Welcome to the 2012-2013 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%
Daily Participation/Notebook 30%
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 daily grade.
Practice records are to be kept in the students’ band notebook. Notebooks will be checked (see band calendar for dates of scheduled checks) at least twice a semester and must be signed by a parent or guardian.
Students are expected to practice at least 100 minutes A WEEK. Parents must initial each day the student practices. If the student is absent, from school, the practice time needs to be made up prior to the next scheduled notebook check. Students will lose 1 point from their practice records for every 20 minutes missing. For example missing 1-20 minutes would be minus 1 point, 21-40 minutes- minus 2 points, 41-60 minutes- minus 3 points, etc…
Points can be made up, or extra points earned, by practicing extra each week. Students will be given 1 point extra credit for every 20 minutes extra practiced each week for a max of 5 points a week.
Generally, new homework is assigned daily, i.e. “Lines 20-22 are to be practiced tonight” and should be written daily on student practice records. 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:
• Instrument
• Method book
• BLACK 1” three-ring binder (it must be black because you will use it at concerts)
• Clear sheet protectors (about 20 in the binder—will show example in class)
• Pencil pouch (one with holes so it can clip into binder)
• Pencil
• Notebook Dividers
• Brass
o Valve oil for trumpets, baritones and tubas
o Slide CREAM (do not get grease or liquid)- Trombones
o Cleaning snake
• Woodwinds
o Cleaning Kit
o Reeds- once you are down to 3 reeds- ORDER More!
• 7th and 8th Grade PERCUSSION students:
o Students must have all materials no later than October 1, 2012
o Stick Bag
o Drum Sticks (Vic Firth SD1 General)
o Bell Mallets
o Marimba Mallets (yarn mallet)
o Timpani mallets
Students are expected to purchase a book for band. This book is their personal band book. These books will be used on 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 (please see section on turning in money).
• 6th Grade—Standard of Excellence, Book 1 (RED Book) $10.00
• 7th Grade—Standard of Excellence, Book 1 (Red Book- THIS IS THE SAME AS 6TH GRADE!)
• 8th Grade—Foundations for Superior Performance
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.
NOTEBOOKS: Students will have scheduled and unscheduled notebook checks throughout the year. The notebook should be orderly and have the following items in this order:
• Pencil Pouch(with at least 1 sharpened pencil-8th grade should store tuners here as well)
• Blank paper
• Divider labeled Warm-ups
• Divider labeled Notes
• Divider labeled Music (Sheet protectors go in this section)
• Divider labeled Worksheets/Written Work
• Divider labeled Other
The sections behind the dividers should be in order with the newest material on top, or in the case of music, in concert order, if known. Students participating in extracurricular ensembles may create additional sections to store their music.
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, AND YOUR INSTRUMENT 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.***
• 8th Grade Band Night (8th grade) –October 19
• Cookie Dough Fundraiser (All grades) Oct. 29- Nov.9
• Winter Concert (7th and 8th grades ONLY) Dec. 13 @ 7:30pm, PHS gym
o date subject to change due to basketball schedule at the high school
o Rescheduled date (if needed) will be Dec. 18.
• 1ST Concert- 6th grade ONLY- Feb. 19.
• All-District Auditions – Jan. 12 (Select students) @ Southpoint High School
• All-District Clinic – Jan. 25 and 26 @ TBA
• County Band – Feb. 15 and 16 @ Porter Ridge HS
• Piedmont-only Festival Preview Concert – TBA @ Piedmont HS Auditorium
• Concert Festival (7th/8th grade) March 13-15 @Wingate University
• Spring Concert (6/7th grades) May 7 @ PHS Gym @ 7:30pm
• Spring Concert (8th grade and extracurricular ensembles)- May 9 @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.pdmsband.blogspot.com.
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
• 8th 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, 6th, 7th, and 8th 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. 7th and 8th graders only.
• All-District Band – Two day intensive band clinic held for students who auditioned and made the band. Overnight trip to Hickory, 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, Mrs. Vitulli and Mr. Lukac will look at the scores from the All-District audition, as well as classroom behavior and overall quality of performer.
• 7th/8th 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 7th and 8th 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 7th and 8th only. Chaperones needed!!!!
• Spring Concert – Evening concert, last concert of the year for Piedmont Middle Students.
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)
7th and 8th 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
• 7th Grade Band (BLACK AND WHITE)
o Gentlemen: Black shoes, black socks, black dress pants, black belt, white long- sleeve-button-up shirt, necktie (does not have to be black)
o Ladies: Black skirt (see winter concert attire) or black pants, white blouse, black shoes (all items must meet PDMS dress code policy)
• 6th and 8th Grade Bands (same as Winter Concert)
o Gentlemen: Long-sleeve-button-up shirt, tie, dress pants, and dress shoes
o 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.
6th Grade:
Scales: Concert Bb, Ab, F
Special Notes about 6th grade band
We are starting all students on the four basic wind instruments this year, flute, clarinet, trumpet, and trombone. During the first semester, we will have auditions for percussion, tuba, baritone, alto saxophone 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).
7th Grade:
Scales: Concert Bb, Eb, Ab, F, C, chromatic scale (one octave)
Special Note about 7th grade band
Students will have the opportunity to audition for French Horn during the Fall semester of their 7th grade year. Students interested need to see Mr. Lukac for more information.
8th Grade:
Scales: Concert Bb, Eb, Ab, F, C, G, chromatic scale (two octaves)
