2011-2012 TJMS Chorus Handbook 2011-2012 TJMS Chorus Handbook
THOMASJEFFERSONMIDDLE SCHOOL
3500 Sally Kirk Road
Winston-Salem, NC 27106
(336) 774-4630
August 8, 2011
Dear Chorus Parents:
Welcome to the 2011-2012 school year! I hope everyone had a restful summer and that you are excited about the upcoming year in Chorus. TJMS is proud of the chorus accomplishments over the last nine years and this year promises to be equally productive and successful.
The chorus handbook is your guide to the events and activities taking place this year. The calendar, grading procedures, classroom expectations, and concert and contest attire are included in the handbook as well as extracurricular choral activities, festival ratings and a special feature on vocal health. Please read the entire handbook and discuss it with your child. Please print off and return the last page of the handbook with your signature and e-mail address.
Thank you for the opportunity to teach your child. Chorus is a wonderful experience for everyone; it covers stage presence, expression, communication of text, and it is an activity that will enrich your child’s life academically, socially and musically. It will be a memory they will treasure!
Musically,
Leigh Walters, EAYA NBCT
Chorus Director, TJMS
TABLE OF CONTENTS
Welcome Letter...... 1
Chorus Calendar……………………………………………..1
Grading Procedures for Chorus/Expectations……..………...1-2
Voice Health…………………………………………...... 2
Parent Task Force……………………………………………2
Fundraising/Monetary and Clothing Donations...... 2
Website Address……………………………………………..3
Choral Festival Ratings/Honors Chorus/All-County
Chorus/All-State Chorus/Wingate Honors Chorus………….3
Concert Attendance/Attire……………………………….….3
Information/Signature Page…………………………………4
TJMS CHORUS CALENDAR
2011 – 2012
You will be notified of any changes or additions to the calendar.
September 29Honors Chorus Auditions, GSO
October 208th Grade Concert, TJMS Auditorium
November 13 Honors Chorus Concert, Benton
Convention Center
December 137th Grade Concert, TJMS Auditorium
January 246th Grade Concert, TJMS Auditorium February 7All-County Chorus, Reynolds Auditorium
February 10-11Wingate Honors Chorus (invitation only)
February 218th Grade Concert, TJMS Auditorium
March 14Combined rehearsals, all grades, TJMS Auditorium
March 158thGrade Chorus MPA,GSO,
Christ’s UnitedMethodistChurch
March 167thGrade & 6thGrade MPA, GSO
April 27 & 28All-State Chorus, Greensboro (War Memorial Auditorium)
May 107th and 6th Combined Concert
GRADING PROCEDURES FOR CHORUS
The most successful chorus students are those with desire, discipline, and dedication. These students actively participate and follow instructions given in class. Sight-reading is one of the hardest skills to grasp in chorus. Students learn the Kodaly handsigns, which helps them visually and vocally decipher the intervallic distance between notes. Sight-reading is a part of our contest grade. TJMS choruses receive a SUPERIOR rating in sight-reading each year.
Students receive weekly grades on class participation. This grade consists of many components specifically related to chorus and singing; focus, posture, mouth position, attitude, energy and facial expression. Grading on student participation also includes concert attendance. Quizzes and written classwork focus on sightsinging; rhythmic (reading patterns and identifying note and rest values), melodic passages (solfege syllables), dynamics, tempo, composer information and other concepts related to the music literature being sung.
Each chorus performs two concerts. The dates for the grade level concerts are listed in the Chorus Handbook and on the Chorus website. Should there be a change in the performance dates or time, you will be notified immediately. You are an important member of the Chorus and it is important that you attend all performances. Students who do not participate in the concerts must make-up the concert by singing the concert music in its entirety in class – failure to make-up the concert in a timely manner or on the designated make-up day will result in a zero. Likewise, students will receive a grade for the combined rehearsal prior to the performance. This grade will depend on all, half, or nothing (100%, 50%, or 0).
I understand that conflicts arise and sickness occurs, but it is your responsibility to notify me immediately if you will be absent so that we can make other arrangements. We are a team and when one is missing, we feel it. Invitations to participate in contest and extracurricular musical opportunities (All-County Chorus, Wingate Honors Chorus, Central District Contest, and All-State Chorus) are extended to those who have participated in choral concerts, maintained good grades and have EXCELLENT conduct…their attitude is as important as theirability.
EXPECTATIONS
Come to class with a POSITIVE attitude and ALWAYS strive to do your BEST!
- Students are in assigned places with chorus folder & pencil when the bell rings.
- No food, candy, or gum allowed, as it is a health hazard.
- Bottled water is allowed to promote vocal health.
- Be respectful to teacher, peers, school staff, and yourself.
- Students listen at all times; no talking without permission.
- Students may not touch anyone or property that is not their own.
- If tardy to class, enter quietly and present a tardy slip for class admittance.
Parents will be contacted if students choose not to abide by the above guidelines. After contact with parents, students will be sent to meet with their grade level assistant principal. Remember, challenged behavior prevents you from being invited to participate in extracurricular chorus activities.
We are a TEAM and TOGETHER we will be GREAT!
VOICE HEALTH
Your voice is your instrument and its carrying case is your body. It is important that singers take care of their instrument. We use our voices constantly; speaking, singing, and to support our favorite team. Keep your voice strong and healthy by; getting plenty of rest, speaking at a normal volume, staying warm during cold weather to prevent illness, and drinking plenty of fluids.
On the day of a performance please drink plenty of fluids, rest your voice, vocalize to warm-up your vocal cords, and separate yourself from others so that you can mentally rehearse and prepare for the concert. Eat a healthy dinner at least an hour before the scheduled concert arrival time.
On the day of a performance please do not eat salty foods because they tend to create dryness, do not yell or scream at a ballgame (or the day before), donot travel in order to avoid fatigue, do not eat right before the scheduled time of arrival and donot drink anything with caffeine.
Remember: It is the only body and voice you have, please take care of it!
It is ALL ABOUT YOU!
PARENT TASK FORCE
We need parents to join our Parent Task Force in Chorus. These parents offer their time and talents by attending field trips like District Contest, All-County Chorus, Honors Chorus and All-State Chorus. Let me know if you are interested in volunteering your time to help us in Chorus. We need YOU!
FUNDRAISING/MONETARY DONATIONS
This year, we have chosen not to participate in a fundraiser. Money continues to be a necessity for the Chorus Department: sheet music costs approximately $1.60 a copy, registration fees for festivals, transportation costs, accompanist and instrumentalists fees, and program printing are just a few of the many needs facing our choral program.Parents have suggested that they prefer to give a monetary donation directly to Chorus to help defray the above costs for the year. Remember, some employers participate in matching gifts, so please make sure you check with your Human Resources Department. If each family donates $10, we could cover most of our costs for the year.
Thank you in advance for your support!
CLOTHING DONATIONS
The chorus department is continuing to collect black (pants and shoes) and white (collared and sleeved shirts/blouses) attire for students to borrow on an as needed basis. If you would like to donate an item/s, please send it/them in. Thanks to those of you who have already donated shoes and clothing.
WEBSITE ADDRESS
Need information about the chorus program at TJMS? Log on to our school website, or feel free to send me an e-mail with your questions or comments.
CHORUS/FESTIVAL RATINGS
Last year, all choruses from TJMS participated in the Large Choral Festival held in Greensboro, NC. For the tenth consecutive year, all choruses received a SUPERIOR rating on their performances and sight-singing. Remember: Chorus meets every other day, so this gives us even more reason to celebrate!
District Adjudication Festival is by invitation only. If students miss a concert due to OSS, ISS, or because they opted not to participate, they will not be invited to attend. Students must be able to sight-read using the Kodaly handsigns. Please understand that festival is not for everyone. At times, students are not ready because of the discipline required. Festival is our Chorus EOG and the goal is to earn a rating that reflects our musical growth. If students are not invited, this will not affect their Chorus grade. Not only do I want to do what is best for your child, I want to do what is best for all singers in Chorus.
HONORS CHORUS/ALL-COUNTY CHORUS/ALL-STATE CHORUS
WINGATE HONORS CHORUS
Students may audition for Honors Chorus. Because auditions are earlier this year, after school rehearsals will begin the second week of school. If your child is a successful sight-reader and can commit to after-school rehearsals, then they may audition.
Students will be selected to participate in All-County Chorus, Wingate Honors Chorus, and All-State Chorus. After school rehearsals are required for each of these extracurricular choral events since we learn the music that will be performed at each of the individual concerts. As the time for each of these choral events draws nearer, you will receive more detailed information.
CONCERT ATTENDANCE AND RESPONSIBILITY
It is the responsibility of chorus students and their parents to see that they attend all concerts and that they arrive on time. Singers in all grades receive credit for their concert participation. When all singers attend choral concerts, it helps the morale of all musicians.
Please note that students are to stay for the entire concert, not just their portion. The concerts are forty-five minutes to an hour inlength. Hearing and critiquing choral groups is part of the learning process in a performance based class.
Concerts begin at 7:00 p.m.; however, singers will need to arrive early to warm-up their voices. If you drop your child off for the performance, please arrive no later than 8:00 p.m. for pick-up. I ask the students to participate in concerts and extracurricular musical opportunities to enhance their music education and meet the NC Standard Course of Study requirements.
Please mark the dates of our performances on your calendars now. Failure to attend performances denies your child the opportunity to fully experience chorus to its fullest. Performing with a group nurtures self-confidence and a sense of belonging from which students of this age greatly benefit.
PERFORMANCE ATTIRE
CONCERTS AND CONTEST
Boys: White Dress Shirt, Tie, Black Dress Pants, and Dark Dress Shoes
Girls: White, Collared, Long-Sleeved or ¾ Sleeved Blouses, Black Dress Slacks, Black Dress Shoes
NO TENNIS SHOES OR CLOGS FOR CONCERTS OR CONTEST!!!
“The voice is not the end; it is the servant of the music.”
Robert Shaw
INFORMATION/SIGNATURE PAGE:
To be returned to Mrs. Walters by September 6, 2011
Student name (first and last only) ______
Class Period (1,2,3,4,5,6 and A or B day) ______
Parent(s)/Guardian(s) Names ______
Contact phone Number ______
Contact E-Mail Address ______
Are you available to help with chorus activities this year? _____
If yes, which activities? (Evening Concerts, Music Performance Adjudication from 7:30 a.m. – 1:15 p.m., All-County from 10:00 am. – 7:30 p.m.)______
Please make sure you complete the e-mail address above. I use e-mail often to communicate with parents.
We have read the Thomas Jefferson Middle School Chorus Handbook and we will abide by the guidelines set up for the Chorus. If we have questions, we will call Mrs. Walters for clarification.
______
Parent Signature & Date Student Signature & Date
1