Orchestra Handbook & Forms

CONTINUING FOR 2025-2026

FULL SYMPHONY ORCHESTRA STARTING THE YEAR (1ST HOUR ONLY): In the spirit of continuing to find ways to improve our program we will again be starting the year with the Full-Symphony Orchestra for our fall concert.  This change will allow more time with our wind/brass/percussion players as well as give us a chance to perform different literature in the beginning of the school year. 

FULL-ORCHESTRA EVENING REHEARSALS (1ST HOUR ONLY):

Because of the evolution of our program and the added demands of our literature we will continue with having one, 2 hour long after school/evening rehearsals for the Symphony Orchestra.  Please see the calendar page for the exact dates.  The added time will help our ensemble reaches the highest level of performance possible as well as giving us much needed and valued rehearsal time.  Conflicts such as athletics or other school related events can be worked out with your director if communicated well before the rehearsal date. Students that cannot attend because of “work” will continued to not be excused.  Please be sure to add these dates to your family calendar so you are well informed on when they will be taking place.

SECONDARY INSTRUMENT PROGRAM: The Secondary Instrument Program to any student that is interested in learning a new and different string instrument in another class other than your primary orchestra class.  The requirements are as follows: 1) to be registered for your primary Orchestra class. 2) To have successfully auditioned for either Philharmonic, Sinfonietta, or Symphony Orchestra. 3) Needing orchestra director and building administrative approval. 4) Must be registered at Linn-Mar High School.

SENIOR SOLO APPLICATION: Because of the growing numbers and skill level of our students there is a greater interest in performing a senior solo with the orchestra.  Because of the amount of work involved for both the individual and the orchestra as well as a limited number of solo opportunities during the year we have instituted a senior solo application which any senior wishing to be considered to perform a solo with the orchestra must fill out and successfully meet ALL of the guidelines.  The application as well as its guidelines, are presented in this handbook.

CONCERTO ORCHESTRA: Depending on the amount of seniors wanting to perform a solo with the orchestra it's possible that we may need to utilize and organize a Concerto Orchestra. When needed, this will be on a "as needed" basis.  If you are performing a senior solo you will be required to perform in the Concerto Orchestra.  Any student considering a senior solo in the future, it would be the hope of the director that you would consider performing in the ensemble.

ADOPT A BEGINNER:  Those that have participated in this program have done a fantastic job with your beginners.  I hope that you will consider adopting a beginner as a learning experience for you and as a much-needed help for the growth of the orchestra program.  Last year’s participation was incredible.  We’re proud of you!! 

INDIVIDUAL LOCKERS: Every violin and viola student will be issued one locker for their instrument, folder, music, etc.  This is NOT a locker that one may substitute for ones regular school locker.  They are not big enough and will not always be accessible at all times.  Please use them with care and responsibility, and if you wish to lock your locker with a padlock you may do so, but you are responsible for the lock and the key or combination.  

NEW INSTRUMENTS:  As the department purchases new instruments, please take VERY good care of them.  If we all are careful they will be in great shape for several years to come!! 

SOLO AND ENSEMBLE PERFORMANCES:  Because of the recent growth of the orchestra program district wide we have decided to slightly alter the solo and ensemble requirement.  All  9th-11th grade members of the high school orchestra program WILL be required to perform a solo or within an ensemble approved by Mr. Reznicow or Mr. Sentman at the State Solo and Ensemble event held on Saturday, April 12th.   Seniors are NOT required, but are strongly encouraged to participate in the event.  If for any reason you are not able to attend that day you will be given the option to perform in one of the elementary/middle school evenings in early March or at a time jointly agreed upon by the student and your director.  If you have any questions please see Mr. Reznicow or Mr. Sentman.  Please plan accordingly and carefully, this is a graded event and it is worth the same amount of points as a regular concert.  

ORCHESTRA AUDITIONS: Because of the fast and positive growth of our orchestra program at the high school we now have four separate  curricular orchestras.  The Symphony Orchestra will meet first period, the Sinfonietta Orchestra will meet 3rd period, the Philharmonic Orchestra will meet forth period, and the Concert Orchestra will meet seventh period.  Our orchestras will be split based on age, playing ability, and potentially scheduling.  If you have any questions on which orchestra is best for you please see Mr. Reznicow or Mr. Sentman for further information.  Auditions for our orchestras will be held early second semester as well as details for the audition. 

CHAMBER ORCHESTRA 1 & CHAMBER ORCHESTRA 2: This ensemble will meet before school.  Individaul calendars and rehearsal schedules will be provided.  Students are chosen by audition in early fall. 

MASTERWORKS CONCERT WITH CHOIR:  Chamber Orchestra will participate with the choir in a presentation of outstanding choral and orchestral music with soloists and a combined piece.  Soloists for this performance are determined at the discretion of the director.

CHAMBER ORCHESTRA AND MIDDLE SCHOOL CHAMBER ORCHESTRA: In early December both the HS and MS Chamber Orchestras will perform a joint concert! This is a very exciting event where we will be performing some literature separate and some together.  The combination of these two ensembles is very rare and your directors are very excited to offer the opportunity for these two ensembles to join together and do something that is not happening very much around the state and country. This venture will add greatly to the already diverse literature being offered to the Chamber Orchestra as well as an opportunity for members of the middle schools to perform with a high school orchestra member!

THE ORCHESTRA PROGRAM

Membership is open to all high school students who play an orchestral (string) instrument.  Large ensembles include the Symphony Orchestra, Sinfonietta, Philharmonic, Concert Orchestra, and Chamber Orchestra, a smaller, auditioned ensemble, and the Full Symphony Orchestra (requirement of all Symphony Orchestra  “1st hour” members and selected/auditioned wind/percussionists). Students wishing to be in one of the upper level ensembles need to audition in the early part of second semester to participate or get director approval prior to entering. Students playing both a string and a wind/percussion instrument may participate in orchestra and band with director approval.  Winds and percussionists for the Symphony Orchestra are selected by audition/recommendation. 

ORCHESTRA REHEARSAL PROCEDURES

Each orchestra member should bring their instrument, music, proper equipment, and a pencil to every rehearsal.

Attendance will be taken at the beginning of the period when the concertmaster begins tuning the orchestra.  As in the past you will be counted as tardy if you are not in your seat with your materials ready to go. Unexcused absences or students forgetting instruments may be asked to make up this time with a 30-minute individual practice before school.

Tuning will be led by the concertmaster each day immediately starting at the beginning of the rehearsal.  Please be in your seats ready to go at when the bell rings each day to prepare for the tuning note.

Rehearsal will end approximately one minute early to give students time to put away their instruments and music.

ORCHESTRA RULES

We adhere to all school rules.  No gum, food, or drink will be allowed in the orchestra room during the school day.  Some leniency may be allowed during rehearsals outside the school day. Cell phones are to be turned off during rehearsal and put away.  If a student uses their cell phone during class the director has the right to take the phone away for a period of time.

FOLDERS:  Because of the increasing size and status of the orchestra we have an individual folder for each student.  The folders are specially made and engraved for our program so please DO NOT destroy or loose them.  Each student will receive a folder with an engraved number on that folder identifying the folder with the student.  If you loose or destroy the folder you will be fined $20.00 for a replacement.

*SEATING:

*Everyone in the orchestra is important and the goal of a seating arrangement is to make the orchestra the best sounding group possible.  All seating decisions are at the discretion of the director.  

The director reserves the right to change the student’s chair and/or section before or during concerts.  This is an attempt by your director to increase student learning and is in no way positive or negative assessment of individual playing skills. 

In an orchestra, everyone sees what all the players are doing.  It is the sincere hope of the director that everyone plays to the absolute best of their ability no matter where they are sitting and that everyone works to improve not only their own skills, but the skills of the players nearby.

Characteristics for Principal Chairs

Auditions for the principal chairs will take place along with the audition for your overall seat.  The successful principal player will demonstrate the following characteristics: 

1.     Consistently strives for excellence in all performance activities.

2.     Is always prepared for rehearsals, including advance preparation and all materials. 

3.     Demonstrates responsible behaviors appropriate for a section principal (including setting up, being ready to play before the rehearsal begins, sitting up in their chair, etc.)

4.  (Leadership skills) Shows a willingness to assist all members of the section in   learning parts, bowings, fingerings, etc.

ORCHESTRA LETTERS AND AWARDS

The orchestra offers letters to orchestra participants.  Points are awarded for various orchestra activities during the year.  Accumulation of the prescribed number of points earns the student an orchestra letter and then various pins for succeeding years after the letter has been achieved.  The director will post a copy of the point sheet early in the year so students can see what activities will earn points towards their letter.

The orchestra offers several awards.  The NSOA award goes to the outstanding senior string player and orchestra participant each year.  The Directors Award goes to an outstanding string player and an outstanding wind/percussionist each year.  These players are most often seniors, but not always.  The orchestra also offers a Breakout award each year to the student who has improved the most over the course of the school year.  As the orchestra program continues to grow, other awards will be developed and presented.

GRADING

The orchestra grade is based on the following standards:

Standard #1:  Tone - 5% of grade

Definition: A rounded sound that fills the performance space. Tone should be clean and clear, and not weak, scratchy, or wispy in any manner. Tone should always enhance the performance and never take away.

Standard #2: Intonation - 5% of grade

Definition: Accuracy to printed pitches.

Standard #3: Rhythm - 5% of grade

Definition: Accuracy to printed rhythms, pulse, and correctness of meters. 

Standard #4:  Technique - 5% of grade 

Definition: Appropriate use of bowing technique (direction, attack, speed, control, release, placement, etc.), left hand technique (shifting, fingering, etc.), and “meta” technical considerations (string crossings, etc.). This also includes appropriate use of extended techniques (bartok pizz., ricochet, etc.).

Standard #5:  Musicality - 5% of grade 

Definition:  Effectively communicates the ideas, emotions, tempo, and motifs of the music through use of appropriate phrasing, style, and dynamics.

Standard #6: Performance - 37% of grade

Definition: Student will publicly demonstrate professionalism and active engagement in order to successfully display the rehearsed material. Individual students need to be prepared and focused to ensure a meaningful experience for both audience and performers.

Standard #7:  Daily Rehearsal - 38% of grade

Definition: Student will demonstrate responsibility, organization, productivity, and musical practices necessary for a collaborative contribution to the overall ensemble rehearsal.

LMHS Orchestra Attendance Policy for Symphony (1st hour) & Sinfonietta (3rd hour) 

Being a part of the daily rehearsal is a critical component to the success of our ensemble and team. Many musical, technical, and aesthetic decisions - as well as edits - are discussed and implemented within the daily rehearsal. These decisions, considerations, and the context behind them are not easily replicated and extremely challenging to make up for members who are absent. In an effort to hold all students accountable for their daily attendance, the LMHS Orchestra department will be implementing the following daily attendance policy beginning in the 2024-2025 school year.  

Any student, for any reason, not in attendance for two (2) or more rehearsals within a calendar week must make-up that missed time. There are no exceptions. The student can make-up the missed rehearsals by video recording themselves performing the missed material (music, technical exercises, etc.) that were assigned during the missed days. Additionally, the student will provide a written summary of their practice session using the following template located HERE. Material for each day’s rehearsal is posted on the Orchestra slide online located HERE.  It will be the students responsibility to look over the missed material.  This make-up video AND summary will be due by the end of business the following Monday.  An incomplete (INC) will be issued for the student’s missed rehearsal until such video AND summary are turned in and successfully completed.  The grade will automatically turn into an F for the missed week if not turned in within a two-week period. 

Missing a Graded Concert / Event

Any event/concert the LMHS Music Department has scheduled for their curricular ensembles is a graded event.  As such the students receive a grade and official credit for this grade and class.  We have in place two types of absences that students are to follow if they miss this curricular event.  Students are able to earn 100% of their grade type of absences.  To earn this grade, the director will determine, based on the criteria below, whether the absence was an excused or unexcused. The student will follow the “make-up assignment” listed below to earn their grade. 

EXCUSED: If a student misses an event/concert for an excused reason (i.e. sickness, another state level event sanctioned by the IHSMA or IHSAA, on a case by case basis our administration will look at “once in a lifetime events” such as graduations, weddings, etc. as a possible excused absence…but this needs to be approved by the administration)  

Make-up Assignment: Student will 

1. Complete and turn in the provided absence form located on the orchestra website, if possible, a minimum of two-weeks in advance. This will help determine whether this absence is excused or unexcused.

2. perform selected excerpts from literature presented at the  concert for their director. The student will also attend another concert where the student can demonstrate appropriate concert etiquette based on the criteria stated within the concert  standard and provide support for that performing ensemble.  

3. The student will turn in a supporting artifact (program, etc.) from the concert they attended.

UNEXCUSED: If a student misses an event/concert for an unexcused reason (skips the concert/event, outside of school events such as work/job, club athletics,  non-LMHS related competitions, vacations, non-school related activities, etc.)   

1. Make-up Assignment: Student will

1.        Complete and turn in the provided absence form located on the orchestra website, if possible, a minimum of two-weeks in advance. This will help determine whether this absence is excused or unexcused.

2.        perform selected excerpts from literature presented at the concert for their director. This can be done via video and send the director a link to view.

3.        Student will also attend another concert where student can demonstrate appropriate concert etiquette based on the criteria stated within the concert standard and provide support for the performing ensemble.  

4.        The student will turn in a supporting artifact (program, etc.) from the concert they attended.

5.        The student will turn in a brief, but detailed report (minimum 1 page) on what they heard at the concert.

MUSIC ROOM RULES AND REGULATIONS

-No gum, food, or drink will be allowed in our areas during the school day.

-Cell phones are to be turned off and put away during class and rehearsal.

-Students may store their instruments in the orchestra room in their assigned locker.

-We use the orchestra room and the practice rooms for practicing.

-Don't play the percussion instruments unless you are a percussionist.

 -Don't leave valuables in any of the rooms.  WE DO NOT HAVE SECURITY FOR VALUABLES.

 -Please keep the rooms clean.  Put your instrument and your folder and music away after each rehearsal.  Put your chair in its place, and put back anything you had to move.

PERFORMANCES

When you perform you represent yourself, your family, your school, your orchestra, your community, and your director.  Your conduct before, during, and after your performance reflects on all these people.  Expect to attend every concert from beginning to end, even when you are not the sole performing group.  Be a good audience for other groups and give your best when you perform.  With your total participation sets a standard of excellence that everyone will admire and can be proud of.

TRIPS

There will be opportunities for orchestra students to travel inside and outside the state.  Information and eligibility for any school sponsored trip will be published for students and parents to review.

CO-CURRICULAR ELIGIBILITY

Failing Grade (F)

Students who receive a failing grade at the end of a grading term will be ineligible for co-curricular activities until the end of the next grading period.

Incomplete Grade (INC)

INC grades may be assessed for cases involving absence, medical, 504, or IEP considerations. This would not be a grade given to a student who does not fit the above cases and is trying to pass at the very end of the grading period.

If a teacher gives a student an incomplete grade and he/she completes the needed work before the 2 week deadline the teacher must fill out the grade change form and give to Mark Hutcheson before that deadline date.  If the teacher does not fill out the paper work and give to Mark Hutcheson the grade will be changed to a failing grade.

Students are eligible for co-curricular activities while they are working on their incomplete work. 

Students do become ineligible if they do not complete the needed work set forth by the teacher and grade turns to an F (or if teacher does not fill out the paper work and grade turns to an F).

Work hard so there is never a problem with these standards.

FEES & COSTS:

Instrument Rental:  $55.00 per instrument per year per instrument for students using school instruments

These fees should be collected at registration.

SCHOOL-OWNED INSTRUMENT RENTAL

All students playing a school-owned instrument are expected to pay a $55.00 fee each year.  Students will be expected to take proper care of these instruments, as they are all expensive to replace. Students who keep a school instrument at home and also use one at school will be assessed two rental fees.  Students with an instrument at home will need to fill out a school rental form.  A rental form is found at the back of this booklet.

Cellos and Basses:  Because of the limited number of cellos and basses available, you are expected to bring your own cello or bass for all concerts, performances, and mass rehearsals.

WORKING STUDENTS

Missing a concert because of work:  If you are missing a concert for “work” related reasons you will ONLY be eligible to receive up to 50 % of the credit for the concert grade (which is 50 out of a possible 100 points) if you turn in the excused absent form and complete the composer report within two weeks of the concert date.  Missing a concert for "work" related reasons is considered an unexcused absence. 

More students are finding jobs and working during the school year.  This creates inevitable conflicts between work and school.  This page is an attempt to offer some guidance to working members of the orchestra.

The first thing to remember in all of this is that being a student is your main priority and that your schoolwork needs to come first.  Most employers understand this.  If they don't, are you really sure you want to work for them in the first place?

When you seek a job, explain to your prospective employer the conflicts you will have.  Most employers will appreciate that you have set priorities, are organized enough to know when conflicts might occur, are involved in activities, and are confident enough in yourself to present the information during your interview. 

Learn and follow the guidelines of the individual business on what to do for a requested absence.  Make a copy of the orchestra schedule and give it to the person who will be scheduling you.  Employers want to keep employees who are responsible. 

Even students who give their supervisors a complete schedule must realize that supervisors are busy. They are not going to remember you gave them a schedule, will promptly lose it, and won't refer to it again.  You will need to give your scheduler a reminder note about two weeks in advance of your conflict, and then you will need to gently remind them verbally as they get close to writing out the schedule for the week with the conflict. 

As soon as the scheduler begins the scheduling process they will promptly forget all about your conflict and get you scheduled on the night you need free.  You will need to approach them as soon as the schedule is posted and remind them again that there is no way you can work on the given night.  Having laid the proper groundwork for having the night off you should have no problem in rescheduling.  If you have done everything you're supposed to and your supervisor is giving you problems I will be happy to talk to them on your behalf.  We will have copies of the following form in the orchestra room if you would like to use them.

Request for Absence from work

Name__________________________Date_____Time___________

I am a member of the Linn-Mar orchestra.  We have a required event on the following date(s)_____________________________

I would appreciate it if you would schedule my work hours around this conflict.  Thank you for your consideration in this matter.

Sincerely,

(your name)

NONDISCRIMINATION INFORMATION

(Policy 105.1)

The Linn-Mar Community School District does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, age, religion, national origin, sex, marital status, sexual orientation, gender identity or disability in admission or access to, or treatment in, its programs and activities.  No employee or applicant shall be discriminated against on the basis of race, color, age, religion, national origin, sex, marital status, sexual orientation, gender identity or disability.

Inquiries and grievances should be filed with: Linn-Mar Equity Coordinators Executive Director of Human Resources Karla Christian or Executive Director of Instructional Services Dirk Halupnik at 3333 North Tenth Street, Marion, Iowa 52302 or 319-447-3036 / 319-447-3028 who have been designated by the school district to coordinate the school district’s efforts to comply with the regulations implementing Title VI, Title VII, Title IX, the ADA, § 504, and Iowa Code § 280.3 (2007).