SHS Staff Pages: Gerdes, Shelly

Senior High Band Grading Requirements

By Shelly Gerdes

August 13, 2008

revised 8/18/08

Syllabus for Senior High Instrumental Music, Grades 9-12

The instrumental music curriculum at this level will focus on repertoire ranging in difficulty from Grade 2 to 4-1/2 which is designed for the band students in their fifth through eighth years of study. Music will be sequentially introduced throughout the school year that will challenge the band student and ensemble to better playing. The director will teach more complex music concepts as the school year progresses.

Personal exploration into the student’s own abilities as a performer will also take place in class and lesson times. Students will have the opportunity to participate in solos and small groups that perform at high school music contests and concerts. Students can also audition for honor bands. Seniors can prepare for college band auditions and scholarships. They will have the opportunity to prove their music performance skills within the band by being assigned the more difficult parts within their sections. Students may also have the opportunity to start learning a second, or third instrument. This decision is based on a student’s desire and music proficiency, parent and teacher consent, and instrument availability through the school or through a purchase by the student. Students will be given playing or written quizzes and tests on music fundamentals or compositions.

Course Events

1st Quarter
1. Show band learns pre game and half time music and the marching drills to the music. Specialty groups such as percussion squad may have to put in additional rehearsal time to learn their feature parts.
2. Football players not in show band will create a project guided by the instructor to earn their grade during 1st quarter.
3. Learn parade music for any out of town parades and homecoming parade.
4. Learn pep band music needed for pep rallies.
5. Perform at all home football games and pep rallies. Refer to your school calendar.
6. Sophomores, Juniors and Seniors can prepare and audition for All State and the Doane Honor Band.
7. Some students will have the opportunity to learn a new instrument which derives from the band’s need of the instrument, student desire to learn another instrument, and availability of the instrument.

2nd Quarter
1, Continue learning pre game and half time football shows.
2. Learn 2 Veterans Day compositions and perform it for the student body and patrons at the program. in November.
3. Prepare and individually take the semester test which will be a written test or a playing test. You will receive ample notice of the type of test as well as instruction to pass it successfully. If it is a written test it will be given during class time. If it is a playing test, you will need to sign up for a 10-15 minute appointment.
4. Learn and perform at least 3 songs for the concert in December. Small groups may be created for the benefit of variety on the concert as well as giving the opportunity for individualized instruction. Small group possibilities could be, but not limited to: flute choir, clarinet choir, sax choir, brass ensemble, percussion ensemble, duets, trios quartets, quintets, sextets, octets of a variety of instrument scoring.
5. Rehearse and learn pep band music for basketball season. Play at some of the home basketball games. A schedule will be given to you at least 2 weeks in advance of the season.
6. Prepare interested students for honor bands held 3rd quarter at colleges and sponsored by school associations.

3rd Quarter
1. Continue perfecting the pep band music and performing at some of the home basketball games. Go to any play off games the band is invited to be at.
2. Strengthen music reading skills and gain knowledge on compositional style and
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composers through playing several charts, The reading of several charts will allow the director to decide the best music for 2nd semester performances, as well as use on band trips.
3. Prepare music for the concert in March and perform it.
4. In February begin working on solos, small groups, and band entries for music contest in April.
5. Selected students attend honor bands.
6. Seniors interested in auditioning for college bands should be applying for scholarships and preparing music for college entrance.

4th Quarter
1. Continue preparing for music contest in April. Participate in a clinic with a guest clinician who will help soloists, small groups and the concert band prepare their contest entries.
2. Go to contest in April
3. Prepare music for the concert in May, Graduation Ceremony, Memorial Day, and the Sam Wymore Day parade. Prepare music for the band trip if it is a year to go on a trip.
4. Sophomores may prepare and audition win the junior drum major audition. The band participates in this audition.
5. Drum majors and director plan the camp they will attend in the summer.
6. Students interested in learning a new instrument for the next school year can begin lessons and continue over the summer.
7. Prepare and individually take the semester test which will be a written test or a playing test. Refer to the 2nd quarter goals.

Band Trips
Some class time will be devoted to kicking off and organizing fund raisers for band trip funds or Music Booster goals. Band trips occur the first couple of weeks after school is out for the year at the end of May through the first week of June. Trips occur every 4 years.

NEW NSAA CONFERENCE
Our school joined the Pioneer Conference and so we may likely have the opportunnity to particpate in a conference honor band. Ms. Gerdes will verbally relay this information to you and how it will be graded.