EMEREAU MIDDLE SCHOOL MUSIC HANDBOOK
Quentin Lovette, Director
Band and Chorus
Emereau MS Band and Chorus
Purpose
In chorus and band, we will study the fundamentals of music, how to read it, write it, and how to sing and play it in a meaningful, professional way. The students in this class will represent Emereau in the community in at least two concerts each school year.
Grading and Requirements
To receive an A or A+, students must sing/play in class when called on to do so, and participate in the concerts.
These are performance-based classes, which means that most of our work in class will be to prepare for a public performance. Therefore, all students are required to sing/play in chorus/band. A large part of their overall grade is a daily participation grade, consisting of either a 100% (A+) or 0% (F). To receive a good grade, a student must put forth good effort to prepare for our concerts. This means that the students are graded on whether or not they are singing/playing when asked to do so. The participation grade is not for how accurately they sing/play, but on how much effort they are putting forth. If the director sees that a student is refusing to sing/play when they are supposed to, and continuously refuse to sing/play with the group during rehearsal, they will receive a 0 (F) for their daily participation grade. After two failing participation grades (F), the parent will be contacted to discuss the issue.
Singing in chorus or playing in band is not optional. It is required. Theoretically, a student who refuses to participate day after day could fail the class. Therefore, before the student receives their fifth failing daily participation grade, the director will notify the Executive Director and have a conference with the parent/guardian of the child.
Concerts
All students are required to participate in our concerts. Failure to participate in the concerts will result in the lowering of their overall grade by one letter (an A would become a B).
In the event that a conflict arises, the student’s parent/guardian must notify the teacher well in advance of the concert and the teacher will notify the Executive Director. The Executive Director will have the final say on whether the absence is excused or not. If a student is absent and their parent/guardian does not notify the teacher at all, the student’s overall grade will be dropped by one letter.
All other grades in chorus/band will come from sight-singing/playing tests and other in-class musical assessments. These grades will not drastically affect the overall grade as much as the participation and concert grades will.
In the event that the school charges admission for a concert or requests donations at a concert, all money will go toward furthering the music program at Emereau, including purchasing sound and lighting equipment, sheet music, instruments, stands, musicals, and the like.
​
Dress Code for Public Performances
BOYS: white collared shirt and black pants (no jeans). Shoes must be dark—black, dark blue, gray, etc. Black dress shoes are preferred if possible.
GIRLS: Black bottom, white top, or all black. Everyone is to wear black at least from the waist up (no white skirts, for example. All-black dresses or black-and-white are acceptable as long as the bottom is black). No flip flops.
Music Theory/Composition
Purpose
In music theory/composition, we learn the fundamentals of music and how to write it. This class is unique to Emereau because of its focus on composing music as its ultimate goal. This lines up with the Emereau music vision as we grow into more creative, independent composers who can write music to be performed by others, even by musicians in our school. At the end of the year, their final compositions are presented in a professional, bound copy and recorded. Our studies come from Ars Nova's Exploring Theory with Practica Musica online textbook, complete with interactive examples and an in-depth look into the musical elements and physics of music. The text is available for free download on their website.
Grading and Requirements
Music theory is not performance-based like band or chorus, so the students are graded on written work, showing their knowledge and application of music theory in composition. This includes writing different rhythms, pitches, dynamics, tempos, articulations, intervals, clefs, and other basic elements of composing. We have a quiz each week, reviewing previously-tested material and new material. We also have graded projects spanning multiple weeks—new music the students write themselves. The end goal is to create their own music, whether instrumental, vocal, or both. If they retain and apply the information from our quizzes, their projects will be high-quality, well-written pieces of music.
Volunteering
We would love for you to help with our musical endeavors! If you would like to volunteer, please let the music director know as soon as possible. Also, if anyone has any instruments, costumes, stands, computers/tablets, cables, sound/lighting or other equipment they would like to donate to the music department, please reach out to Mr. Lovette.
Contact Mr. Lovette
I check my email religiously all throughout the school day and at night, so if you want to reach me and receive a quick response, email me at quentinlovette@emereau.org with any questions/comments/concerns.