Mid-Carolina High School Choral Department

Mid-Carolina High School Choral Department

Sarah E. Bridges, Director

August 17, 2017

Dear Parents and Students,

It is with great excitement and honor that I welcome everyone to the Mid-Carolina High School Choral Program for the 2017-2018 school year. This year is sure to be very exciting as we have many challenges and opportunities awaiting us.

The choral program at Mid-Carolina is built on tradition, excellence in choral music, and Rebel pride in all that we do. To continue to provide this experience, we must ALL do our part as a teacher, student, and parent. Our continued success demands that each member/family claim personal ownership and responsibility in every aspect of participation in the Choral Program. Participation in this program will provide each student with personal growth, team building/leadership skills, memories/friendships that will last a lifetime.

In this new chapter I hope to build on the great work of those who have come before us. I ask for your support and guidance as we work to reach as far as our collective talents will allow. Your faith and confidence in my abilities is appreciated, and is certainly not taken lightly.

The following pages contain a wealth of important information about the Choral Program, procedures, and policies that every student/family is expected to follow. Please take time to read and review carefully. Your signature on the contract located at the end signifies that you have read and understand all of the information contained in this handbook. Please keep this as a reference for the entire academic year. A digital copy will also be available on the Choral Department webpage.

I look forward to a fantastic year at Mid-Carolina and encourage the unlimited potential of this group! Please do not hesitate to contact me with questions, concerns, ideas, or constructive critics. Thank you in advance for your help in facilitating the choral program and for your student’s participation.

Sincerely,

Sarah E. Bridges

Sarah E. Bridges

Choral Director

Mid-Carolina High School

(803)364-3632 ex. 80740

Mid-Carolina High School

Choral Department Syllabus

2017-2018

Mid-Carolina High School

Instructor:
Sarah Elizabeth Bridges / Courses:
Chamber Choir, MC Chorale, Bel Canto, and Concert Choir / Length of Course:
Year/Semester
E-mail:
/ Number of Credits:
Chamber Singers- Honors Credit for 11th-12th Grade
Singers
Concert Choir, Chorale and Bel Canto Regular Credit / South Carolina
Uniform Grading Scale
A= 90-100
B= 80-89
C= 70-79
D= 60-69
F= Below 60
Office Phone: (803)364-3632 ex. 80740
/ Type:
Related Arts / Office Hours:
Planning: 3A/4B
Activity Period: 2nd Lunch Only
Fee: $30 paid at Registration

General Information:

Conferences:

If a parent/guardian wishes to schedule a conference, they may contact the Choral Director via email , by phone (803)364-3632 ex. 80740, or by sending a note to school with your student. The Choral Director will respond to your request as soon as possible.

Fundraising:

The Choral Department will hold several fundraisers throughout the course of the school year. The money raised from fundraising is one of the facets that help make this program one the strongest in the state.

Why is fundraising necessary for Chorus? The money pays for:

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·  Music

·  Accompanists (Evening Rehearsals and Performance)

·  Other Hired Musicians For Concerts

·  Choreographer

·  Copying

·  Supplies

·  Festivals and Trips

·  All State Expenses

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The Choral Department is extremely fortunate to have supportive parents and students who fundraise. Please observe all fundraiser turn-in dates carefully. If a student is late turning in money/forms/orders, it puts a strain on those handling the logistics. For certain fundraisers, orders may not be able to be met if orders are turned in late.

Solos:

Many things go into making a good soloist: appropriate tone quality, size of voice, expressiveness of voice and facial expressions, stage presence, intonation, the ability to “sell” a song to the audience, etc. Soloist may be chosen by the Director because I know that he/she can perform the solo well and it is a good fit for the vocalist. Other times auditions will be held. Solos are not chosen based on seniority. The goal is to select the soloist who is best fit for the piece.

Music Library:

Each student will be assigned music for each semester. Students are free to take folders home to study as often as they like. This is highly encouraged every day! Students wishing to check out single copies of music from the Library should see the Choral Director. A replacement fee will be charged to students who fail to return any music. If student returns music that is heavily damaged, beyond the normal wear and tear of everyday use, a fee will be charged to the student’s account.

Honors Choirs and All State Chorus:

It is the expectation that a student who auditions for a choir and is accepted attends the event. Before auditioning, students should check their calendar and make sure that they are available to attend the event. Students who do not attend an Honor Choir or All State Chorus will not be allowed to audition again for the remainder of their high school career per state guidelines.

All State Chorus

Auditions for SC All State Chorus occur in November (6, 7, 8, 2017) each year. Any student wishing to audition must meet the following qualifications:

·  Currently in 10-12 Grade (Freshmen are not permitted to audition per state regulations).

·  Enrolled in a choral ensemble ALL YEAR.

·  Attend preparation rehearsals held outside of class (on the course calendar).

o  Sing your part a cappella in quintets from “Honor and Glory” J.S. Bach

o  Perform sight-singing

·  Travel to Cayce, SC, for the audition with other choir members.

·  Pay the audition fee $15 and All State weekend fee $20.

All State Chorus is an auditioned ensemble of the strongest singers in South Carolina. Therefore, any student who is interested in auditioning for this ensemble must be willing to practice outside of class and work independently on their vocal line and sight-singing skills. All auditions occur in quintets assigned by the Choral Director. Students who audition and are accepted into All State MUST participate in All State Chorus.

ACDA Southern Division Honors Choir (Louisville, Kentucky)

Application Deadline: September 29, 2017

Dates: February 24-28, 2018

Fee: $30 Audition

Audition Requirements:

·  Vocalization: All singers should use the prescribed vocalizes and vocalize tracks for their voice part. This information can be obtained from the Choral Director. Vocalises must be performed on the prescribed syllable [za]/”zaw.”

·  Pitch Memory: Students will demonstrate ability to remember pitches in a sequence and sing them back.

·  Prepared Selection: Each student will perform the predetermined piece selected by ACDA for this event.

Each singer who is accepted into the Regional Honors Choir will be financially responsible for:

1.  Transportation to and from the event in Louisville, Kentucky.

2.  Lodging.

3.  Non-refundable registration fee $120.

4.  Meals.

5.  Provide a chaperone (parent/guardian) for the event. *Note: The Choral Director cannot be the chaperone for a student per ACDA regulations.

SCACDA Honor Choir (Southern Wesleyan University)

Event October 2017, Auditions Spring 2018 (For Fall 2019)

Information for this ensemble will be available in the spring. The audition requirements are similar to the ACDA National Honor Choir. Students will not be required to sing an Art Song/Aria for this audition. SCACDA Honor Choirs are held each school year in the Fall.

Field Trips & Traveling:

·  All District and Mid-Carolina High School rules and regulations apply.

·  Males and females are not allowed in each other’s rooms without the presence of an adult chaperone.

·  Obey all chaperones as if they were Ms. Bridges

·  All students must have a signed permission form and have filled out all of the appropriate health forms.

·  Curfews must be strictly observed.

·  If a conversation or singing can be heard in the front of the bus, it is too loud!

·  There will be no hanging out of or talking out of bus windows.

·  Please lower the volume considerably when entering towns or busy areas. This is for your safety and is courteous to the bus driver(s).

·  Please keep the bus clean, pick up after yourselves, and always thank the chaperones, bus drive, the director.

·  Silence when crossing/stopping at all railroad crossings.

Hotel Rules:

·  Parents and students will be responsible for paying for any incurred charges, including lost room keys.

·  Rooms are to be locked at all times.

·  There will be no one of the opposite sex in your room unless accompanied by an adult chaperone.

·  All school and district rules and regulations will be enforced on trips.

·  No one is to leave the hotel alone. Any student found leaving the premises without permission will be dealt with severely.

·  Chorus members and chaperones are expected to be in the right place, at the right time, doing what is expected of them, and ready to depart a location.

Expectations and Classroom Rules:

Philosophy:

As participants in a choral ensemble, each member must display self-control and self-discipline to promote cohesiveness of the ensemble. As a team we will work together to reach our goal- making music of the highest caliber. Disruptions in the class that prevents the learning process will not be tolerated.

Classroom Rules:

Students will:

1.  Display respect to everyone in/outside the class at all times.

2.  Follow all directions given the first time.

3.  Refrain from talking while music is being made or instruction/directions are being given.

4.  Assume proper sitting/standing posture when singing.

5.  Be in assigned seat and ready to work with all materials when the tardy bell starts ringing.

6.  Place all personal possessions in the back of the room in designated areas (including purses and other books). Phones and other technology devices are to be in your book bag unless the teacher is using them for classroom instruction. If teacher isn’t using them for instruction they are not to be on or out being used during class time. If a student is using a device for instruction but is off task from the assignment given they will loose their privilege to use a device(s) in the classroom.

7.  No gum, food, or liquid other than water is allowed in the classroom.

8.  All MCHS Academic Integrity Guidelines will be followed in my classroom. A copy of these guidelines can be found on page 4 of your student handbook.

If a student chooses to break classroom rules:

1.  1st Consequence- Verbal warning by teacher.

2.  2nd Consequence- 2nd verbal warning by teacher and etiquette points lost.

3.  3rd Consequence- Personal conference with teacher after class, parent contacted, and further etiquette points lost.

4.  4th Consequence- Student removed from situation, conference with teacher after class, parent contact, and further etiquette points lost.

5.  5th Consequence- Referral to School Administration.

*Note- Teacher reserves the right to skip levels of consequences depending on the severity of action by student.

Tardies:

I will strictly uphold the uniform tardy policy of MCHS as stated in the Student Handbook. Tardiness to class will affect daily etiquette points (see “grading” for more information). Tardies to rehearsals are outline in “Rehearsals and Performance” section.

Restroom Use:

Students may not use the restroom for the first or last 20 minutes of class. You are encouraged to use the facilities between classes and at lunch. Students excessively using the restrooms will serve a mandatory 10 minute make up time before or after school to gather the information they missed in class. Students with medical excuses to use the restroom should notify the teacher and present a doctor’s note before class begins. Failure to make up time missed will result in a loss of daily etiquette points until the makeup time is completed.

Course Description:

Welcome to the Choral Department at Mid-Carolina High School! There are several classes that make up the Choral Department.

·  Chamber Choir (8B) is a mixed auditioned ensemble made up of sophomore, junior and senior men and women.

·  MC Chorale (7A/2B) is a non-auditioned mixed ensemble that is made up of freshmen, sophomore, junior, and senior men and women.

·  Bel-Canto (5A/6B) is an all-female ensemble that is made up of mostly sophomore, junior, and senior women.

·  Concert Choir (1A) is an all-female ensemble made up of freshmen women.

Instructional Goals:

Vocal techniques, sight-singing skills, and music theory/history, as they relate to the choral score, are taught in this class. Attendance at rehearsals/concerts outside of the normal school day is required in addition to class time requirements.

·  Students will use basic music theory skills. This includes: note names, treble and bass clef, key signatures, major and minor keys, scales, chords, intervals, note durations, and solfege.

·  Students will improve vocally through voice lessons in class and in private settings. Private instruction will come from the Choral Director and a hired voice teacher.

·  Students will learn to accurately sing harmony parts independently and in a group. Their success will be demonstrated through classroom testing and on the semester concert.

·  Students will perform for in school and outside school performances/rehearsals.

·  Students will perform on a public concerts demonstrating appropriate stage etiquette.

·  Students will rehearse/perform repertoire from various periods of music history in numerous languages.

Course Key Components:

·  Vocal Technique- Appropriate high school singing technique, placement of sound, sound production, healthy singing habits.

·  Breathing- Body alignment to aide in inhale/exhalation process, full/deep (expansive) breathing.

·  Diction- Diction for singing in English and various foreign languages, articulators/resonators, vowel formation, communication of text.

·  Sight Reading- Singing a piece at first sight without hearing it, using solfege syllables and hand signs to aide in musical development.