Piedmont High School Band

Welcome to the 2010-2011 Piedmont Band!!!!

            We hope you’ve had a restful summer and are refreshed for another great school year.  This handbook has information for parents and students.  Parents, please take the time to read the handbook with your child and understand all policies.  You will find information on the events we do throughout the year, field trips, performance opportunities, concert attire, required materials, and more.  Any questions or date conflicts should be discussed with the band instructors immediately.

Grading Policy

Tests/quizzes 40%

Practice Reports 30% (roughly one point per day)

Daily Participation 30% (roughly one point per day)

Tests

Tests and quizzes will be given on a regular basis and will be both playing and written.  We use the words interchangeably, but they count the same.  Some pop tests will be given, but most tests will be announced a few days prior to the testing date.

Practice Records

With the exception of the first few days of school, practice records are a required part of the student daily grade.

Practice records are to be kept in the students’ agendas.  Agendas will be checked weekly and must be signed by a parent or guardian in the fashion shown below. 

BAND: 20 min.

X____________

Students are expected to practice at least 20 minutes every night.  Parents must sign on the day the homework was assigned.  If a student does not have his practice record, or does not have it signed, he will lose a point for the day.  If the student is absent, he must still get his agenda signed for practicing that day.  Any missed days must be made up on the weekend as extra credit.

Points can be made up, or extra points earned, by practicing extra over the weekend.  Students are required 20 minutes for Friday’s practice record, but every 20 minutes after that over the WEEKEND will count as extra credit.

Generally, new homework is assigned daily, i.e. “Lines 20-22 are to be practiced tonight.”  Students should work on the assignment, but also devote time to other exercises such as warming up, scales, All-District solos, etc.

Daily Participation and Materials

Every day the students will have the chance to earn one point for their daily participation grade.  Daily participation includes being prepared for class.

Required Materials:

Students are expected to purchase a book for band.  This book is their own, personal band book.  These books will be used a daily basis in class.  Books can be purchased through the Piedmont Band.  Bring in your cash or check made out to PIEDMONT BAND BOOSTERS.

• 6^th Grade—Standard of Excellence, Book 1 (RED Book) $10.00
• 7^th Grade—Standard of Excellence, Book 2 (BLUE Book) $10.00
• 8^th Grade—Standard of Excellence, Book 2 (continued from 7^th grade)
• It is required that each 8^th grade student purchase a tuner/metronome to use daily at home.

Accessories such as reeds, sticks, mallets, valve oil, etc  can be purchased through the band throughout the year.  Checks should be made out to HOWREN MUSIC Co.  We do not make money on this equipment, we do this as a convenience to the student and parent and also to make sure you get the correct materials.

Rules and Expectations

1.      Be on time.

2.      Be prepared.  Have all materials ready at the beginning of class.

• We’ve tried to make it easy by having a band binder.  If you have that, then you have everything you need for the class period.

3.      Respect others and their property.

4.      NO Food, Gum, or Drinks.

• Instruments are delicate beings---they don’t work well with food stuck in them and mold begins to grow.  We do allow bottled water (with a screw-on cap) in the room.  If it is abused, we will take away the privilege.

5.      “Leave it at the Door”

·         Everyone has a bad day from time to time, including your teachers, but it doesn’t

mean rehearsal needs to be that way.

• Band is 45 minutes of music making.  Please don’t bring in outside issues that will clog up our learning.

Calendar

*** If any of the dates are changed due to unforeseen circumstances, the students and parents will be notified immediately.***

• 8^th Grade Band Night (8^th grade) September 17
• Cookie Dough Fundraiser (All grades) Nov. 1-12
• Winter Concert (All grades) Dec. 14 @ 7:30pm, PHS gym
• All-District Auditions – Jan. 8 (Select students)
• All-District Clinic – Jan. 28 and 29 @ Lenoir Rhyne University
• County Band – Feb. 11 and 12 @ Porter Ridge HS
• Piedmont-only Festival Preview Concert – TBA @ Piedmont HS Auditorium
• Concert Festival (7^th/8^th grade) March 8-10 @ Central Academy in Monroe
• Spring Concert (All grades) May 10 @ PHS Gym @ 7:30pm

Band is a performance-based class, so all concerts are required for every student.  Failure to attend the performance will result in an automatic failure for the current six weeks!!! All performances will be announced prior to the actual date, letters will be sent home, and will be posted on the band website, www.piedmontband.org.

Not all dates apply to all students!  Please pay attention and read the descriptions of the events to find out what applies to you.  Please put ALL dates for your student/grade level on your calendar now as to avoid conflicts.

Event Description

• 8^th Grade Band Night – Optional Recruitment effort by the Piedmont HS Band program.  Students will observe a high school football game from the band’s point of view.  Students will sit with the band and play pep tunes during the game, watch half time, and in general be treated like a HS band member.

• Winter Concert – Each band, 6^th, 7^th, and 8^th will perform in the gym.  THIS IS REQUIRED OF ALL BAND STUDENTS.

• All-District Audition – Competition against other students in the same grade levels in our 10 county area to win a spot in the All-District Band.  Must know scales, solo, and sight-reading.  7^th and 8^th graders only.

• All-District Band – Two day intensive band clinic held for students who auditioned and made the band.  Overnight trip to Mooresville, NC.

• County Band – All students interested in performing in the county honor band, must first audition for ALL-DISTRICT BAND.  Students that make the All-District Band are automatically invited to perform in the Union All-County Honor Band.  For all remaining available spots offered to Piedmont Middle, Ms. Short and Mr. Lukac will look at the scores from the All-District audition, as well as classroom behavior and overall quality of performer.

• 7^th/8^th Grade “Piedmont-only” Festival Preview Concert – Pre-Festival evening concert held at the Piedmont High School Auditorium to prepare us to go to Festival. Required for 7^th and 8^th only.

• Concert Festival – Festival is the most important performance of the year for us.  We will travel off campus and play for a group of judges to get a rating.  It’s not a competition against other schools, but it’s the time we should do our best for the year. Required for 7^th and 8^th only.  Chaperones needed!!!!

• Spring Concert – Evening concert, last concert of the year for Piedmont.

Concert Dress Code

Winter Concert (does NOT have to be black and white)

• Gentlemen: Long-sleeve-button-up shirt, tie, dress pants, and dress shoes
• Ladies: Dress shoes, dress, skirt (all dresses and skirts need to be no shorter than mid-calf) and blouse, or dress pants and blouse (all items must meet PDMS dress code policy)

7^th and 8^th grade Contest (BLACK AND WHITE)

• Gentlemen: Black shoes, black socks, black dress pants, black belt, white long- sleeve-button-up shirt, necktie (does not have to be black)
• Ladies: Black skirt (see winter concert attire) or black pants, white blouse, black shoes (all items must meet PDMS dress code policy)

Spring Concert

• 7^th and 8^th Grade Bands (BLACK AND WHITE)
• Gentlemen: Black shoes, black socks, black dress pants, black belt, white long- sleeve-button-up shirt, necktie (does not have to be black)
• Ladies: Black skirt (see winter concert attire) or black pants, white blouse, black shoes (all items must meet PDMS dress code policy)
• 6^th Grade Band (same as Winter Concert)
• Gentlemen: Long-sleeve-button-up shirt, tie, dress pants, and dress shoes
• Ladies: Dress shoes, dress, skirt (all dresses and skirts need to be no shorter than mid-calf) and blouse, or dress pants and blouse (all items must meet PDMS dress code policy)

Requirements for Band

In order to make sure that the band program and every student in the program is improving, there will be scale requirements that every student will have to accomplish by the end of the year from memory.  All scales and rudiments will be worked on during class and the tests will start in the Spring time.

6^th Grade:

Scales: Concert Bb, Eb, Ab, F

Special Notes about 6^th grade band

We are starting all students on the five basic wind instruments this year, flute, clarinet, alto saxophone, trumpet, and trombone.  During the first semester, we will have auditions for percussion, tuba, baritone and bass clarinet. In order to be eligible to audition for these instruments you must be a current band student AND have a passing grade on practice records overall (current and past 6 week grading periods).

7^th Grade:

Scales: Concert Bb, Eb, Ab, F, C, chromatic scale (one octave)

Special Note about 7^th grade band

Students will have the opportunity to audition for French Horn during the Fall semester of their 7^th grade year.  Students interested need to see Mr. Lukac or Mrs. Vitulli for more information.

8^th Grade:

Scales: Concert Bb, Eb, Ab, F, C, G, chromatic scale (one octave)