Goddard High School
Choral Music Handbook
Concert Choir
Madrigals
Chantonettes
Women’s Choir
Men’s Ensemble
Goddard High School
Choral Music Handbook
GHS Vocal Music Teacher: Dr. Diane Lewis
School phone: 316-794-4100 ext. 32611
E-mail: dlewis@goddardusd.com
Description
The GHS choirs will strive to be a solid community of singers that create aesthetically
pleasing performances for themselves and their audiences by striving to accomplish
State/National Standards.
Educational Objectives
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To perform music with effective expressive qualities achieving the desired
musical effect
To develop the voice with a consistent focused sound both individually and in the
group setting
To strengthen aural vocal skills by singing independently on your part
To develop music reading skills and apply it to literature being learned
To describe and analyze elements within the music using musical vocabulary
To develop skills in evaluating performances in terms of quality and effectiveness
To correlate compositions being performed with history, culture and other
disciplines
Grading Policy
Grades are based upon the following and all weighted equally:
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Exams: Written and oral music sight-reading, theory exams, and singing exam
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Concert Attendance – You must attend a classically oriented concert, opera, musical,
band, orchestra high school level or above other than your own – one per semester
and per ensemble and must bring in the program (points NOT given for rock
concerts) – 50 points – Concert Attendance
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Performance Credit - at your own choral concerts as a performer in your choir is
REQUIRED. The dates are in bold on the calendar. When you sign off on the sheet,
you are committing yourself (parents: your son or daughter) to these dates. Please put
these on your calendar and make arrangements NOW to get off of work, have a ride
arranged, etc. Missing a performance for these reasons is NOT an excused absence.
Absence from a performance will drop a student grade one full letter. – 100 points Performance Credit for EACH concert. The only excused absence from a concert
is for a family emergency, such as, a personal illness or death in the family.
Please notify me by calling the office at 794-4100 ext. 32611or by e-mail at
dlewis@goddardusd.com.
If you are absent from school on the day of a performance, YOUR parent MUST
CALL or email THE DIRECTOR AT SCHOOL and explain the situation.
Written doctor notes are accepted. Depending on the situation, Performance
Attendance points (partial or full) may be restored.
Not following this dress code will result in loss of Performance points.
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Attendance - If you are absent from school due to illness, sports, trips, or for ANY
other reason, your 5 daily points will be deducted. A one-page hand-written report on
any composer may be turned in upon your return to restore your points. You cannot
receive credit when you are not there. These Six Traits Writing ideas must be met:
This paper must be well-done in these three areas of writing:
1. Conventions: must have correct spelling, punctuation, capitalizations
2. Sentence Fluency: must have complete sentences, proper use of quotes
3. Presentation: must be hand-written, neat, no torn corners, etc.
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ISS - If you are in ISS or suspended from school, 25 points will be deducted from
your daily class grades. You must turn in a two-page hand-written report on any
composer for EACH day of your absence upon the day of your return to restore those
points.
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Rehearsal ettiquette. Five points are given daily for being present at rehearsal and
doing your best to contribute to the improvement of the group. It is vital to function
as a team with excellent cooperation. Each singer is important to the whole. You can
lose your daily points if you don’t follow these procedures.
1. Tardy. You must be in your seat WITH your folder, water bottle with screw
top and pencil BEFORE the bell rings or you will be counted tardy.
2. Folders. No folder or a folder and pencil not put away after rehearsal will
result in loss of points.
3. Leaving personal stuff at your seat. Take your personal items with you—
water bottles or you will lose points.
4. Water. Drink plenty of water-- You are invited to bring and use a water bottle
to help maintain good vocal health, but remember you lose points if you leave
the bottle behind or bring in beverages other than water & water NOT in a
bottle.
5. Pencil. Keep your pencil in your hand ready for use and use it when asked!
NO pens! You will lose points for not having your pencil ready for use.
6. Talking. Focus on the rehearsal; no disrupting class by talking, inappropriate
comments or gestures will result in loss of points.
7. Dismissal. Dr. Lewis will dismiss you, NOT the bell.
8. Written notes, if ill. Have a doctor’s note or a written note from a parent if
you are ill and can’t sing during rehearsal.
9. Maintain proper singing posture—feet on the floor, edge of your chair, arch
your back. Refrain from putting your feet up on the back of chair in front of
you.
10. Dress code. Hats and scarves off in class and dress code followed.
11. No cell phone, CD player, or any other electronic device may be used.
12. Silence must be maintained while instructions are given or while working
with a particular section during rehearsal.
13. No candy or food in the rehearsal room, which includes breakfast that you did
not have time to eat.
14. Should there be a substitute teacher for your class, full cooperation is
expected. Any names taken down will cost those people their daily points.
15. Should you wish to check your folder out for the evening to practice, you
must write your folder number and your name on the board before you take it.
ERASE that number WHEN IT IS RETURNED the next day. If you forget
your folder at home, it is minus five points.
16. N0 classroom fountain use DURING rehearsal, only before and after.
17. Restroom usage MUST occur before or after class. So plan to pick up the
pace of your walk and make it to the restroom BETWEEN classes NOT
during.
18. Do NOT come to the classroom and ask if you can be tardy to use the
restroom. You will automatically receive a tardy! Use the restroom on your
WAY TO CLASS and don’t be tardy! Should an emergency arise, you must
sign out and in when you leave and return to the classroom.
All of these lost points except for tardies can be made up with a one-page handwritten paper on any composer for each 5 point loss.
Madrigal & Chantonette Policy:
 All Madrigals & Chantonettes must maintain at the very least a C in every class
during the course of the semester. Grades will be checked before EACH run-out.
Any person with a grade lower than a C in ANY course will NOT be allowed to
go on that run-out. If you miss run-outs for this reason, you must re-audition for
Madrigals or Chantonettes in February. Madrigals and Chantonettes should strive
for 3.0 GPA’s or better. THAT is the expectation!
 BEWARE!!!! Plan to take your ACT exam anytime EXCEPT APRIL!!! It is the
same day as Regional Solo/Ensemble Contest. You are expected to be at this
event NOT taking the ACT. Plan well, that is what this is about!!!
Uniforms
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Women’s Choir; Concert Choir – assigned choir robes; underneath the robe:
Men: dress slacks, black socks, black dress shoes, shirt and tie Ladies: dress
slacks, skirts, or dresses, black dressy shoes (NO FLIP FLOP style or backless or
toeless shoes!)
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Men’s Ensemble: long sleeve white dress shirt, black dress pants, black socks
and black shoes. A tie will be provided for each concert and returned
immediately following the concert.
Chantonettes & Madrigal Women – formal dresses, jewelry, and gloves as
chosen by each group; black character shoes for all girls.
Madrigal men: full black tux with a three-button, tailed coat; pleated tux pants;
black winged-tip tux shirt; black patent (shiny) regular toed shoes. Vest and tie
will be selected by the men and purchased in the fall each year.
Auditions
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Students must have an A or B choir grade for the first semester and at the time of
auditions in order to audition for Chantonettes, Concert Choir, or Madrigals.
Students must maintain a B or higher choir grade to remain in any auditioned
group. If this grade is not maintained, you will need to re-audition.
Auditions will occur in early February after school for placement in choirs for the
next school year.
ALL choir members in EVERY group must re-audition each year to maintain
their positions in that group.
To audition for or to remain in Madrigals or Chantonettes, you must maintain a
2.5 or better academically. We represent the school, have numerous run-outs, and
must show our teachers and administrators that we are capable of the extra load.
Fund raising
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Fund raising is a vital part of the program for helping to defray individual costs of
travel and to help purchase future music not normally covered through district
funding. It should be noted that students have done these two fundraisers and
successful made all payments for a trip!
Every student will be expected to participate with parental permission.
Two opportunities will be provided each year: August and January.
Voice Lessons
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Vickie Wagner will be giving voice lessons this year. Any student wanting
information may pick up a sheet detailing the information from the file outside
her office door. It is HIGHLY recommended that you consider this opportunity,
especially if you wish to advance to the top choirs.
Voice lessons are very helpful to the vocal music student to help them perfect
their voice for both classroom singing and solo singing. During the lessons,
many aspects of music are discussed and practiced such as: breathing techniques,
vowel formations, pitch recognition, counting rhythms, vocal placement, and tone
quality to mention a few. Individual voice lessons are offered during the school
day at Goddard High School if the student is enrolled in a vocal music class. The
student will simply walk over to the voice lesson office (in the music classroom)
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during his/her music class at his/her scheduled time and then return to the regular
music class when the lesson is finished.
The lessons are scheduled once a week during choir/ensemble time.
The cost is on a monthly basis.
If you are interested in taking lessons, please see Vickie Wagner, voice lesson
teacher.