Handbook

Introduction

Dear Students and Parents,

Welcome to a new year and a new beginning for us all. My name is Amanda Davis and I am the orchestra director at St. Charles High School. I look forward to working with old and new faces this year! With your commitment to playing and practicing a a string instrument in the orchestra and parents encouraging daily practice at home, we will continue the tradition of musical excellence in the St. Charles High School Orchestra. I am committed to helping all of you succeed in our classroom and in the musical world.

In order to have a productive and rewarding year, I need your help. Both parents and students can help by participating in orchestra activities, giving 110% during rehearsals and performances, and collaborating on ideas for the year. Working together can only strengthen this already superior group.

By referring to this handbook, most questions about our policies and procedures can be answered. However, please don’t hesitate to contact me if you have questions or if I can help in any way. I may not have all the answers but I know how to find them.

Course Goals

    • Mastery of basic, intermediate, and advanced skills/techniques on violin, viola, cello and bass.

    • Increase ability to perform higher levels of music repertoire.

    • Increase the performance of varied styles and periods of music.

    • Mastery of ensemble techniques.

    • Increase knowledge of musical terms, composers, and historical periods.

    • Increase knowledge of the structure of music.

    • Meet or exceed all curriculum objectives for high school orchestra set by St. Charles Schools and the National Standards for Music Education.

Course Objectives

Students will be able to:

  • Perform in concert a varied repertoire of music in an ensemble or as a soloist.

  • Perform with correct posture, intonation, rhythm, and expression.

  • Read and apply music vocabulary.

  • Understand historical periods of music and its relationship to repertoire, style, and composer.

  • Self-Evaluate one’s own performance and others.

  • Aurally identify rhythmic figures and pitches.

  • Demonstrate ability to improvise.

Course Method

    • Daily class instruction and guided practice in an ensemble rehearsal format.

    • Aural skills development through ear training exercises and improvisation.

    • Playing skills development through performance of repertoire.

    • Increase knowledge of music history and theory through lecture, inquiry and class discussion.

Course Equipment

All students are required to have each item below in class every day:

(This is part of the daily rehearsal grade)

    • Instrument and bow

    • Your own Notebook and Music (don’t rely on your neighbor)

    • Rosin

    • PENCIL

    • Shoulder Rest (violins/violas)

If students can not meet these equipment requirements, the teacher needs to be contacted to make accommodations.

Classroom Rules

  • Have respect for yourself, others, and our classroom

    • Respect the classroom by only bringing in bottled water: no food please. No cell phones or electronic devices (I Pod, CD, etc), no exceptions! These will be taken and given to an administrator.

    • Respect others (classmates and teachers) by not playing until the instructor asks, not talking while the teacher talks, and not touching others instruments and property.

    • Respect yourself by using every class period as a time to grow musically.

  • Arrive to class on time

    • Please arrive to class on time, be in your chair with your instrument, and have the proper music within 5 minutes of the bell.

  • Bring proper materials to every class

    • Your instrument (labeled with your name), rosin, music, paper, and a pencil should be brought to class everyday (unless instructed otherwise). These materials will help you as a student to fully participate in each musical experience.

  • Embrace the music!

    • The music classroom is made for creativity, expression, and aesthetic experiences. You may not enjoy all types of music but at least give them a chance. Never be afraid to use our time for embracing the wonderful and diverse world of music.

Chair Placement and Seating Assignments

Seating:

There will always be a written seating chart posted. Seats will be assigned by the director and will remain the same until changed by the director. Initial seating will not be a permanent placement for the school year. Efforts will be made to regularly change seats so everyone has a chance to sit with different people and in different parts of the section.

Section Leader:

The responsibility of the section leader is to come to class extra prepared and available to all students in case of questions about bowings, fingerings, etc. This responsibility is not always based on talent; leadership, preparedness, and cooperation are also factors.

Required Concert Attire

  • FORMAL Assigned Concert Attire: Ladies--- Black Orchestra Dress, black dress shoes. NO SANDALS/FLIP FLOPS. Gentlemen--- Black tux pants, tux jacket, white long sleeved wing collared tux shirt, black bow tie, black socks, and black dress shoes. NO WHITE SOCKS OR CASUAL FOOTWEAR (CONVERSE).

*Students are required to wear the appropriate concert attire in order to perform with the orchestra, if you are not appropriately dressed you will not receive full credit for the performance.

Performances and Rehearsals

Attendance at all concerts and rehearsals is a required component of the course.

  • In the event there is a scheduling conflict, students must return a signed excuse form TWO WEEKS in advance of a performance. The director will indicate whether it is an excused or unexcused absence.

  • In case of a family emergency or severe illness, students must provide a written excuse the NEXT DAY.

  • Absence due to a job or lack of transportation to the concert is unexcused as students are expected to arrange alternatives to these conflicts in advance. As a performance based class, students apply what they have learned in class to display at public concerts. Performances are the academic equivalent of exams; however, in music students not only have to understand the material but also demonstrate it through performing individually and with an ensemble. All performances are required as part of the course syllabus and will be graded. A calendar of orchestra events is provided so that parents and students can plan well in advance. Sometimes we are asked to give extra performances in the community. Notification for these performances will be given as far in advance as possible.

  • Unexcused absences will result in a zero.

  • Excused absences will remain unexcused until an alternate assignment is completed at the director's discretion.

Homework

Because this is a performance-based class, the amount of preparation through personal practice affects the performance of the whole class. Practicing at home is the "homework" that musicians must do in order to advance their own technique and to present polished public performances as a group. Students are expected to practice 2-4 hours a week. Practice time should be spent on the orchestra music and individual repertoire. Homework assignments that are not performance based may be given at discretion of director.

Grading Scale

    • Summative Assessments - 80%

      • Performances

        • 50 total points per performance

          • Punctuality - 10 pts

          • Appropriate Attire - 10 pts

          • Stage Etiquette - 10 pts

          • Following the Director - 10 pts

          • Comes prepared with all required materials - 10 pts

      • Playing and Written Tests

        • 15 points per standard per assessment

        • More than one standard can be assessed at per playing test

      • Overall Semester Participation

    • Formative Assessments - 10%

      • Daily Participation

        • 5 pts per class rehearsal

          • Assessed every two weeks (25 pts total in gradebook)

          • Consistently displays appropriate level of participation and engagement

          • Students can lose points for tardiness, cell phones, not being prepared, talking, gum/candy/food, not following directions, or being disrespectful

      • In class assessments

    • Final Exam - 10%

      • Playing or Written

    • Reassessment Procedures:

    • Students have two weeks to request and complete a reassessment on a standard (excludes unexcused performances). If completing during class period is not possible, student may need to stay after school.

Parents

Participation in various committees, though not required, is encouraged to make the orchestra experience as fulfilling as possible for each student. Parents may choose from the following committees, or simply let me know you would be willing to help every once in a while to ensure everything runs smoothly:

Fund Raising Concert Committee Chaperone Committee

Uniform Committee Travel Committee

Fundraising Activities (read carefully)

While St. Charles Schools provide the basic materials necessary to operate an orchestra program, fund raising activities allow the orchestra to provide every student with an enriching experience and to maintain a superior quality orchestra program. The following are the reasons why we fundraise: equipment, concert programs, music supplies, fees for all-state and festival, recording, hall rental, banquet, awards, instrument repair and maintenance, clinicians (guest educators), and music. When a child earns money through fund raising or other activities the profits they earn are placed in the orchestra activity account. The orchestra board keeps track of how much money each child has fundraised. The money may only be used for director approved orchestra expenses for the child that raised the money. All expenditures are at the discretion of the orchestra director and for orchestra expenses only. Money is not transferable to any other school activity and all monies are forfeited once the child is no longer enrolled in orchestra at St. Charles High School or the child is no longer a student at St. Charles High School. Once again, all monies are non-transferrable and non-refundable. All expenditures are pending director approval and all decisions are final, no exceptions.

Contact Info

Mrs. Amanda Davis

St. Charles High School Orchestra

Orchestra office: 636-443-4173

Cell: 314-374-2308

Email: adavis@stcharlessd.org