Information

ENTERING THE ROOM/BEGINNING CLASS
Each day you are to approach and enter the choral room calmly and without disruption. Obtain all class materials (pencil, charged chromebook, & earbuds) and line all bags, purses, books from other classes, and other materials that are not necessary for class along the wall. Cell phones must be silenced and in your book bags. Immediately get your folder, take your seat, and then socialize.
​Be ready to begin at the bell.

FOLDER CARE
File your folder properly after each rehearsal. The folder and all music must be left in the choral room at all times. This lowers the risk of losing or damaging music. DO NOT take your music home, please.

MUSIC CARE
Music must be purchased each year by the school. The music in your folder is loaned to you, and you must be responsible for it. This includes not marking it in PEN, tearing it, or letting someone walk on it. At the end of each use, you must pay for music that has been damaged or lost so that the music can be replaced for future students' use.

PENCILS
Good choral practice dictates that you have a pencil handy for every rehearsal.

CHEWING GUM
Your trachea (or windpipe) opens when singing. Likewise, your teeth are separated, tongue moving, jaw hanging. Trying to balance gum at the same time is dangerous. The gum can easily pop down your trachea instead of your esophagus, thus choking you! For that reason, gum is NEVER allowed in the choral room or any rehearsal area. Gum will deduct one point from your daily grade.

PAYMENTS
The teacher regularly collects money as needed at the beginning of the class period immediately after announcements.
Two simple rules will expedite this process and ensure that you are properly credited. Only ONE person at the desk at a time. Before leaving the desk, make sure you check the notebook entry for your name, amount of money, and fee. Then SIGN THE NOTEBOOK. **It will be assumed that you concur with the entry unless you say otherwise while still at the desk. NEVER just leave something at the desk. Preferably, always pay with a check to LFO High School unless otherwise notified. Student's name and reason for payment should be written on checks. A phone number must also be on each check. Cash will also be accepted.

WHEN NOT SINGING...
1. Pay attention to what the director is working for in the part that is singing. Chances are you will be asked to do the same or similar thing when it is your turn.

2. Memorize your words. Pay special attention to the pronunciation of vowels and consonants, phrasing, and dynamics. We memorize all music for performances.

3. Study the markings the director has asked you to write in your music.
 
4. Mentally review the pitches and intervals of your part, especially unusual ones. 

5. Mentally review the rhythms of your part, working out in your mind any tricky ones.

6. Mentally hear how your part is meant to work with or complement the part that is singing.

7. Think about the mood of the piece as a whole. What feelings and facial expressions will you want to share with your audience when it is performed?

8. What tone quality will the piece require? What must you do, and when must you do it, to achieve the desired quality? Pencil in reminders when appropriate or helpful.

9. If you can sing your part well, quietly get another piece from your folder and study!

10. If the piece has progressed to the point where music is not being used, and you are perfectly sure of your part, sit quietly. Be ready to sing when requested.

CHORAL OFFICE AND PRACTICE ROOM ACCESS
Access to these rooms is by permission of the choir director only.

SORE THROATS AND COLDS
Psychologically, you may not feel like singing. Physiologically, you can sing, using the proper technique and vocal care, if you have a minor sore throat or common cold. With a parent note or doctor's note, you may rehearse mentally. Therefore, if you are at school, you are expected to participate. No student will be exempt from rehearsing mentally with correct posture and from doing written work.

AFTERNOON & EVENING REHEARSALS
When these are scheduled, you are to be on time and ready to begin at the scheduled place and hour. You are not to enter any section of the building except those in which you will be rehearsing. You are to have your transportation arranged beforehand.

BUS TRIPS
On those occasions when the choir travels by bus, it is expected that there will be no singing and no loud talking or laughing en route to our destination. Nothing can wreck your voice or our performance more than a boisterous bus ride. Phones with earbuds may be taken at your own risk.

CLASSROOM RULES

• Be in your seat when the bell rings with your music folder, charged chromebook, earbuds, and pencil.
• Raise your hand and wait for permission to speak.
• No food, drinks, or gum in the classroom.  (Water bottles are okay!)
• Stay seated during the entire class period unless directed otherwise by the teacher.
• Respect others.
• You may go to the restroom three times per nine weeks.  Sign out in the notebook.  If there is a medical reason that you may need to leave the room more often than this, please send a parent note or doctor's excuse.

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CONSEQUENCES

• Verbal warning
• Seating change (5 points off of daily 20 point participation grade)
• Isolated seating with an assignment (10 total points off of daily 20 point participation grade)
• Lunch detention, parents are contacted (15 total points off of daily 20 point participation grade)
• Two lunch detentions, parent conference (20 total points off of daily 20 point participation grade)
• Office referral, parents informed
• Exceptions:
  1. Chewing gum is an automatic point off of your daily grade.  
  2. If you are not seated with all of your materials when the tardy bell rings, 1 point will be deducted from your daily grade.  
  3. *** Severe disruption:  Student is sent to office immediately***

​Class Participation Grade - 50%
Quizzes - 20%
Performances - 30%

CLASS PARTICIPATION GRADE
Grades will be taken each day in class based on participation.  Students may earn twenty points each day to receive a weekly grade of one hundred points.  To earn a perfect participation grade, a student must be prepared for class and give their best effort.  The class participation grade will be 50% of the total semester grade.

If a student has an excused absence from class, they must make up their missed day by coming in during lunch any weekday for twenty-five minutes.  They will be required to listen to music on Google Classroom, sing along, and complete an assignment to earn their twenty points for the daily participation grade.  This must be done within two weeks of the missed day.  There will be no make up assignments for unexcused absences. ​

QUIZZES
Students will take quizzes on musical concepts including basic music theory, history, appreciation, sight singing, and transfers.  The quizzes will be 20% of the total semester grade.

PERFORMANCE POLICY
Concerts will comprise 30% of the total semester grade.  Students participating in the LFO High School Concert Choir have signed up for a performance based class.  The choir gives concerts throughout the school year.    Since the choir is a team, and since performances represent the culmination of units of study, when the choir sings, the WHOLE choir sings.  This means very simply that performances are required, not optional.  After all, this is a course in the performing arts.  (**If transportation is an issue, it is YOUR RESPONSIBILITY to let the choir director know IN ADVANCE and it will be worked out for you.)  

The only acceptable excuses are documented illnesses or family emergency (NOT a trip or vacation).  A parental note is REQUIRED.  

Required performances for the school year are listed in the “CALENDAR” section.  Please reserve these dates NOW.  In addition, all performances which occur during the school day and for which students are excused by the principal's office are REQUIRED performances.

Choral Performances:

GEORGIA PERFORMANCE STANDARDS IN CHORAL MUSIC EDUCATION

1.  Singing, alone and with others, a varied of repertoire of music  (MHSBC.1, MHSAC.1)
2.  Performing on instruments, alone and with others, a varied repertoire of music  (MHSBC.2, MHSAC.2)
3.  Reading and notating music  (MHSBC.3, MHSAC.3)
4.  Improvising melodies, variations, and accompaniments  (MHSBC.4, MHSAC.4)
5.  Composing and arranging music within specified guidelines  (MHSBC.5, MHSAC.5)
6.  Listening to, analyzing, and describing music  (MHSBC.6, MHSAC.6)
7.  Evaluating music and music performances  (MHSBC.7, MHSAC.7)
8.  Understanding relationships between music, the other arts, and disciplines outside the arts  (MHSBC.8, MHSAC.8)
9.  Understanding music in relation to history and culture  (MHSBC.9, MHSAC.9)
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