Bruner Band Grading Policy

Beginning Band

Performing Bands

Performing Bands

Performing bands are Football Band, Symphonic Band, and Concert Band.

Performance and Rehearsal Grades

Students will receive a grade for each rehearsal.  Students will receive a double weighted grade for each performance.  Students will receive a triple weighted grade for the Florida Bandmaster’s Association District I Music Performance Assessment Performance held in the spring semester.  An excused absence will result in a no grade for that event.  An unexcused absence will result in a 0% for that event.

Assignment Grades

Students will receive a grade for each playing or written assignment.  While performing a playing assignment, the director will look for:

a.       Plays the music without stopping

b.       Performs rhythms correctly.

c.       Uses the correct embouchure, hand placement, physical technique for instrument.

d.       Plays the correct written pitches, dynamics, and articulations.

Excused Absence

1. An excused absence is the same as specified by school policy: personal illness, a death in the family, or prior written excuse presented and excused by the band director and/or principal.
2. If a student is in school and checks out during the day due to an excused absence, he/she must notify the director if an after-school rehearsal or performance is scheduled.
3. Do not rely on another student to “get word” to the band director.  Be sure if you must miss, you personally speak directly to the band director.

Conflicts   Students should be able to participate in a variety of school-sponsored activities. 

                  Conflicts in scheduling school-sponsored activities are sometimes inevitable.  The    

                  following guidelines will be used to resolve these conflicts:

1. Conflicts should be avoided through advanced, cooperative planning by student, parent, and school personnel.
2. It is the student’s responsibility to notify the director and other teacher of the conflict as soon as possible.
3. The director and teachers involved will work out the conflict with the help of the principal and notify the student of the modified schedule.
4. A performance or game will take precedence over a practice or rehearsal.
5. School-related activities will take precedence over non-school related activities.

Grading Policy for Beginning Band

Daily Grade

The daily grade will count 20% of the overall grade.  Students will start every grading period with a 100%.  For each day a student doesn’t not participate (not having instrument), he/she will lose 5 points.  For each day a student does not have all necessary materials (binder, book, handouts, reeds, etc.), he/she will lose 2 points.  For most of the students, this should be an easy 100%.

Performance Grade (2^nd & 4^th 9 weeks)

There will be a performance in November and in April.  Each performance attended fully will be worth 100%.  A performance grade will receive a weight of two grades.  If a student has an unexcused absence from a performance, the student will receive a zero per missed event.  An excused absence is the same as specified by school policy: personal illness, a death in the family, or prior written excuse presented and excused by the band director and/or principal.  If a student is in school and checks out during the day due to an excused absence, he/she must notify the director if an after-school performance is scheduled.  Do not rely on another student to “get word” to the band director.  Be sure if you must miss, you personally speak directly to the band director.

Playing and Written Assignments

Students can expect at least one play and/or written assignment per week.  Each assignment will receive a grade.  While performing a playing assignment, the director will look for:

a.  Plays the line or scale without stopping.

b.  Taps foot while playing.

c.  Performs rhythms correctly.

d.  Uses the correct embouchure, hand placement, physical technique for instrument.

e.  Plays the correct written pitches.

f.  Plays the correct dynamics (if any).

g.  Articulations are performed correctly.

What should your student know by the end of the year?
1.  Students should know the parts and care of their instrument.

2.  Students should develop a working music vocabulary.

3.  Students should be able to recognize and count note patterns through sixteenth notes.

4.  Students should be able to identify notes and fingerings.

5.  Students should develop all the objectives contained in Book I.

6.  Students should be able to perform seven concert scales with arpeggios and chromatic scale in all octaves.

7.  Students should develop an appreciation of different musical genre.

8.  Students should begin to develop an understanding of different historical music periods.

9.  Students should develop proper rehearsal etiquette.

10. Students should develop proper concert etiquette.