LCLHS CONCERT CHOIR
2009-2010
Lake Country Lutheran High School Music Department Philosophy Statement
The purpose of the Music Department is to glorify God by equipping students with the tools they need to appreciate and understand music as a means of expression and praise. Students will be encouraged to develop their God-given, unique talents in their service of Christ, as they witness by their words and actions in their continual growth and faith and the knowledge of God.
Welcome to the Concert Choir of Lake Country Lutheran High School. If you take full advantage of the opportunities provided in this choral program, you will have a musical experience that will provide you with many hours of pleasure and growth after graduation and into your adult life.
OBJECTIVES OF CHORAL MUSIC PROGRAM
- To represent and promote Lake Country Lutheran High School in and around the community, sharing our gifts through music and giving glory to God wherever He may lead us.
- To nurture the development of music appreciation and understanding through performance of quality sacred and secular repertoire.
- To provide music skills through theory, sight reading, and score identification.
- To develop interested and discriminating listeners and provide a well-rounded musical background for its members.
- To provide all LCLHS choral students with the ability and skills necessary to pursue music at the collegiate level while providing an opportunity for a worthy use of leisure time, an emotional outlet, and an awareness of different cultures and social experiences. It is hoped that these experiences will lead to a continual pursuit of music in adult life as a discriminating listener and performer.
YOUR CONTRIBUTION
Being a member of the LCLHS Concert Choir brings with it certain responsibilities, duties, and privileges. A keen awareness of these by each member makes for a successful organization of which everyone can be proud. Each member of the choir is important and has a unique contribution for the group through the sharing of their voice, their ideas, and their positive attitude. Therefore, doing your best each day and recognizing the contributions of others is extremely important—not only for the high morale of the group, but also for high quality rehearsals and performances. We function as a team, but insist on each individual’s best. Give nothing less than your best!
DAILY REHEARSALS
It is school policy that everyone is expected to be in class on time. Class starts when the “Musical Thought for the Day” is read. If you are not standing in your place on the risers when that is read, you will be considered tardy. See the school policies regarding tardies for the process that will be followed regarding being tardy to class.
You will have folders and other materials assigned to you to be kept in the choir room folder storage cabinet when not in use. Since you may be asked to mark things in your music, you will need a pencil (no pens) to make those notations. Pencils will also be available in the room.
Because our classroom is where we’ll sing, move, and think every day, we’ll need to respect it and keep it clean. Please leave all other beverages besides bottled water in your lockers. No food or gum is allowed in our classroom. Cell phones are not to be used in the classroom. If you have a cell phone in my view, whether you are using it or not, it will be confiscated.
CONCERT RESPONSIBILITIES & ATTENDANCE
Attendance is required for all mandatory performances. Work, babysitting, or not having a ride are NEVER acceptable excuses for missing a concert! PLAN AHEAD! Your final grade will be lowered one full letter grade for each unexcused concert absence. In order to receive consideration for an absence from a special rehearsal or performance (such as an illness or a death in the family) a written excuse from your parent or guardian is required BEFORE THE EVENT. Even if you are granted an excused absence, you will be required to complete a make-up assignment as a result of your absence. The assignment will be a 6 page paper on the history and works of a well-known composer chosen. If this make-up assignment is not completed, it will be treated as an unexcused concert absence, and will result in a lower grade.
ASSESSMENT (GRADING)
Participation & Attitude – 45%
Each day, the instructor will give each student a grade from 1-5, for Daily Participation & Attitude, based on the following criteria;
1 – in place for "choir Word of the day"
1 – prepared to begin (folder, standing in assigned spot)
1 – pay attention during class time
1 – active participation in class
_1_ - appropriate, positive attitude during class time
5 – total
Performances – 25%
You will receive points for the following performances;
Concerts – 50 points
Lutheran High Sundays – 25 points
Solo & Ensemble Contest – 10 points for preparing an entry
25 points for performing at contest
Other performances – TBA (points will be assigned and announced as other dates become known)
Music Theory Assignments – 10%
YOU WILL NEED A POCKET FOLDER WITH CLIPS FOR YOUR MUSIC THEORY.
There will be a theory assignment due each week. The assignments will be part of a packet which will be handed out at the beginning of the semester. Each assignment is given on Tuesday and due on Thursday. If you are interested in working ahead, you may complete all of them at any time during the semester/year, just make sure that each individual assignment is turned in on time.
The theory assignments are designed to introduce you to basics of music theory, or to continue advancing in your knowledge. Music theory is the nuts and bolts of how music is built. The concepts we will study are rhythm, time signatures, note names and identification, clefs, pitch, intervals, dynamics, articulation, phrasing, keyboard notes, enharmonics, music-reading skills, and key signatures. The concepts will be briefly introduced during class and will then be reinforced as we learn and practice music.
Each assignment will be worth 10 points. TO RECEIVE FULL CREDIT, ALL ASSIGNMENTS MUST BE TURNED IN ON THEIR DUE DATES!
Article Reviews & Listening Assignments – 10% Articles relating to music are chosen to expose you to various aspects related to vocal production, the music industry, musicians, and other topics that are hot in the field of music. There are several questions that you will answer completely and turn in on the assigned due date.
Periodically we will be listening to a group or solo performance, or you will be given a youtube video to watch. I will hand out a sheet on which you will write a critique, based on the criteria listed on the assignment page. The review will be due at the end of the listening assignment, or on the assigned due date.
Each review and listening assignment will be worth 10 points. TO RECEIVE FULL CREDIT, ALL ASSIGNMENTS MUST BE TURNED IN ON THEIR DUE DATES!
Sectional Rehearsals – 10% You will be required to participate in a sectional rehearsal once every week, based on a 3-4 week rotating schedule. It is your responsibility to remember when your sectional is scheduled and to be in attendance each week. During sectional rehearsals we will be working on breathing and vocal techniques, practicing sections of choir music, and answering questions about music theory assignments. It is mandatory to attend sectional rehearsals.
Each sectional rehearsal will be worth 10 points. TO RECEIVE FULL CREDIT, YOU MUST ATTEND AND PARTICIPATE FULLY IN ALL ACTIVITIES!
In each of the above areas, points will be added up and divided by the total amount of points possible to determine your grade. The five resulting grades (1 – Participation & Attitude, 2 – Performances, 3 – Music Theory Homework, 4 – Article Reviews, Listening Assignments, 5 – Sectional Rehearsals) will then be combined and assigned the percentages shown above to come up with your final score for the grading period.
Extra Credit can be assigned by the teacher. It is not guaranteed to be offered every grading period. The following assignments may be completed to receive extra credit points;
1) writing a review of a class rehearsal or a concert attended outside of school
2) writing a review of an article about music, a musical performer or a related topic
3) doing research on composers, music history or music theory
4) singing the National Anthem at LCLHS games
GRADING SCALE
A 95 – 100% C 79 – 82%
A- 93 – 94% C- 77 – 78%
B+ 91 – 92% D+ 75 – 76%
B 87 – 90% D 72 – 74%
B- 85 – 86% D- 70 – 71%
C+ 83 – 84% F 0 – 69%
CONCERT CHOIR SCHEDULE
September 2, 2009 - - - - - - - - - - Entertainment Book Sale Kick-off
September 8 – 22, 2009 - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - Fall Bulb Sale
September 12 – 13, 2009 - - - - - - - - Costume Packing Days
September 19 – 20, 2009 - - - - - - - - Costume Packing Days
September 26 – 27, 2009 - - - - - - - - Costume Packing Days
October 3 – 4, 2009 - - - - - - - - - - - - Costume Packing Days
October 10 – 11, 2009 - - - - - - - - - - - Costume Packing Days
October 17 – 18, 2009 - - - - - - - - - - - - Costume Packing Days
October 24 – 25, 2009 - - - - - - - - - - - -Costume Packing Day
December 19, 2009 - - - - - - - - - - Christmas Concert
February 27, 2010 - - - - - - - - Solo/Ensemble Contest
March 19-27, 2010 - - - - -Spring Concert Tour – San Diego, Irvine, CA
May 3, 2010 - - - - - - - - - - Fine Arts Awards
May 7, 2010 - - - - - - - - - - Spring Choral Concert
May 28, 2010 - - - - - - - - - - - - - - Graduation
Lutheran High Sunday have yet to be added to the calendar. As soon as these dates are set, I will notify the choir. These three dates will also be mandatory.
LCLHS is part of the Lutheran High School Association of Greater Milwaukee. There are 47 churches that are part of the Association. To let our Lake Country area LCMS churches know what’s going on at LCLHS, we sing for their church services once a year. We usually sing at one or all of their Sunday morning services on the selected date.
There may be additional performance dates added. As soon as they become known to me, I will notify parents and choir members, so they can be added to your calendars.
EXPECTATIONS
DISCIPLINE – Our goal in choir is always to give nothing less than our best. For us, mediocre is not acceptable. A successful choir is made up of individuals working together for the best of the group.
Self-discipline is of the utmost importance when we are rehearsing. Without focus on what we are learning and practicing, progress will not be as forthcoming as it has the potential to be. If we look at a successful sports team we see self-disciplined, motivated team members. Without their drive and purpose, the team suffers and is not successful. So it is with Choir. If we want to accomplish things and learn as much as possible about the music we perform, we have to be self-disciplined and respect each other’s desire to learn. Two people who have positive attitudes don’t make the choir – it takes everyone working together.
If you forget to practice self-control and your behavior is disruptive, you will receive a warning the first time. The second time you will be removed from the class and talk with me after class, and the third time, you will receive a referral. NO EXCEPTIONS!
CHOIR REMINDERS
1. In choir we will learn “how to” participate in a choral performing group. We will learn how to practice music together, prepare our music and ourselves for performance, and remember that each time we open our mouths to speak or sing we have the opportunity to please and praise God. Let’s use our voices and words appropriately.
2. Since the nature of a choir is to perform, we need to recognize the commitment that is necessary to be part of this group. Each of the scheduled performances is required. That means that all performances are mandatory!
3. We have a unique opportunity to express our feelings and those of the composer to our audience, and share our God-given talents with others.
PRIVATE VOICE LESSONS
In addition to sectional rehearsals, it is highly recommended that all members of Concert Choir take private voice lessons. Private lessons offer the opportunity to learn and practice correct vocal production which is built on diaphragmatic breathing. Repertoire includes classical, Broadway and contemporary music which is selected to assist the student in practicing techniques learned during lesson time. Private lessons allow students more one-on-one time to prepare music for Solo & Ensemble Festival. Lessons are provided as a service by the Lutheran High School Association of Greater Milwaukee and are taught by Mrs. Sally Denkert. More information is available from Mrs. Denkert.
DAILY SCHEDULE
Each day may include any of the following components;
1) physical & vocal warm-ups
2) information about upcoming events
3) theory lessons and/or assignments
4) listening lessons and/or assignments
5) article review assignments
6) sightreading new music
7) learning and practicing music
8) refining music and preparing for performance
9) assessing performances
10) “mini” – voice lessons
Please share this with your parents! It is important to me that they know what is going on in Choir, and that they know the expectations that they can help you to meet. If you or they have any questions, you may contact me either of the ways listed below.
LET’S HAVE A GREAT YEAR IN CHOIR!
Mrs. Sally Denkert
School Phone # - 262-569-6500 x209
CONTRACT OF UNDERSTANDING AND AGREEMENT
“I understand and agree to abide by the information as stated in the preceding document, especially the sections on Responsibilities, Expectation, Duties and Privileges. I understand that I must abide by these rules and regulations if I wish to participate in Concert Choir at LCLHS during the 2009-2010 and following years.”
Parent Printed Name____________________________________________
Parent Signature___________________________________________Date_________________
Parent Printed Name_____________________________________________
Parent Signature___________________________________________Date_________________
Student Printed Name____________________________________________
Student Signature___________________________________________Date________________
This form must be completed and returned by August 31, 2009. The prompt return of this signed contract will be your commitment to the Choral program as outlined in the Concert Choir Handbook. If you have already returned a contract during the summer, you do not need to return another one! Thank you!
Please provide parents’ e-mail address(es). I routinely send out information choir newsletter e-mails. These will contain information about upcoming events, fundraisers, tour, due dates for payments, etc. Please give home and/or work e-mail addresses.
Home e-mail _________________________________________________
Dad’s work e-mail __________________________________________________
Mom’s work e-mail _________________________________________________
Other e-mail _______________________________________________________
LCLHS CONCERT CHOIR
2009-2010
Lake Country Lutheran High School Music Department Philosophy Statement
The purpose of the Music Department is to glorify God by equipping students with the tools they need to appreciate and understand music as a means of expression and praise. Students will be encouraged to develop their God-given, unique talents in their service of Christ, as they witness by their words and actions in their continual growth and faith and the knowledge of God.
Welcome to the Concert Choir of Lake Country Lutheran High School. If you take full advantage of the opportunities provided in this choral program, you will have a musical experience that will provide you with many hours of pleasure and growth after graduation and into your adult life.
OBJECTIVES OF CHORAL MUSIC PROGRAM
- To represent and promote Lake Country Lutheran High School in and around the community, sharing our gifts through music and giving glory to God wherever He may lead us.
- To nurture the development of music appreciation and understanding through performance of quality sacred and secular repertoire.
- To provide music skills through theory, sight reading, and score identification.
- To develop interested and discriminating listeners and provide a well-rounded musical background for its members.
- To provide all LCLHS choral students with the ability and skills necessary to pursue music at the collegiate level while providing an opportunity for a worthy use of leisure time, an emotional outlet, and an awareness of different cultures and social experiences. It is hoped that these experiences will lead to a continual pursuit of music in adult life as a discriminating listener and performer.
YOUR CONTRIBUTION
Being a member of the LCLHS Concert Choir brings with it certain responsibilities, duties, and privileges. A keen awareness of these by each member makes for a successful organization of which everyone can be proud. Each member of the choir is important and has a unique contribution for the group through the sharing of their voice, their ideas, and their positive attitude. Therefore, doing your best each day and recognizing the contributions of others is extremely important—not only for the high morale of the group, but also for high quality rehearsals and performances. We function as a team, but insist on each individual’s best. Give nothing less than your best!
DAILY REHEARSALS
It is school policy that everyone is expected to be in class on time. Class starts when the “Musical Thought for the Day” is read. If you are not standing in your place on the risers when that is read, you will be considered tardy. See the school policies regarding tardies for the process that will be followed regarding being tardy to class.
You will have folders and other materials assigned to you to be kept in the choir room folder storage cabinet when not in use. Since you may be asked to mark things in your music, you will need a pencil (no pens) to make those notations. Pencils will also be available in the room.
Because our classroom is where we’ll sing, move, and think every day, we’ll need to respect it and keep it clean. Please leave all other beverages besides bottled water in your lockers. No food or gum is allowed in our classroom. Cell phones are not to be used in the classroom. If you have a cell phone in my view, whether you are using it or not, it will be confiscated.
CONCERT RESPONSIBILITIES & ATTENDANCE
Attendance is required for all mandatory performances. Work, babysitting, or not having a ride are NEVER acceptable excuses for missing a concert! PLAN AHEAD! Your final grade will be lowered one full letter grade for each unexcused concert absence. In order to receive consideration for an absence from a special rehearsal or performance (such as an illness or a death in the family) a written excuse from your parent or guardian is required BEFORE THE EVENT. Even if you are granted an excused absence, you will be required to complete a make-up assignment as a result of your absence. The assignment will be a 6 page paper on the history and works of a well-known composer chosen. If this make-up assignment is not completed, it will be treated as an unexcused concert absence, and will result in a lower grade.
ASSESSMENT (GRADING)
Participation & Attitude – 45%
Each day, the instructor will give each student a grade from 1-5, for Daily Participation & Attitude, based on the following criteria;
1 – in place for "choir Word of the day"
1 – prepared to begin (folder, standing in assigned spot)
1 – pay attention during class time
1 – active participation in class
_1_ - appropriate, positive attitude during class time
5 – total
Performances – 25%
You will receive points for the following performances;
Concerts – 50 points
Lutheran High Sundays – 25 points
Solo & Ensemble Contest – 10 points for preparing an entry
25 points for performing at contest
Other performances – TBA (points will be assigned and announced as other dates become known)
Music Theory Assignments – 10%
YOU WILL NEED A POCKET FOLDER WITH CLIPS FOR YOUR MUSIC THEORY.
There will be a theory assignment due each week. The assignments will be part of a packet which will be handed out at the beginning of the semester. Each assignment is given on Tuesday and due on Thursday. If you are interested in working ahead, you may complete all of them at any time during the semester/year, just make sure that each individual assignment is turned in on time.
The theory assignments are designed to introduce you to basics of music theory, or to continue advancing in your knowledge. Music theory is the nuts and bolts of how music is built. The concepts we will study are rhythm, time signatures, note names and identification, clefs, pitch, intervals, dynamics, articulation, phrasing, keyboard notes, enharmonics, music-reading skills, and key signatures. The concepts will be briefly introduced during class and will then be reinforced as we learn and practice music.
Each assignment will be worth 10 points. TO RECEIVE FULL CREDIT, ALL ASSIGNMENTS MUST BE TURNED IN ON THEIR DUE DATES!
Article Reviews & Listening Assignments – 10% Articles relating to music are chosen to expose you to various aspects related to vocal production, the music industry, musicians, and other topics that are hot in the field of music. There are several questions that you will answer completely and turn in on the assigned due date.
Periodically we will be listening to a group or solo performance, or you will be given a youtube video to watch. I will hand out a sheet on which you will write a critique, based on the criteria listed on the assignment page. The review will be due at the end of the listening assignment, or on the assigned due date.
Each review and listening assignment will be worth 10 points. TO RECEIVE FULL CREDIT, ALL ASSIGNMENTS MUST BE TURNED IN ON THEIR DUE DATES!
Sectional Rehearsals – 10% You will be required to participate in a sectional rehearsal once every week, based on a 3-4 week rotating schedule. It is your responsibility to remember when your sectional is scheduled and to be in attendance each week. During sectional rehearsals we will be working on breathing and vocal techniques, practicing sections of choir music, and answering questions about music theory assignments. It is mandatory to attend sectional rehearsals.
Each sectional rehearsal will be worth 10 points. TO RECEIVE FULL CREDIT, YOU MUST ATTEND AND PARTICIPATE FULLY IN ALL ACTIVITIES!
In each of the above areas, points will be added up and divided by the total amount of points possible to determine your grade. The five resulting grades (1 – Participation & Attitude, 2 – Performances, 3 – Music Theory Homework, 4 – Article Reviews, Listening Assignments, 5 – Sectional Rehearsals) will then be combined and assigned the percentages shown above to come up with your final score for the grading period.
Extra Credit can be assigned by the teacher. It is not guaranteed to be offered every grading period. The following assignments may be completed to receive extra credit points;
1) writing a review of a class rehearsal or a concert attended outside of school
2) writing a review of an article about music, a musical performer or a related topic
3) doing research on composers, music history or music theory
4) singing the National Anthem at LCLHS games
GRADING SCALE
A 95 – 100% C 79 – 82%
A- 93 – 94% C- 77 – 78%
B+ 91 – 92% D+ 75 – 76%
B 87 – 90% D 72 – 74%
B- 85 – 86% D- 70 – 71%
C+ 83 – 84% F 0 – 69%
CONCERT CHOIR SCHEDULE
September 2, 2009 - - - - - - - - - - Entertainment Book Sale Kick-off
September 8 – 22, 2009 - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - Fall Bulb Sale
September 12 – 13, 2009 - - - - - - - - Costume Packing Days
September 19 – 20, 2009 - - - - - - - - Costume Packing Days
September 26 – 27, 2009 - - - - - - - - Costume Packing Days
October 3 – 4, 2009 - - - - - - - - - - - - Costume Packing Days
October 10 – 11, 2009 - - - - - - - - - - - Costume Packing Days
October 17 – 18, 2009 - - - - - - - - - - - - Costume Packing Days
October 24 – 25, 2009 - - - - - - - - - - - -Costume Packing Day
December 19, 2009 - - - - - - - - - - Christmas Concert
February 27, 2010 - - - - - - - - Solo/Ensemble Contest
March 19-27, 2010 - - - - -Spring Concert Tour – San Diego, Irvine, CA
May 3, 2010 - - - - - - - - - - Fine Arts Awards
May 7, 2010 - - - - - - - - - - Spring Choral Concert
May 28, 2010 - - - - - - - - - - - - - - Graduation
Lutheran High Sunday have yet to be added to the calendar. As soon as these dates are set, I will notify the choir. These three dates will also be mandatory.
LCLHS is part of the Lutheran High School Association of Greater Milwaukee. There are 47 churches that are part of the Association. To let our Lake Country area LCMS churches know what’s going on at LCLHS, we sing for their church services once a year. We usually sing at one or all of their Sunday morning services on the selected date.
There may be additional performance dates added. As soon as they become known to me, I will notify parents and choir members, so they can be added to your calendars.
EXPECTATIONS
DISCIPLINE – Our goal in choir is always to give nothing less than our best. For us, mediocre is not acceptable. A successful choir is made up of individuals working together for the best of the group.
Self-discipline is of the utmost importance when we are rehearsing. Without focus on what we are learning and practicing, progress will not be as forthcoming as it has the potential to be. If we look at a successful sports team we see self-disciplined, motivated team members. Without their drive and purpose, the team suffers and is not successful. So it is with Choir. If we want to accomplish things and learn as much as possible about the music we perform, we have to be self-disciplined and respect each other’s desire to learn. Two people who have positive attitudes don’t make the choir – it takes everyone working together.
If you forget to practice self-control and your behavior is disruptive, you will receive a warning the first time. The second time you will be removed from the class and talk with me after class, and the third time, you will receive a referral. NO EXCEPTIONS!
CHOIR REMINDERS
1. In choir we will learn “how to” participate in a choral performing group. We will learn how to practice music together, prepare our music and ourselves for performance, and remember that each time we open our mouths to speak or sing we have the opportunity to please and praise God. Let’s use our voices and words appropriately.
2. Since the nature of a choir is to perform, we need to recognize the commitment that is necessary to be part of this group. Each of the scheduled performances is required. That means that all performances are mandatory!
3. We have a unique opportunity to express our feelings and those of the composer to our audience, and share our God-given talents with others.
PRIVATE VOICE LESSONS
In addition to sectional rehearsals, it is highly recommended that all members of Concert Choir take private voice lessons. Private lessons offer the opportunity to learn and practice correct vocal production which is built on diaphragmatic breathing. Repertoire includes classical, Broadway and contemporary music which is selected to assist the student in practicing techniques learned during lesson time. Private lessons allow students more one-on-one time to prepare music for Solo & Ensemble Festival. Lessons are provided as a service by the Lutheran High School Association of Greater Milwaukee and are taught by Mrs. Sally Denkert. More information is available from Mrs. Denkert.
DAILY SCHEDULE
Each day may include any of the following components;
1) physical & vocal warm-ups
2) information about upcoming events
3) theory lessons and/or assignments
4) listening lessons and/or assignments
5) article review assignments
6) sightreading new music
7) learning and practicing music
8) refining music and preparing for performance
9) assessing performances
10) “mini” – voice lessons
Please share this with your parents! It is important to me that they know what is going on in Choir, and that they know the expectations that they can help you to meet. If you or they have any questions, you may contact me either of the ways listed below.
LET’S HAVE A GREAT YEAR IN CHOIR!
Mrs. Sally Denkert
School Phone # - 262-569-6500 x209
CONTRACT OF UNDERSTANDING AND AGREEMENT
“I understand and agree to abide by the information as stated in the preceding document, especially the sections on Responsibilities, Expectation, Duties and Privileges. I understand that I must abide by these rules and regulations if I wish to participate in Concert Choir at LCLHS during the 2009-2010 and following years.”
Parent Printed Name____________________________________________
Parent Signature___________________________________________Date_________________
Parent Printed Name_____________________________________________
Parent Signature___________________________________________Date_________________
Student Printed Name____________________________________________
Student Signature___________________________________________Date________________
This form must be completed and returned by August 31, 2009. The prompt return of this signed contract will be your commitment to the Choral program as outlined in the Concert Choir Handbook. If you have already returned a contract during the summer, you do not need to return another one! Thank you!
Please provide parents’ e-mail address(es). I routinely send out information choir newsletter e-mails. These will contain information about upcoming events, fundraisers, tour, due dates for payments, etc. Please give home and/or work e-mail addresses.
Home e-mail _________________________________________________
Dad’s work e-mail __________________________________________________
Mom’s work e-mail _________________________________________________
Other e-mail _______________________________________________________