CONCERT BAND/MARCHING BAND

Course Syllabus

Instructor: Mr. Gregory Dube

gdube@slrsd.org
Website: gosilverlakemusic.weebly.com

The Marching Band/ Concert Band are the point of entry into the high school
instrumental program for woodwind and brass players. This course is designed to
teach the fundamentals of music through the performance of marching and concert
band literature. Students are expected to work at a high level and therefore should

Maintain regularly sustained practice outside the rehearsal to achieve

individual /sectional/ whole-group progress
Arrive punctually to class with all needed materials
Come for extra help after school when a new concept presents difficulty or in
preparation for a playing quiz /assessment
Demonstrate personal, social, and civic responsibility through successful
completion of performances within and outside of the school community.
Students will master the content of the course through performance, listening, and
analyzing. Successful completion of this course will result in the students ability to

Demonstrate reasonable progress on their instrument

Demonstrate a high sense of purpose toward which they are willing to work

Perform their part (marching and music) effectively both as an individual and
as an ensemble member.
Apply essential knowledge by interpreting the performance selections with
stylistic accuracy
Analyze and interpret music notation

Responsibility is the cornerstone behind any level of achievement within

this program it is therefore necessary to conduct yourself in a manner that will
facilitate all students in learning and bettering themselves.

Arrive punctually to class with needed materials. ready to

folllow class procedures
- All school rules of tardiness and absenteeism are applicable. Time is
limited, especially when you include the time it takes to rehearse outside on
the field.
- Upon entering the class, immediately set-up and begin warming-up in
the rehearsal space so that you will be prepared for the group warm-up.
- Each student is assigned a folder and should be able to produce their
personal copy of the music at any given point in a rehearsal.

- Food and drink (other than water) is strictly prohibited (food and
instruments do not mix).
- The use of cell phones and other electronic devices are prohibited
during the rehearsal process . All devices should be put away and not out on
stands .

Attend all rehearsals and concert performances. Rehearsals

and performances depend on 100% attendance to be effective. Each member
depends on all other members.
- Extended absences require a note from the doctor and parent. An
illness that requires you not to participate should be accompanied by a
doctors note.
Mandatory sectional rehearsals are scheduled throughout each term
in order to establish both an accurate assessment of an individuals progress
as well as the development of their section
- Your presence at all summer rehearsals, performances (football
games, parades, etc.) and concerts are mandatory and affect the whole
ensemble, as well as your individual grade. WORK IS NOT AN EXCUSE. BE
SURE TO MAKE THE APPROPRIATE ARRANGEMENTS.
- Summer band attendance is considered part of your grade and an
essential in preparing for our marching band season. All missed days must be
made-up after school upon the start of the school year. Make-up time needed
is based on progress of learning summer material.
- Practice sufficiently to be able to perform your part correctly
at each rehearsal, performance, and playing assessment. The time
commitment necessary to accomplish this task will vary from student to
student.
- Instruments are expected to go home with you every weekend.
Those students that leave their instruments will be penalized.
- Playing tests (both formal and informal) as well as pop playing quizzes
will be administered each term. Outside practice is expected to progress.
Once parts are rehearsed in class they are your responsibility to master and
be able to demonstrate.
Come for extra help when a new concept/part presents
difficulty.
- Material contained in the playing quizzes is material worked on during
band class and class time sectionals. Much confusion can be solved with just a
few minutes of after school instruction.
Maintain an organized band-specific binder.
- Binders must contain all necessary handouts : warm-ups/breathing
exercises, rhythmic reading and study, scales, fingering charts ,marching
charts, and music. The information contained in the binders are resources
provided to aid in your playing.
- Individual parts are photocopied and therefore SHOULD BE
marked-up with rehearsal notes (fingerings , reminders, form changes, etc.)

TERM 1:

Summer Band

TERM 2:

Rehearsals - Sectionals and Full Band

Performances: 4 Football Games
Playing Quizzes
Rehearsals - Sectionals and Full Band
Performances: 1 Football Game (Thanksgiving Day)
Winter Concert
Playing Quizzes

MID-TERM EXAM: Written Assessment (50%)

Playing Assessment (50%)

TERM 3:

TERM 4:

Rehearsals - Sectional and Full Band

Performances: District Instrumental Concert
Parade: Abington St. Patricks Day Parade
Playing Quizzes/Written Quizzes
Rehearsals - Sectional and Full Band
Performances: Spring Concert
Parade: Memorial Day Parade
Playing Quizzes/Written Quizzes

FINAL EXAM: Written Assessment (50%)

Playing Sections

(50%)

Summer Band
All students who have missed summer band (approved/ non-approved absences)
must make-up missed material after school within the first few weeks of the school
year to receive credit. Credit is received through an individual students progress with
the material rather than pre-determined amount of time after school. Individual
practice time is highly encouraged in order to obtain full credit and less after school
time.

Grading in the class is based on a point system used to assess

students in the following areas:
Rehearsals: Students are to be prepared with all necessary materials for rehearsal.
Including, but not limited to their instrument, individual binder, music, pencil, and
reeds/supplies. In addition, a students behavior and participation are also
accounted for in this assessment (i.e. using cell phones, doing homework from
another class during classtime)
Performances: Students are to attend all mandatory performances throughout the
year. In addition, students will be required to attend early call times for pregame/concert rehearsals. It is important that any conflicts that arise are
accompanied by a note and/or email from a parent or guardian one week before the
known conflict. This is particularly important during marching season so that changes
can be made to the field show as necessary.

Sectionals: Students are required to attend at least 4 out of the 5 scheduled

after-school sectional rehearsals per term. Students attending all 5 sectionals will
receive extra points.
Playing Assessments: Students will participate in formal and informal playing
assessments each term. These will include scale assessments, sight-reading,
individual part assessment, etc. and will be performed in either a one-on-one setting,
recorded, or in the full band rehearsal.
Practice/Instrument Home: Students are required to take home their instruments
each weekend. This is both for security and as part of practice expectations.
Mid-term and Final Exams: Each will contain both a performance (50%) and
written (50%) portion. (Midterms and Finals are each 10% of a students total grade
[20%] )

Extra Opportunities
Sr/Jr SEMSBA and/or Sr/Jr District Auditions
Both are great opportunities to develop individual skills and audition for partiipation
in great ensmebles, new conductors, and new literature. Participation in these groups
also look great on college transcipts and resumes.

Instrument supplies:
reeds
valve oil
key oil
slide oil
Three-ring Binder (specifically for Band)
Plastic sheet protectors (optional)
Pencils (for marking music during rehearsal)
School Provided:
Instrumental lyre (for holding music to the horn while marching)
Flip Folder Booklet (holding marching band music)
Highly Reccomended: a tuner or tuning app for your phone (free apps
tend to be of poor quality)

Marching Band
The marching band uniform is purchased through the music department. All parts of
the uniform are mandatory. The uniform will be strictly enforced and infractions will
cause deductions in grade and/or performance eligibility.

 Red SL Band Polo Shirt

Red SL Band Jacket
Black Dress Pants (no jeans, khakis, cargo, or yoga pants etc.)*

*Black dress pants will be used for concert band as well

Black Dinkles (marching shoes)

Black Socks
Concert Band
Men:
Black pants (no jeans, khakis, cargo, or yoga pants etc.)
Black buttoned down dress shirt (long sleeve)
Black shoes (Students may wear marching band shoes. NO
SNEAKERS OR FLIP FLOPS)
Black socks
Women: Black pants
Black formal dress shirt (appropriate coverage)
Black socks
Black shoes (Students may wear marching band shoes. NO
SNEAKERS OR FLIP FLOPS)

Students are to sign the repair log binder with the proper information:
name, instrument, problem, and contact number
ALLEN GOULET INC. (Commercial Park Dr., Pembroke) comes on
a weekly basis to the school to pick-up all repairs.
A call will be made to you with the cost of repair and repair approval
Students still renting should be provided a spare horn through Goulet
Depending on instrument and/or availability a spare school instrument
can be loaned to a
a student who is no longer on the rental program

Students playing non-traditional rental instruments (tenor/bari sax,

oboe, bassoon, tuba, baritone) may use a school-owned instrument
Students/parents are responsible for all instrument repairs and
maintentance while using school-owned instruments
Loaner forms must be completed and returned before instruments are
to be brought home

Academic Integrity

Written work on all course assignments must be done individually. This includes,
but is not limited to, homework questions or problems, lab reports, essays, and term
papers. In general, it is acceptable to seek help and discuss assignments with your
peers, but when you are ready to formulate your written response, this must be done
on your own. This is the difference between working together and copying.
Copying from another source, such as another students work or information found
on the internet, without citing that source, is plagiarism. Students caught
plagiarizing will be dealt with as outlined in the Student Handbook under the section
Academic Dishonesty.