Band Handbook 2015-2016

NCUHS BAND HANDBOOK Concert Band Pep Band Marching Band Jazz BandNCUHS 2015-2016209 Veteran's AvenueNewport, VT 05855Phone: 802-334-7921 ext3049Cell Phone: 802-673-4856E-mail: [email protected]

Page 2 OTHER PERFORMANCES Page 15 November 11 - Concert Band at Downtown Disney The Band will be performing on Veteran’s Day at Downtown Disney in Disneyworld. We will also be taking part in a clinic with a professional Disney musician. We willing be flying there on Sunday November 8th and returning on Thursday November 12. We will be bringing our tuxes and wearing those during the performance. Black shoes and socks or nylons needed. Football Games Fall Musical Pep Band (all band students) November 5-7, Select Group September 11 This year we will have band September 25 students playing in the pit October 9 orchestra for The 25th Annual October 16 Putnam County Spelling Bee. Northeast Festival Open Mic Night Parades March 31 - Select Group The All-State Parade is in You can play ANYTHING you Swanton on May 4. The want at this talent show. The Memorial Day Parade will be in only requirement is that you must North Troy on May 30. Students be in the festival to perform. need to supply comfortable ALL- WHITE sneakers. June 4, Concert Band (except seniors) Graduation This is possibly the most important performance of the year. Huge, appreciative audience. We will start playing at about 10:45, so students should arrive by 10:15 to warm up and tune. We will not be wearing our band uniforms, but students should dress nicely – ties, shoes, etc.QUESTIONS? MR PRUE: 673-4856 OR [email protected] PLEASE MARK THESE PERFRORMANCES ON YOUR CALENDAR!

Page 14 CONCERTS NCUHS Page 3 Fall Band Concert TABLE OF CONTENTS October 22, 7:00 - Jazz Band and Concert Band Concert Band - 4 This first concert of the year is a nice little Concert Procedure - 5 show and a great “warm-up” before the big Pep Band - 6 holiday concert. Students should arrive at 6:00 Marching Band - 7 to change into tuxes, warm-up and tune up. Jazz Band - 7 Black shoes and socks or nylons needed. Band Boosters - 8 Awards - 9 Holiday Concert Festivals - 10 & 11 Performances - 12 & 13 December 16, 7:00 - Jazz Band, Concert Online Band Tools - 14 Band, Chorus, and Small Choral groups Upstairs A-wing is much crazier than the first concert before the show begins when the chorus members are added. Students should arrive at 6:00 to change into tuxes, warm-up and tune up. Black shoes and socks or nylons needed. Winter Concert March 16- Jazz Band, Concert Band, Chorus, and Small Choral groups We usually play our toughest music at this concert. Students should arrive at 6:00 to change into tuxes, warm-up and tune up. Black shoes and socks or nylons needed. Pops Concert May 25 - Jazz Band, Concert Band, Chorus, and Small Choral groups This year we’re combining with the choral groups again after many years of having separate concerts. The theme this year is “Kings of…” Students should arrive at 6:00 to warm-up and tune up. Black shoes and socks or nylons needed.QUESTIONS? MR PRUE: 673-4856 OR [email protected]

Page 4 Page 13CONCERT BAND Northeast Auditions Auditions will take place on Saturday, November 14, at NCUHS. I en-The MAIN GOAL courage everyone to audition. It is a good way to learn to deal withBand is an enriching activity stressful one-on-one situations like job interviews.and academic class that helps For the auditions, students will be playing three scales, a solo, and sight-to create members of society reading. They should be dressed for a performance in clothing thatwho understand how im- would be appropriate for a job interview.portant the arts can be, aswell as people who know how Northeast Festival COSTto work together to achieve a Auditions cost nothing. There is a $15 fee to take part in the actual fes-common goal. My main goal in band is to get students to PLAY tival.THEIR INSTRUMENTS. There are incentives for practicing, per-forming, and tutoring. Grading is almost completely based on this The Northeast Music FESTIVALgoal. The festival takes place at NCUHS on March 31, April 1 & 2. There are two instrumental groups, the ’Concert Band’ and the ‘Wind Ensemble.’Grades Students are placed in one of those groups depending on their auditionREHEARSAL - The biggest part of the band grade is determined score. The Concert Band performs on Friday evening, April 2, and thethrough rehearsal participation. Every two weeks students receive Wind Ensemble performs on Saturday, April 3. Students are expected to50 points. They lose 5 points if absent, and can also lose points by be at all rehearsals and performances.interrupting rehearsal or being unprepared. Points can be gained byextra practice, rehearsals with other groups, private lessons, or a All-New England Solo &whole list of other ways. Ensemble Festival This will take place on Saturday,PERFORMANCE - Each quarter there is at least one performance, December 5. This festival isand each one is worth 25 points. I cannot award points to students different than the others. Stu-who are not present. Extra points may be earned by playing in a dents can play whatever piecegroup in addition to regular concert band. they’d like to play, and judges will work with them after they’veSECTIONALS - Each quarter there will be one to four sectionals, performed. If they play a complete piece from the audition list, they willwhich will take place during our 3rd block study hall. These are each be considered for the All-New England Concert Festival on March ??,worth 20 points at ??.EXAMS - there will be a mid-term and final exam that will include All-New England Festivals COSTscales, composer info, and terms we use in band. There is a cost to both festivals, although it is yet to be determined.OTHER GRADES - scales, excerpts, signed forms, etc. add to stu-dent grades but not as muchQUESTIONS? MR PRUE: 673-4856 OR [email protected]

Page 12 NCUHS Page 5MUSIC FESTIVALS CONCERTSThe Northeast Music Festival, the All-State Music Festival, and the New CONCERTSEngland Solo & Ensemble Festivals are all excellent opportunities forstudents to learn more about rehearsals, performances, and all-around Concerts will begin at 7:00. To get into uniform, set up, tuned, andmusicianship. They meet students from other schools, get to experience warmed up students need to arrive at 6:00.different directors, and they perform a variety of great music. ATTIREAll-State Auditions STUDENTS WILL NEED BLACK SHOES. Although I do haveAuditions will take place on Saturday, January 16, at Hartford High some spare black shoes, students who own their shoes will be muchSchool in White River Junction, VT. Auditioning for this festival is a big happier. Black socks/nylons are also required. For concerts, stu-deal, because it means the students are competing to be the BEST in the dents will be wearing their band uniform, which will be fitted beforeSTATE of VERMONT. the first concert:For the auditions, students will be playing three scales, their solo, and Black pants - White tuxedo shirt - Black cummerbundsight-reading. They should be dressed for a performance in clothing Black bow tie - Black tuxedo jacketthat would be appropriate for a job interview. Students also shouldbring a lunch. Students will not need to buy these, but the uniforms are expensive so they need to be treated with care and hung up properly afterThe bus will leave NCUHS at 7:00am. Students may not drive them- each use. Students will be responsible for paying for replacements ifselves to the auditions. We will return after the final audition, so should necessary.be back by mid-afternoon. SETUP/TEARDOWNAll-State COST Usually, the band will get set up during the day, sometimes by theIt costs $10 for each audition. If accepted, there is a fee to take part inthe actual festival, although the price has not yet been set. It is normal- Nwhamole boaf npdroodruscotmoertsimerevsicbey me with some aides but that depends only within $45-$50. sDcehsecdruibliength. eApftreordtuhcet,csoenrcveicret,, eoarcehvseencttihoenreh.aIsntchluedireoawbnrireefsdpeosncsriibpitliio- nThe All-State Music FESTIVAL atineds:any features.This year’s festival takes place at MVU High School on May 5-7. Stu-dents head to Swanton with the band for the All-State Parade (May 4, Flutes – Chairs Clarinets - Chairs6:00) and then stay three nights with their host family, having rehearsalsduring each day and attending concerts each evening. The Band & Or- Saxophones – Stands Trumpets – Jazz Band equipmentchestra perform on the last day, May 7. Low instruments – PercussionQUESTIONS? MR PRUE: 673-4856 OR [email protected] Percussion - Percussion

Page 6 NCUHS Page 11 PEP BAND - FOOTBALL AWARDS NCUHS Music Award  All band students are in the This is the highest award a high school mu- sic student can achieve. It is awarded for pep band for football games. outstanding achievement and involvement in all areas of music.  Meet at 6:15 in the band John Philip Sousa Band Award room so we can lead out the foot- ball team. This is the highest award a high school band member can receive. It is awarded for outstanding achievement and interest in instrumental mu-  WEAR your jacket during the sic, for singular merit in loyalty and cooperation, and for displaying the high qualities of conduct that school instrumental music requires. The entire game, including half-time. recipient must be a graduating senior of the NCUHS Band. You must hang them back up neatly after the game.  Make sure you have your instrument, lyre, and music, but don’t set up your instrument inside.  The band room door will be locked during Patrick S. Gilmour Band Awardthe game. Set up your instrument outside and put your case out of the In recognition of outstanding achievement and interest in instrumental music for singular merit in loyalty and cooperation, and for displayingway. those high qualities of conduct that school instrumental music requires. Sit close together, relatively close to your section. Pay attention to which piece we’re getting ready. Play. For grading purposes, three football games together equal Louis Armstrong Jazz Awardone performance.DO NOT BRING your concert band folder to the bleachers. If This is the highest award a high school jazz musician can receive. It issomething blows away I only want it to be the pep band music. awarded for outstanding achievement by an instrumentalist in the field of jazz, as demonstrated through superior musicianship, character andPEP BAND - BASKETBALL individual creativity. The recipient must be a graduating senior of the NCUHS Jazz Band.New for the 2014-2015 school year, we will need volunteers for asmall pep band to play at basketball games. Dates TBD. Woody Herman Jazz Award This award is presented for outstanding work with the jazz ensemble.QUESTIONS? MR PRUE: 673-4856 OR [email protected]

Page 10 NCUHS Page 7BAND BOOSTERS MARCHING BANDThe Band Boosters are an organization of volunteers who help to raise The marching band con-money and manage various accessories to the band program. The exist- sists of ALL band mem-ence of this group allows me to spend more time working to learn the bers. We march in asmusic and work with students, which in turn makes a more successful many parades as we can,program. Without the boosters I simply CAN NOT maintain uniforms or which is usually two - thebring the band on field trips (Disney, for example). All-State Parade and the Memorial Day Parade.The Band Boosters have short monthly meetings to discuss where we’re Both parades change location every year - this year they are in Middle-at and upcoming events. All parents, students, and community mem- bury and Island Pond. Students should wear shorts & t-shirts underbers are invited. their tuxedo jacket and pants (NO TUX SHIRT or TIE) and a marching overlay. Everyone needs to supply their own WHITE SNEAKERS.Please get involved! Contact me or one of the volunteers on this list.You can stay up-to-date with the Band Boosters on my website, at JAZZ BAND http://pruemusic.weebly.com/band-boosters **NEW** JAZZ BAND is part of the Advanced Performing Arts class. Students in Contact me to get involved! Jazz Band will receive a separate grade and credit for the class.QUESTIONS? MR PRUE: 673-4856 OR [email protected]