Course Syllabus

CENTRAL ACADEMY BAND SYLLABUS

www.cataband.org

 

Course Description:  The CATA Symphonic Band strives to create strong, independent, disciplined band members in an environment that is both enjoyable and educationally sound. Our program is designed to help students gain a feeling of accomplishment through personal effort, experience a spirit of cooperation through group participation, and provide an outlet for emotional release and creative expression all while mastering technical execution on their given instrument.

 

This handbook reviews the policies of our program and our expectations of the students. Participants in the band program are expected to know and abide by the material in this handbook. Therefore, it is important that both students and parents or guardians read the handbook in its entirety. Once this is done, both parents and students are asked to sign a “statement of responsibility” acknowledging that they have read, and are familiar with, the policies and the expectations of the program. Please refer back to this handbook during the school year if you have questions or forget any of the procedures.

 

Goals and Objectives:  Please click on the following link to view our Music 9-12 Essential Standards

http://www.ncpublicschools.org/docs/acre/standards/new-standards/arts/music/9-12.pdf

 

Resources:

https://www.ucps.k12.nc.us/domain/2917

Communication The best way to support your child’s music education is to STAY INFORMED.   You are encouraged to check WEEKLY for announcements, event details, assignments, student progress and news in the following places:

• Band Website (www.cataband.org) – updated weekly
• CATA Band Facebook Group, Band Twitter (@catabanddirect)
• Progress Reports – reported every 3 weeks (Check the Parent Portal on Powerschool)
• Report Cards – sent home with students every 6 weeks

 

If you have a question about the band program in general, please reference the band website.  If you cannot find the answer to your question on the website or you have a specific question about your child’s progress, please use email.  If you wish to discuss something of a confidential nature, please call the school and leave a message for me to call you back.  

• www.cataband.org
• craig.retzlaff@ucps.k12.nc.us
• 704.296.3088 x 7191

 

• Tutoring 3:30-4:00 PM by appointment only

 

 

Supplies       

•   Instrument and mouthpiece in good condition
•   Three ring binder with a pocket inside (1/2” or 1” spine)
  •   Pencil pouch that can be clipped into a binder with PENCILS
  •   15-20 plastic page protectors for the binder
  •   Name tag for instrument case

 

Woodwind Supplies: cleaning swab, cork grease, cleaning rod (flutes only), 3 or more

working reeds - Vandoren, Hemke or Mitchell Lurie (2½,3, or 3½)

Brass Supplies: valve oil, slide grease, and a rag

 

Although not required, we strongly recommend the purchase of a music stand, metronome and tuner to aid in your child’s practice and musical development.   

 

Supplies can be purchased at Music & Arts Center in the Arboretum shopping center (704.341.0000) or online at www.musicarts.com or www.wwbw.com.

Rehearsal Etiquette

 

1) Be in the right place at the right time with the right materials when the director steps to the conductor’s stand to begin class

2) No gum, candy, food, or drinks in the band room, during rehearsal, or during performance (WATER IS ALWAYS ALLOWED)

3) Do not play your instrument unless instructed to.

4) Avoid equipment not assigned to you

5) Raise your hand to speak or to ask to leave your seat

 

Grading System Each 6-weeks grade will be determined by student performance in the following areas:

(Students that receive a 0 missed the deadline to submit the assignment and a 1% if it can be made up.

1) Rehearsal Technique 20%

   Independent Practice/Homework 10%

2) Tests and Quizzes 40%

3) Performances 30%

 

          Rehearsal Grade  The rehearsal grade is based on the formative assessment with of the director assessing the daily preparation for and performance during class. Work ethic, preparation and completion of daily goals are evaluated as part of this grade.  

 

Independent Practice/Homework     The independent practice grade is based on the director assessing the students warming up properly before the full band warm up and during independent practice sessions at the end of class on daily assignments.The majority of assignments will be submitted on our learning platform, Canvas.  Assignments can be submitted a variety of ways including, uploading files, typing into text boxes, and sharing Google documents/presentations.  Students not having used Canvas before should alert the teacher and they will be shown how to submit assignments on Canvas.  Individual assignments will indicate which method of submission on Canvas is expected.  If students need a refresher or have questions, they can access the Canvas Student Guide for specific instructions.  It is the student's responsibility to ensure assignments are submitted on time and to contact the instructor if there is a problem.  The Canvas Learning Platform logs every student log-in on Canvas which provides teachers with a list of when students log-in to Canvas using their user id.

o   Canvas is used to grade assignments as well, however, the grades in Canvas, while accurate to that assignment, are NOT the teacher’s gradebook.  The teacher’s gradebook includes categories of assignments that may be weighted differently and may include grades for assignments that did not use the Canvas Learning Platform.  Therefore, students and parents should always check their child’s true average on the Parent Portal on Powerschool.

Playing Tests Playing tests will be given during class at the rate of about one per two week period and will be graded using a scale of 100 points.  

 

Written Tests Written tests will be given periodically and will concentrate mainly on music reading skills.  BRIEF homework assignments may be given to prepare for each test.

Performances The bands at CATA are performing ensembles and every student is expected to attend all band performances. There are usually between two and five concerts per ensemble each year.  The dates of these performances will be announced well in advance to allow for adequate planning.  In the event of personal illness or death in the family, a student may be excused from the performance without penalty, provided that a note is signed by the parent or guardian and given to the director the next day.  Failure to arrange transportation, athletic/dance practices, scout meetings, tryouts or other extra curricular events ARE NOT excused absences.

 

Practice Habits Personal practice outside of band class is ESSENTIAL to the success of our musicians and our band program.  Students are encouraged to practice a minimum of 30 minutes daily throughout the week in order to build breath control, tone quality, range, and technique.  Practicing an instrument is not something that can be “crammed” at the last minute.  

 

Fundraising UCPS offers financial support to band programs to the best of their ability.  However, budget cuts in recent years have impacted our band budget and we do not have adequate funds for instrument purchase and repair, transportation costs, performance registration fees, and sheet music in a band program that is growing as fast as ours.  Therefore, students and parents involved in the CATA band program will be asked to do their “fair share” to help raise funds to support our bands.

 

Instrument Instruments will be taken home routinely for practice at home. Students will

Storage neatly put their instrument in the instrument storage area in the band room before school begins each day. All cases must be clearly labeled with the band student’s name, address, and phone number. At the end of the day, students will retrieve their instrument from the band room. Neither the band director nor the school is responsible for the safekeeping of instruments left overnight in the band room.

 

Concert Attire It is important to dress for success when performing and all students are expected to adhere to the dress code specifications as defined on the band website.

 

Honors Credit       The State of North Carolina has issued “Essential Standards” for the performing arts curriculum that define FOUR LEVELS of mastery in the band curriculum at the high school level as follows:

 

Level 1 – Beginning Musician

Level 2 – Intermediate Musician

Level 3 – Proficient Musician (HONORS CREDIT)

Level 4 – Advanced Musician (HONORS CREDIT)

 

Students are placed into the appropriate level based on a standard assessment that is given at the beginning of the semester.  The assessment consists of a short test with written and playing components.  Once a student is placed in the appropriate level of musicianship, her or she will work throughout the semester to complete a project based assessment in order to completely fulfill the requirements of the appropriate curriculum level.

 

Honors credit will be awarded to all students who are placed in Level 3 and Level 4 curricula.  The curriculum levels DO NOT correspond with grade levels and there is no limit to the number of times a students may repeat a given curriculum level.

 

Performance Opportunities

• Holiday Small Ensembles (December): Students in small ensembles perform holiday carols local community events and malls.  Students are scheduled to participate based on instrumentation needs, work ethic, proficiency, and availability.

 

• Fall/Winter/Spring Concerts: All symphonic band students will perform for family, friends, and community members in the fall, winter and spring.  These performances are part of the course and, therefore, mandatory for all students.  Admission to the fall and spring concerts is FREE.  There will be an admission cost for the Winter Collaborative in December.  Dates and times for these performances will be listed on the calendar tab of the band website as they become available.  

 

• All-County Band: Students from each UCPS middle and high school participate in a clinic on Friday and concert on Saturday in LATE APRIL. Participants are chosen through an audition process.

 

• All-District Band: Students from South Central NC audition for this prestigious Honor Band. Students participate in a Friday clinic and concert on Saturday.  This clinic is an overnight trip out of town.

 

• All-State Band: The top students from each District Band audition for the NC All-State Band. This is the highest individual honor available to a band student in North Carolina.  This clinic is an overnight trip out of town from Friday through Sunday in MAY.

 

• Concert Band MPA (Music Performance Adjudication): This event is an adjudicated group evaluation and is normally held in MARCH.  Students are selected to participate in this event based on instrumentation needs, work ethic, playing test results, practice records, and conduct.  According to state regulations, participation in this event is limited to students who are officially enrolled in a Symphonic Band course during the school year.

 

• Jazz Band: This ensemble consists of 25-30 musicians who may be chosen in an audition process.  Jazz Band rehearsals will take place AFTER SCHOOL once marching band season comes to a close.  The jazz band performs in the Spring Band Concert (MAY).  Please see the calendar tab on the band website for exact rehearsal and performance dates.

• Private Lessons Taking private lessons on a musical instrument is the BEST way to improve individual technique and performance skills.  The one-on-one setting in a private lesson allows the student to benefit from the individual attention of a professional musician as opposed to a band director’s attention that is often divided among as many as 60 students at one time.  A recent survey revealed that 80% of the students participating in the North Carolina All-State Middle School Honor Band studied privately.  Simply put, private lessons work.

 

At CATA, we encourage parents to consider private lessons for their child.  The current rate for private instruction is between $25-30 per half hour lesson. A list of suggested instructors is posted on our website.  

 

Statement of It is important that each rule and regulation be understood and followed by

Responsibility EVERYONE involved with CATA bands in order to achieve our musical goals.  Students, parents, administrators, and Mr. Retzlaff are all responsible for the success of our band program.

 

• Mr. Retzlaff and the administrative staff at CATA are responsible for creating and nurturing a rehearsal environment in which all students can grow musically.

• Band parents are responsible for reinforcing the expectations established in the band room, encouraging healthy practice habits at home, helping students obtain band supplies, having instruments repaired in a timely fashion, and arranging transportation to and from band events.  

 

• Students are responsible for putting forth their full effort EVERY DAY to be in the right place, at the right time, with the right materials and a “can do” attitude as they strive to achieve musical goals.  In the event that a student reveals that he or she is unable to follow through with the responsibilities detailed in this handbook, he or she will be removed from the band program permanently.  

 

The following are grounds for dismissal:

1) Extreme discipline problems

2) An unexcused absence from a performance

3) Failure to pass the cumulative written exam and/or playing exam at the end of each school year

4)    Earning a failing grade in two or more grading periods