INSTRUCTIONAL GOALS

The members of the band concentrate on improving their ability to play a musical instrument while performing in a number of different venues and styles over the school year.

At the end of this course, you will

• Know how to perform on your instrument in a more refined way.
• Be able to read music at a higher level.
• Understand a wider variety of musical terms.

NEEDS AND RESOURCES

Required Background

To successfully complete this course, you must

• Know how to read music.
• Be able to play a musical instrument.
• Understand basic music terms and theory.

Required Materials

To successfully complete this course, you will need

• a seventy-five dollar ($75.00) payment to Archbishop Stepinac is required of all students to cover the cost of music and uniform upkeep.
• your instrument (either the one you own or one provided for you by the school)
• your music (provided by the school)
• a pencil (for taking notes on the music)
• your band uniform (will be issued to you the first full week of school
• Concert black attire. This consists of either a tuxedo, or a mock tuxedo made up of the following. Black suit jacket, black pants, black bow tie, white shirt and black shoes able to be shined.

SCHEDULE

The band performs in multiple parades.

            - White Plains Columbus Day Parade Sunday October 7, 2007

            - White Plains St. Patrick’s Day Parade date TBA

            - Throgs Neck St. Patrick’s Day Parade date TBA

            - Yonkers St. Patrick’s Day Parade date TBA

            - New York City St. Patrick’s Day Parade date TBA

The Band also performs at the two (2) annual concerts

            -Archbishop Stepinac Christmas Concert – date TBA

            -Archbishop Stepinac Spring Concert – date TBA

A select smaller band will also perform at the end of the year at the school’s graduation ceremony. The smaller band will consist of principal players and highly selected student musicians as we perform in the ceremony for the graduates and their families.

Date and time TBA.

POLICIES AND PROCEDURES

General Rules:

-All members of the band are required to act in a respectful manor towards all members of the band as well as towards all the equipment in the band room. Failure to act in a respectful way will result in either an after school detention with Mr. Moran, an in school detention or possible repair costs (if damage is done to an instrument due to gross negligence on the part of the student).

-All members of the band are required to attend all performances of the band. Failure to attend a performance will negatively affect your grade.

-All members of the band are required to arrive to class on time. If you arrive late to class you will be required to stay after school. Failure to report after school will result in a school detention the next day.

-All members of the band are expected to have their instrument, music and all supplies (drum sticks, reeds, mouthpieces, etc…) to play their instrument on a daily basis. Failure to do so will result in after school detention with Mr. Moran. Repeated failure to do so will result in school detention as well as have a negative effect on the student’s grade.

-All members of the band are required to practice. This is the standing homework assignment for the band class for the entire school year. Only through individual practice will improvement occur in the individual musician. We rehearse in school, we practice at home. Failure to regularly practice will result in after school mandatory practice time with Mr. Moran.

-All members of the band will be issued music to all works we will perform. DO NOT LOOSE THE MUSIC!!!!!!!!! If the music is lost the student is responsible for obtaining a new copy either from copying another student’s copy or from Mr. Moran for $.25 per page.

- All members of the band are required to wear their concert black attire for the two (2) annual concerts.

Grading Policies:

The members of the band are graded based on not only their ability to play an instrument but their effort and class participation. The grade is calculated based on an even division on these criteria where each component makes up a third of the grade. The reason for this is that while musical talent may not be distributed equally among all people the ability to try hard and to work hard is. If a student is hard working in class and practices regularly they should improve and do very well in the band. Periodic playing exams on music in class will be given. No playing exam will be given with less than three (3) days notice. These playing tests will be used to make sure that the members of the band are practicing their music. The playing tests are graded on a rubric. (see below)

The only extra credit available to the members of the band is involving the school’s annual musical. Members of the band who perform in the show receive extra credit as well as members of the band who see the show and bring in a playbill signed and dated by a member of the faculty at the performance that the student attended.

Grading Scale/Rubric:

Archbishop Stepinac High School

 

Band class performance

Name: _______________________                                    

Scoring rubric for _________________________________________________ Song

ADDITIONAL INFORMATION

Seating in the band will be determined by Mr. Moran based on playing ability. The option to challenge for a higher seat in a student’s section is available and is judged solely by Mr. Moran