Concert Band Syllabus

East High School Concert Band Syllabus

Teacher: Mrs. Dorothy Lamp

Email: Dorothy_pino@dpsk12.org, dorothypino@gmail.com

Website: dorothypino.blogspot.com

Classroom: Band Room, 340

Time: 1st Period

Office Hours: Monday – Friday 7:00AM-7:25AM

Textbooks: Various sheet music throughout the school year TBD on band’s ability

Materials: Instrument, pencil, binder paper, music folder, music books, cleaning supplies, and maintenance supplies

Expectations

Students will be expected to:

• Arrive on time to class each day with the appropriate materials
• Turn off and stow cell phones upon entering class
• Treat their instruments, materials, classmates, and teacher with respect
• Complete all assignments on time, be prepared for class, and work to the best of their ability
• Have a positive attitude and participate fully in classroom activities
• Be safe, respectful, and responsible
• Raise their hands with questions about the content or come in during office hours for extra help.

Consequences

If students do not adhere to the expectations there will be consequences including (but not limited to):

• Parent phone calls for disrespectful behavior, referrals for repeat offenders, or removal from the course for severe and detrimental behavior
• Confiscation of cell phones (or other distracting devices)
• Reduction in grade if academic standards are not being met, assignments are not completed, preparation for tests is not evident, or students have excessive tardiness and lack of participation.

Objectives

Students, throughout the course of the year, will learn how to:

• Read music in treble and/or bass clef
• Sit and stand with appropriate posture while performing
• Respect “the podium” by responding appropriately to the conductor’s authority
• Prepare music for performance at levels 3 and higher by the end of the year
• Play all 12 major scales and 36 minor scales by the end of the year
• Play the chromatic scale in the full range of their instrument by the end of the year
• Play music in unison and in divided parts
• Listen for balance across the ensemble
• Tune their instruments by listening to a pitch and by referring to electronic tuners
• Match pitches throughout the ensemble by learning their instrument pitch tendencies
• Differentiate between different styles and time periods of music
• Use expression in music, including dynamics, phrasing, articulation, tempo contrast, and timbre
• Analyze a musical performance and give appropriate feedback about the music, including what improvements could be made and what went well with a piece of music
• Compose simple arrangements for band using basic chords such as I-IV-V-vi and cadences
• Improvise to basic harmonic patterns
• Sight-read at a level of 2 or greater by the end of the year
• Follow the conductor’s cues and signals while performing music
• Interpret musical symbols correctly and appropriately
• Master their instruments and move onto the next level of musicianship

Goals:

We are going to learn all of the major, minor, and chromatic scales by the end of the year which will increase our ability to sight-read. We will hopefully be playing between levels 3-5(medium easy to advanced) by the end of the year.

Procedures:

Start and Finish: Each day, students will enter the classroom and immediately start setting up their “playing station” by getting a music stand, chair, music, setting up their instrument, and warming up. If they are tardy to class, they will sign into the Absences/Tardies notebook without interrupting the flow of class. At the end of class, it is expected that students will clean up their “playing station” and leave the classroom tidy.

Podium Respect: In the music world, the conductor is the leader of the ensemble. In this class you will be learning how to respect a conductor so that you will be prepared to continue into higher levels of musicianship. In order to master this skill, you will respond to the conductor, Mrs. Lamp, in the following ways: 

• Mrs. Lamp steps on the podium or to the center of the room, and all students will stop talking/playing, straighten their posture, and quietly look to Mrs. Lamp for further instructions.
• When she raises her conducting baton, instruments will go to the ready playing position. 
• When her baton is lowered, instruments will be brought down to resting position.
• Whenever Mrs. Lamp is working with another group of students, use this time to either write in notes in your music, silently practice tricky fingerings, or quietly help a neighbor with a question about the music. Make the most of every second in class by using it to improve your musicianship.

During Class: Throughout class, students will be given opportunities to ask questions about the music and to participate in class discussions. Students will be expected to raise their hand and wait to be called on if they have a relevant question. Students are asked to refrain from making rude comments as this hinders the learning environment and classroom safety. 

Bathroom Breaks: Mrs. Lamp understands that restroom emergencies happen, so students will be allowed to go to the bathroom only 4 times each quarter during class before it affects their participation grade (if you’re regularly missing class, it’s hard to participate). Students will be asked to quickly sign in and out of a bathroom log when they leave and return from bathroom breaks. This a safety precaution in case of fire drill, lockdown, or evacuation--we will know who is out of the classroom and why. Students will also need to take with them the classroom bathroom pass, so that only 1 student may be out of the class at any given time. Students will be expected to return within 3 minutes after they leave the classroom to use the restroom. If for some reason the particular emergency requires more time, let me know in advance. In order to cut down on class disruptions, to ask for permission to use the restroom, all you have to do is lift your index finger above your music stand. I will give you a head nod if you can go at that time. If I need you to wait a minute, I’ll signal for you to hold on with my hand.

Pencils: Every student should be equipped with two pencils every class period. There will be a pencil jar for emergencies, but it is best if every student come prepared to class with their own pencils. Please, no pens in class! Writing in PEN in music is a BIG NO-NO. Please, Please, Please... only use pencil in music class. If you make mistakes writing in notes, it will be easy to change. Also, when working with sheet music, we can erase markings before returning it so the next person has clean music.

Materials: Every class period, please bring your instrument, music books and sheet music, pencils, and keep a few pieces of binder paper in your music folder so that you can take notes if necessary in class. Keep in mind that all music that is not personally purchased by you is the property of East High or Mrs. Lamp, and it should be returned in good condition when it is no longer needed for class.

Tests: In order to help Mrs. Lamp help you in your learning, she will have routine assessments/tests. Every other Monday, students will be asked to prepare specific songs/pieces or scales for performance. Some times students will get to choose between a range of songs, and other times, they will be given precise examples to play. Please make sure you are prepared to play these by yourself, with a friend, and/or as an instrument section.

Sectionals: On occasion, Mrs. Lamp will give the class time to work within their instrument sections on specific selections that are difficult. Please make sure to use this time wisely and work nicely with your classmates in order to accomplish more in less time. If it appears this time is being abused by certain sections, we will use other methods to rehearse difficult pieces as a whole class.

Grades:

Grades will be calculated in a few ways. On the following page, you will find a break down of how you will be graded in our class. Your grade will be broken down into the following categories: 

• Music Effort - Participation and Effort  (30%)
• Practice (10%), 
• engagement in class and good attitude (10%), 
• on time and does not exceed bathroom break allowance (5%), 
• comes prepared for class with all necessary materials (5%)
• Musical Expression and Theory- Performance Ability/Improvement and Assessments(40%)
• Student shows great improvement throughout the year and performs at an appropriate level for each stage of learning (20%), 
• performs well and prepares for assessments (15%) 
• comes in for help during office hours when struggling or arranges another time with Mrs. Lamp (5%), 
• Music Performance - Concert Attendance (20%)
• Student is present/on time at all required concerts in the appropriate attire (all black “Concert Blacks” for most concerts, unless otherwise indicated) and checks in with Mrs. Lamp prior to each concert
• Student brings all required materials to the concert (music, instrument, reeds, oil, stands, etc)
• Music Analysis and Composition - Music Assignments (10%)
• Composition and improvisation assignments
• Homework, including take home quizzes

Students will receive a daily participation grade which adds up to 6 Points.

• Practiced/Completed Homework and Knows Part - 2 Points
• Engagement and Attitude in Class - 2 Points
• On Time with all materials - 2 Points