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Concert Choir

Ms. Jaskiewicz

Room 313 (Music Room, Band and Choir)

724-458-5456

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Course Description:

Mus210

Credit: 1.0

Full Year

This is a course for developing vocal musical skills. Skills include matching pitch, basic sight reading, a sense of rhythm, vocal techniques and the ability to follow direction. Students study various types and styles of music throughout the year. Several required concerts are performed during the calendar year.

Welcome to Concert Choir!

Students take choir for a lot of different reasons, but those students all have on thing in common: the like the challenge and reward that comes from singing and making music. Becoming a musician takes a lot of work, but in the end it is worth every bit of effort. The Choral Program here at GCHS is designed to give you all the necessary tools and opportunities to improve your skills, knowledge, and confidence as a singer.

The GCHS Choral Program has a place for everyone, regardless of grade level, previous music experience, or “natural talent.” The overall requirement is that you show a sincere commitment to singing, a readiness to learn, and an attitude of tolerance, respect, and cooperation.

I know that the harder you work at becoming a musician, the more rewarding it gets and the more you achieve. My foremost expectation is that you take charge of your own progress, that you always put forth your best effort and attitude, and that you become an expert at knowing how to learn. With these three skills in hand, you will achieve great things.

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Materials and Resources:

The following materials will be provided for every student and are needed in class every day:

  • Binder
  • Pieces of Musical Repertoire
  • Pencil

Keys to Success:

  1. You will learn the language of music.
  2. You will learn to use your voice as an instrument.
  3. You will learn the skills needed to participate in an ensemble, or group. This will include working as a group in ensemble building games and activities.
  4. You will sing with proper vocal technique and vocal pedagogy so as not to harm your vocal cords.
  5. You will learn proper vocal health techniques.
  6. You will learn multiple languages and how to use correct IPA vowels and consonants to achieve this.
  7. You will learn how to sight sing, determine pitch and chord variations based on ear training.
  8. You will learn how to count rhythms and understand all musical elements used in repertoire.
  9. You will gain knowledge to assess music and understand it on a deeper level with emotional connection and understanding of musical elements.

Acquiring the musical skills, you can use throughout your life takes daily individual effort. In your ensemble class, you will learn the elements of musical language and will practice using that language independently through sight-singing with excellent phrasing, pitch, and rhythm. You will learn to sing with good breath support and create full, free and open vocal tone. You will practice the craft of ensemble singing through daily exercises and preparation for performance.

Proper vocal pedagogy and technique will be a necessary component of all choir rehearsals and performances. Ms. Jaskiewicz will provide various examples of the desired sound and multiple ways in which to achieve proper singing technique. All techniques will not harm the students’ vocal cords or vocal muscles. The student must be willing to stretch and try all techniques as per Ms. Jaskiewicz’s request to achieve the most beautiful vocal and choir sound.

GCHS choirs will learn all styles of choral literature from the Renaissance to the Contemporary periods. The choirs perform publicly at concerts and other school events. There are also opportunities offered to you for small ensemble singing (solos, duets, trios, etc.) throughout the year.

**Fun Music Friday!**

Each Friday (excluding the month of the major concerts) will be designated as “Fun Music Friday.”

Fun Friday will consist of enrichment and learning experiences that will encourage students to learn more about working as an ensemble, learning more about music, and being creative when expressing their musical opinions. Games and activities will be scheduled, but students are allowed to suggest activities approved by Ms. Jaskiewicz in advance that have a relevant learning objective in accordance with the Syllabus and Curriculum.

Grading:

Each choir student has the opportunity to earn an “A” grade in choir. This grade will be based on your daily class participation and performance attendance, not your talent or personality. The following is a breakdown of the grading structure:

100 – 91%A

90 – 81%B

80 – 71%C

70 – 61%D

60 – 0%F

Your choir grade will consist of points earned from each of the categories listed below:

Class Participation (60%): This portion of your grade is directly tied to how YOU participate in the choral classroom. It is based strictly on the quantity and quality of your participation – your presence, cooperative attitude, and sincere effort to learn and grow. Please note that all these elements have nothing to do with your natural “talent” or ability level. All expectations regarding conduct, behavior, readiness, and treatment of equipment and materials (as stated previously) are taken into consideration. Completion of daily sight-singing is also included in this portion of your grade.

Students must be actively participating in all musical aspects of the rehearsal; this includes kinesthetic movements to benefit the pedagogy of the vocal learning process. Students cannot be working on other work, unless a sectional is taking place and this is determined.

Students will receive daily participation points that reflect activelearningengagement during each class. In order to receive all the daily points, students must actively participate in all class activities and have a positive attitude with a constant will to learn. Students must be on task and not require reminders to be back on task. Tardiness to class without a signed pass from another teacher will result in an automatic loss of half of the daily points. Please make sure that you are in the classroom with all your necessary materials before the tardy bell rings. If you are absent from class for any reason, you will receive zero points for the day. Students with excused absences can receive their points for the day if they see me (within one week of the absence) to make up the note taking/practice exercises they missed.

Students receive 1 point for every class day. Points will be listed on Tyler at the end of every week.

  • 5 points for a 5 day week
  • 2 points for a 2 day week, etc.

Concert Attendance (40%): Each individual choir has required performances throughout the entire year. When we perform, everyone is expected to be there at the stated time. For those students who have a medical or family emergency during a concert performance, a make-up assignment will be assigned. Absences due to work, sporting events, babysitting, family vacations, college visits, etc., will not be tolerated. If there is a transportation issue that suddenly arises on the day of a concert, it is your responsibility to ask a friend or another choir member to help give you a ride to the concert. You may have many fellow choir members to choose from to help you out! Missing a required performance due to a transportation issue is never a valid excuse and will result in an automatic zero.

Listed below are the required performances for the 2016-2017 school year. Please mark them on your personal calendar immediately! Please see information above in “Attendance” to see regulations regarding concert attendance and requirements if concerts are not attended.

EXTRA CREDIT:You can also earn some extra credit points in choir! Extra credit in your curricular choir class may be given for participation in Honors Chorus, PMEA Festivals, and attendance of other area concerts, which include other high schools, middle schools, college, or elementary choir concerts, band concerts, musicals, operas or symphony concerts. To receive credit, you must turn in the concert program with comments and a brief evaluation written on the program itself. Please be sure to sign your program and turn it in within two weeks of the performance! See me before the concert if you have questions about whether a particular concert qualifies for extra credit or if you are unsure about the assignment.

Extra Help:

Students are encouraged to ask Ms. Jaskiewicz for extra help and/or advice forsuccess in the course.

Classroom Policies:

  • ATTENDANCE
  • It is vital to me that each choir always sings at their highest level, and that each choir gains valuable experience in learning to work as a group. Acquiring the ability to sing expressive, exciting, rewarding music demands the daily, combined group effort of the entire choir. Therefore, musicianship, good citizenship, and positive group interaction are expected of every member. Your attendance and full, on-time participation in class is essential for your success and for that of the entire class. Consequences of poor attendance habits will result in a loss of daily participation points (see the “Grading Policy” section for more specifics).
  • CLASS READINESS
  • Each class begins with essential voice-building exercises and other important activities. Therefore, you must be in your seat with your folder and a pencil, ready to work when the tardy bell rings. Being late or forgetting your folder of a pencil limits your ability to participate fully in class, and will result in a loss of daily participation points.
  • Many choir students are outgoing, fun, friendly, and conversational; most have personal friends in choir! Friendships and fun times are two of the greatest rewards of being in a choir! However, everyone must observe reasonable limits or else the group begins to break down. No student has the right to interrupt class or disrupt any member of the class with talking or off-task behavior. It is an infringement on other students’ learning, my ability to teach, and on the overall enjoyment of everyone in the room. Disruptions will not be tolerated. Readiness to learn starts with the right attitude, but it doesn’t happen automatically. Everyone must be mentally prepared to learn and work everyday.
  • CLASSROOM RULES AND EXPECTATIONS
  • Besides being responsible for maintaining your “own” choir materials (binder, music, and concert apparel), you also share the responsibility for the choir room and all choir equipment, including the piano, chalk boards, chairs, walls, and floors. The choir room will be a very busy place this year from before school until late afternoon or evening, as well as many periods of the day. The choir room must be in TIP-TOP condition after every class. Therefore, the following classroom rules and expectations will be strictly enforced.
  • NO GUM, CANDY, FOOD, OR BEVERAGES ARE PERMITTED IN THE CHOIR ROOM! Food, candy, and gum interfere with good singing, and over the course of a day wrappers and empty beverage containers left behind create unwanted messes. (this is also a GCHS rule!)
  • Check around your seat at the end of each class and pick up all papers and belongings (even if they are not yours!)
  • Put your choir binder away in its proper location at the end of each class.
  • Treat the piano and chairs with extra special care; they are more vulnerable then they appear. Do not tip the chairs backward or play the pianos aggressively. When crossing to and from the back rows, always walk on the floor and not the chairs.
  • CELL PHONES ARE NOT TO BE USED DURING ANY CHOIR REHEARSAL!
  • Hall Pass Use: students are to use the hall pass system of the music classroom. In order to alleviate distractions, students are to use the restroom before class starts or use the one women’s or one men’s hall pass without distraction. Students must sign out and only one can be gone at a time. Students should reserve the need to leave class for emergencies.

Concert Policies:

CONCERT ATTIRE:

  • Chamber Singers:

Each student will be issued a black choir robe with a gold stole to wear for all choir performances throughout the school year. It is your responsibility to take great care of your robe by ensuring that it is placed on the hanger properly after each use. Any damages to these robes while in your care will become your financial responsibility.

  • Concert Choir:

Students will be required to either wear all black attire, or black and white. More specifics will follow when it is concert season.

CONCERT ATTENDANCE:

Attendance in outside concerts will be required. Consequences will result if students do not have a reasonable excuse, discussed at least three weeks in advance with Ms. Jaskiewicz. Additional assignments to receive credit for missed concerts may be assigned.

If a reasonable excuse in not presented in a timely matter, students need to be aware of the following requirements if in fact they do not attend concerts, field trips, and performances:

1-2 concerts missed: writing assignment, or make up project regarding choral repertoire

3-4 concerts missed: student will not be allowed to participate in future concerts (at director’s discretion)

4-5 concerts missed: significant drop in grade

all concerts missed, or one or both of major winter and spring concerts: failing grade

**An excuse must be presented in the form of a written note or email signed by the parent or guardian of the student. Acceptable excuses include: band requirements, music festivals, and outside professional musical group affiliates, just to name a few.

I am aware that emergencies such as illness, or family emergencies do occur. This will still require a phone call or email from the parent or guardian.

THE FOLLOWING CONCERTS ARE MANDATORY:

Concert Choir and Chamber Singers:

  • Christmas Concert: December 18, 2016 at 2:00 pm
  • Spring Concert: May 18, 2017 at 7:00 pm
  • Music in Our Schools Month Concert: March TBA
  • (not mandatory) Baccalaureate Ceremony: June 7, 2017

Chamber Singers:

  • Grove City Food Pantry Fundraiser “We Sing To Feed Them All”: Friday, December 4th at 7:00 p.m. at Tower Presbyterian Church
  • Performance at the Mercer County Courthouse: TBA
  • Christmas Assemblies: December 15, 16, and 19, 2016
  • Graduation Ceremony (Seniors Only): June 8, 2017

2016 – 2017 CHOIR FESTIVALS

Here is a list of all the Choir festivals for the 2016-2017 school year. Students will be nominated for these festivals based on their interest, effort in class, and vocal ability. More information will be provided to students that are selected to participate in these festivals. Students must be in good academic standing in order to attend these events.

  • Honors Chorus auditions at Westminster College (9-12 grades): September 29, 2016
  • Honors Chorus Festival at Westminster College (9-12 grades): October 27-29, 2016
  • Mercer County Chorus at Farrell HS (9-12 grades): November 17, 2016
  • Junior District Chorus (7-9 grades): January 20, 2017 at Lakeview HS
  • **must attend Honors Chorus auditions to participate**

District Chorus at Hickory HS (10-12 grades): January 12-14, 2017

  • Regional Chorus (10-12 grades): February 23-25, 2017 at Gateway HS
  • State Chorus/PMEA Conference (10-12 grades): April 19-22 Erie, PA

**IMPORTANT**

Some performances and concerts may be added throughout the year. Students and parents/guardians will be notified as soon as the director can confirm all information. These may include, but are not limited too, community events, fundraising opportunities, guest concerts, and performances of the National Anthem at various sporting events in the community and on field trips. These performances will still be mandatory as they will be scheduled months in advance with students notified as soon as event is scheduled.

Academic Integrity:

  • Cheating & Plagiarism: Please refer to page 13 of GCHS Student/Parent Handbook for our district policies.
  • Internet Usage: Please refer to page ___ of the GCHS Student/Parent Handbook, and our Acceptable Use Policy for our district policies on computer use.

Additional Choir Opportunities:

CHOIR OFFICERS

You have an exiting opportunity this school year to become a choir officer! Choir officers will help with various tasks such as recruitment of new members, presenting “fun” awards, taking attendance, and organizing our music library. Listed below are the officer positions for each choir:

President: Leads recruitment efforts, organizes social events, communicates with director, creates powerpoint presentation for the end of the year spring concert

Vice-President: Assists president with all tasks, takes attendance at outside of school events

Secretary: Create monthly calendar of choir events, monitor and organize choir robes

Librarians: Helps organize music library, help create new computerized music filing system

  • Will be required to organize some music every week.
  • Collects music at the end of each semester and counts copies as well as helping with assessment of music and binder quality

Nominations for these positions will be taken during the first two weeks of the new school year and voted on by the members of each choir.

EXTRA OPPROTUNITIES:

If you play the piano, are learning to play the piano, and can read music; you have the option to accompany one or all choirs this year. You can accompany 1-3 songs per person and will play during class and at the concert(s).

If you play a musical instrument that can assist in accompanying the choirs you may be able to play, if you can audition on the given piece for Ms. Jaskiewicz and perform at a proficient level.

If you are so inclined, you may audition for a solo or soli. Students chosen will need to sing in front of the class the required repertoire at a proficient level with proper technique and pedagogy as well as being confident and expressive in accordance with the style. This is not a popularity contest, but students should be in good standing both academically and in the choir.