Senior High Band Syllabus

revised 8/17/09

by Carol Braun

August 18, 2009

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 marching drill and music. Specialty groups such as percussion squad may have to put in additional rehearsal time to learn their parts. The show band will be a pep band in the bleachers for the half-time breaks. There may be times Ms. Gerdes has the show band do a field feature at half-time.
2. Football players not in show band will be in a study center and graded only on the days we rehearse for parade marching or pep band.
3. Learn parade music for any out of town parades and homecoming parade.
4. Learn pep band music needed for pep rallies, football games and basketball games.
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 the All State band, the Doane Honor Band, Kearney honor band, and any other honor bands available.
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.
8. As of Fall 09’, the show band does not have to rehearse for marching half-time field shows unless Ms. Gerdes plans a feature. This allows for an earlier start time for rehearsing concert band music. In general, less time is placed on marching and more time will be devoted to pep band and concert band preparations.

2nd Quarter
1, Continue perfecting pre-game and half-time football performances
2. Learn 2 Veterans Day compositions and perform 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 2nd & 3rd quarter at colleges and sponsored by school associations.
7. Prepare selected members for the Pioneer Conference Honor Bands held in January.
8. Perform as a pep band at out-of-town football and volleyball play-off games as requested by the administration. Gate fees are paid by the school and we rely on volunteerism for these events. These performances can be used as independent study or make-up time for absences.

3rd Quarter
1. Strengthen music reading skills and gain knowledge on compositional style and
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.
2. Prepare music for the concert in March and perform it.
3. In February begin working on solos, small groups, and band entries for music contest in April.
4. Selected students attend honor bands.
5. 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. Possible participation in a clinic with a guest clinician who will help soloists, small groups and the concert band prepare their contest entries.
2. Perform at district 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 an audition for the junior drum major position which is a 2 year commitment. 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. Traditionally the band has chosen their performance at district music contest as their semester test performance grade. Example: Superiors from 3 judges would be a 100%.

Band Trips & Music Booster Fund Raising
Some class time will be devoted to kicking off and organizing fund raisers for band trip funds or Music Booster goals. Our next trip is schedule for Spring 2012 to Dallas and involves the students who will be in the high school band in 2011-2012 and have handed in a letter of intent to go on the trip. Please be an active member of music boosters and encourage your parents.

PIONEER MUSIC CONFERENCE HONOR BANDS
Our school is in the Pioneer Conference and Southern band members selected by Ms. Gerdes are expected to participate in the conference honor band. The honor band is ________________ and is held at_______________________.

Rehearsals take place in class time, and individual help can occur in IAP time as well as mutually scheduled lesson times. The activity is a performance grade. The honor bands are a way for our band to become stronger by reading more literature, learning from other directors, and picking up musical ideas from other members of the conference band. Our band may in turn, use some of the music from the conference band.