Post on 28-Apr-2018
In this fast paced and
stressful world we live
in, one thing never
changes and that is the
power of music. What
else could create such
powerful emotions,
positive energy and
goodness in our lives?
I look forward to open-
ing your minds, ears
and hearts to the world
of choral music.
Welcome!
Greetings and welcome
to an exciting year in the
prestigious Bethesda
Chevy Chase Choral De-
partment.
You are now a member of
one of three choral classes
at BCC. As the year pro-
gresses, however, you will
begin to realize that this is
much more than just a
class. This will, for many
of you, become a team, a
sanctuary and even a fam-
ily.
WELCOME BCC CHORAL
STUDENTS!
Bethesda Chevy Chase High School
CHORAL HANDBOOK FOR 2009-2010
Inside this hand-
book you will
find!
Goals and Objec-
tives
Course Expecta-
tions, Rules and
Procedures
Choral Grading
Policy
How to Succeed
in your ensemble!
Forms/contracts
MS. AMY VANEK
BETHESDA-CHEVY CHASE HIGH SCHOOL
ABOUT YOUR TEACHER: MS VANEK
Hello and Welcome to the BCC Choirs. I am thrilled to have so many
students participating in the BCC Choral Program this year. I am
Amy Vanek and this will be my fourth year teaching at Bethesda
Chevy Chase. I received my Bachelors Degree in Music Education
from The University of Maryland in 2005 where I preformed with
several nationally ranked choral ensembles. I am also the founder of
the choral professional recording ensemble, Femmes De Chanson.
Aside from choral music, I have had great experiences in musical
theater, guitar and solo classical singing. My passion is music and I
look forward to sharing this exciting and creative art form with all of
you!
Miss Vanek’s
Contact
Information
Email:
Amy_E_Vanek@ mcpsmd.org
Office: e006
# 240-497-6335
GRADING POLICY FOR CHORAL ENSEMBLES
Letter Grading System:
90%-100%- A
80%-89%- B
70%-79%- C
60%-69%- D
0%-59% E
Students are eligible to make up missed assess-
ments if they have an excused absence. Students
must come to the teacher the day returning from
an absence to retrieve any missed information
and schedule a make-up time.
Classroom Performance: 60% of Final Grade
Students will be evaluated on their performance of repertoire, warm ups and technique in
each class. Although I will not be grading you on your “effort”, classroom performance
will highly reflect what you have learned . Examples of classroom performance skills are:
- Having all music and materials required in hand once rehearsals have
started.
- Demonstrating vocal and music reading skills
- Showing proper rehearsal techniques
- Inserting markings and comments in music to demonstrate understanding
Performances and Individual Assessments: 35% of Final Grade
Students will be evaluated on their learned materials in concerts each semester. Their per-
formance grade will be highly reflected by their concert attendance. Students will need to
attend all dress rehearsals and concerts on time in order to receive full credit. Students will
loose 5% of their performance grade for being late to a concert and drop a letter grade if
they do not attend.. There are two concerts each semester and these dates are listed on their
choral calendar.
Homework: 5%
Although there are very few take-home assignments for this course, students will be ex-
pected to do several activities such as:
- Written Journal Responses
- Poetry Analysis
- Music must be reviewed at home at least 5 times per quarter
Grading Scales for Vocal Ensembles at Bethesda-Chevy Chase High School
Reassessment
1) Students will have opportunities to be reassessed on assessments.
2) Students will have opportunities to be reassessed after at least one re-teaching of subject
materials and will then schedule a reassessment time with the teacher.
Choral Music
Performance Schedule
2009-2010
DATE EVENT PLACE TIME COMMENT
Mon, Oct. 26
2009
MCYC Concert TBA 8:00a.m. to
1:30p.m.
All MCYC singers
Weds, Nov 11
2009
UMD Choral Invitational University of
Maryland
8:00 am to
10:00 pm
Chamber Singers Only
Sat. Nov 14
2009
Junior All State Chorus
Auditions
TBA Scheduled
times
9th
grade singers
Sat. Nov 21
2009
All State Senior Choir
Auditions
TBA Scheduled
times
10-12 grade singers
Fri. Dec
4,5,6,11,12
2009
Moby Dick The Musical B-CC
Auditorium
Scheduled
Performance
Times
All crew, performers and
instrumentalists
Tue. Dec 15
2009
Winter Concert - Choral BCC
Auditorium
7:00p.m. All Choral groups
Fri., Dec. 18,
2009
In-School Holiday Concert BCC
Auditorium
Morning
time TBA
All ensembles
Fri., Jan. 29,
2010
TENTATIVE
Jazz/String/Drumline/Chamber
Singers Performance
Westland
M. S.
12:30p.m. to
2:25p.m.
Recruitment/Articulation
( Chamber Singers only)
Fri, Jan 29 –
Saturday Jan
30th
2010
Opera Performance:
Dido and Aeneas
B-CC
Auditorium
TBA All Musicians, Crew and
IB Music students
Sat., Feb. 20,
2010
(Snow date –
Sat., March
6)
Cabaret BCC
Cafeteria
7 – 11p.m. Jazz, Sym. Orch.,
chamber singers,
women’s choir
Tue., Feb. 23,
2010
Festival Rehearsal for
Women’s Choir
Band Room
E008
6:30 –
8:30p.m.
Concert/Advanced
Orchestra
Mon., Mar. 1,
2010
Festival Rehearsal Concert
Choir
Band Room
E008
6:30 –
8:30p.m.
Symphonic Band
Tue., Mar. 2,
2010
Festival Rehearsal for
Chamber Singers
Band Room
E008
6:30 –
8:30p.m.
Advanced Band
Sat. Mar. 6,
2010
Celebration of Women’s
Voices - Rehearsal
University of
Maryland
12:00- 4:00
pm
Women’s Choir Only
Sun. Mar. 7,
2010
Celebration of Women’s
Voices- Concert
University of
Maryland
Chapel
2:00pm-
5:00 pm
Women’s Choir Only
Thu. Mar. 25,
2010
Chamber Choir Festival Bethesda
Presbyterian
Church
TBA Chamber Singers Only
Thu. April 2,
2010
Chorus and Women’s Choir
Festival
Wooton
High School
TBA Chorus and Women’s
Choir
Weds. April 8
– 11, 2010
Music Trip TBA TBA All groups
Tue., May 4,
2010
Spring Concert - Choral BCC
Auditorium
7:00p.m. All choral groups
Thu., May 6,
2010
Spring Concert - Instrumental BCC
Auditorium
7:00p.m. All instrumental groups
June, 2010 Graduation DAR
Constitution
Hall
TBA Chamber Singers Only
Any performances listed in bold font are mandatory
Classroom Procedures,
Rules and expectations
Expectations of all Choral Students at B-CC:
1) Students will have all materials ready within one minute of the
bell.
2) Students will not be permitted to have cell phones, ipods, or other
electronic devices inside the classroom.
3) Students will treat each other, school materials and all faculty
with respect! Respect is the key to success in this class!
4) Students will throw out any gum or candy before rehearsal has
started. One warning will be followed by detention! It is not safe
or productive to chew gum when singing!
5) NO FOOD OR DRINKS (Aside from bottled water) in this class-
room.
6) Students will put all materials away before exiting the room.
Please keep this room clean for yourselves and others!
7) Students will ask for permission to leave the room
8) Students will stand and sit when asked and must discuss any
special accommodations with me beforehand! 9) Respect yourself and others. Disrespect will not be tolerated by
any means. This is a safe environment where no one is more
important than anyone else. All opinions matter and are
appreciated.
Music: Students will have numbered folders and mu-
sic that is assigned to a cubby. If these materi-
als are not returned or become damaged the
student will compensate the music department
for replacement.
Keep your numbered music and folder in the
correct slot. It is also required that you have a
pencil for making appropriate markings. Keep
one in your folder for daily use and it is al-
ways good to bring one extra!
You must have your music for rehearsals and
concerts. Coming to class without music or
leaving it in your cubby will affect your class-
room performance grade for that day!
Attire for Concert Chorus:
Women: Black shoes, black stockings or socks, black
pants or skirt, black blouse. All skirts must be past the
knee to be acceptable
Men: black shoes, black socks, black pants, black button
up shirt, solid black tie.
Attire for Treble and Chamber Choir:
Women: will be required to purchase a long black dress
from the BCC website link http://
www.montgomeryschoolsmd.org/schools/bcchs/
academics/music/concertdress.aspx. The cost is approxi-
mately $60.00. This is a one-time purchase that can be
used throughout high school for all performances. Black
shoes and dark or clear stockings are the responsibility of
each individual student.
Men: will be required to purchase a tuxedo outfit which
will include a notch lapel coat, pleated tux pants, wing
tux shirt, and a cummerbund and bow tie. The informa-
tion is located from the BCC website link http://
www.montgomeryschoolsmd.org/schools/bcchs/
academics/music/concertdress.aspx. $100.00. Black
shoes (no tennis shoes) and black socks.
GOALS AND OBJECTIVES FOR ALL VOCAL
ENSEMBLES AT BETHESDA-Chevy Chase
All performing ensembles in the choral department will have the following general outcomes. Special goals within each area will vary
according to the nature of the group. 1. The main objective, toward which all others merely contribute, is to
become a unified vehicle in mind and spirit through which the com-poser’s conception/intention is most perfectly brought to life through sound. We refer to this goal as artistic, sensitive and expres-sive performance, full musical realization, or the aesthetic experience. Our overall aim is to “make music” in the fullest sense of the words.
2. To better achieve this goal, we will consistently strive for better vocal
sound production as we are developing. Through improved technique, expression is better realized. Our aim is to sing with proficiency and to use our voices more expertly.
3. To more fully realize the composer’s intention, we aim to improve Music reading ability. We need to understand the symbols, notations,
and nuances of the written score. 4. To better understand the style and performance intended by the com-
poser, we need to be aware of music through history. We will explore the time periods in which these composers wrote and what events may have affected those works.
5. To build a more perfect group instrument, we will work on fostering a
sense of unity and cooperation not unlike a team spirit. The whole must be greater than the sum of its parts. Every member of the group contributes to this “family-like” atmosphere.
“ Music is the electrical soil in which the spirit lives,
thinks and invents!”
-Ludwig Van Beethoven
1. Ask Questions!
In a class as large as
ours it is easy to get a
little behind. Always ask
for help and be honest
about your progress.
2. Be Assertive!
The key to moving
ahead is self motivation
and determination. Take
charge of your own pro-
gress and assert yourself
inside and out of the
classroom
3. Organize your time:
Map out how much
time you will need on
materials and don’t
waste time being con-
fused. Ask for help right
away!
4. Help Each other
Many of you may have
prior knowledge with
guitar. Help each other
and make connections.
You may need some help
in return one day!
“can I borrow a pencil?”
5. Practice
Free period? Lunch? Af-
ter School? Couldn’t
hurt!
6. LISTEN!
I will never expect you to
do anything you haven’t
been prepared for. The
key to learning is listen-
ing. Open communica-
tion between students
and teachers is so impor-
tant!
How can I stay on track? 8survival tips:
7 .Try something new!
If you haven’t tried it
before, now is your
chance. Don’t make
judgments to quickly!
Keep an open mind
8. HAVE FUN!
How fortunate are we to
have the opportunity to
take music classes in
school!? Many counties
don’t offer music
courses or don’t have
the funds. Soak up this
time, let this class build
your character and tal-
ents. Most of
all….HAVE FUN!
BETHESDA CHEVY CHASE CHORAL PROGRAMS
If music be the food of love, PLAY
ON!
- William Shakespeare
Music expresses that which cannot be
said and on what is impossible to be silent
- Victor Hugo