Emerald HS Beginning Chorus Syllabus

Instructor: Mr. Antonio Edwards

Room: Chorus Room 703

Phone:864-941-5730

Planning: 10:40am-11:40am

Email:

Website: Edmodo.com

Required Texts and Supplies:

  1. (1) Three ring binder used to store all work for final portfolio to be presented at end of semester
  2. Class Notes and staff paper section
  3. Music Repertoire Section
  4. Homework section
  5. Quizzes/Tests section
  6. Project based learning section
  7. Progressive Sight Singing Dr. Carol Krueger, Oxford University Press (Provided)
  8. Selected Concert Repertoire (Provided)
  9. PENCILS (Preferably mechanical)
  10. Music Staff Paper (Provided)

Course Description

Developing music literacy skills and vocal technique are the two main objectives of the course.This course emphasizes the development of basic vocal techniques and skills including: goodposture, tone quality, breath support, diction, and attack and release. Students may have the opportunity to sing in foreign languages while studying a variety of styles of choral music. “Singing alone and with others” is emphasized in class and performance opportunities. There are no prerequisites or required prior classes.

Course Objectives

The Beginning Chorus Students will:

  1. Sing alone and with others while displaying improvements in: intonation, tone quality, diction, vowel formation, breath support, and range development.
  2. Read and write simple examples of rhythmic and tonal notation
  3. Define musical performance terms and symbols in a choral setting
  4. Study the history of music by singing the selected repertoire and learning about the composers of the selected repertoire.
  5. Critically evaluate musical performances in musical terms.

Course Requirements

  1. Attendance Policy (see student handbook)
  2. Tardy Policy (see student handbook)
  3. ID Violations (see student handbook)
  4. Concert Performance Attendance Requirements (District Guidelines?)
  5. Classroom expectations

“WHY DID I ELECT TO TAKE CHORUS?” (WM. Bruce McIntyre, Hillcrest High School)

  1. I wanted to learn specific skills to improve my singing voice. Whether I continue to sing in college, at church, in the community choir or just in the shower, an improved voice will become a source of pleasure and pride!
  2. Studying and performing a large variety of music in many different styles helps me develop an appreciation of music in general, as well as a better understanding of cultures, history and of me. So much of what people feel and think is contained in their music.
  3. Chorus will help me develop mental and physical discipline, and a sense of responsibility to a group; this is something that will become very important to my future success in my career, in my home, and in my community!
  4. Self-confidence is gained through a positive group experience. Each ‘success’ will lead to another, and another, and another!
  5. Students like me will have the opportunity to perform in concerts here at Emerald. If I am in the advanced classes, I may get to perform at outside locations such as universities and performance halls locally, state-wide, and all over the country.
  6. I will learn all the basics of music literacy enabling me to read music independently as well as interpret musical symbols and terminology! Music literacy is the key to my musical success!!
  7. Chorus will provide an opportunity or avenue for self-expression by allowing me to express my emotions and feelings in a socially acceptable fashion. I may even rediscover and tap into resources and abilities that I forgot I possessed.

Guidelines for Success (Some call them rules)

  1. BE ON TIME (TARDIES ARE COUNTED)
  2. LEAVE YOUR “STUFF” ON THE FLOOR BY THE WALL, NOT ON THE RISERS
  3. PAY ATTENTION TO YOUR DIRECTOR
  4. BE ENTHUSIASTIC ABOUT BECOMING A BETTER STUDENT AND SINGER
  5. INFORM YOUR DIRECTOR of limitations before class that hinders your best class effort.
  6. STUDY and PRACTICE your MUSIC BEFORE rehearsal
  7. NO FOOD, DRINK (WATER ONLY), OR GUM DURING CLASS
  8. NO CELL PHONE UNLESS GRANTED PERMISSION FROM DIRECTOR. CELL PHONES WILL BE TAKEN.
  9. YOU NEED A PASS TO USE THE RESTROOM
  10. ALWAYS, ALWAYS, ALWAYS DO YOUR BEST!

“USE COMMON SENSE AND COMMON COURTESY AT ALL TIMES”

CLASSROOM MANAGEMENT PLAN

  1. Any student in noncompliance with the guidelines written above:

First offense: Verbal warning

Second offense: Removal from the risers, alternative assignment given, isolation, PARENT NOTIFICATION

Third offense: Detention assigned and Parent notified again

Fourth offense: Referral written and student expelled to the office

  1. Students may be assigned to a specific seat or area every rehearsal and are expected to comply with remaining in their assigned seat or area without infringing on the learning of other students.

Academic Requirements

  1. ALL Concerts scheduled require mandatory attendance. Absences to concerts will require the completion of an alternative assignment to be determined by the instructor.
  2. Practice your vocal part independently and do the homework assignments before group rehearsal the next day.

Grading Policy

Participation (70%)

  • WEEKLY GRADES will be assigned during rehearsal! A two-point deduction from a 100 will be given for each observable infraction of proper rehearsal demeanor
  • Students will be assigned music literacy homework assignments to complete and return online using video streaming. Progressive Sight Singing (Krueger) assignment sequence only requires that you have internet access to complete the assignment.
  • Concert attendance and performance is required and will count a major portion of the nine weeks in which it occurs (think of it as 2 TEST GRADES). One would probably lower his/her nine weeks average at at least two letter grades if one has an unexcusedabsence from a performance.
  • Note: excused absences (per District Guidelines) from a required performance may be made (if requested prior to the performance) by completing an alternative assignment to be determined by your instructor.

Assessment (30%)

  • Voice testing may be given to evaluate vocal technique, part accuracy, and sight-singing.
  • There will be approximately one music theory quiz per week including rhythmic and melodic knowledge from Progressive Sight Singing by Dr. Carol Krueger. Mini-quizzes may be given on the lesson learned the day before to isolate the topic and give minor grades.
  • Students will receive a final exam grade based on their work in quizzes and the neatness and completion of the class portfolio. This portfolio includes ALL WORK that is done in class to be presented at the end of the semester. KEEP UP WITH ALL WORK IN YOUR FOLDER TO TURN IN FOR A GRADE. There will be a rubric that lists every assignment that should be in the folder. Quizzes will be returned to the student after they are graded. If you do not know something or lose an item, ask Mr. Edwards for help. Thank you.

Make-Up Work

  • All students who have missed any work or a test the day before are expected to come to Mr. Edwards and ask what they have missed. Students who do not communicate missed work will have an INCOMPLETE GRADE for the assignment. The teacher is not responsible for keeping up with every student’s work when they miss class. Parents may also contact Mr. Edwards about the student’s missed work.

Tentative Course Outline

Beginning Chorus:

One Semester

  1. Study of Vocal Production: Posture (Stage Presence), Inhalation, Suspension, Exhalation
  2. Music Literacy (Progressive Sight Singing Dr. Carol Krueger)
  3. Memorize the nine standards of National Association for Music Educators (Tune)
  4. (2) Performances at Football Games- Homecoming and Senior Night
  5. Introduction to SCORE reading and musical terminology
  6. American Musical Theatre and Opera Study (Phantom)
  7. Part Reading Development
  8. Application of the above in the choral setting (repertoire)
  9. Winter Chorus Concert (December)
  10. Practice examples of reading using Solfege and Ta-ka-di-mi
  11. Introduce and Practice advanced key signature identification for major scales
  12. Chromatic Scale (half steps)
  13. Evaluate performances using musical terms

Beginning Chorus Concert Attire (You Provide This)

  1. Boys
  2. Black dress pants, black socks, black dress shoes
  3. white button down dress shirt (not a t-shirt)
  4. Girls
  5. Knee length to long length black skirt or dressy black pants and shoes
  6. white blouse

Note: Take pride in your appearance. Talk with the director if there are any challenges with attire. Failure to wear proper attire without communication could result in deduction of performance grade.

Fundraising

  1. Purpose

To acquire more money to pay for sheet music used by all chorus members this year. Additional funds are used to purchase equipment and supplies used in the choral program.

When? TBA (Administration Approval)

CHOOSE TO BE EXCELLENT EVERYDAY, AND WE WILL REACH HEIGHTS YOU NEVER IMAGINED!

As Dr. Johnson would say, “Be a courageous leader, and then some!”

THE MORE YOU GIVE, THE MORE YOU WILL RECIEVE!

Mr. E!