Students will be tested on their music knowledge at random times during each semester. It is to the advantage of the student to learn the music when the director teaches each part. The students will sing their part from memory.

Each student is required to be at every rehearsal and performance. The students are required to be at the concert venues at a specific time before each concert for warm-up. The director will set these times.

Students will be responsible for the set-up and take-down of stage sets at concerts. No singer will leave a performance venue until it is cleaner than when we arrived.  The gentlemen of the choir will be assigned to help set-up and take-down risers for each performance. 

Each student will arrive to each concert venue already dressed in concert attire unless otherwise notified by the director.

Additional rehearsals will be scheduled before major concerts. Attendance is required.

In order to maintain our history, tradition, and reputation, we must continue all of our efforts to excel and strive to be the best we can be. The purpose of this handbook is to provide information about the choral music program at Long Beach High School. It is hoped that some of the usual questions regarding procedures, rules, attendance and expectations will be answered.

The Long Beach Choral Department consists of the following ensembles:

The Concert Choir
The Madrigal Singers
Men’s Ensemble
Women’s Choir
Sextet

Director of Choral Activities
Associate Director
President*
Vice-President*
Secretary*
Treasurer*
Members at Large (volunteers from each class)
*Denotes officers that are elected each school year.

All parents are strongly urged to be an active and contributing member of this organization to insure support and encouragement that is due to the students. A new executive board is elected before the beginning of each school year.

Award Title: Student(s) eligible:

The Director’s Award 1 senior
Choral Scholarship Award 1 or 2 seniors
Most Outstanding Leadership 10th-12th boy or girl
Most Outstanding Senior 12th boy and girl
Most Outstanding Junior 11th boy and girl
Most Outstanding Sophomore 10th boy and girl
Most Outstanding Freshmen 9^th boy and girl
Most Improved 9th-12th boy and girl
100% All-Around 9th-12th boy and girl

All awards, except the Choral Scholarship Award, are left to the discretion of the Director of Choral Activities. The Choral Scholarship Award will be decided between a panel of anonymous judges. Those seniors wishing to compete for the scholarship must submit a written essay on what choral music at LBHS has meant to them. The details of the essay, along with deadline date, will be announced.

Expectations: You, as a member of the Long Beach Choral Department, are expected to put forth the necessary effort to insure the quality of every performance. The director expects full cooperation during rehearsals and performances and will not tolerate any interruptions from the learning process.
Musical Ability: You do not need to be a great singer to become a member of the choral department. You must, however, strive to reach a level comparable to that maintained by the choir. If you cannot carry your end of the part, you are not only hurting yourself, you are holding back the progress of the choir. Therefore, the chief requirement shall be that you strive to sing your part to the very best of your ability.

Be a bona fide student, having enrolled not later than the 15th day of any semester of participation, carry five subjects and deport himself satisfactorily.
Any student who becomes 19 prior to August 1st shall be ineligible for interschool competition.
Not a graduate of a 4-year high school.
Not enrolled in college or junior college and active in any college level activity.
To be eligible a student shall at the end of each term be able to demonstrate normal progress toward earning Carnegie units of credit for graduation. These rules will be enforced.

Grading System

Class Participation (attitude, behavior, rule adherence, etc.) 25%
Theory and singing tests 25% (Students will be tested on the use of tuning forks in rehearsals through tonal memory.)
Concerts/Performances 50%
The director will assess the student based on the above categories. The director will calculate the average for each student at the end of the semester for the final grade.

Arrive on time for rehearsal. Be in your assigned seat with your folder and pencil when the bell rings.
No food, candy, gum, or drinks of any kind will be allowed in the choir room except with the permission of the director.
No talking during rehearsals
No hats are allowed on campus or while in uniform
No student is allowed in the practice/storage room, in the rear storage room, corner storage room or in the director’s office and choral library without permission.
Do not touch any equipment or play the piano unless given permission.
The choir room will be kept clean and presentable at all times.
Be considerate, dedicated and reliable.

Choir officers are to be obeyed and treated with the utmost courtesy and respect. Remember that they are delegates of the director.

The director may schedule before-school rehearsals. These rehearsals will begin at 7:00a.m. on selected Tuesdays or Friday mornings. These rehearsals are rare. The director will schedule afternoon and evening rehearsals for the choir and its ensembles. These are more common than morning rehearsals. Each member of the choral department is required to attend section rehearsals. These rehearsal times will be determined by the section leaders/director and will be posted on the dry-erase board at least one week in advance of the rehearsal.

Tuning forks are distributed at the beginning of the school year.  Tuning forks are required for all rehearsals and students will be tested daily on the use of this instrument.  The use of a tuning fork enables the student to gain pitches on their own and helps them to sightread on a higher level. 

Attendance is required at all rehearsals (morning, afternoon, evening, sectional) and performances. The only acceptable excuses for missing a rehearsal are: personal illness, death in the family, out-of-town trips with parents and other reasonable excuses that are discussed in advance with the director. All of these reasons must be excused by the attendance office.

Performances: The performances are the culmination of many hours of hard work and dedication by many people and correspond directly to performance standards. Therefore, please notify the director before the performance or furnish a note from your doctor in case of illness. Performances are the bulk of your semester grade. If a student is absent for any reason from a performance, an alternate exam will be given to the student.

Uniforms should be clean and pressed for each performance
Uniforms must be complete in order to perform at a concert:
MEN: black tux, black shoes and socks, studs/cufflinks, cummerbund, bow tie.
WOMEN: black dress, black shoes and hose, pearl earrings and pearl necklace
Remember that when you are in uniform you are representative of LBHS, the choral department, and community of Long Beach.
If a student is financially unable to purchase his/her uniform, that student should discuss this matter with the director in private.

The student is responsible for loading his/her own luggage onto the charter bus. Each person is limited to one suitcase and one carry-on bag. Suitcases should be clearly marked inside and out with identification tags.

Students are asked to be careful and safe. If an accident, injury, or illness occurs, the chaperone in charge should be notified immediately. The chaperone in charge will then notify the director.

Chaperones or bus captains will be in charge of the bus. The bus captain or chaperone will be responsible for checking roll and maintaining good conduct. No bus will be permitted to depart a stop until the roll is checked and all buses check in with the director. No student shall leave the bus at a stopping place until notified by the director.

Whenever staying in a hotel, students should be considerate of other occupants, especially at night. Rooms should be kept neat and orderly and should also be left clean upon checkout. Care should be taken not to cause any damage in the rooms. Students will be responsible for damage made to any room. All long distance telephone calls should be placed from the pay phones in the lobby. No student will charge a phone bill to his/her room. The director will set forth the curfew times and no student shall leave his/her room after the curfew time is set.

It should be noted that proper behavior is expected when on a school sponsored trip. The Long Beach High School handbook code of Student Conduct will be observed at all times. Undignified conduct may result in disciplinary action, suspension from school or choir, and/or dismissal from the choir.

Possession or use of alcohol, narcotics, or weapons of any type is strictly forbidden. The director of choral activities will notify the principal of LBHS and then follow all school board policies and procedures.

*The complete uniform should be worn properly when in public. You are a representative of LBHS and the choir.

*Horseplay and screaming on the bus is prohibited.

*Upon arrival at a destination students should remain on the bus until instructed to unload by a choir officer or director.

*No eating or drinking on the bus except when designated by the director

*Students will receive itineraries for all trips. Students are responsible for knowing departure times and should be ready on time.

*All students must travel to and from performances on buses, not in personal cars. Any student who needs to depart a performance with his/her parent or guardian should submit a written request by the parent/guardian at least three days prior to the performance.

*Conduct of students in public eating places should be subdued and courteous.

*When staying in a hotel students may not visit rooms occupied by the opposite sex.

Other fundraisers during the year will be designated as individual student fundraisers. These events are planned to help the student pay for trips and will have specific guidelines to follow. These events will have a definite start and stop time that will be enforced. Participation in these fundraisers will be optional for students whose parents have chosen to pay for their child’s entire trip expenses.

According to the bylaws that govern this organization, fund raised moneys may not be returned to the student for personal use. In the event a student does not use all of the money in his account, funds may be carried over to the next year or transferred to a family member.

The person herein described has permission to engage in all prescribed activities. I also assure all responsibility, accountability, and liability, for any acts arising from the actions of my child. This permission includes the right to ride in a school bus or private vehicle.

In the event that I cannot be reached in an emergency, I hereby give permission to the physician selected by the teacher in charge, to hospitalize, secure proper anesthesia, or to order injection or surgery to my child.
__________________________________________ Parent or Legal Guardian __________ Date

______________________ Phone number

_________________________________________ Parent or Legal Guardian __________ Date

_____________________ Phone number

Person to contact if I cannot be reached in case of emergency:

Name:______________________________________ Relationship:________________ Phone:_______________

Permission to sing at area Church Services:

I, _____________________________________, give my child, ____________________________________

permission to perform with the Long Beach Choral Department on occasional morning or evening church services.

Permission for Student to Appear on Choir Website:

I, _____________________________________, give my child, _____________________________________

permission to have his/her name and/or picture on the choir’s website. The choir website is
www.lbconcertchoir.com

I have read and I understand the requirements and expectations set forth in the LBHS Choral Department handbook. I understand that for the success of the ensembles of the choral department, I must make every effort to attend all rehearsals and performances in the ensembles to which I am a member. Furthermore, I understand the behaviors that are expected of me as a member of this organization and will abide by the Code of Conduct as outlined in the handbook. I fully understand the requirements set forth by the Director of Choral Activities and will make every effort to ensure the success of the ensemble(s) in which I am involved.