Fertitta Forms

                                                                             2009 Handbook
          (Agreement form is on the bottom. Please print it, fill it out and return it by Sept. 8 for a grade of 'A')

Welcome and congratulations on choosing to be a part of the Victoria Fertitta Middle School Band Program!! By making this decision, you have become a member of one of the most successful middle school band programs in Clark County. You have also joined an organization in which you will create friendships that will last a lifetime. If you choose to remain in band throughout high school, you will be in the same classes with your friends for the next SEVEN YEARS!! You are going to find yourself having more fun and working harder than you ever thought possible. And you have also made an important first step toward a successful future. Most successful people, whether they are in the field of business, medicine, law, engineering, etc. played a musical instrument in school while they were growing up. Learning to play an instrument in band requires discipline, self-motivation, teamwork, cooperation, problem-solving skills, and multi-tasking. These are all qualities that help people become successful in life! So you haven’t just made a decision to learn to play an instrument, you’ve made a decision to become successful in life. So again, CONGRATULATIONS!!

COURSE OBJECTIVES

Help students gain proficiency on their instruments.
Develop and foster pride and a sense of accomplishment in a large performance group.
Give students opportunity and pleasure from performance.
Give students a chance to provide service to the school and the community.
Provide a complete learning experience in the discipline of music.

CLASS EXPECTATIONS

Each student is expected to practice at least 20 - 30 minutes every day at home.

Each student will be responsible for obtaining his or her own instrument by rental or purchase. The school has a limited number of smaller instruments for check out during the school year, and larger instruments (tubas and bari saxes) will be provided by the school. There is a $50 year-end cleaning/maintenance fee for the use of school owned instruments for the year. This will be due at the time the student checks out the instrument. Students will be responsible for maintaining these instruments in proper working condition throughout the year and will be financially responsible for any damage to the instrument while it is checked out to them during the year.

Each student will be expected to achieve a high degree of self-discipline both in the classroom and at all band functions.

Each student will be expected to treat fellow students, the directors, and all equipment with the utmost respect.

GRADING

Students will be graded on individual achievement based on the expectations of the students’ capabilities, written and playing tests, practice charts, and participation.
60% of the students’ quarter grades will be based on participation (i.e. bringing all necessary materials to class daily, daily preparation, and attending performances)
40% of the students’ quarter grades will be performance based (i.e. practice charts, assignments, and playing and written tests)

REHEARSALS VS. PRACTICE

Many people think these two terms mean the same thing. They do not!   Often times, people think that rehearsals are the time for ‘practice’. However, practice should be done at home to learn specific skills or specific pieces of music so rehearsal time can be spent putting together all the different parts of the music with all the different instruments. Students are expected to practice 20-30 minutes at home daily. If students practice the suggested amount of time correctly, they will become fantastic musicians. However, most students wind up ‘playing’ during their practice time. They play the music they already know and don’t ever get around to trying to work on new skills. Parents, when your child is practicing, they should be in a quiet atmosphere where they can focus. And if you listen to them practice, you should hear them struggle at first on what they’re playing and hopefully hear some improvement by the end of their practice time. If you hear them playing through music and sounding pretty good all the time, they aren’t really practicing. They’re actually performing at that point, and quite frankly, wasting their time.

LATE WORK REHEARSALS/SECTIONALS

Once the school year is fully underway, Fertitta Middle School begins holding late work three days a week after school (Tuesday, Wednesday, and Thursday). During this time many of the schools clubs and special interest groups meet and engage in a wide variety of possible activities including homework help and other options. There are busses that pick up the students on these days after the Late Work session. There will be a schedule for the Late Work Rehearsals posted at the beginning of each week. The Late Work rehearsal schedule will be posted in the band room, as well as online at our band’s homepage. Usually, this will be an open-invitation time for students to practice on their own, or in small groups, and receive assistance from both our band directors. There will however, occasionally be required rehearsals (2 week notice is usually given), primarily for the more advanced students (also known as sectionals). These rehearsals will be mandatory for all students involved in our program if they are scheduled. Any student not attending a required rehearsal or sectional must have a doctor’s note of excuse, or some prior notification from the students’ parents in writing at least 2 days in advance of said rehearsal. Unexcused absences will affect the students’ grade for their band class. We will only schedule these sectionals as necessary, and we appreciate your support in this process.

PERFORMANCES

One of the most rewarding and enjoyable aspects of being involved with music is being able to perform your music. Music is an incredible communication tool that everyone around the world can relate to. So, when a group has learned and progressed to a point that they are ready to perform for others, everyone should make a point to be a part of that performance. Band is a team effort and when even one member of that team is not present, it can affect the entire group. Not only are the concerts fun but they also serve as a great learning tool for everyone. Knowing that you contributed 100% to the success of the band is extremely rewarding. The Fall, Winter and Spring concerts will be held on campus at Fertitta M.S.

Attendance at concerts is mandatory if the student is performing at the concert (for example: a beginning band student does not have to attend the Fall concert because they are not performing at that concert)!! And all students are required to stay at the concert throughout the entirety of the concert. Excuses for not attending concerts would include: death in the family, severe illness, accident on the way to the concert, etc. Any other excused absences from a concert will need to be prearranged and submitted in writing at least two weeks prior to the concert.
NOT HAVING A RIDE IS NOT AN EXCUSE FOR MISSING A CONCERT! PARENT WORK SCHEDULES ARE NOT AN EXCUSE FOR MISSING A CONCERT! THERE ARE OVER 250 OTHER STUDENTS IN BAND. SOMEONE CAN GIVE YOU A RIDE!!

Please see the Calendar link for the performance schedule.

UNIFORMS

One of the great parts about being in band is the opportunity to give ‘professional’ type concerts. Part of being professional is not only sounding professional, but also acting and looking professional. Therefore, the Fertitta bands wear a uniform that is considered to be a professional looking musician’s uniform. Students in all bands will be required to wear: black dress shoes, black socks, black dress pants and a black tuxedo shirt. The black tuxedo shirt is to be purchased at the student store for $20. We will size the students in November so the shirts can be delivered to the school in time for the Winter Concert. We will provide the students with bow ties and cummerbunds at the concert to be turned in at the end of the concert.

BAND LOCKERS

Instrument lockers will be assigned to students to use for storage of their instruments. These lockers are not to be used for books, clothing, or personal belongings. Due to the large number of students in the band program, students will be sharing lockers with other students. It is expected that students will respect each other’s instruments and equipment.

BAND COSTS

Just about every band program in the country has dues that are owed by the participants. Often times the dues run into the hundreds or even thousands of dollars per year. However, our dues will only run $20 for the year. These dues to the band will help cover the costs of providing top notch additional instruction, some instrument and uniform maintenance/replacement, and better equipment for the students to use.

So the costs for the year should be approximately:

$20 Band dues
$20 Tuxedo shirt (new students and ones that need replacements only)
$20 Approx. cost of cleaning and maintenance supplies for the year to purchase from music store as explained earlier
$50 Cleaning fee if using a school instrument for the year.

EQUIPMENT NEEDS

Students will be expected to purchase certain items that will help keep their instruments in proper working order. Below is a list of items that will be required for students to own. Most music stores offer some sort of cleaning kit. Check with the store you frequent most to find out more. Also, ALL INSTRUMENT CASES MUST HAVE A NAME TAG ON THEM AT ALL TIMES.

Flutes- cleaning cloth and a swab (or a ‘stuff-it’)

Clarinets/Saxes- at least 5 reeds at all times (prefer size 2.5, Vandoren is best but Rico Royal/Rico or LaVoz are also OK), Reed Guard, cork grease, swab (or ‘stuff-it’)

Trumpets/Horns- Valve oil, snake brush, polish cloth, B.E.R.P. (B.E.R.P.’s are optional for beginners but required for Intermediate and Varsity Bands)

Trombones- Slide cream, small spray water bottle, snake brush, polish cloth, B.E.R.P (B.E.R.P.’s are optional for beginners but required for Intermediate and Varsity Bands)

Baritones/Euphoniums/Tubas- Valve oil, Cleaning Brush, Polish cloth, B.E.R.P. (B.E.R.P.’s are optional for beginners but required for Intermediate and Varsity Bands)

Percussion- Beginning & Intermediate Band students: Bell Kit rented from store (for home practice), Vic Firth snare drum sticks, bell mallets, stick bag.
Wind Ensemble students: Stick bag, general timpani mallets, general snare drum sticks, acrylic xylophone mallets, medium-hard
yarn-wrapped mallets.

We will have a stick bag with snare sticks, xylophone mallets, and yarn wrapped mallets available for approximately $60 (about a $30 savings from the store).

BEGINNING BAND INSTRUMENT SELECTION

During the first several weeks of school, beginning band students will learn about all of the different instruments we have to choose from. They will also learn a lot of the general music skills needed before they even begin to play. After the students are well informed about all their choices, we will do our best to guide the students toward trying what instrument will best suit them.   Sometimes this may be an instrument they have never considered or even heard of. So we ask that students have open minds and trust that we will do what we believe is in their best interest when we make recommendations. Students will be able to select from the following instruments: Flute, Oboe, Bassoon, Clarinet, Bass Clarinet, Saxophone, Trumpet, French Horn, Trombone, Baritone, Tuba, and Percussion.

Many students come in to beginning band thinking that they want to play percussion. However, reality is that we will only start 10-12 beginning percussionists per year. There will be several prerequisites for students to play percussion.   Students will need to bring in a copy of their previous year’s report card and have all A’s and B’s and have all O’s or E’s for citizenship. Prospective beginning band percussionists will also be required to have had prior piano experience and will be expected to demonstrate their reading and playing skills. Any students not able to meet these requirements must spend one year in our band program playing one of the wind instruments. They may begin playing percussion (with director approval) their second year of band.

OBTAINING INSTRUMENTS

Most students come to Fertitta’s Band with a personally owned or rented instrument. Most instruments cost in the $15-$20 range per month to “rent-to-own” (percussion kits are more like $40 per month). If the student is unable to rent, then we’ll have to suggest trying another instrument that we have available from the school. So if a student really wants to play clarinet and we don’t have any available, they’ll have to go to a music store to rent one (music store flyers will be sent home at a later date).
There are a limited number of school owned instruments that can be checked out from Fertitta Middle School for the year. These instruments mostly include the larger and more expensive equipment (i.e. Tubas, Baritones, Euphoniums, Bassoons, Oboes, and several others). There are also very few of the smaller instruments available typically for students that are on free or reduced lunch programs. Any student that checks out an instrument from Fertitta Middle School will be required to fill out an agreement contract (CCF-793) and pay the $50 cleaning fee for the year. Any other damage incurred will also be the student’s financial responsibility.