Cary Academy Band Handbook 2007-2008

Welcome to the 11th year of Cary Academy! This is the 5th year that we will have seniors who have participated
in the CA band for each of their 7 years here! Bravissimo!!! New students and parents, there is a lot to read here,
but don't stress out! Just email questions and I will be going go over everything in class during the first few weeks of school.
Returning students and parents, new information and information that tends to be forgotten is marked in red for you.

This year my goals for the band program are to:

Use Smart Music software on student tablets. Submit recordings through the web (Smart Music Impact).
Use Microsoft Outlook to organize assignments, deadlines, and performances.

Please take the time to sit down together to read this Band Handbook completely and carefully.

Here are a few important items and changes to note regarding this year. Click links for more details.

The Band Web Site will be used as the primary means to communicate information. Visit the CA Band Homepage
and your specific class page regularly for class assignments, calendar updates, recordings, and more.
Tablets: Students will not usually need their tablets for class. I will post on the "What Are We Doing This Week" page (link updated weekly on the CA Band Homepage) and remind students the class before a day when they need to
bring their tablets. If they wish, students may store their tablet in their band instrument locker during class if they will need it for the class after band.
Each student must provide a 3 ring binder for band music.
Students order their own copies of Smart Music Software and install the software on their tablets.
Instrument Storage - instruments should be practiced regularly and may not be left overnight in the band room.
Practice Assignments - students select one solo or ensemble and attend one concert.
Competition - All 7th-12th grade band students will take a day trip to Richmond, VA on Friday, March 28.
Jazz on the Quad (MS and US Jazz Bands only) is Monday, October 22 from 5:00-6:30 PM on the Quad.
The 1st Band Concert (MS and US Band classes only) is Tuesday, October 30 from 7:00-8:00 PM at the Cary Senior Center (Bond Park on High House Road in Cary). Beginning band students will not perform on this concert but are encouraged to attend.
The 2nd Band Concert (all band and jazz band students) is Wednesday, February 13 from 7:00-8:30 PM in the auditorium.
Pops on the Quad (all band and jazz band students) will be Thursday, May 8 from 6:00-8:00PM on the Quad. As in year's past, it will also include dinner and we will do our end of the year recognitions.

I am very excited about this year and look forward to making music together and having a lot of fun!!

Euphoniously,

Eric S. Grush, Director

Band Expectations

To be successful in the Band Program, you should be …

Considerate	Respect other individuals, their space, their possessions, and their feelings. Students should only play their own instrument. All music and equipment should be put in their proper place when students finish using them.
Attentive	Recognize that actions have consequences and plan accordingly. Talking, movement, inappropriate instrument playing, or any behavior that disrupts learning for others is distracting and not acceptable.
Responsible	Take responsibility for your own education; be on time and prepared. Students should bring their instrument, supplies, all music, and a pencil to every rehearsal. Food, drinks, candy, and gum are not allowed in the band room or practice rooms.
Yourself	Music is a means to communicate and express your individuality. Use this opportunity to contribute to Cary Academy and the greater community. Recognize the significance of sincere and active participation in your development as a musician.

Steps to Success

1. Sound Great! Do not accept mediocrity. Listen carefully to yourself, identify what to practice, and work hard.

Practice does not make perfect; practice makes permanent! Only perfect practice makes perfect!

Use the Whole-Part-Whole approach. The wholes are the "run-throughs" of the entire piece
or a large section of music without stopping. Stopping to “fix” every mistake immediately after you make it
only serves to train you to stop after making a mistake. Force yourself to play the whole piece or section without stopping!
The key is to take mental note of the trouble spots so that you can go back and spend time on the problems.
It does no good to just play the piece over and over again, making the same mistakes each time. If you do that,
you are actually getting better at making mistakes!

Practicing the parts should take up the bulk of your time and effort. First, after noting the trouble spots,
break your music down into bite-size pieces of notes that I call “chunks”. A chunk may be as small as
getting from one note to the next. It may be half a measure, parts of 2 measures, or possibly longer.
Look for patterns in the music and use them as a guide for making chunks. Second, practice each chunk
until the notes and rhythms fall easily under your fingers and you are able to match it to the tempo and style
of that particular piece or section of music. Use the Three Times Rule – you must be able to play a chunk
PERFECTLY three times in a row, before moving on. If you mess up on any of the three times, you must start over.

Continue to expand outward, like a ripple from a stone thrown into a still pond, by adding new chunks
to either side of your original starting point. Finally, combine the larger chunks to play the whole section or piece of music.
Again, take mental note of trouble spots and come back to them the next time you practice the piece of music.

When practicing, all students should use Smart Music software to record and listen to themselves,
as well as use the metronome and tuner.

2. Work Together! Band is about the group. Great bands have members that put the needs of the group ahead of themselves, encourage each other, and believe they will succeed.

Easy Ways to make a really BAD grade in band

Forget your instrument or music at home frequently to avoid playing in class.
Practice your part during class while Mr. Grush is talking or working with another section.
Debate the merits of following the key signature with your neighbor while Mr. Grush
is talking or working with another section.
Throw pieces of your instrument or articles of clothing at someone across the room while Mr. Grush
is talking or working with another section.
Create your own little soundproof bubble to ensure that any directions or reminders from Mr. Grush
cannot possibly get through to you, causing undue stress and personal injury.
Leave your instrument/music in another building in the morning so that you can show up
fashionably late for class.
Hang out in the arts lobby or hallway outside the band room until the very last second,
making a mad dash to put your instrument together and get to your seat.
Forget to mark concert dates on your personal calendar and miss a performance.
Use the due date for a practice assignment as a reminder to get started.
Wait until the last day of the trimester to check your grades online so you can see that the "50's"
for not passing-off playing assignments really do become permanent if you don't play the
assignment over within a week.
Don't read your email from Mr. Grush until the message is at least 6 months old.
Wait until the night before a quiz or practice assignment to practice your music.
Better yet, instead of checking the web page to find out what is on a playing quiz, make it a surprise and
develop your sight reading skills!

Student Assessment

Trimester grades will be determined according to the following percentages:

Beginning, Middle School, Upper School and Upper School Jazz Band
30%	Playing/Written Assessments	Excerpts from concert music or fundamentals played during class.
30%	Participation in rehearsal	Be on time with instrument, supplies, and music. Be prepared.
15%	Practice Assignments	Students must attend one concert per trimester, observing someone who plays their instrument, and also play a solo or ensemble.
25%	Performances	Some evening/weekend performances may be required.

US Music Theory/Composition, Advanced Music Theory/Composition, Instrument Lessons
70%	Classwork/Homework	Assignments not completed in class may be completed as homework.
30%	Compositions/Projects	Individually designed and larger scale than regular, daily/weekly assignments.

Assessment Details

Playing Quizzes - in class

Upper School students will be assigned 2-5 playing quizzes per trimester; Middle School and Beginning students
will have weekly or bi-weekly playing quizzes. Quiz material may consist of short excerpts from the music we are preparing
to perform or other music rehearsed in class. Students will play their quiz during class. Material to prepare for quizzes will be listed on the trimester syllabus (found on the specific band class page) and updated on the weekly "What are we doing this week" page (link on CA Band Homepage).

Playing Quizzes will be graded using Pass-off or Try Again system. Students who do not pass-off the first attempt
will be given specific areas to correct and must play the assignment again for Mr. Grush. See the Performance Standard table.

Quizzes may be played over in class on days with time set aside for do-overs (usually following another playing quiz).
Students may also make an appointment to play for me individually if they wish. In some cases, I will specifiy that a student
needs to see me for an appointment rather than playing a do-over in class.

This system is designed to:

Give students the opportunity to correct mistakes and try again as many times as they wish to earn an A+
Give students an accurate picture of their proficiency and progress
Reward students who work to achieve the highest standard of performance
Motivate students to practice outside of class
Measure the quality of student practice rather than just time spent

How it works:

When students play an assignment a second time at an appointment or in class, they will receive the grade they earn

based on the Performance Standard. If a student does not achieve the highest level of performance,
s/he will be given specific areas to correct. A student may play the assignment as many times as s/he wishes
before the deadline for make-up work (listed on the class syllabus) to earn the desired grade.

While waiting to make up an assignment, s/he will be assigned a grade of 50.
Once the assignment is passed-off, the 50 will be replaced with the the grade s/he has earned.

A zero on an assignment means the assignment has not been completed or has not been received.
Once the assignment is completed, the 0 will be replaced with the the grade s/he has earned.

Any grade of 50 or 0 will become permanent after the the deadline for make-up work (listed on the class syllabus).

Written Assignments – in class

Written assignments may be given on music theory, terminology, or history covered in class.

Participating in Rehearsal

Band students are expected to be on time for class, to have their instrument, supplies, and music,
and to participate in each rehearsal. To participate successfully a student should be considerate, attentive, responsible,
and a constructive member of the ensemble. A student who follows these expectations will receive full credit
for participating in rehearsal. Talking, movement, inappropriate instrument playing, tardiness, or any behavior
that disrupts learning for others is not acceptable. A student who exhibits disruptive behavior during a rehearsal
will not receive full credit for participating in that rehearsal.

3 Points will be deducted from a student's participation average for each infraction.

Chronic infractions may result in detention after school.

Students who are absent from more than 10% of the rehearsals during a trimester may be asked to make up
missed rehearsal time by coming in for extra practice during the enrichment/advisory period, before or after school.

Practice outside of rehearsal

All Band students are expected to practice their instrument regularly outside of rehearsal.
Following are the minimum expectations:

	6^th grade students	30 minutes per day, 5 days per week, for a total of 2 ½ hours per week.
	7^th/8^th grade students	30 minutes per day, 4 days per week, for a total of 2 hours per week.
	Upper School students	30 minutes per day, 3 days per week, for a total of 1 ½ hours per week.

Those who wish to truly excel should increase practice time to 3-5 hours week and take private lessons.

Instruments should be taken home every day, unless students have two instruments (one for home and one for school).
Otherwise, instruments may not be left in the band room or anywhere else on campus overnight!

Practice Assignments

Students must complete 2 Practice Assignments each trimester.

Play a solo or ensemble piece selected by the student (recording or appointment).
Attend a concert or recital to observe someone who plays their band instrument.

NEW - Students taking private lessons on their band instrument are exempt from one of the practice assignments of their choice per trimester.

Making a recording using Smart Music software -

Use Smart Music software at home to digitally record, save on your tablet, and upload to the Smart Music Impact website.
Since Cary Academy has purchased a school subscription to the Smart Music
online accompaniment software, students will be able to have a home subscription for only $25 per year
(compared to $10 per month normally). Students should order their own copy of the software directly from Smart Music
and install on their tablets.

Recordings or appointments for practice assignments will be graded using the same system as Playing Quizzes.

Playing Guidelines (Solo or Ensemble)-

Students may select their own solo or ensemble and have it approved by Mr. Grush.
Those students who choose to play an ensemble (duet, trio, etc.) should have the entire group play for Mr. Grush
in person at an appointment. Students who choose solos may also opt to play in person for Mr. Grush rather than record.

Concert Attendance Guidelines-

Visit the Concert Resources page for links to area concert information.
The concert must have a printed program (unless approved in advance by Mr. Grush).
Someone performing must play the same band instrument as the student.
Students should write their names and a one sentence description of the concert on the program and turn it in by the deadline.

Performance Standard

To sum up the performance standard in one sentence –

Play your instrument and the music the way that is intended to be played.

Characteristics of performances within grade ranges.

Grade Range	Mechanics	Musical Skills
A-, A, A+	No wrong notes and/or rhythms	Overall Superior Tone Quality, Tuning, Tempo, Precision, Articulation, Style, Phrasing, and/or Dynamics.
B-, B, B+	Few wrong notes and/or rhythms	Overall Excellent Tone Quality, Tuning, Tempo, Precision, Articulation, Style, Phrasing, and/or Dynamics.
C-, C, C+	Some wrong notes and/or rhythms	Overall Average Tone Quality, Tuning, Tempo, Precision, Articulation, Style, Phrasing, and/or Dynamics.
D-, D, D+	Many wrong notes and/or rhythms	Overall Fair Tone Quality, Tuning, Tempo, Precision, Articulation, Style, Phrasing, and/or Dynamics.
F	Predominantly wrong notes and/or rhythms	Overall Poor Tone Quality, Tuning, Tempo, Precision, Articulation, Style, Phrasing, and/or Dynamics.

Participation in Performances and Trips

Performing for others is one of the highlights of playing an instrument. In general, the Band program will schedule
one major evening performance per trimester, per class. As other opportunities to perform present themselves,
they will be added to the calendar. Please note that some weekend performances may be necessary. A performance
at a festival or competition in the local area (only a day trip) is a required part of the curriculum. An overnight trip
(needing a larger financial and time commitment) is a strongly encouraged but not required part of the curriculum.

Should a conflict arise with a scheduled performance or trip, please contact Mr. Grush immediately
to arrange a mutually agreeable solution. In general, performances for each trimester will be scheduled by the first day
of the trimester. Please contact Mr. Grush at the beginning of the trimester to discuss conflicts. An excused absence
from school on the day of a performance constitutes an excused absence from the performance. A student
who is not present for at least half the school day is not eligible to rehearse or perform after school that day or evening.

To earn the full 25% of her/his trimester grade based on performance, a student must participate in all
scheduled performances or be excused by Mr. Grush. As per the Arts Department policy, an unexcused absence
from a performance at school or at a local festival may result in a failing grade for the trimester.

Performance Attire

Our performance attire should reflect the importance of what we are doing as well as pride in self and in the ensemble.
We also want to look alike rather than bring attention to what individual members are wearing so that the audience can focus
on the aural experience rather than the visual.

We will wear the outfits at performances at the school as well as when we perform in the community.
Also, 7th-12th graders may be participating in events locally and statewide that require standardized outfits.
Such events may include Regional or All-State Band performances as well as Music Festivals and Competitions.

6th grade women	Dress, skirt and blouse, or skirt and pants with dress shoes
6th grade men	Long sleeve dress shirt, dress pants, belt, dark socks, dress shoes
7th/8th grade women	Black skirt with blue and black blouse
7th/8th grade men	Tuxedo pants, tux shirt, black bow-tie, blue and black vest
US women	Black dress (either the old or the new one)
US men	Tuxedo pants, shirt, coat, black bow-tie and cummerbund

A group of Band, Chorus, and Orchestra parents are working on a used outfit sale. If you are unable to acquire
a used outfit, you will need to purchase a new one. Visit the performing arts outfits page for more information.

6th grade band students are on their own to acquire clothing for concerts.7th-12th grade students needing a new outfit will be measured at school and outfits will be ordered en masse and sent to school.

Men are responsible for obtaining their own black dress shoes and black socks as well as making any necessary alterations to their outfits. Women must provide their own black dress shoes, appropriate hose, as well as making any necessary alterations to their outfits.

We are extremely excited about seeing and hearing our well-dressed musicians at performances.
Thank you for your support in helping to create an image to match the excellence of our musical ensembles at Cary Academy!

Arts Department Policy for Late Work

Written assignments will be turned in to the teacher at the beginning of class. Late work will be penalized
at the teacher’s discretion. Projects will be presented on the due date or marked down a letter grade.
Students who do not honor commitments to performance dates risk course failure.

Arts Department Effort Scale

4 Consistently focused on class activities. Takes initiative to pursue excellence in chosen discipline.
Demonstrates ability to work beyond expectations and excels at working independently.

3 Often focused on class activities. Sometimes needs reminders to stay on task. Consistently meets expectations.

2 Rarely focused. Distracts other students. Difficulty in meeting minimal expectations.

1 Inappropriate behavior. Unable to work with others. Refuses to meet minimal expectations. Total lack of effort.

Extra Credit Opportunities

To encourage students to seek out experiences that will enrich their musical development, I am offering extra credit
for certain musical activities. Extra Credit points will be added to the student’s average at the end of the trimester.
I will use the chart below as a starting point, but encourage students to propose other ideas that are interesting to them!
* Extra Credit is limited to 3 points per student per trimester.

Extra Credit Activity *	Points added to trimester average
Almost anything that incorporates music and another special interest	variable
Attending a performance/exhibition of other Cary Academy Arts Students	1
Attending a pre-approved performance/event	.5
Being an Officer	variable
Composing an original piece of music	variable
Observing or Interviewing a local professional musician	.5
NEW - Organizing a "Pep Group", rehearsing, playing for Mr. Grush, and playing for a CA home athletic event.	credit for 1 trimester Practice assignment
Participating in a local Youth Orchestra or Band	1
Participating in Middle School Jazz Band	1
Participating in more than one US band class	2 (1 per class)
Tutoring a younger student who plays the same instrument as you	variable

Private Music Lessons

While learning an instrument as part of a class has many advantages, the progress of each individual is limited
to some degree by the average ability of the class as a whole. Any student who wishes to progress at an individual rate,
or to pursue more personalized musical interests, should take private lessons on her or his instrument. Only with private lessons
can a student hope to realize his or her full potential and experience a much broader scope of music than in a
classroom setting. Mr. Grush strongly encourages private lessons for all band students, especially those
who want to expand their range of musical experience or who wish to compete in All-District, or All-State Musical Ensembles.
As an additional incentive, students taking private lessons on their band instrument are exempt from one practice assignment
per trimester of their choice.

Many of the best teachers in the area only teach out of their home and studio, so we strongly encourage students
to arrange lessons with a teacher at his or her home or studio. See the Band Web Page for recommendations
of Private Teachers.

Cary Academy students also have the option to take a weekly private music lesson on campus.
Depending on the availability of a private music teacher, it may be possible to schedule a private music lesson
after school. Upper School students with a free period or study hall may be able to schedule a lesson during that time.
Other lesson times may be available at the discretion of the private teacher, parents, and Middle or Upper School Division Head.

Lessons will be taught weekly. Every effort will be made to make up lessons missed due to an excused absence.
However, families who need to cancel a lesson but do not notify the private teacher in advance will be charged
for the lesson time. Cary Academy will bill families for private lessons.

The fee for a 45 minute lesson on campus at Cary Academy is $45 per lesson.

Contact Mr. Grush to arrange lessons.

Using Instruments owned by Cary Academy

Students are encouraged to have an instrument of their own. However, some instruments that are necessary
to have in a band or orchestra are impractical to purchase for students who may not know how long they will play them.
Many of these instruments are very large or expensive and are not available for rental or lease through local music dealers.
Therefore, Cary Academy has purchased some of these instruments for student use. Students who use
a school owned instrument will need to sign an Instrument Use Agreement.

Limited quantities of the following instruments are available:

Piccolo	Bass Clarinet	French Horn
Oboe	Tenor Saxophone	Euphonium
Bassoon	Baritone Saxophone	Tuba

Parents are responsible to provide:

· Supplies needed to play and maintain the instrument (this includes reeds for woodwind instruments)

· Repairs necessary due to mistreatment or negligence

Supplies and Accessories

All students should have:

· A music stand for practice at home

· A name tag on her/his instrument case

A list of specific supplies and accessories for each instrument is available on the CA Band Homepage

Instrument Storage

Each student will also be assigned a specific place to store her/his instrument while at school. Students should bring
their instruments to Mr. Grush’s room before school every day to ensure that it is secure and available for use in class.
The room will be unlocked each day at 7:30AM. For security, instruments should never be left in other buildings, book lockers,
hallways, lobbies, or class rooms. Instruments may NOT be left in instrument lockers over night unless the student has
a 2nd instrument that stays at home for practicing. Instruments should be taken out of the band room by 3:30PM each day.

Cary Academy does not insure student's personal instruments while on campus or away from campus on school functions.
Please make sure your personal homeowners/renter's insurance covers your student's instrument and that you have
written down the brand and serial number of your student's instrument in case of loss.

Tablets: Students will not usually need their tablets for class. I will post on the "What Are We Doing This Week" page (link updated weekly on the CA Band Homepage) and remind students the class before a day when they need to
bring their tablets. If they wish, students may store their tablet in their band instrument locker during class if they will need it for the class after band.

Music

Cary Academy will provide the printed concert music for each student. Each student should provide a 3 ring binder
and 50 clear page protectors for music. Binders should be kept in the assigned place during the school day and taken home
with a student’s instrument to practice.

Middle School students must provide their own book for use in class. Please do your best to have a book by
Wednesday, August 22. You may wish to purchase 2 copies (one for home and one for school) to help avoid misplaced books.

Below is the title of each book and a list of vendors in the area. Some may take an order over the phone
and have the book shipped or delivered to school.

Class	Book required for class
Beginning Band (6th grade)	Essential Elements 2000, Book 1
Middle School Band (7th/8th grade)	Essential Elements 2000, Book 2

Burrage Music Company	4900 Green Rd.	Raleigh	872-0211
Burt Music Company	1341 Kildaire Farm Rd.	Cary	469-2922
Music and Arts - Cary	434 Crossroads Blvd.	Cary	854-0024
Music and Arts - Durham	3603 Witherspoon Blvd.	Durham	402-9270

Extracurricular Opportunities

Upper School Pep Band

During the 2nd trimester, Pep Band plays for a number of home varsity girls and boys basketball games.
Membership is open to 7th-12th grade band students and former band students.

There will be 3-4 rehearsals before school (7:00AM) and 3-6 evenings for games from 6:00-9:30PM.
Interested students should see Mr. Grush.

Middle School Jazz Band

The Middle School Jazz Band will rehearse during Club period, once per week, during the school day.
All middle school students (6^th-8^th grade) with previous experience playing one of the following instruments are eligible to join:
Flute, Clarinet, Saxophone, Trumpet, Trombone/Euphonium, Tuba, Piano, Electric or Upright Bass, Electric Guitar,
Drum Set. We will perform for school functions and concerts. Interested students should see Mr. Grush.

7th-12th grade band students interested in being an officer should contact Mr. Grush.

Cary Academy Band Handbook 2007-2008

Voicemail: 919-228-4689 Email : eric_grush@caryacademy.org

Table of Contents

Steps to Success

Student Assessment

Assessment Details

Practice outside of rehearsal

Practice Assignments Students must complete 2 Practice Assignments each trimester.

Play a solo or ensemble piece selected by the student (recording or appointment).

Attend a concert or recital to observe someone who plays their band instrument.