Glenn High School Chorus
Handbook
Carol Earnhardt, director
771-4500
© 816-4982
Welcome to Concert Choir and Women’s Choir!!
Concert Choir
The Concert Choir is an auditioned group of students who have met the musical requirements to be in the group and who demonstrate responsibility and discipline throughout the Glenn High campus. The group strives for continued excellence in grade IV-VI music and performs frequently throughout the community, school and at competitions. This group includes students from grades 10-12 and students may be offered HONORS credit for the course. Auditions for this group are held in February.
Varsity Women
The Varsity Women’s Choir is an auditioned group of young women who have met the musical requirements to be in the group and who demonstrate responsibility and discipline throughout the Glenn High campus. Students in this group may be given HONORS credit for the course. This group performs frequently in the school and community, and includes young women from grades 10-12. Auditions for the group are held in February.
On occasion, report card checks and D-1 audits will be performed on both of these groups. Students must maintain quality behavior, grades and attendance to remain in these groups. Performance at all competitions is a requirement.
Tri-M Honor Society
Tri-M (Modern Music Masters) is an honor club for music students in chorus, band and orchestra. A recommendation from your music teacher is required to join this group. The club meets once a month. Among opportunities in community service, students are exposed to professional performances outside of school, are introduced to careers in music, and work to raise money for various needs in the music department. Out of these funds, a scholarship is given each year to a senior who plans to major or minor in music.
Grading Policy
35%Participation
25%Concerts
20%Homework/Classwork
20%Tests
Participation:
The chorus classes at Glenn High School are all performing groups. For this reason, a majority of your child’s grade (60%) is based on participation in class activities, during and after school. All students will begin every two weeks with a participation grade of 100. Points will be deducted from this grade according to the scale below:
-20 points Poor audience behavior (in and out of class)
-20 pointsNot participating in class (*)
-10 pointsNot Prepared for Class (Pencil, music theory book, cell phones)
-10 point Attendance (excused or unexcused)
Students will receive a grade for each performance. If students fail to fulfill their obligation concerning after school performances, the grade will drop accordingly. Points will also be deducted for such things as leaving a concert before it is over, poor audience behavior, and arriving late to a concert. Points will also be deducted for dress code violations (no necklace or bowtie, excessive wrinkles, etc…)
* Class Participation:
Participation involves more than just singing while your section is singing. Participation involves remaining involved in the rehearsal from beginning to end. Students should sit quietly and review their part as needed while other sections are rehearsing. To receive a perfect participation grade, students must be on time, must follow all classroom rules, must be prepared for class, and must perform to the best of their ability at all times. Students who are not participating will be given the option to sing their part as a solo or receive a lowered score. .
(**) Concert Attendance:
Attendance at all concerts is mandatory and is a major part of the chorus grade. Students who do not attend a concert or a scheduled singing engagement will suffer consequences. This is not a punishment! Concerts are an important part of the performance curriculum. All members in the chorus are important and necessary to make the performance a success. Please review the performance dates as soon as you receive them and make every arrangement to attend. PLAN AHEAD!! Absences from a concert will require a verbal excuse from a parent or guardian 10 class days in advance of the concert. Personal illness or death in the family will be the only reasons accepted without penalty. Concerts may be counted as 50% of semester exam grade.
Performance Attendance (Varsity Women’s Choir and Concert Choir):
Members of the Concert and Varsity Women’s Choir will be allowed to miss one community performance per 18 weeks without penalty. Prior notice (two weeks) is required. Permission to miss the performance will be given only if everyone else in the section will be performing. Performances that cannot be missed include Glenn Concerts, All County, Festivals, and competitions. Mrs. Earnhardt will approve the absence based on the importance of the performance. Failure to perform without following these policies will result in a lowered grade with possible suspension from the auditioned choir!
Glenn High School Sports and Activities
If you are involved in a sport or other after-school activity at Glenn, there may be times when a game conflicts with a Concert Choir performance. PLEASE notify Mrs. Earnhardt by e-mail of any such conflict as soon as you become aware of it. In most circumstances, you will be excused from the performance without penalty. However, it is your responsibility to give plenty of notice for the absence.
Field Trips
Various field trips will be planned throughout the year to enhance the curriculum and make the group more visible to the public. Performances by the choir are sometimes the only visible product of Glenn High School that the public sees. For this reason, I am extremely strict on deciding who may go on a field trip. Students who miss concerts, who are a behavior problem in and outside of class, and who do not know their music will not be allowed to go on field trips – NO EXCEPTIONS! D-1 files and attendance records will be checked prior to each field trip. A student who accumulates D-1’s in or out of chorus and/or frequent tardies/absences will be excluded from chorus activities!
Chorus Rules
- Remember – everyone is not as talented as you are…
respect everyone’s unique talents!
- Have a good attitude and an open mind
(especially when the new music is introduced).
- Be in the door when the bell rings and in your seats with your folder and pencil when the signal sounds.
4.No food, gum or drinks (water is an exception).
*** Cell Phone Policy:
If you are using a cell phone in class, then you are NOT PARTICIPATING in class. If I see a cell phone:
First Offense: Put it up.
Second Offense: Give it to me
Third Offense: D-1 and phone to the office
Supplies
PENCIL (Everyday)
Music and Assigned Folder
Concert Dress
I am a firm believer that when students feel good about the way they look, they sound more confident and they are much better performers. For this reason, all chorus members are expected to wear specific clothing to all performances.
Varsity Women’s Choir:
Dress - $80 / black hose and black closed toe shoes / T-shirt – app. $20
Outfits must be paid for by the time they come in - You can’t take it home until you pay!
You will need to hem the dress – they all will be long.
Concert Choir:
Girls: Black dress and jacket ($125) / black stockings and black closed toe shoes / T-shirt ($15) and pearls ($7)
Boys: Tuxedo ($125) / black socks and black dress shoes / White T-shirt ($15)
Outfits must be paid for by the time they come in – You can’t take it home until you pay!
Students should not wear facial jewelry, dangling earrings, or any sparkly jewelry for performances. Please do not wear anything other than assigned performance outfit! Only natural hair colors are allowed for performances.
You will need to hem the dress and tuxedo pants – they all will be long.
Student Leadership
Because of the number of students I have in chorus and the many activities we are involved in, I have created a chain of command involving student leaders. These officers will assist me in teaching music, maintaining good discipline and keeping records. With the exception of the section leaders and the assistant director, the class will elect student officers at the end of the school year for the following year.
President:
The office of President requires someone with a high level of responsibility, maturity, and discipline. The President must be a senior with at least one year of experience in the group for which he/she holds office. Duties include helping to organize concerts, performances and socials, helping with discipline and organization at concerts, aiding the substitute when Mrs. Earnhardt is absent, keeping accurate attendance and records of all performances and fulfilling other duties as the need arises.
Vice-President:
The office of Vice-President requires someone with a high level of responsibility, maturity, and discipline. The Vice-President must be a senior with at least one year of experience in the group for which he/she holds office. The Vice-President must fulfill the duties of the President as well as creating and maintaining the chorus music inventory, filing music and scheduling Wake Forest game workers.
Assistant Director (Concert Choir Only):
At the end of each school year, Mrs. Earnhardt will appoint a student to the office of Assistant Director. The student who holds this office must be a rising senior who exhibits superior musical abilities, a desire to become a music educator, and inter-personal skills that will benefit the group. The assistant director will serve as an aid to Mrs. Earnhardt and to the substitute in Mrs. Earnhardt’s absence. Duties include learning the music (all voice parts), listening to the group and making suggestions for improvement, and conducting rehearsals and warm-ups when necessary.
Head Section Leader (Concert Choir Only):
Mrs. Earnhardt will appoint a student to the office of Head Section Leader. The student who holds this office must be an experienced choir member who has outstanding leadership and inter-personal skills. Experience as a section leader is desired but not required. All section leaders will report to the head section leader; the head section leader will report to Mrs. Earnhardt. Duties include maintaining daily attendance records, maintaining records for all section leaders and resolving issues related to section leader duties.
Secretary:
The office of Secretary requires someone who has excellent organizational and math skills. The secretary will work closely with Mrs. Earnhardt to help keep up with fundraiser records. Duties include writing receipts for money collected and making accurate deposits to the office.
Section Leaders:
Because the office of section leader must be filled with someone who has a high level understanding of written music, Mrs. Earnhardt will appoint a section leader for each section in the chorus. Duties of the section leader include leading sectionals, listening to the section and notifying Mrs. Earnhardt of any problems. Section Leaders will assign and collect all pieces of music. Section Leaders will also take attendance for their section at each concert and every rehearsal and report such absences and tardies to the President.
Historian:
The office of historian requires someone who is creative and organized. Duties include collecting pictures and mementos throughout the year, creating a Facebook page (or other social media) for the choir, maintaining the chorus bulletin board and maintaining the room and website calendar. The historian is also responsible for organizing and creating the senior slide show for the final concert. Because class time is so very vital, many of the historian’s duties must be done outside of class.
Stage Manager:
The stage manager is an appointed position and requires someone who has great leadership and organizational skills and who has extensive choir experience. The stage managers duties include organizing a crew for each concert, preparing the stage or performance area (with that crew) for rehearsals and performances, gathering and organizing instruments needed for the performance. The stage manager must work with Mrs. Earnhardt to discuss stage set-up and changes prior to the performance. The stage manager should NEVER work alone!!
All officers are responsible for reporting discipline problems and other concerns to Mrs. Earnhardt or the President. Students who cannot work with these officers and follow directions will bestripped of certain privileges with the chorus and may be assigned to detention.
Miscellaneous Information
Honor Court (Concert Choir and Varsity Women’s Choir):
An honor court representative will be chosen from Varsity Women’s Choir and Concert Choir to represent the chorus department on the homecoming honor court. Both the male and female representative will be chosen by election. The representatives must have been in the choir they are representing for one year and completed that year in good standing. This person must be a respected member of the choir who upholds the standards of an outstanding choir member at Glenn High School. The male nominee who is runner-up for Concert Choir will escort the Varsity Women’s Choir representative. The representative must be a senior choir member (unless in cases where there are no seniors who meet the criteria).
Senior Talent Show and Concert Soloists:
Seniors will perform a song of their choice at the senior talent show. No senior can perform at the talent show who has missed more than 10 rehearsals for the year. Soloists for the Fall, Christmas, and Festival concert will be chosen by audition. Students who miss more than three rehearsals per 9-week period will not be allowed to audition. Soloists for ANY event will be chosen from students who have an excellent performance attendance record.
Concert Choir Officers:
President:Ethan Davis
Vice-President:Jonathan Baker
Assistant Director:Will Edwards
Secretary/Treasurer:
Stage Manager:
Historian:
Head Section Leader:Danielle Schultz
Soprano Section Leaders:Jessica Rowlands
Devyn Siqueiros
Alto Section Leaders:Ciera Dumas
Sarena Brown
Tenor Section Leaders:Chris Fricault
Jason Hong
Bass Section Leaders:Brandon DeLapp
Taylor Pulliam
Varsity Women’s Officers
President:
Vice President:
Secretary/Treasurer:
Historian:
Soprano One Section Leader:
Soprano Two Section Leader:
Alto Section Leader:
TEAR OFF THIS PAGE AND RETURN TO MRS. EARNHARDT FOR A GRADE!
My child ______and I have reviewed the entire chorus handbook. I understand and will abide by all information contained in the chorus handbook.
Student Name
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Parent/Guardian Signature
______
Parent E-Mail ?
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Student E-Mail ?
JOIN CELLY (group texting): Text @concertchori1415 to 23559