Grading Policy: Each member of the Independence Percussion Class will be assessed on the following criteria: Daily grades (participation, etc.), rehearsal attendance and preparation, materials tests, playing tests (both live and recorded), written exams, written assignments, and major performance grades.

The 9 weeks grading breakdown is as follows:

20% - Rehearsal Preparation (this means practicing outside of school)

30% - Rehearsal Participation

50% - Performances

The Semester grading breakdown is as follows:

45% - 1st Quarter Average

45% - 2nd Quarter Average

10% - Semester Exam

Class Time: 2nd block Percussion Class WILL start at 8:55 a.m., following the tardy bell each A day. Any student not in their seat or ready to play within five minutes of the tardy bell will be counted tardy, and will directly impact your rehearsal grade.

• NO EATING OR DRINKING (besides water) ON THE BAND ROOM CARPET. IF YOU MUST EAT (and it’s not in the middle of rehearsal), DO SO IN THE HALLWAY.

• Be in your seat ready to listen at the tardy bell.

• When the director steps on the podium, all sounds, including playing and talking will cease

• Pay attention at all times.

• Always play with proper technique.

• When the director stops, you stop immediately and quietly listen for instructions

• (DO NOT PLAY ON OR START TALKING TO YOUR NEIGHBOR).

• If you have a question or comment, raise your hand and wait to be called upon.

• LISTEN

If you open it, close it.

If you turn it on, turn it off.

If you unlock it, lock it up.

If you break it, admit it.

If you can't fix it, call in someone who can.

If you value it, take care of it.

If you make a mess, clean it up.

If you move it, put it back.

If it belongs to someone else, get permission to use it.

If you don't know how to operate it, leave it alone.

If it's none of your business, don't ask questions.

Membership in the Percussion Studio should be looked at as an honor and a privilege. Membership and seating is initially based upon audition. However, if at any time, the director feels that a member of the ensemble is not behaving properly, keeping up with assigned material, academically ineligible, etc. a member may lose their position in the ensemble based upon the discretion of the director.

Eligibility: Students must be passing ALL classes to remain eligible for performance at Independence High School events. Therefore, individuals that are not academically eligible may lose their position in the ensemble based on the discretion of the director. Non-eligible students will still be required to attend all rehearsals as a part of the class.

Band Binder: Each member of the Percussion Class must own and maintain a Band Binder. The binder will consist of a black three ring binder with clear plastic inserts. Every member will keep all handouts, music, tests, etc. neatly in the binder. The binder needs to be with the member at every rehearsal and will be periodically checked for a grade by the director.

Music: ALL SHEET MUSIC MUST BE BROUGHT TO EACH REHEARSAL. Each member of the ensemble is responsible for their own music. Any member who fails to have their music at rehearsal will be subject to having their grade lowered. All music must be marked with the name of the student and all measures numbered.

Pencil: Each member of the ensemble must have a working pencil on their stand at all times. This is necessary to mark music with changes, reminders, etc.

Technology: Every member of the Percussion Class must have access to Canvas at home for playing exams. Also every member must join the BigIPercussion Remind by texting “@bigiperc” to 81010 (this will also be one of your first assignments during the school year). The @BigIBands Instagram also provides photo updates and reminders throughout the year.

Equipment Requirements for Percussionist: Each percussionist must own and have readily available at least the minimum: *Items purchased in the Beginner Kit from Music and Arts will satisfy these requirements)

1 Stick Bag

1 pair Concert Snare Drum Sticks – Vic Firth SD 1 General

1 pair Medium Timpani Mallets – Vic Firth T1 General

1 pair Medium Marimba Mallets (can be any of the following)

Innovative Percussion IP-240

Vic Firth Virtuoso M212

Encore Nancy Zeltsman Birch NZ3B

1 pair Bell/Xylophone Mallets - Malletech BB34 (or similar)

Ensemble, and Concert Band Music: Each percussionist is responsible for their own music! This means no sharing of music. Each percussionist must have their own black three ring binder with plastic inserts just like each wind player.

Accessories: All percussion players are required to own the basic accessories for your instrument including a black towel, stick tape, beeswax, etc.

Metronome/Tuner: Every member of the Percussion Studio should own and use a metronome/tuner on a regular basis.

All students will wear entirely black formal wear. This includes black executive length socks, black shoes, black pants (no sweatpants or jeans allowed), and a black collared shirt.

A challenge is a competition between two or more members who play the same instrument for seating placement within the section, or from Concert Band to Wind Ensemble.

Within Symphonic Band/Within Wind Ensemble

One can only challenge the person immediately seated ahead.

The challenge is only official after it is confirmed with the band director.

The person challenging must inform the person being challenged before registering the challenge with the director.

All challenges must be registered a week in advance of the challenge date to allow for preparation. The director will schedule the specific time for the challenge.

All challenges will be scheduled to occur at the beginning of the class period.

Both parties have to be present at the time the challenge takes place. If the challenger or challengee does not show up at the scheduled date and time of the challenge, the individual that does not show will forfeit the challenge.

A challengee may decline the right to defend their chair; however, they must forfeit the position.

If the challenger wins, they may continue to challenge ahead, and the challengee may be challenged the next week by the person seated behind.

Should the person being challenged win, the challenger must wait a week before re-challenging. This allows the next person in line an opportunity to challenge.

There will be no challenges heard within two weeks of a major performance.

Challenge material will consist of assigned band literature and scales determined by the director at the time of the challenge registration.

From Concert Band to Wind Ensemble

Only the first chair Concert Band players on a particular instrument can challenge into the wind ensemble.

The first chair Concert Band player can only challenge the last chair wind ensemble player on their particular instrument.

Band to band challenges must be registered with the director at least a week in advance of the challenge.

Challenge material will consist of assigned band literature from the Wind Ensemble and scales determined by the directors at the time of the challenge registration.

• You are required to learn your part at home, or on your own. Rehearsal is designed for you to learn everyone else’s part.

• Sometimes we sight read in a rehearsal, but sight-reading is not rehearsing. Rehearsing begins when the process of sight-reading ends. If one does not prepare for rehearsals by studying and practicing their part, then the process of sightreading continues which then becomes a waste of valuable rehearsal time.

• Rehearsals are not the place to learn parts, but rather the place to put the piece together.

• The rehearsal is a place to do the things together that you can’t do alone. Through the leadership of the conductor and principal players, the rehearsal is the place where the ensemble comes to a consensus concerning interpretation, phrasing, balance, blend, intonation, expression, dynamics, timbre, nuance, articulation and precision. Only then is the ensemble ready to achieve its desired performance level. None of this can be achieved on an individual basis. (You can learn your part alone.)

• Not until you know everyone else’s part will you be able to understand the full impact and message of the composition, and not until then will you be able to perform at your highest level. In instrumental music, only the conductor has a full score. Instrumentalists must learn all the parts from listening during rehearsals.

• Rehearsals should be an active, exciting place where discovery is going on; a community of musicians working together; a laboratory; a place where you get to experiment with what you have been studying. Remember, “The whole equals more than the sum of the parts.”

In order for the Percussion Studio at Independence to succeed, a rigorous schedule should be prepared and followed, in order to ensure the highest success and allow the group to reach the highest standards possible. The following guideline should help students gauge and plan. Music, especially for Percussion Ensemble, will be handed out well in advance. These benchmarks will ensure a more enjoyable rehearsal. Failure to reach these standards will result in lowered daily grades.

First rehearsal:

Students should know, and be able to play, all the notes and rhythms at 50-75% of the written tempo

All multiple percussion set-ups should be defined and worked out in advance, even though it could change throughout the semester

Students should know the road map of the piece including any repeats, D.S., etc. Measure numbers will be written in

Stickings, accidentals, personal notes written in

Students should have all copies and page turns worked out

Students should understand all terms used in the piece

Dynamics should be learned at 50%

Halfway through the concert cycle (halfway between the 1st rehearsal and performance):

Students should know, and be able to play, all the notes and rhythms at 75-90% of the written tempo

Students should know, and be able to play, all dynamics

Rehearsals will focus on ensemble cohesion, balance, details, etc.

Students should be able to play their part well enough to think about performance presence

Students will be bringing stick bag to rehearsal to work on mallet selections

Two-three weeks before performance:

Students should be able to perform piece individually and with the ensemble at the written tempo

AFTER EVERY REHEARSAL

Make sure that every percussion instrument is put away in its proper percussion cabinet.

All keyboards and timpani must be covered after every rehearsal.

Put all of your mallets back into your stickbag and secure them in a place not accessible to other students.

Place all school owned mallets (bass drum, chime, gong, etc.) back into the percussion cabinet.

If you see something not covered or lying out, even if you were not the one using it, cover it or put it away!

FACILITIES

No equipment or personal items will be kept outside of designated areas.

All personal equipment and items will be kept inside of the individual's cubbies.

No items are to be kept in the band halls or in storage rooms.

All school equipment will be put in the proper location at the end of each rehearsal.