Here Are Some Ways That You Can Be a Part of the Tomball Choir

TOMBALL

CHOIR

Handbook

2015-2016

Michelle Willey, Director

281-357-3000 x4472

Dear Parents:

Schedules and classes are now in place, and we are focused on a solid curriculum, certain to make a difference in the life of every student in this music program. We are anticipating a fun and successful year. This letter is to let you know how you, as parents, can help the Tomball Junior High School Choir.

Together, we will work as a team, focusing on your child and his or her success throughout the year. I believe that every child is vital to the success of the choral program.

Here are some ways that you can be a part of the Tomball Choir:

Encouraging Parent: Competence is the result of dedicated "time on task." Music learning, music performance, and music appreciation are the outcomes of study, practice, and guided listening. With limited rehearsal time, it is imperative that students invest extra time in nurturing their talents and improving their skills. Please encourage a positive practice schedule at school and at home.

Loyal, Appreciative Audience: The best audience is always a parent. You are faced with a full agenda in your personal and professional lives, and you are challenged to adjust your schedule to accommodate every school function. However, your presence at our performances means more to your child than words can describe. Music is a family affair. Don't miss this opportunity to celebrate your child's talent!

Dedicated Collaborator: As you may know by now, it takes many dedicated individuals to make a choir program work. In addition to encouraging your child at home and being an enthusiastic audience member, the choir program needs your time. All talents are appreciated and ANY time donated is valued. We understand that not everyone can get away from work, but there will be many opportunities for your support.

The music program at Tomball Junior High School continues to flourish because of a substantive curriculum, a well-informed and supportive administration, and exemplary parental support. Please take the time to read the information provided in the 2015-2016 Choir Handbook. Remember YOU make a difference!

We look forward to visiting with you in the near future. Please do not hesitate to contact the choir director by phone, e-mail, or letter.

Sincerely,

Michelle Willey

Choir Director. Tomball Junior High School

30403 Quinn Road

Tomball, Texas 77375

281-357-3000, Ext. 4472

281-357-3027 (FAX)

WHY SING? WHY BE IN CHOIR?

Music lessons have shown to improve a child’s performance in school. Students with course work or experience in music performance scored 51 points higher on the verbal portion of the SAT than students with no course work or experience in the arts. Plato once said, “Music is a more potent instrument than any other for education.” Scientists have found that music has the ability to train the brain for higher levels of thinking-the kind of thinking involving problem solving, inference, arriving at conclusions, comparing and contrasting the similarities and differences between two or more objects, analyzing, synthesizing, and evaluating information. These are some of the very same skills tested on the STAAR test!

Are you going to stay in choir your whole life? Probably not! But music is an avenue to prepare you for whatever profession you might choose. If music enhances brain functioning for higher level math and science skills, and can, as a result, keep us competitive in a global economy, then music is something we all need, no matter what our career!

In 1991, the U.S. Department of Labor issued a report urging schools to teach for the future workplace. The skills they recommend (working in teams, self-esteem, communication, creative thinking, imagination, and invention) are exactly those learned in choir!

Students who are involved in a quality choral program use and develop the following skills:

·  Problem solving

·  Communication

·  Goal setting

·  Coordination

·  Self-confidence

·  Self-discipline

·  Critical thinking

·  Teamwork

·  Self-expression

·  Memorization

·  Concentration

·  Conceptualization

·  Appreciation of cultural diversity

·  Perseverance

·  Determination

·  Responsibility

·  Appreciation, Sensitivity, and love of the arts

Choir Goals

Choral music is a highly disciplined and technical art form. It requires a student to function as a strong individual within a large group. Our goal is that each student learns the necessary skills to effectively express him/herself through music. There are many activities planned both in and out of the classroom which will allow your child the opportunity to grow musically. Each student’s personal growth, as well as the growth and development of the group as a whole, will depend largely on the mastering of the objectives listed below.

The information listed here is intended to help each student understand the expectations and responsibilities for success in the Tomball Junior High School Choir program.

·  Learn and develop good vocal production skills required for successful choral and solo singing.

·  Develop and continually improve Sight-Singing skills.

·  Develop Aural/Listening skills necessary for singing with good intonation.

·  Perform at all Major Concerts: Fall Concert, Winter Concert, Pre-UIL Concert and Pop Show.

·  Participate in the two major contests of the year: Solo & Ensemble Contest and UIL Concert & Sight-Reading Contest.

·  Participate in the Region 9 All-Region Choir Auditions

·  Maintain good school and after-school rehearsal attendance.

·  Maintain eligibility. (No pass – No play rule)

·  Develop excellent daily work ethic during rehearsal and at-home practice.

·  Participate in choir social activities.

·  Display appropriate concert and performance etiquette at all performances and contests and appropriate rehearsal etiquette at each rehearsal.

·  Increase knowledge of music history and accepted performance practice for all genres of music in order to enhance not only the student’s ability to interpret/express music in performance, but also, his/her ability to evaluate musical performances.

·  Participate in choir social activities such as parties, spring trip to Splashtown Wet and Wild, and other pending events to build relationships with fellow choir members.

Concert Etiquette

One of the skills students are expected to demonstrate throughout the year is proper concert etiquette.Very few students are exposed to symphony performances, operas, professional choir concerts, etc. Some of the standard rules of behavior for these types of performances may seem outdated and are not enforced everywhere. However, in order to ensure that students perform to the best of their ability, and all audience members have an enjoyable experience, these rules should be adhered to:

·  Unless you are removing a crying child, please enter and exit the performance only during applause.

·  During a performance, please refrain from conversation and remove crying children promptly from the performance area.

·  No flash photography in the middle of a song, as it is distracting to the performers.

·  Please hold applause until you see the conductor lower his or her arms.

·  Please applaud appropriately; yelling or screaming as you would at an athletic event is not appropriate.

·  Please turn off all cell phones, pagers, and watch alarms during the performance.

·  You should not eat or drink anything in the concert space.

TARDIES:

The expectation in the Tomball Junior High School Choir is that all students be in their

seat with folder, pencil, and all needed supplies when the bell begins to ring. This will

allow us to have the most use of our classroom time to be the BEST choir that we can be.

Consequences for tardies will be the same as for any other instructional setting. No

exceptions will be made. Students who enter the room after the bell has rung will be

asked to go to the tardy table. Additionally, students who are consistently not in their

seat when the bell rings, ready to rehearse are disrupting the rehearsal and may be

asked to complete an alternative assignment rather than participate in the rehearsal that

day. If you are unable to make it to your seat by the bell, please be singing as you

collect your items and walk with purpose so as not to disrupt the rehearsal. J

CHOIR DISCIPLINE PLAN:

CHOIR CODE OF HONOR

Have Materials

On time, on task

Need to listen to learn

Occupy time wisely

Respect self and others

CELL PHONES:

I will follow school policies on cell phones. Please do not test this! I allow students to use the

choir room phones when needed to help with after school arrangements, but they cannot have

personal phones out during instructional time unless given permission by Ms. Willey or another staff member.

Please see the school handbook for cell phone policies.

GUM, CANDY, and OTHER FOOD ITEMS:

Eating, chewing gum, and drinking in class are prohibited. Having any foreign object in

your mouth while singing poses a hazard to your health. Please comply with the choir

room policy so that we may have safe, successful rehearsals. Any infraction of this

policy will be documented, and if necessary, disciplinary action will be taken.

There is a water fountain for student use in the choir room.

UNIFORMS

Casual uniforms for the year:

·  CHOIR SHIRT to be purchased through the directors. Uniform shirts must be TUCKED IN at all times during a performance. All students need to remove jewelry that would be visible from the audience. Earrings need to be either studs or hoops no larger than a quarter in diameter for girls. Necklaces may not be worn, and wrist and hand jewelry is prohibited with the exception of watches and simple rings. Girls with long hair should wear it in a pony tail, and short hair should be worn off of the face, with bangs out of the eyes.

·  BLUE JEANS. Jeans should be in keeping with all aspects of the school dress code. Jeans must be full length and have a finished hem at the bottom. They must fit at the waist and must have no embellishments of any kind that would distract from the uniformity of the group. (This would include ribbons, beads, fringe, embroidery, or colorful paint and/or patches.)

·  CLOSED TOE, CLOSED HEEL SHOES. This would include flats, tennis shoes, boots, loafers, or any comfortable, durable shoe. Our formal uniform dictates black flats for girls and black shoes for boys, so I would recommend a pair of shoes that could be worn for both purposes.

STUDENTS WILL ALSO RECEIVE A “TRIP SHIRT” THAT IS REQUIRED APPAREL FOR ALL CHOIR SOCIAL EVENTS AND TRIPS. THIS IS FOR THE SAFETY OF OUR STUDENTS AS WELL AS EASE IN IDENTIFICATION FOR PARENT CHAPERONES AND STAFF AT OUR PARTY AND TRIP LOCATIONS.

Students who purchased a uniform shirt last year that still fits (black with red and white) will not need to purchase a uniform shirt. They will only need to purchase a travel shirt.

Formal uniforms for the year:

Female students will be provided with a DRESS UNIFORM. Students must pay a non-refundable dry-cleaning and maintenance fee of $20 to be paid by October 15. This will pay for all dresses to be hemmed by the same seamstress at no inconvenience to you. Uniforms will be cleaned after each wearing.

Female members will be expected to provide:

·  black flats (closed toe and heel) with 2 inch or less heel

In the past few years, we have seen fashion trends that utilize backless, open toe, or excessively high shoes, as well as the absence of hosiery. Although we understand these trends, in the case of a formal uniform it is important that all students keep to the closed toe/heel policy, as well as refraining from wearing heels over 2 inches. Pantyhose should be worn anytime female students are in formal concert attire.

The choral program will provide a faux pearl necklace, earrings, and bracelet for each student, to be returned after each concert. Students who are unable to wear costume jewelry will need to provide small “stud” earrings in gold, silver, or pearl. Students may also elect not to wear earrings. Hoops may not be worn with formal uniform. Girls’ hair will be worn off of the face either in a half or full up for concerts. The TJHS choir will provide an elastic and ribbon for this purpose. These items, along with a pair of black knee high stockings, will be provided for students to wear for uniformity. This enhances the professionalism of the ensemble, as well as the comfort of the students. Just as sports or dance teams must follow uniform requirements, so do the members of the choral program here at Tomball Junior High School.

Male members will be expected to provide:

·  black DRESS pants

·  black DRESS shoes

·  black socks

Tomball JHS Choir will provide each male student a vest and bow tie as well as a tuxedo shirt to be worn at formal concerts. Rental fee for the year is 10.00 for these items.

GRADING AND ATTENDANCE POLICIES

1. DAILY GRADES (30% of six weeks grade)

Includes weekly class participation, written work, maintenance of folder, and bringing

of necessary supplies. It also includes oral or written quizzes, as well as student

attendance at required after school rehearsals. Finally, all items receiving parent

signature will be given a grade for return.

Rubrics will be used to determine student level of performance on the following

components of choral music:

n  Singing Posture

n  Consonants

n  Vowel Shapes

n  Pitch Accuracy

n  Rhythm Accuracy

n  Hand Signs

n  Solfege Syllables

n  Attention to Director

n  After School Rehearsals

2. MAJOR GRADES (70% of six weeks grade)

Includes singing or written tests, concert and other performance attendance.

Rubrics will be used to determine student level of performance.

Late work:

1 day late -15 points

2 days late -30 points

Every six weeks, students should have at minimum 7 daily grades and 3 major grades, which will

include written and performance assessments.

CONCERT PARTICIPATION

The purpose of membership and performance in a choral music program is to rehearse and perform music. Every member of the choir is important. The absence of any member from a performance or rehearsal can impact a choir’s sound. Please understand that all concerts and performances are an expectation of student membership, just as games are an expectation of team members. All concerts are required. Makeup work will be assigned to students who have an absence. Students who miss a concert will sing the music for an instructor to receive a grade. Unexcused absence will result in a grade reduction. All absences from concerts or rehearsals will require a parent note.