Beginning Choir Festival

Who: Beginning Treble Choir (1st Period Choir)

What: Beginning Choir Festival 

Where: Raymond Hartfield PAC (5800 McNeil Dr. Austin, Texas 78729)

When: Friday, February 22nd, 10:30 AM-1:20 PM

Uniform: Red Choir Dress, Black Closed Toe Shoes (bring school clothes to change into when we are done)

Schedule: 10:30 AM - Leave 3rd Period, check in choir room, change into formal uniform

11:00 AM - Load the bus and head to the Hartfield Performing Arts Center

11:30 AM - Warm Up 

11:45 AM - Concert

12:00 PM - Sight Reading

12:20 PM - Load the bus and head back to Chisholm Trail Middle School

12:45 PM - Change back into school clothes and eat lunch in choir room

(students that buy lunch will have the opportunity to go to the cafeteria to buy lunch and will return to the choir room to eat)

1:20 PM - Return to 7th Period

Every choir will begin in the warm-up room, perform their program on stage for 2 judges, and then sight-read for 1 judge. The sight-reading judge usually gives feedback to the students and encourages them in their progress. There is a separate score for the concert portion and the sight-reading portion. Ratings are just like the UIL structure. (1 is superior, 2 is excellent, 3 is good, 4 is fair, 5 is poor) The judges are retired directors and they provide very helpful and encouraging feedback to the singers. 

Warm Up: We will have 15 minutes to warm up our voices, run our concert program, and encourage each other before starting our concert portion.

Concert: We will perform 3 songs for our concert program.

Sight-Reading: We will sing an 8 measure example in unison. Much like the UIL process, every choir will be given 2 timed practice periods and 2 read throughs of the example. The first timed practice will be 3 minutes long, and the second practice will be 1 minute.

About Required Performances

The Round Rock ISD School Board has determined that choir is a performing art and part of the school curriculum, even outside of the school day. It is essential that students participate in all performances and required rehearsals, before or after school. An unexcused absence from any performance or required rehearsal will affect the student’s grade. The choir department follows school policy in determining the status of an absence.

If a student must be absent from any required choir event, a parent/guardian must inform the choir director either via phone, email, or written note BEFORE the event occurs in order for the absence to be excused. The director will determine if the absence will be excused or unexcused. For grading policies, please see the performance section of the Handbook.

Choir Calendar - A choir calendar will be given at the beginning of the year. Any changes or additions will be kept to a minimum, emailed to parents, and placed on the choir website.

Conflicts with Choir Activities – We do our best to avoid conflicting with other after-school activities. When there is a schedule conflict with another school sponsored activity, it is the responsibility of the student to notify both sponsors/coaches of the conflict AHEAD OF TIME so that all adults involved can come to a solution that works for everyone without penalty to the student. Waiting until the last minute will make this more difficult for all sponsors/coaches.

Absence for Rehearsal, Concert, & Contest

Outside of school non-curricular conflicts are not an excused absence. Forgetting about the concert, not having a ride, not having uniform, etc. will not be considered excused absences and will result in a grade of “0” for performance grade.

Good communication between teacher, student, and parent can prevent misunderstandings.

• Written notice from a parent is required for all absences. Email is acceptable.

• Verbal or students’ written notices are not acceptable

• Advance notice is required for all prior commitments. A prior commitment is defined as a date already committed to before the choir schedule/handbook is received