Higley High Orchestra Syllabus

WELCOME new, returning, old, young, HHS Orchestra Students!! This is my 3rd year at Higley High School, and I am very excited for our upcoming year together of daily music making fun such as rehearsals, concerts, festivals, and performances. I hope you will see an opportunity in whatever challenge we may experience this year as we go on a grand musical journey together.

The Higley High School String Orchestra is comprised of string students at a variety of levels. This group requires discipline and hard work. Attendance and participation is required at all events for those enrolled in the course. THIS IS A PERFORMANCE CLASS. This group will perform at concerts, festivals, and other performances throughout the year. This course offers students the opportunity to develop ensemble technique while fine tuning their own individual abilities. We will work on pieces from a wide range of quality literature, as well as some individual or small group literature.

Important Dates(mark your calendar!)

Upcoming Concerts
All concerts at 6pm -HCPA / Upcoming Festivals
Most are held during the school day, but may require us to leave early or return late / Extra Opportunities
Thursday, September 22nd
Wednesday, October 26th
Thursday, December 1st
Wednesday, March 1st
with WFHS Orchestra
Wednesday, May 17th
May 24 –Graduation at ASU / October 21- Fall Festival
February 24- ABODA Competition
April 8 District Fine Arts Festival / Joint District Honor Orchestra (7th-9th Graders)
Auditions: September 14th
Performance: October 26th
Regionals
Auditions: January 28
Festival: February 17-18

*performances are subject to change – or additional performances may be included. Students will be notified in class and parents will be notified by email as soon as possible.

  • For a student to be excused from a performance, a parent or guardian must notify the director, via e-mail, phone call or in writing at least two weeks prior to the performance. Emergencies (illness, injury, family crisis, etc.) should be brought to the attention of the director ASAP and will be handled on a case-by-case basis.
  • An alternate assignment will be given for those excused students to make up the performance points.
  • If you do not show up for a performance without making arrangements ahead of time, you will lose the entire points for that performance.
  • Every student will be informed of all performances as soon as they are finalized.
  • It is the student’s responsibility to know this information.

Concert Attire

Young Women: LONG black dress (or a long black skirt and black blouse)

- no sleeveless shirts/dresses

Young Men: black dress slacks, a white shirt, black bow tie, black vest

Everyone needs to wear black dress shoes (NO open-toed shoes)

*If you fail to wear the appropriate concert attire, your performance grade will be docked 1 full letter grade.*

Festivals & Field Trips

We plan to attend at least two or three festivals or competitions this year as well as a live performance of the Phoenix Symphony. In order for the students to be able to attend, they need to maintain a C or better in all of their classes. I want everyone to be able to attend, so keep up your grades!

Seating:

As the director, I have the right to seat the orchestra students as I feel is best for the ensemble; it may or may not always be arranged by strongest to weakest players as is custom in some orchestras. I find great value in having students sit in the front, back and middle. They will still get to play the same music as everyone else, still have the opportunity to play a great instrument, and will learn a variety of skills that come from sitting in a different spot.

RequiredMaterials

  • Instrument
  • Cleaning Cloth (wipe off strings daily to prevent rosin build up)
  • Rosin
  • Mute
  • Shoulder Rest (Violins/Violas)
  • Rock stop or strap (cellos/basses)
  • 1 inch Black Orchestra Binder
  • 1 subject orchestra notebook
  • Orchestra t-shirt (about $10)
  • Metronome with tuner (Apps are also available)

Practice, Practice, PRACTICE!

The homework for this course is to practice outside of class time. Although the method of recording practice done outside of class may change throughout the year, the requirement to practice will not!

For the 1st quarter, the following will be used:

Practice sheets will need to be turned in every WEDNESDAY. If it is not signed by a parent, the student will only receive 50% of the points.

90 minutes= 25 points

70-89 minutes= 20 points

40-69 minutes = 15 points

20-39 minutes= 10 points

10-19 minutes= 5 points

Classroom Rules

NO usage of phones, food, drinks (other than water), gum, earbuds, or disrespect to instruments, fellow classmates, yourself, or orchestra director.

Consequences:

You will be asked to throw away your food, drinks, or gum; phones will be confiscated until the end of class; disrespect towards myself, others, and instruments will be addressed on a case-by-case basis. If the offense is repeated, parents will be contacted and further action will be taken.

*Plagiarism will not be tolerated.

YES to respect, creativity, coming to class prepared with music & instrument, practicing at home, music making, and having FUN!

Consequences:

You will be prepared for upcoming performances, make improvements on your instrument, become a better musician, and have rewarding and fun orchestral experiences.

Playing Quizzes/Tests:

Playing quizzes will be given on a regular basis on the scales, techniques, and repertoire that we are learning in class.

A scales quiz will be given each quarter on the scales learned that quarter or semester.

A playing test will be given prior to a concert on any excerpt of the music being learned for the concert. Concert seating may or may not be determined by this test.

Daily Performance Points

Because this is a performance-based class, our rehearsal time is valuable. Please come PREPARED (with your instrument, music, pencil), ready to

REHEARSE (when we’re focused, we can accomplish much and have more fun).

Performance Points: 5 points/day

Absent:30 minutes of additional practicing needed to make-up daily points

Students will be responsible for picking up a make-up sheet which will need to be filled out by the student and signed by his/her parents. DUE 1 week after the absence.

*After 10 absences, there will be academic consequences

Grading Breakdown:

Rehearsal Participation/Practicing/Assignments: 20%

Assessments & Performances: 60%

Final Exam: 20%

Please call or email me with any concerns or questions you may have.

Mrs. Katie Clark

BA Music Education & Violin Performance from Utah State University

MM Violin Performance Pedagogy from Arizona State University

Office Hours: By Appointment

480-279-8500