Mini-Mozart Middle School

Email: jarodriguez4@bsu.edu
Phone: 111-111-1111
Address: 123 School Ave., Funcie, IN

Welcome to the Band!

The Mini-Mozart Middle School Band focuses on developing musicianship
through performance, peer interaction, learned rehearsal habits, and a general
education of musical knowledge and technique in a band setting. Students are to
be placed in 1 of 3 ensembles, selected by current ability when entering the
school year. In select course, students will learn a variety of musical techniques
from how to properly play and care for their instruments, to learning and
demonstrating musical terminology, to analyzing musical performances through
discussion and further work. All groups will perform in 4 concerts, with two in
the Fall and two in the Spring. As well, All members of the Mini-Mozart Middle
School Band are required to participate in connected organizations including the
Pep Band and may choose to take part in the volunteer after school Jazz Band.
Our Core Objectives:

Display proper rehearsal and ensemble etiquette.

Properly care for and maintain instruments.
Perform in individual, chamber, and ensemble settings.
Analyze and describe musical observations.

Daily Expectations:

Treat instruments, classmates, and self with respect.

Be prepared with all required daily materials.
Take instruments home every day to practice.
No food or gum permitted in the band room.

Mini-Mozart Middle School

Consequences for not meeting Daily Expectations:
Verbal Warning

Student has not met one or more daily expectation and is given a verbal
warning during class. No change has been made on the students grade.

Meeting after Class

Student has not met one or more daily expectations on multiple occasions
and is asked to stay after class to discuss the situation and further actions
that can be take to help alleviate the issue. No change has been made to
the students grade.

Call Home to Parent/ Guardian

Student has not met one or more daily expectation consistently, given
verbal warnings and meetings after class. A call home to parent/guardian
is made to address the situation and determine the best way to understand
and alleviate the issue. Outcomes may include discussion through phone
conversation, or scheduling a meeting to discuss further actions. No
change has been made to the students grade, but if issue persists,
circumstances may result in a deduction of participation and performance
grade.

Concert Dress Code:

Concert dress is all black for women, and tuxedos for men. The details are as follows:
Women:

Dresses, skirts or pants may be worn. All options must reach midway past the knees when sitting down.
Black hoes/ socks: Skin should not be seen below the waste.
length sleeve or longer
Hair must be worn back and away from face
Minimal jewelry and perfume

Suit must be fitted (rentals may be provided through the school).

White shirts must be worn under white button downs
Black Bow Ties
Black socks that reach mid calf
Minimal cologne

Men:

Solo and Ensemble:

All students will be required to participate in Solo Ensemble, January 28th, 2017. Two months
prior to Solo Ensemble, students will decide repertoire they will prepare with teacher guidance,
and will work in private lessons, designated class time, and at home practice in preparation of
this event. This event will count as a participation grade of 5% towards the final grade. Students
may either be placed on a solo piece, or in a small ensemble.

Assessment:

Mini-Mozart Middle School

Practice Journal
(30%)

A weekly practice journal will be kept, displaying how long students

practiced each day, what their practice consisted of, what their long
term goal is for the end of the week, and what their short term goal is
for the next practice session. Students are expected to practice a
minimum of 2 hours a week, which they can choose to space out in
whatever way they please throughout the week (ex: 30 minutes
M,T,W,R). These journals will be submitted in a Google Doc. by the
end of each day, so the student can keep their progress and the
teacher can see progress that is taking place during the week.

Playing Tests
(5%)

Playing tests occur during each concert cycle after students have had
2 weeks to look over and rehearse through their repertoire. The
teacher will select portions of the music for students to video record
for evaluation of progress.

Rehearsal
(40%)

Rehearsal participation is critical for the ensemble to make music as

a unit, working on skills such as listening, balancing, tuning, and
keeping a consistent tempo across the group. In order to maintain a
positive and improving atmosphere, students must show up on time
to class every day, come prepared with their instrument in working
order, and participate daily in discussions.

Performance
(25%)

Students will have 5 performances during the year: 2 Fall concerts, 2

Spring Concerts and Solo and Ensemble contest. 20% of this credit
comes from school concerts, and 5% comes from Solo and Ensemble
participation. Students are expected to show up 15 minutes early to
each performance (30 minutes early to Solo and Ensemble) in
appropriate concert dress and with instrument in working condition.
The performance is the overall presentation of all of the work our
ensemble has put in over the year, and is a critical aspect of
participating in an ensemble.

Mini-Mozart Middle School

After reading the entire document, please print

out ONLY this page, sign it and bring it back to
school the following day for the first practice log
grade.
I have read and understand all information covered in this syllabus and
am prepared to participate fully in the Mini-Mozart Middle School Band.

Student Name: ______________________________________________________

Student Signature: __________________________________________________
Parent/Guardian Name: ____________________________________________
Parent/Guardian Signature: ________________________________________
Date: ________________________________

Mini-Mozart Middle School

Calendar:
AUGUST
M

Su

6
Instrument
fitting

10

11

12

13
Rental pick-up

14
First Day of
School

15

16

17

18

19

20

21

22

23

24

25

26

28
Playing Test

29

30

31

SEPTEMBER
M

Su

10

11
Volunteer Week

12

13

14

15

16

17

18

19

20

21

22

23

24

25

26

27

28

29

30

Mini-Mozart Middle School

OCTOBER
M

Su

10

11

12

13

14

15

16

17

18

19

20
Fall Concert

21

22

23

24

25

26

27

28

29

30

31

NOVEMBER
M

Su

6
Playing Test

10

11

12

13

14

15

16

17

18

19

20

21

22

23

24

25

26

27

28

29

30

DECEMBER
M
4

T
5

W
6

R
7

F
8

S
9

Su
10

Mini-Mozart Middle School

11

12

13

14

15
Winter Concert

16

17

18

19

20

21

22
Jazz Concert

23

24

25

26

27

28

29

30

31

JANUARY
M

Su

10

11

12

13

14

15
Playing Test

16

17

18

19

20

21

22
Volunteer Week

23

24

25

26

27

28

29

30

31

FEBRUARY
M

Su

10

11

12

13

14

15

16

17

18

19

20

21

22

23

24

25

26

27

28

Mini-Mozart Middle School

MARCH
M

Su

9
Spring Concert

10

11

12

13

14

15

16

17

18

19

20

21

22

23

24

25

26
Playing Test

27

28

29

30

31

APRIL
M

Su

10

11

12

13

14

15

16

17

18

19

20
21

22

23

24

25

26

27

28

29

30

Mini-Mozart Middle School

MAY
M

Su

10
Pops Concert

11

12

13

14

15

16

17
Jazz Concert

18

19

20

21

22

23

24

25

26

27

28

29

30

31

Mini-Mozart Middle School

Dear Mini-Mozart Middle School Parents,

Congratulations! Your child has now reached the point in their life where they can make one
of the most exciting choices of their Middle School/ High School career: what instrument they
should play! Joining the band means joining a family of instrumentalists who have a drive to
create art on a daily basis with friends they will have until the day they are grabbing their
diploma at High School graduation. The Mini-Mozart Band not only rehearses, but we perform
live concerts for the community, provide community service for local events, and help create a
social group of students sharing one common love: the love of making awesome music! Every
year the Mini-Mozart Middle School Band holds an annual instrument fitting two weeks before
school starts, this year being Saturday, August 6th from noon-5pm. The instrument fitting takes
place in our schools gym, with tables lined up all around with teachers and high school
volunteers displaying and demonstrating all brass, woodwind, and percussion instruments used
within our middle school bands. Each child will get a sheet that they will fill out at the end of their
visit to each table, where they will get to hear and try playing all of the instruments to determine
with help from teachers and parents/guardians which one will be the best fit for them. Once the
decisions are made and the 1st, 2nd, and 3rd choices are marked on each students sheet,
instruments will be selected to suit that students needs (depending on if they are renting or
buying) and all rentals will be available at the school by the following Saturday, August 13th.
We look forward to providing your child with a lifetime of music, friendship, confidence,
and motivation. If you have any questions regarding the instrument fitting or other specific

Mini-Mozart Middle School

details relating to the Mini-Mozart Middle School Band, please do not hesitate to contact me at my
email jarodriguez4@bsu.edu.
Best,
Ms. Jennifer Rodriguez
MMMS Band Director