses. Set goals for the next performance. Evaluate the rehearsal process and discuss what was most effective and what may need to be changed.
  • Turn in old music.
  • Move risers back to choir room.

2nd 9 weeks

Week 1

  • Introduce songs for Holiday Concert.
  • Students follow their part while listening to the songs.
  • Begin the process of choosing songs for Solo & Ensemble competition.

Week 2

  • Begin to rehearse songs. Typically, parts are introduced in small sectionals, with only one or two parts rehearsing at a time.
  • Finish choosing Solo and Ensemble songs.

Week 3

  • Continue rehearsing songs. Begin to put sections together.
  • One day per week, work on Solo & Ensemble.

Week 4

  • Continue rehearsing songs. Focus on problem areas as needed.
  • Hold auditions for any solos.
  • One day per week, work on Solo & Ensemble.

Week 5

  • Run songs in concert order. Work on finishing touches.
  • One day per week, work on Solo & Ensemble.

Week 6

  • Run songs in concert order. Work on finishing touches.
  • Hold any necessary combined rehearsal with other groups.
  • Move platforms to the stage.
  • Holiday Concert is performed.

Week 7

  • Review and evaluate concert. Discuss strengths and weaknesses. Set goals for the next performance. Evaluate the rehearsal process and discuss what was most effective and what may need to be changed.
  • Turn in old music.
  • Move risers back to choir room.
  • Work on Solo & Ensemble.

Week 8

  • Introduce songs for March Concert.
  • Students follow their part while listening to the songs.
  • Work on Solo & Ensemble.

Week 9

  • Begin to rehearse songs. Typically, parts are introduced in small sectionals, with only one or two parts rehearsing at a time.
  • Work on Solo & Ensemble.

3rd 9 weeks

Week 1

  • Continue rehearsing songs. Begin to put sections together.
  • Work on Solo & Ensemble.

Week 2

  • Continue rehearsing songs. Focus on problem areas as needed.
  • Work on Solo & Ensemble.

Week 3

  • Work on Solo & Ensemble.
  • Solo and ensemble competition.

Week 4

  • Continue rehearsing songs. Focus on problem areas as needed.

Week 5

  • Continue rehearsing songs. Focus on problem areas as needed.

Week 6

  • Continue rehearsing songs. Focus on problem areas as needed.
  • Hold auditions for any solos.
  • Students submit ideas for the May concert based on that year’s concert theme.

Week 7

  • Run songs in concert order. Work on finishing touches.
  • Students submit ideas for the May concert based on that year’s concert theme.

Week 8

  • Run songs in concert order. Work on finishing touches.
  • Students submit ideas for the May concert based on that year’s concert theme.

Week 9

  • Run songs in concert order. Work on finishing touches.
  • Hold any necessary combined rehearsal with other groups.
  • Move platforms to the stage.
  • March Concert is performed.
  • Review and evaluate concert. Discuss strengths and weaknesses. Set goals for the next performance. Evaluate the rehearsal process and discuss what was most effective and what may need to be changed.
  • Turn in old music.
  • Move risers back to choir room.

4th 9 weeks

Week 1

  • Introduce songs for May Concert.
  • Students follow their part while listening to the songs.

Week 2

  • Begin to rehearse songs. Typically, parts are introduced in small sectionals, with only one or two parts rehearsing at a time.

Week 3

  • Continue rehearsing songs. Begin to put sections together.

Week 4

  • Continue rehearsing songs. Focus on problem areas as needed.
  • Hold auditions for any solos.

Week 5

  • Continue rehearsing songs. Focus on problem areas as needed.

Week 6

  • Run songs in concert order. Work on finishing touches.
  • Hold any necessary combined rehearsal with other groups.
  • Move platforms to the stage.

Week 7

  • Run songs in concert order. Work on finishing touches.
  • Hold any necessary combined rehearsal with other groups.
  • Move platforms to the stage.
  • May Concert is performed.

Week 8

  • Review and evaluate concert. Discuss strengths and weaknesses. Set goals for the next year. Evaluate the rehearsal process and discuss what was most effective and what may need to be changed.
  • Turn in old music.
  • Move risers back to choir room.

Week 9

  • Watch a Broadway movie musical.