River Heights

River Heights Intermediate School Band Handbook 2017-2018

Mr. Jonathan Hartling Band Director

River Heights Intermediate school 7227 Scholar Way Eastvale, California 92880 (951) 738-2155 ext. 4210 Mr. Hartling’s Email: [email protected] RHIS Music Website: http://www.cnusd.k12.ca.us//Domain/2489 Welcome to the River Heights Intermediate School Band Program! Our goal is to teach you all we can about music and help you to become the finest and most knowledgeable musician possible. We believe that if you put forth the effort, the quality will follow. The study of music can be both rewarding and fun. This handbook will be a guide to help you be successful in band and to discover the joy of music.

Please read this handbook carefully, it contains very important information. Keep it in a safe place all year as it may answer many questions that you might have.

Field Trip Consent Form, Music Contract, and Emergency Form You will find a Field Trip Consent Form, a Student Code of Conduct Contract, and an Emergency Form on the last two pages of this handbook. The purpose of these contracts is to have emergency information available and to make certain that both you and your parents have read this handbook thoroughly and are aware of the responsibilities involved in band membership. This includes all rehearsals and performances outside the regular school day.

The Emergency Form, Music Contract, and the Field Trip Consent Forms must be signed by the student and a parent/guardian and returned within three school days of entering the class. Returning the two contracts will count as their first test. Those who turn in the contract on time will receive an A and their grade will decrease one letter grade every day that it is late. Students who fail to turn in these contracts will be taken out of the class.

Band Room Rules 1. Come to rehearsal prepared with a positive, supportive, and helpful attitude. 2. Follow directions the first time they are given 3. Allow the teacher to teach and the students to learn. 4. Respect others and their belongings. (This includes instruments!) 5. Always act in a safe manner. (Never play with food or gum in your mouth, this is dangerous!) 6. Keep your surroundings clean and be organized. (Cases must be put away at all times.) 7. Only music related questions are allowed during the first 40 minutes of class.

Classroom Procedures It is important to establish a normal rehearsal routine so that daily rehearsal time can be used efficiently. The routine begins as soon as you enter the room.

Immediately upon entering the room students will: -quietly unpack and/or set up their instruments; - quietly get their music, folder, and pencil out; (notice if they need their sight reading folder) - quietly place their empty case and belongings in their assigned cubical; then - quietly go to their assigned seats. (This will all be done without talking or playing out of turn!)

Information pertaining to specific songs, scales, rhythms, sight reading, and tonal patterns will be written on the board. Students should immediately glance at the board and begin organizing their materials in the proper order. Students will be marked tardy who are not seated when the tardy bell rings. The rehearsal routine may be changed or varied according to the needs at the time. Our daily goal is to rehearse for 40 minutes. Announcements will be made when the shower bell rings, six minutes prior to the end of the period. Questions and comments not related to the objectives of the day should be held until this time. During the cleanup period students are, without any further playing, to quickly put their instruments and music away and then return to their seats. The class will be dismissed by the band director (not the bell) when: -the room has been returned to its original state of order (chairs, stands, trash, and materials); -all students are sitting quietly in their assigned seats; and -the director has made any necessary reminders and announcements.

Behavior Our primary responsibility in band is to learn about music. Any behavior that distracts from, or interferes with this learning process will not be permitted.

The BAND ROOM RULES are provided as special guidelines for your BEHAVIOR in the classroom. Quiet attention to the teacher, remaining in your seat during the class period, and following directions are naturally expected of you in band just as they are in you other classes.

Infractions of the rules and/or disruption of the class will result in an attempt to adjust your behavior. Disciplinary action will take place in the following order:

 initial warning with instructions on how to modify the behavior (any further incident will be viewed as insubordination and will be dealt with accordingly)  time out with assigned writing to reflect on your behavior  assign after school detention and a call home to discuss the problem with your parents  ACP with a parent/ teacher conference  refer you to an administrator for discipline

If the situation continues to be a problem, you might not be permitted to participate with the group during rehearsal and performances – seriously affecting your grade.

You should understand that the director and administration will make every effort possible to help you adjust your behavior. It is the goal of the director to help each student be as successful as possible in the music program. However, when the attention required by a single student infringes on the learning experience of the whole group, the individual student will have to be removed from the class for the good of the other students.

As a member of a River Heights band, you are representing yourself, your band, your teacher, your school, the district, and the community at all times – so keep your behavior at its very best! Remember – we’re all here to learn about music and have a great time! Having a positive attitude will only enhance your experience, both in band and your other classes.

Restroom Policy Students will be issued six passes per trimester. Students will only be allowed to use the restroom during the first five minutes of class otherwise they will need to wait until the next passing period. Students who require the use of the restroom after their six passes have been used up for an emergency will find their participation grade severely lowered. Therefore students should only use the restroom when absolutely necessary.

Contact Information I realize that education is a partnership between parents, teachers and children. I encourage you to contact me with any questions or concerns. The school telephone number is (951) 738-2155 ext. 4210 or you can email me at [email protected]. For security purposes, I will only open emails with RHIS Band in the subject field. Thank you in advance for your support! REQUIRED STUDENT MATERIALS Technique Books Each group will use a supplementary technique book in addition to regular band music. Band Members should purchase the book from a local music store. It will be used in class on a regular basis and, more importantly, serve as a personal guide for individual student practice. Students will need this book by the start of the second week of school. Essential Elements 2000, Book 1,

Chromatic Tuner Each student is asked to provide their own tuner that they can bring back and forth from home to school. There are several options for tuners but the best choice for band at River Heights is a Snark. Snarks are a good option because they can clip to the instrument and read the vibrations rather than the sound waves. This is valuable for tuning while other musicians are playing. (We will be doing this this.) A Korg tuners with a pick-up mic is recommended for flutes. Percussionists will not be required to supply a tuner but are encouraged to do so for the timpani.

Instruments It is expected that the band student and his/her parents or guardians provide an instrument by the beginning of the second full week of school. Music stores in the area offer several rental and/or purchase options. It is the responsibility of the band student and family to repair and maintain the instrument in proper playing condition.

All brass and woodwind players are expected to have a cleaning kit for their instrument. A cleaning kit can be purchased at the local music store.

Woodwind player are expected to provide their own reeds, cork grease, key oil. Beginning players should never play on a reed softer than a 2 and should switch to 2 ½ reeds after a few months. Students who have been playing for six months or more should be playing on a 3 reed. Students are expected to have at least THREE working reeds in their case at all times. It is recommended that students purchase their reeds by the box since this will usually be cheaper. Students should then purchase their next box when they get down to three reeds. DON’T WAIT UNTIL YOUR LAST REED BEFORE YOU GO TO PURCHASE MORE. Students who show up to class without a working reed will receive a participation grade of ZERO for the day.

Brass players are expected to provide their own valve oil and tuning slide grease along with any mutes that may be necessary to perform the pieces that we perform on the concerts.

Percussionists must also provide their own necessary equipment like everyone else. River Heights will have some mallets to achieve specific sounds on certain percussion instruments but each student will need to provide their own pairs of the following:  Stick bag to store personal equipment  Snare sticks (size 5A recommended)  One pair of medium to hard yarn mallets  Hard rubber headed xylophone mallets  Medium or hard timpani mallets (Vic Firth Staccato mallets recommended).  Drum Key  Practice pad or drum for home practice

All percussionists will learn to play the orchestra bells and xylophone daily. They will be expected to learn to read pitches and to demonstrate scales on a regular basis. Therefore, percussion students may wish to rent or purchase a two octave student bell set for practice at home. Please call a local music vendor for more information. EACH BAND WILL HAVE NO MORE THAN 5 PERCUSSIONISTS. STUDENTS MUST HAVE A 3.0 GPA OR BETTER AND NO N’s OR U’s ON THEIR REPORT CARD TO PLAY A PERCUSSION INSTRUMENT. A LOTTERY SYSTEM WILL BE USED IF THERE ARE MORE STUDENTS INTERESTED, WHO QUALIFY, IN BEING A PERCUSSIONIST THAN SPOTS. ANY PERCUSSIONIST WHO DOES NOT HAVE THEIR EQUIPMENT BY THE SECOND WEEK OF SCHOOL WILL BE TAKEN OFF PERCUSSION AND REQUIRED TO PLAY A DIFFERENT INSTRUMENT. THERE WILL BE NO EXCEPTIONS!

School Owned Instruments A limited amount of school instruments are available for use by some band students. The following priorities are used to assign school instruments.  Students who are not able to rent at this time due to financial strain (PLEASE NOTIFY THE DIRECTOR IMMEDIATELY IN WRITING).  Students who play a large or unusual instrument that are sometimes not available to rent (tuba, baritone, French horn, etc.).

Qualifying students and parents are financially responsible for any damage and all maintenance needed to keep the instrument in proper playing condition.

In the event that there are more students than instruments qualifying for a school instrument, a lottery system will be utilized to ensure fair distribution.

Instrument Upgrades

Upgrading an instrument can greatly increase ease of playing and drive motivation. Just like anything else, there are many different brands and quality levels from which to choose. An instrument of poor quality will be harder to play, will often result in loss of motivation for the student and result in frequent high repair bills. There are also some great deals on used instruments on EBay and Craig’s list that have high resale value. I encourage every student (and parent) to see me if you are thinking about an upgraded new or used instrument so that I can assist you in finding a quality instrument at a good price.

Black 3 Ringed Binder, Pencil Pouch, 3 Pencils, 3x5 index cards, and 2 Highlighters Each student is expected to provide his or her own black, hard-covered, three-ringed binder. Music will be provided for the students and they will be expected to keep their music organized in this folder. Stuffing loose music into one’s instrument case will not be tolerated. It is the student’s responsibility to keep track of his or her folder. If it is left out and gets lost or destroyed, it will be the student’s responsibility for replacing it. Every student is required to keep 3 pencils in their instrument case or with their music folder. Students may write on their music with pencil only. Each binder should have a pencil pouch to keep supplies in. Students will be using index cards to create flashcards to memorize music facts. One package of 3x5 cards will be enough for the year. Highlighters will occasionally be used during class. Each student should have two different colors of highlighters and keep them in their case or with their folder. Students should also have several sheets of paper in the back of the binder for taking notes.

PLEASE NOTE: Please put your music away in your backpack or you assigned instrument storage cubby at the conclusion of each rehearsal. Regular checks will be made to make sure that students have their necessary materials. Every student should have an instrument with all the appropriate parts, a folder with their music in it, the Essential Elements 2000 book, and a pencil with them every day. Students who are missing materials will lose one point for every item that they do not have.

RECOMMENDED MATERIALS Metronome Music Stand Smart Music Ear Training Program It is recommended that each student purchase a music book or two of songs that they would like to play. This will help keep their interest, make their practice sessions longer and more frequent, as well as improve their playing.

Smart Music Smart music is a music accompaniment program that every student should to subscribe to. There are many exercises and fun songs that students can play along with. The program also has evaluation tools and lessons to help each student to improve. Students can purchase yearlong subscriptions for $30 through the website www.smartmusic.com.

Ear Training Ear Training is an aspect of music that is often overlooked by the music student but is an essential part of becoming a musician. There are several programs that are available through the internet that I can recommend. The first one is from Eartrainginghq and the second is David Lucas Burge’s Relative Ear Training Coarse. I would encourage each student to purchase one of these programs and practice it daily.

Band Activities 2016-2017 August Mandatory Parent and Student Music Information Night Tuesday August 22nd, 2017 at 6:00

September Advanced Band Patriot Day Assembly at Eastvale – September 11th, 2017 7:15-11:00

All students and parents need to be at our information night on nd August 22 , 2017 at 6:00pm so that we can discuss our activities for the rest of the year and how we are going to fund them. Attendance is extremely important!

Concerts Attendance of all dress rehearsals, concerts, and activities is required of every student. The students depend on each other to be present and to play their part. We cannot put on concerts without all of the parts being played. We need the music to sound the same on stage as it does in rehearsal. Missing students will put undue hardship on the students who are left performing and could create a situation where a part will not be heard. Students who cannot attend an activity, need to give the director a written note from a parent or legal guardian excusing them at least one week before the date of the concert. This will allow the director to have someone else cover the part for the concert. Not fulfilling this requirement will result in the lowering of their grade. Late excuses cannot be accepted! Alternate assignments will be given to those students who cannot attend the concert or dress rehearsal. Students who become sick enough at the last minute that they cannot attend the activity need to bring a doctor’s note. Students are also expected to attend the entire concert until everyone has finished performing. This is the appropriate etiquette for concerts. Students who fail to stay for the entire concert will have their performance grade lowered.

Concert Vouchers One of our goals during a concert is to teach students (and parents) the appropriate etiquette that is expected at a formal concert. Each student will be handed a voucher for each concert. The student will need to hand in the voucher at the end of the concert to receive credit for attending. Each voucher will have 5 lines on it and if any adult observed a student acting inappropriately during a concert they can sign their name on it and the student will lose 20 points for each signature. Students who fail to turn in their vouchers on the night of the concert will receive no points for that event.

Sectionals Each instrument of the band is very different in technique and the problems that they present. For example, teaching flute and trumpet are as different as teaching science and language arts. For this reason, we hire professional musicians to come down and work with the students. This is equivalent to a baseball team hiring one of the Angels or Dodgers to work with the kids on the team. Sectionals will be held on days that the three band classes occur back to back during school. After school sectionals may be called when the need arises. GRADES Grading will be largely based off of participation and behavior. Students will receive 5 points every day when they show up with all of their materials including instruments, black folder with music and pencil pouch, books, pencil, index cards, and highlighters. Students will lose all of their participation points for the day if they talk out of turn during class, use the restroom after their 6 passes have been used up or at an inappropriate time. Students can lose partial participation points when they don’t bring one of their required materials to class, or for poor posture and fidgeting. Practice records will be worth 15 points. Students will receive 100 participation points for each performance, master class, or dress rehearsal. Same grading procedures for class will apply to sectionals, dress rehearsal, master classes, and concerts. Tests and Friday instrument checks will occasionally be given. They will usually be worth 10 points each. Final exams will be worth 50 points. Weekly notebook checks will be given. Notebook checks will be 10 points. Students who are failing band at the time of a field trip will not be permitted to go on the field trip unless a parent or guardian accompanies them.

Practice Records In order to be successful, students need to be practicing their instruments at home, just like you practice your language arts and math skill at home (homework). It takes the average person 10,000 hours of practice to learn to play an instrument. The good news is that you don’t have to do that all in the first year. During the first few years, music teachers ask their students to practice 30 minutes a day, 6 days a week, for a total of 3 hours per week. The more you practice, the faster you will improve. Some students may wish to practice an hour or more per day. This will get you to a very high level, in a very short amount of time and will allow you to play more challenging (more fun) music. Students will be turning in practice records every Wednesday. The records need to be signed by a parent or guardian and will be worth 15 points each week.

Tests- playing and non-playing Some tests will be scheduled and others will not. Students should expect to have some kind of test (formal or informal) each week. Students should practice every day to ensure that they are fully prepared for any surprise test that might occur. Students are expected to master any material that is assigned as homework and will be the basis for playing tests. Students should expect to devote 30 minutes per day practicing their instrument.

Students will be asked to play individually. Students will be graded against a standard (see grading rubric). Students should pay special attention to the following while playing tests:  Tone Quality (maintaining a full, rich tone with no wavers)  Pitch Control (maintaining proper intonation)  Note Accuracy (playing the correct notes)  Rhythmic Accuracy (playing the correct rhythms with a steady tempo)  Articulation (using the proper attacks, tonguing and slurring)  Dynamic Control (playing at the correct level of volume)  Phrasing and Musical Effect (breathing in the correct places and using expression)  Memorization (when required)

Extra Credit Students can attend concerts and recitals for extra credit. Too receive credit, you must bring a program signed by one of your parents/guardian the next school day. Off campus performances need to be approved by the band director ahead of time to make sure that it will count for extra credit.

Additional Information Performance Attire All members of a River Heights band will need a River Heights Music Department Shirt for performances. For all performances, the shirts will be worn with:  Long black dress pants (must be dark and a solid black - gray or faded pants, and black jeans are not acceptable)  Black socks, and  Black dress shoes. If you cannot meet these expectations due to financial hardship, please notify the director immediately so that assistance can be arranged. No student will be permitted to perform without the described uniform. Any student missing a performance due to inappropriate attire will have his/her grade lowered as described above in the grading policy covering an unexcused absence from a performance.

An informal music department shirt will be made available for purchase that students can wear for certain concerts. Students who do not purchase the shirt will be expected to wear their formal band uniform. Periodic Maintenance of Instruments It is highly recommended that those students who own or rent their own instrument take it to a professional technician periodically for maintenance, just as you would maintain your car. The technician can inform you of any work to be done and the cost for such service. The student may not suspect that anything is wrong with the instrument, but may simply be accustomed to compensating for its problems. WHENEVER A STUDENT IS UNABLE TO PARTICIPATE DUE TO THE REPAIR OF HIS/HER INSTRUMENT, A NOTE FROM THE PARENT/GUARDIAN MUST BE PRESENTED TO THE DIRECTOR.

Extra Help If you are having difficulty with any of the music or assignments we work on during class, PLEASE come for EXTRA HELP. Be sure you make an appointment with me so that a schedule can be arranged. I strongly encourage everyone to ask for help. Asking for extra help is a sign of maturity and shows the director that you are being responsible and want to take care of business, SO DON’T BE AFRAID TO ASK FOR HELP WHEN YOU NEED IT! Private Lessons Every student is highly encouraged to take PRIVATE LESSONS. Nothing can match the benefits of this type of individualized attention and expertise. You will be surprised at how much faster your skills will improve after just a few short weeks! Mr. Hartling can assist you in locating a private teacher if you need some guidance in finding one.

Student Leadership There will be several opportunities for students to get leadership experience in band. We will be electing a president, a vice president, treasurer, secretary, and quartermasters. Section leaders in each group will be appointed by the director.

River Heights Intermediate School Code of Conduct Contract

Student’s Name (Please Print) ______By signing below, we agree with the policies and procedures set forth by the RHIS Band Program. We acknowledge that the purpose of these procedures and regulations is to create and enhance a successful learning environment. I promise to: Please initial each of the rules verifying that you have read them.

____1. Come to rehearsal prepared with a positive, supportive, and helpful attitude. ____2. Follow directions the first time they are given ____3. Allow the teacher to teach and the students to learn. ____4. Respect others and their belongings. (This includes instruments!) ____5. Always act in a safe manner. (Never play with food or gum in your mouth, this is dangerous!) ____6. Keep my surroundings clean and be organized. (Cases must be put away at all times.) ____7. Only music related questions are allowed during the first 40 minutes of class.

every single day!

______Student’s Signature Date

______Parent or Guardian’s Signature Date

By signing on the line below you are verifying that you have received and read this handbook cover to cover and are aware of all the concerts and activities listed in it.

______Student’s Signature Date

______Parent or Guardian’s Signature Date By working together we can achieve excellence! Permission Slip

I give my child______permission to attend all of the activities in the 2013- 2014 Handbook. I understand that if an activity is added to the schedule, a separate permission slip will be sent home for that activity.

______Parent signature Date