Berry Singers Handbook
Rachel Smith Phone (205 )439-2059
Choral Director
Dear Choir Students and Parents,
The Berry Singers exists to provide musically talented and dedicated students an opportunity to further develop their skills through an extra-curricular, auditioned, performance choir. Students in this choir create a choreographed show based on popular literature, jazz, and Broadway standards and travel across the State and the Community to perform in competitions, charity events, concerts, and for our school. Singers will have to be outgoing and able to move. This group will meet outside of the school day, and will be one of the most visible choirs in the department. Singers are selected for their superior musical abilities, great work ethic and great character traits.
Parents and students must understand that this choir presents a large financial and time commitment. Auditioning for this choir means the singer agrees to participate in all of the mandatory retreats and choreography sessions, attend rehearsals, and participate in all concerts and festivals. I will provide a minimum of two weeks notice for any event which is not yet listed on the calendar. Simply stated, this choir cannot be successful without dedication from all parties involved. Singers may not miss more than 2 unexcused rehearsals. An unexcused rehearsal is any rehearsal that I have not had at least one week’s notice of a conflict, or a doctor’s excuse. Singers exceeding this amount will be suspended from performances, and/or removed from the choir. These absences are designed for sick days when a singer doesn’t go to the doctor, unforeseen family emergencies, and so forth. Use them sparingly. Singers must be reliable participants in all Berry Singers activities.
Berry Singers is a large investment. I have provided a cost sheet and due dates for fees to help break up the burden over the first three months. It is very important for us to receive those payments on-time, as we have financial obligations that we must attend to. Uniforms take six full weeks to custom order and deliver. Those six weeks do not include the two weeks around Christmas (the dress maker is closed for the holidays). I can’t order a uniform without payment, and if we order late, it may not come in for the performances. If this investment represents a large burden for your family, please come talk to me, and we can work out payment arrangements. Otherwise, all funds are due on the dates indicated.
The purpose of this meeting is to discuss our expectations for this choir, and to offer a forum for questions. Our Choir meets Monday afternoons 3:30-5:30. Some additional practices may be added closer to competition season. I have a plan for after school athletics, we’ll discuss that if needed.
I am very excited about this choir. Feel free to e-mail me with any questions, or items that you feel may need attention during the meeting. Office Phone: 205.439.2059, Email
Sincerely, Rachel Smith
Show Choir is a Wonderful and Large Commitment
Please Read Before Committing
Rehearsals and Performances
This is very important
Enrollment in the Berry Singers requires a commitment to perform in all of our concerts. Our Show Choir Retreats in August, September, October, and January are mandatory. These are necessary rehearsals to instruct all of the singers in the music and choreography we will be working on for the whole year. Our singers must be here for us to be successful. All Berry Singers MUST be enrolled in a regular choir class during the school day.
Our public performances are the culmination of many weeks and months of hard work. A careless or unnecessary absence from a performance by any individual member can make that performance less than its best. This is neither good for the individual nor fair to the group. Your understanding and cooperation in ensuring your child’s attendance at rehearsals and performances is vital to the success of our program.
We have FOUR Festival Competitions on our calendar. It is expected that the Berry Singers are in attendance for ALL of these performances. I understand that our children carry multiple commitments, and as parents you are pulled ten ways at the same time, but in order for our group to be successful, everyone must be here. We do not have substitutions in Show Choir. If we are missing a singer, we have a visible hole in our show that is impossible to fill. It makes us look less than our best, and it hurts the outstanding efforts that all of us have offered to make this show successful.
Remember…no matter how large the choir, each individual member of the choir is the only one who can do his/her part. Unlike an athletic team, there are no substitutions in a performing group.
Everyone Is Vital!
2017-2018 Berry Singers Calendar of Events
Berry Singers rehearse Monday Afternoons, beginning August 21st from 3:30-5:30 pm in the Choir Room. We will meet each Monday (unless noted otherwise) until February 12th. There will also be a Thursday morning optional rehearsal from 7:45-8:05 in the Choir Room.
Please block these dates off on your calendars…
-Aug. 18th & 19th,Vocal Retreat @ BMS Fri. 3:30-8:30, Sat. 9AM - 3
-Sept. 16th, 17th, 18th - Choreography Retreat @ BMS, Fri. 3:30-9, Sat.9 AM-3:30 Sun. 1 PM -4 PM
-Oct. 20th, 21st, & 22nd, Choreography Retreat @ BMS, Fri. 3:30-9, Sat. 9 AM - 3:30, Sun. 1PM -4 PM
-Jan. 5th & 6th, Final Retreat @ BMS (with costumes) Fri. 3:30-9, Sat. 9 AM - 3:30 PM
-Jan.12th or 13th - Contempo Choral Festival, Vestavia Hills, AL (Friday or Saturday)
-Jan. 26th - Capital City Classic, Montgomery, AL (Friday)
-Feb. 2nd - Diamond Classic, Albertville, AL (Friday)
- Feb. 9th - Hoover City Schools Showcase (Friday)
-Feb. 10th - Oak Mountain Invitational, Hoover, AL (Saturday)
Singer Responsibilities and Expectations
To the Show
It is an enormous undertaking for 40+ middle school singers to learn to sing and dance together in a way that is both aurally and visually appealing. Learning the show requires a lot of time and effort in rehearsal and at the house. Auditioning for this group means singers take responsibility for their personal vocal part and choreography. Our goal in dance rehearsal is to clean the choreography. Our goal in music rehearsal is to clean the sound. The purposes of the retreats are to learn the music and the choreography. After the retreats we are cleaning. Only singers who know their parts will be allowed to continue in the routine. If a student is absent, they will have one week to learn what they missed at the previous rehearsal. That means arranging time with another student to help them and/or reviewing the material (via video) in Google Classroom. After that time, only singers who know their parts will be allowed to continue. At this point, any change in personnel is permanent. Our group will not hold up a routine waiting for a singer to take responsibility. We have to alter the routine so we can move forward without the singer and have time to practice changes. Singers pulled from more than one routine will likely be pulled from the choir. This is not meant to sound harsh. It is meant to communicate personal responsibilities and expectations. It is also meant to keep our rehearsals fun and interesting and our show awesome.
Phones will NOT be permitted in rehearsals. If you have an emergency, you need to text Mrs. Smith at 205.718.1258. Students will place their phones in the
“Phone spa” during rehearsals and will get them at the end of rehearsal. If the student does not adhere to this rule, and the student is observed using their phone during rehearsal, Mrs. Smith will collect the phone, and the parent must come in to claim the phone at the end of rehearsal. During retreats, students may be given their phones during extended break times.
To the Choir
Working together in a group like this is so much fun. Our singers are expected to treat everyone else with support and with respect. We celebrate together, we lift each other up, and we take care of each other. We work hard; we offer the best of our abilities to our team in rehearsal and out. Behaviors running contrary to this ideal will be removed. I will give the student ONE warning to fix his/her behavior. Just because a student’s fees have been paid does NOT ensure his/her continued participation in the group. We need EVERYONE at rehearsal in order to be successful. Two unexcused absences from rehearsal is all you have. An unexcused absence is any that I didn’t approve at least a week out, or isn’t accompanied by a Dr’s excuse. I understand that we get sick and don’t go to the Doctor, and sometimes we have emergencies. That’s what these are for. After two, the singer will be excused for a performance. After three, the singer will be excused from the choir.
A successful rehearsal starts on time. Singers show respect to each other and to the group by making an effort to be on time. Singers will perform wall squats as payment for being tardy to rehearsal up to five minutes. From five to fifteen minutes is considered a tardy. Three tardies constitute an unexcused absence. .Punctuality and presence are the singers’ responsibilities. Please do your best to help your singer be a successful part of our choir. A successful rehearsal begins and ends with focus. A great show consists of beautiful singing, and energetic, crisp choreography. It takes a lot of effort mentally and physically to be successful. Talking is a big no-no. I will work with singers to correct habits when needed. .
To the Community
The Berry Singers act as an ambassador for Hoover, Alabama, our middle school, our choir, our friends and families, and for us as individuals. That’s an honor we are proud of. The way singers behave in and out of rehearsal, on trips, with other adults and students acts as a reflection upon all of us. We will hold ourselves to our best standards.
Show Choir Costs and fees
(fundraisers and sponsors may be used to help subsidize these costs)
The figures below are LAST year’s amounts owed for new members just to give you an idea - this included fees (music, choreographer, transportation, meals, t-shirt, festival fees), and costuming (2 costumes, garment bag, make-up, barrette, and earrings for ladies)
Girls Guys
$479.00 $338.00
I do not yet have an itemized list for pricing this year. The fabric for the dresses we used last year has been discontinued, so I am working through that. I am also having to work through pricing for our song arrangements. I will get you this information as soon as possible. No payments will be due until the first retreat in August. I usually break it down into 2 payments - one in August, and another in early October.
PLEASE MAKE ALL CHECKS PAYABLE TO Berry Middle School (BMS). PLEASE INCLUE A DRIVER’S LICENSE NUMBER AND TELEPHONE NUMBER ON THE CHECK. You may pay by check or credit card at myschoolfees.com. You will need your email address and student ID number to create an account. Myschoolfees doesn’t accept Visa, and there is a 3% charge for all payments made online. You may also drop checks off over the summer in the main office with Mrs. Mullins or Mrs. Nelson.
If you can, please avoid sending cash. I will accept cash, but I cannot be responsible if the student loses money before it gets to me.
Berry Singers Agreement Form
(due by May 26) / 1st Payment Due Aug. 19
Parents and Students:
Please sign and return this sheet indicating you have knowledge of the rules, requirements, concert attendance, and grading procedures.
This is to acknowledge I have read and understand the Classroom Policies and Financial Commitment for show choir at BMS. I agree to support the BMS Choral Department by making sure my student complies with these policies and procedures, and that I honor that financial commitment.
*______*______
Parent/Guardian Signature Parent/Guardian Printed Name
E-mail address (receive mailings regarding choir events and notifications) ______
Reliable phone number______
*______*______
Singer Signature Singer Printed Name Grade ______
Show Choir T-Shirt Order form
Please mark accordingly- All shirts are adult sizes (short sleeved shirts). Send an additional $15 for each Adult shirt ordered.
_____small $15.00
_____medium $15.00
_____large $15.00
_____Xtra Large $15.00
_____XXtra Large $15.00
_____ anything up to 4X $17.00