BURKE COUNTY HIGH SCHOOL Choral Handbook/Syllabus

2017-2018

Directed by: Joey Franqui

Intermediate/Advanced Mixed Chorus Mr. Joey Franqui, Choir Director

Email address: [email protected] BURKE COUNTY HIGH SCHOOL Syllabus 2017 – 2018 Phone Number: (706) 554-6691

Course Description and Objectives

This course is designed for intermediate and advanced level chorus students. At either level, students will have expectations of working at a fast pace and being able handle more challenging music. I will be careful when assessing the difficulty level you can handle, so be ready to work your voice and your mind. My most important objective for this class is to see students pursue a career in music. We accomplish this by performing for others and discovering the enjoyment that comes from working together to please an audience. You must be committed to the work ahead. Every day you should come to class ready to work. Our motto this year is WORK HARD or LEAVE. I am excited to continue this process with you. I look forward to this year.

Classroom Expectations

1. Come to class everyday ready to work. 2. Sing challenging music to a high degree of proficiency. 3. Have fun.

Classroom Rules

1. Come into the classroom and find your seat; if you are tardy, you must have a pass from either the office or teacher that kept you late. 2. Keep good posture during rehearsals when sitting and standing because this will be part of your weekly rehearsal participation grade. 3. When rehearsals start, there is to be no talking outside of that which is beneficial to the rehearsal process (determined by Mr. Franqui). See Classroom Conduct/Consequences. 4. During rehearsals, raise your hand if you would like to address me or the class; during tests, you are to raise your hand if you have a question and I will come to you. If I am working with a student or a section of the choir, wait patiently and I will get to your question. BURKE COUNTY HIGH SCHOOL Syllabus 2017 – 2018 5. Do not stand up, pack your book bag, clear off your desk or leave the classroom until instructed to do so. 6. During any announcements, be quiet and listen until they are finished.

Standards for Choir Classes

MHSIC.1, MHSAC.1 - Singing, alone and with others, a varied repertoire of music MHSIC.2, MHSAC.2 - Performing on instruments, alone and with others, a varied repertoire of music MHSIC.3, MHSAC.3 - Reading and notating music MHSIC.4, MHSAC.4 - Improvising melodies, variations, and accompaniments MHSIC.5, MHSAC.5 - Composing and arranging music within specified guidelines MHSIC.6, MHSAC.6 - Listening to, analyzing, and describing music MHSIC.7, MHSAC.7 - Evaluating music and music performances MHSIC.8, MHSAC.8 - Understanding relationships between music, the other arts, and disciplines outside the arts MHSIC.9, MHSAC.9 - Understanding music in relation to history and culture

Making-up Assignments and Absences

You will be permitted to make-up any missed assignments (because this is a performance-based class, all assessments need to be taken by the students to insure that our choir is ready for concerts and festivals). This will mostly apply to Theory Tests and Song Tests missed because of absences. Assessments in Fine Arts classes are to be given on Tuesday, Wednesday, or Thursday per the administration. I will be responsible for informing the student of missing assignments. However, it will be the responsibility of the student to arrange for make-up work to be completed and submitted to the teacher. The school’s policy is to penalize the student 10% on the 2nd late day, 20% on the 3rd late day, and students late past 3 days will receive no credit.

Making Up for a Missed Performance BURKE COUNTY HIGH SCHOOL Syllabus 2017 – 2018 Be reminded that this is a performing class (a performing group) and all performances will be mandatory for all members. It doesn’t make any sense to be a member of this class (group) or to work hard to rehearse and then not show up for the performance. There are two scenarios where make-up work will be allowed to replace a major performance grade.

1. The first is for a serious emergency (death in the family, sickness with doctor’s excuse, etc.). In this case, students will be allowed to replace the grade by completing a paper described below. Students in this scenario have the chance to make up to a grade of 100 on this paper. 2. The second is an unexcused absence where the student has missed a concert without an acceptable excuse (had to work, could not get a ride, etc.). If there is a question about whether or not an excuse is acceptable, please email me. In this case, students will be allowed to replace the grade by completing a paper described below. Students in this scenario have the chance to make up to a grade of 70 on this paper.

Make-up Assignment: Complete a five-page hand-written paper on Lowell Mason, the father of American Choral Music Education. The topic of this paper should be “Lowell Mason’s influence on American Music Education.” It should be completed on loose leaf paper and will be thoroughly checked for plagiarism.

Course Assessment Plan/Grading Scale

This course will include many formative and summative assessments. At the end of the course, classes will be required to take a final exam which can count for as much as 20% of their final grade.

A minimum of 9 grades will be used to determine the final grade for each 9-week grading period. Here is a breakdown of how the grades will be calculated:

A. Summative Assessments = 55%  Performances, Music Theory Tests, etc. B. Formative Assessments = 45% BURKE COUNTY HIGH SCHOOL Syllabus 2017 – 2018  Song Tests, Weekly Rehearsal Participation Grade, etc.

It is policy that teachers should not record a grade lower than 55 on report card or final grades.

Classroom Conduct/Consequences

I will be implementing a “NO TALKING POLICY” during rehearsals. Don’t worry, students will be given earned socializing time every class period (if earned). If a student is caught talking during rehearsal in a way that does not benefit the rehearsal process, I will be calling home and dropping that student’s weekly rehearsal participation grade by a letter each occurrence. Parents: Please forgive me in advance if I end up calling frequently.

All other conduct issues and consequences will be aligned with the BCHS Bears Facts-school wide discipline plan.

Classroom Cell Phone Policy

BCHS is implementing the use of Green zones (cell phones-OK) and Red zones (cell phones- NOT OK) for cell phone use this year. Nearly every day, the chorus room will transition from Red zone to Green zone when our class work is finished. Students should not take out their cell phones until the room is declared a Green zone. Students that don’t adhere to this policy will have their cell phone confiscated. The process for getting a cell phone back from the front office has not changed.

Course Materials/Uniform

I will provide all of the necessary classroom materials including pencils. However, students will need to pay $10 in choir dues for their robe cleaning fee. Students that don’t own a choir polo shirt will need to pay $25 in choir dues to cover the cost of their new polo shirt and robe cleaning fees. The polo will be yours to keep. Robes will be our default uniform (especially when it’s cold). Under your robes, BURKE COUNTY HIGH SCHOOL Syllabus 2017 – 2018 students should wear white button-up shirts, black pants, black socks and black shoes so we look uniform and professional. Girls may opt to wear a white blouse and a knee-length black skirt with black stockings and black shoes if they wish. Girls must keep jewelry to a minimum: a pair of white pearl or faux diamond stud earrings (no large hoops). In cases of warm outdoor performances or small venues, polo’s will be the uniform. Boys should wear black pants, black socks, and black shoes. Girls may wear black pants or a knee-length black skirt with black stockings and black shoes. I appreciate everyone that can have their dues paid by September 1st (sorry, no checks). We need to order our polo shirts before September 15th if we expect to have them available for our Senior Night. Thanks. Otherwise, we will have to wear robes. 

After-School Practices Students, please make sure you ask off from work now.  We need to meet and rehearse together at least one Thursday’s in October to prepare for singing the National Anthem at Senior Night. I am proposing that we meet on the Thursday before Senior Night. That would be October 19th. We will need to practice from 3:15 to 4:15.  We need to meet and rehearse together at least one days in November to prepare for the Veteran’s Day program. I am proposing that we meet on the Tuesday before the program. That would be November 7th. We will need to practice from 3:15 to 5:15 on that day.  We need to meet and rehearse together for a few days in December to prepare for Christmas On Liberty and the BCHS Christmas Concert. I am proposing that we meet on the two Tuesday’s before each Christmas event meeting November 28th and December 5th. We will need to practice from 3:15 to 5:15 on those days. Performances before 2018 We have at least five performances that are mandatory for the rest of 2017. Please mark down these dates:

National Anthem for Senior Night-October 20th Veteran’s Day Concert-November 9th Center for New Beginnings Dinner Theatre-TBD (early November) Christmas On Liberty-December 1st BURKE COUNTY HIGH SCHOOL Syllabus 2017 – 2018 Christmas Concert (PM)-TBD Christmas Assembly (AM)-December 7th

Block Schedule Issues

Because of the block schedule, some students were not able to get into chorus this semester. Some of those students will be coming to after-school rehearsals to prepare themselves for the Veteran’s Day and Christmas Concerts. The rehearsal days will be announced after some research is done into which day will work best.

Also, some of the students in the first semester choir classes will not be able to take next semester’s choir classes. These students will be preparing for the second semester concerts during this first semester (if they wish to participate).

Performances in the Second Semester-2018

We have at least five major performances for 2018. Please mark down these dates:

District Honor Chorus-January 30th All-County Chorus-February 22nd Literary Competition (select students)-TBD Large Group Performance Evaluation, LGPE (FESTIVAL)-March 19th or 20th Kaleidoscope -TBD

PLEASE KEEP THE REST OF THIS SYLLABUS AT HOME AND SEND BACK ONLY THIS SIGNED PAGE!!!

By signing below, we acknowledge that we have read and understand the Intermediate and Advanced Mixed Chorus Course Syllabus 2017-2018.

Date ______BURKE COUNTY HIGH SCHOOL Syllabus 2017 – 2018 Student Printed Name ______

Student Signature ______

Parent Printed Name ______

Parent Signature ______

Phone # ______

If you can, please send this signed page back with your $10 or $25 for choir dues !!!