Welcome to Choir!

Class Description: 

In choir this trimester you will learn the language of music (solfege), how to use your voice correctly, and how to sing in an ensemble (group).

Expectations:

Respect the Music: actively participate with your best voice 

Respect the People: quiet when teacher talks, no shaming others for mistakes

Respect the Room: treat chairs, music stands, and sheet music appropriately

Cell Phone Policy

Cell phones are not allowed in the music room. All cell phones must be placed in backpacks at the start of class. There are very limited exceptions to this rule and only with my direct permission (ie. Guitar players are tuning guitars). If a student has a cell phone out without permission they will get a verbal warning. After that I will place the cell phone at the front of the classroom until the end of class and email parents. If the cell phone is out again another day it becomes a major referral to the front office. 

This policy is in line with our campus-wide Eich Cell Phone Policy. 

Week-at-a-Glance

The Week-at-a-Glance (WAG) document is available in Clever and in Otus. The WAG will have the rehearsal goals for the week, links to assignments, sheet music, and audio/video practice tracks. If you are absent it is expected that you will view the WAG and practice the songs listed for 15 minutes and/or complete any assignments. 

Material and Supplies

• Pencil - that's it!

Students will be given a folder to store sheet music and study materials. The folder may be kept in the music room and will be returned at the end of the trimester. 

Grading:

Summative Grades will be based on

• Two Summative performance videos
• Two written tests
• Process Journal final project including performance videos, reflections, and personal assessments. 

Formative Grades will be based on:

• In class participation
• Written warm-ups
• Practice videos 

Final Concert

As part of our final project we will be rehearsing and presenting a choir concert for the end of the trimester. The concert will either be presented as a Facebook live event during class time or prerecorded and emailed out to families 

Masking

Singing uses large volumes of air at increased speeds. It is recommended by the CDPH that masks be worn while singing. CDPH Guidelines, section 16.

February 2022

2022 Music Department Shirt

Calendar of Events

February 18th     End of Trimester

April 7th             Advanced Band @ Oakmont Concert

April 24th           Advanced/Intermediate Bands @ River Cats

May TBD           Spring Trip???

May 19th            Spring Concert @ Eich 

T-Shirt Update

Shirts have been ordered and I just received confirmation that they have shipped. They should arrive by the end of the week and will be handed out in class

If you have not done so already, please send in $5 (cash or check made out to "Eich Middle School")

Thank you to several parents who donated extra money to cover the cost of shirts

I did order a couple of extra shirts so if your size doesn't fit or you didn't submit an order form, we have some options. I won't know what extra sizes are available until after all shirts have been distributed. 

Grades and Assessments

The end of the trimester is coming up in on February 18th.

All classes will have at least one more summative assessment between now and then.

If you are missing any assessments you have until February 18th to submit them. Anything submitted after the 18th will not be graded in time to be included in the upcoming report card. 

Cell Phone Policy

Cell phones are not allowed in the music room. All cell phones must be placed in backpacks at the start of class. There are very limited exceptions to this rule and only with my direct permission (ie. Guitar players are tuning guitars). If a student has a cell phone out without permission they will get a verbal warning. After that I will place the cell phone at the front of the classroom until the end of class and email parents. If the cell phone is out again another day it becomes a major referral to the front office. 

This policy is in line with our campus-wide Eich Cell Phone Policy. 

Spring Trip: TBD

Typically in the spring we take a field trip to Vallejo to perform and compete in a music festival. Then we spend the rest of the day enjoying time at the Six Flags Theme Park. 

The District Office has given me a "maybe" for this event. We would need to use a district bus and they are not currently approving bus requests. However, they are hoping to be able to change that policy soon.

The cost for this trip is usually around $100. 

I am hoping to be able to make a final decision on this event by the end of February. 

Eich Bands @ the River Cats: April 24th

The Eich bands will be performing the National Anthem at the River Cats Baseball game on Sunday, April 24th! All members of the Advanced and Intermediate Bands are invited to participate. All music families are invited to attend. 

Families will provide their own transportation for this event. No busses. 

Do not buy tickets on your own! We will have a dedicated ticket site for purchasing tickets. 

More info is coming out soon but here are the basic details:

Call Time: approx. 12:00pm

Performance: approx. 1:00pm

Attire: Music T-Shirt/Jeans

Eich Advanced Band @ Oakmont HS: April 7th

The Advanced Band will be performing a concert with the Oakmont Band and Fresno State Wind Ensemble on Thursday, April 7th in the Oakmont Theater. We will perform on our own and then combine with Oakmont for one piece. This is a great way for us to make connections with our future bandmates and have the opportunity to work with the new Oakmont Director, Ms. Mello. 

More info is coming out soon but here are the basic details:

Call Time: TBD (maybe as early as 5:00pm)

Performance: 7:00pm-9:00pm

Attire: Music T-Shirt/Jeans

8th Grade Band Families

In order to help bridge the gap from middle to high school, I would like to get you in contact with your future high school band director, no matter which high school you are planning to attend! 

If you would like to receive communications from your next band director, you can complete the form found below. This will give me permission to share your email so that you can begin to get information about upcoming events including summer band camps, fall schedules, and parent/student info meetings. 

High School Band Contact Form