Ryan Hampton, Choral Director

Fulton High School

Choir Handbook

2013-2014

Fulton High School

#1 Hornet Drive

Fulton, MO, 65251

Choir Office Phone 573-590-8100 ext. 8136

Main FHS Office Phone 573-590-8100

Be sure to sign up for parent portal at the office to receive email notifications

about choir events and assignments.

Table of Contents

• Chorale -Level I Choir

• Cantorum -Junior-Varsity Level II Choir

• Chamber Singers - Varsity Advanced Choir

• Chamber Singers Contract

• Grades and Expectations for All Choirs

• District and All State Choir

• Choir Awards

• Choir Letters

Classroom Expectations and Procedures

Students must comply with the code of discipline outlined in the Fulton High School Student/Parent Handbook.
Please be respectful of your teacher and classmates: do not disrupt class in any manner.
Be in your seat and ready to begin class (have your folder and a pencil) when the bell rings.
No food, drink, or chewing gum is allowed in the choir room, except for water in a clear container. Please use your cell phones before and after class, and have them put away during class.
Always do your best and always do the right thing.

Failure to comply with school or classroom rules will result in either 1-2-3 discipline (for minor infractions) or discipline as outlined in the Student/Parent Handbook (for major infractions).

My Values and Vision For FHS Choir Classes

To create a safe environment where students of all backgrounds and abilities are welcomed, accepted, and loved and encouraged to become better musicians, citizens, and people every day.
To have students who are intrinsically and internally motivated to become better musicians.
To teach students the true meaning of fun, and the value (and love) of hard work, so that they may become productive and happy adults.
To show students the large role that music serves in our society and can serve in their lives regardless of what career path they choose when they leave my class.

Chorale

Level I Choir

Chorale is our non-auditioned entry level choir. The class will enable students to progress to the advanced auditioned choirs by covering basic key signatures, rhythms, vowel production, sight singing with solfege, and intervals. Students are expected to sing daily using correct standing posture, to pay attention to the director, and to produce a good vocal sound. Campus Chorale members may choose to audition for district choir in the fall and prepare solo and ensemble work for the spring competition.

At least three concerts will take place during the school year. Please take note of the required concert dates in advance, as attendance is mandatory. The choral rehearsal process allows all class members to become accustomed to singing with the voices around them. The concert is a rewarding and valuable opportunity for the students to demonstrate to family, friends, and community members what they have learned.

MSHSAA: If Chorale members opt to participate in District Choir Auditions, or NE District Music Festival they must be MSHSAA eligible. Eligibility includes, but is not limited to, earning no more than 1 F in all coursework the semester prior to competition, as well as good creditable citizenship and high standards of discretion and decorum. For a complete outline of eligibility requirements visit the MSHSAA Website.

Each student pays a $25 robe rental/T-Shirt fee per year, due October 15. Uniforms are checked out prior to each concert and brought back immediately following each concert. Students who lose their uniforms, or fail to return them, will be required to pay to replace them. Please take care of the uniforms and hang them properly in between performances. Students need to wear black dress socks and dress shoes (males) or black close-toed shoes (females) at performances. Please do not wear athletic shoes or flip flops at concerts. The alternate uniform for performance is a choir tee shirts and blue jeans. Mr. Hampton will inform the students well in advance of each performance regarding what uniform will be worn. Please comply with the uniform requirements and realize that we are representing our school and community each time we perform.

Cantorum

Junior-Varsity Level II Mixed Choir

Cantorum is a select choral ensemble at Fulton High School. Singers are selected through

meeting criteria based on their knowledge of music, their ability or potential to sing well as

determined through recommendation, prior experience, or audition. The choir performs at least 4 times per year in concerts outside the school day and participates in judged vocal events.

MSHSAA: Students in Cantorum participate in MSHSAA sanctioned events. Eligibility for these events includes, but is not limited to, earning no more than 1 F in all coursework the semester prior to competition, as well as good creditable citizenship and high standards of discretion and decorum. For a complete outline of eligibility requirements visit the MSHSAA Website.

Chamber Singers

Varsity Mixed Choir

Chamber Singers are the most advanced and serious choral musicians at Fulton High School. They learn a large amount of advanced music for performance at contest and on tour. FHS Chamber Singers are expected and required to perform and rehearse outside the school day. We typically have extra required rehearsals outside of school hours. In addition, performances during the school day mandate that Chamber Singers exhibit responsibility for maintaining worthy scholarship in all courses. Chamber Singers may audition for several honorchoirs throughout the year, and prepare solo and ensemble work for the spring competition. As a group they are required to perform at contest in the spring. A variety of choral literature will be studied through performance, including historical works, contemporary art literature, and lighter numbers.

The prerequisite for participation in Chamber Singers is an audition for the choral director, demonstration of serious intent through participation in other music courses or musical extracurricular activities, and above average vocal skill. To be eligible for competition students must meet MSHSAA student guidelines with special regards to grades, discipline, and citizenship. The audition consists of singing a prepared solo and demonstrating solfege sight singing ability.

A uniform rental/tee shirt fee of $40, due October 15, will be assessed to each member.

Girls will receive a formal dress and a sparkle dress, and need to wear close-toed black dress shoes at performances. Boys receive a tux jacket, a tux shirt, four studs, a bow tie, black pants, and a sparkle vest. Boys must wear black dress shoes with black socks. Students will be charged to replace lost or damaged uniforms.

Each member is responsible for the care and hemming of the formal gown or tuxedo with all of its components. When hemming school owned garments, please leave fabric in the hem so that

others may alter for their height in future years. You may hem the garment yourself or take it to

the local cleaners for alterations. Formals and tuxes must be professionally dry-cleaned. Sparkles must be hand washed or washed on a gentle cycle, as they tend to shed glitter.

Chamber Singers Contract

Chamber Singers is the pinnacle of performing vocal ensembles at Fulton High School. Its

members are held to standards higher than any other choir. The honor that goes along

with being a Chamber Singer must be upheld at all times.

I understand that my behaviors, work ethic, appearance, and speech always are a reflection on Chamber Singers. To tarnish my own honor tarnishes the reputation of Chamber Singers and its perceived status in the school and community.

I will, as a Chamber Singer, maintain high standards of scholarship and academic honesty,

abstain from all illegal, unhealthy, and dangerous activities and conduct myself with

dignified propriety of behavior, speech, and dress.

As a musical group that participates in Missouri State High School Activities Association

events, we abide by the standards set forth by MSHSAA. All Chamber Singers and their

parents are required to sign a form stating that they will abide by MSHSAA rules and

accept the consequences for violation of those rules.

Students who choose to violate said rules of MSHSAA or who do not do their part to

uphold the honor of Chamber Singers by adhering to the personal attributes mentioned in

paragraph one will hold conference with the director and accept mutually agreeable and

fair consequences to be determined by the director or school administration. Confidentiality will be maintained with regards to infractions and consequences.

I have read the Chamber Singers Contract and agree to abide by the standards.

______student

I have read the Chamber Singers Contract and support my son/daughter in upholding

these standards

______parent/legal

guardian

Chamber, Cantorum & Chorale:

Grades & Expectations

Grades in all FHS Choirs are based on the following criteria: daily singing and participation, concert attendance, and singing tests.

Daily singing and participation: 5 points per day. In order to earn the maximum points for each rehearsal, students are expected to stand in their assigned spot with correct body alignment, to immediately follow all directions given by the director, to sing with enthusiasm and musicality, and to participate in all classroom activities, including physical and vocal warm-ups as well as sight-singing with solfege and Kodaly hand signs. Unacceptable behaviors in choir including, but not limited to, off task behaviors, chewing gum, eating, lazy singing, non-singing or inattentiveness to the conductor will result in loss of points for the day. If you are too ill to sing you should not be in school. If you are in school, you are expected to participate in all classroom activities in choir. In case of laryngitis or vocal problems you are expected to rehearse in lip-sync fashion. Choir students are to guard against all forms of vocal abuse including screaming, yelling, prolonged talking, incorrect use of the singing voice, and consuming un-natural, highly acidic, or alcoholic beverages. No food or drink except water will be allowed in the choir room. Drinking beverages other than water, eating or chewing anything in the choir room will result in loss of points for the day.

Concert attendance: 100 points per concert. Points will be deducted for non-uniform appearance, including drawing undue attention to one's self, or inattention to the conductor.

Singing Tests: 50 points per test. Students will be assessed on their performance of pieces rehearsed during class periodically throughout the semester. Mr. Hampton will inform the students well in advance of what pieces will be tested and when. The students will be evaluated on correct rhythm and pitches, diction, musicality, tone, etc.

Bonus Points: Students will have opportunities to earn bonus points for the following activities: auditioning for district choir 50 points, making district choir 50 points,making all state choir 100 points,participating in district solo/ensemble contest 50 points,participating in state solo/ensemble contest 50 points,singing in extra-curricular choirs such as community or church choirs: 150 points for participating weekly for the whole semester (A signed affidavit from the conductor, including their address and phone number, must be received 2 weeks before the end of the semester),participating in the school musical: 50 points, recruiting a student to choir (who actually enrolls in class) by 8/17: 100 points. Extra Credit is figured as an extra score, not raw points on top of regular class work.

District and All State Choir

District choir auditions are held September 21 at Warrenton High School. District choir rehearsal and performance day is November 2 at Moberly High School.

If you are interested in auditioning for district choir, you must pay an entry fee and commit to extra practice time outside the school day with Mr. Hampton. All of the audition procedures, practice sheets, and audio examples are on the net at under “district choir.”

We will also prepare for district choir auditions in class. Sight singing and key signature recognition is a major component, in addition to singing a solo from the required literature. Judging is blind, meaning that the judges have their backs to those auditioning.

We are allowed to take twelvefreshmen and sophomores per voice part to the audition. The deadline turn in the audition fee is September 6. The first 12 of each voice part with the fee paid and with sufficient preparation of the vocal solo will be allowed to audition.

Eight juniors and seniors per voice part are allowed to audition. This district choir audition is your first round of all state choir auditions. Perfect scores in the district audition are the aim for those seeking to make all state. The all state audition will involve singing your part to ExultateJustiby Viadana along with a CD of the remaining parts. All-State choir members will be announced at district choir and will rehearse with fifteen others from our NE district before rehearsing for 4 days in January at Tan-Tar-A with the All State Choir of 300 voices.

District choir auditionees must know their major key signatures and be able to sight read music in addition to knowing the audition song. Students taking private lessons may choose their song with the guidance of their private teacher. The audition songs must be from

the following books:

24 Italian Songs

26 Italian Songs

15 American Art Songs

The First Book of (Voice Part) Songs

Songs longer than two minutes will be cut off at the two minute mark. The solo is to be sung along with the CD that is sold with the book. Practicing with that CD is crucial to success so that entrances are done correctly. I have the CDs in my office for your rehearsal use.

Choir Awards

The following rewards will be presented at our end of the year concert:

The Jack Garner Scholarship will be awarded to a senior seeking a career in music.

The Outstanding Choral Musician Award will be given to a senior for exceptional service to the vocal music program.

The Student Accompanist Award will be given to a senior for exceptional service as an accompanist to the vocal music program.

Outstanding Choir Member Awardswill be presented to the most outstanding students in each choir.

Choir Letter

The purpose of the choir letter is to reward students that spend time above and beyond

that which is required to further their musical skills. Students must accumulate 25 points in order to attain a choir letter. Students who receive a choir letter all four years will receive special recognition. Activities and points awarded are as follows:

ActivityPoints Date Completed

District/MCDA/ACDA Audition10 (per)______

Accepted5______

All-State Choir Audition 10______

Accepted5______

District Contest – Small Ensemble 5______

District Contest – Solo 10______

Rating of I, II 10, 5______

State Contest – Small Ensemble 5______

State Contest – Solo 10______

National Anthem Sporting Event (solo)1-3______

Fund Raiser Work 2______

Attend Approved Outside Concert 1-3______

Director Points for service to vocal music 1-5

(awarded at the discretion of the director)

Total _____