Wednesday, Nov. 16, 2011

T-shirts

T-shirts are here! I am passing these out this week. These shirts may only be worn on Fridays! This Friday, let's have piano shirt day!!!!!!If you have not paid the fee, please take care of this or we can set up a payment plan. Email me with questions.

Music Book Check out

For those students who have paid their piano fee, they may check out books to use at home. Students may also get a pass from me to practice in my room from 8 am until 8:15 daily. This may be used as practice time for those children who do not have pianos or keyboards at home. Students may also work on theory drills on emusictheory.com or use flash cards or other avenues to study theory.

Practice Logs

All of these kinds of practice need to be journaled in their practice log in detail. This includes talking about fingering, dynamics, techniques, which section of a piece they are working on, etc. Logs are due twice in a 6 week grading cycle.

I am very happy to have your child in the piano department. Thank you for your continued support and please contact me anytime at dgrossco@houstonisd.org for additional assistance or questions.



Please see below for a copy of the handbook!

Mrs. Diana Grosscope

Johnston Middle School

Piano Department

Welcome back! I hope everyone had a restful summer and I hope you continued to practice your piano! We look forward to seeing all the 7^th and 8^th graders,and  Ms. McKelvey and I are looking forward to working with the new 6^th graders!

MATERIALS NEEDED

You will need headphones with a 1/4" jack (available at Radio Shack), and a black 1" performance binder. The headphones will be the only item that will need to be brought to the classroom with the student each day. All other materials including piano books will be provided for use at school. Students will be able to “check out” a method book for home practice after the class fee is paid and method books will be assigned beginning on the first full day of your piano class. Please give us a couple of class periods to talk to the students and place them in the correct methodology book. Students who were in the piano lab last year will continue in the same book they were using at the end of the previous year.

PIANO FEE

The fee for piano this year is unchanged at $75. The piano fee covers the cost of repairing pianos; replacing worn out books; piano t-shirts for the students; fees for solo and ensemble contest; providing every student with the appropriate books for school use; and purchasing new music. After paying their fee, students may check out an “at home” practice book to be returned either at the end of the year or when they progress to the next level. You may send the piano fee to your child’s piano teacher during class time or before school at any time, but all fees are due by Friday, September 30, 2011. We will be glad to address financials issues if you will contact us and we can set up a plan that will work for you.

ASSIGNMENTS

The students will study scales, technical finger exercises, method books, solo and duet music for concerts, ensemble pieces with their classmates, and practice theory skills in the computer lab or at home using emusictheory.com. Students in the advanced (Period 1) class and the intermediate (period 4) class will use repertoire from the UIL list in lieu of a method book. Copies of their selections will be made for them, one for school and one for home.

PRACTICE LOGS

We strive to provide your child with a comprehensive piano education. Having your child practice at home is a must for success! Your child will earn their practice log grade by recording the specific pieces, scales and technique they are practicing at home. This can also include theory work on the computer using the above mentioned website. These logs, which will be given to the students during the second week of school, will be due, with parent’s signatures, before the end of each grading cycle. Students will have an assignment sheet each nine weeks and will know what they are working on at all times. Due dates will be posted on the board, on SchoolNotes.com, and will be listed on the sheet. Points will be deducted for turning logs in late.

CONCERTS

Piano students must participate in the Winter and Spring Concerts. These performances will take place during your child’s piano class time and a dress code is required (see below). The dates are as follows:

Winter Piano Concert                                       January 26/27, 2012 (auditorium)

Spring Piano Concert                                        April 19/20, 2012 (auditorium)

The concerts listed above are during your child’s piano class. Concert times are:

Thursdays                                Fridays

1^st/5th                9:00   AM                                1^st/5^th               9:30    AM

6th                     11:45 AM                               7^th                    11:30   AM

3rd/7^th               1:15   PM                                3^rd/7^th               1:00    PM

4th/8^th               2:45    PM                                4^th/8^th                2:45   PM

Some members of the advanced class (Period 1) will perform for the Fall Concert scheduled on October 20, 2011, at 7 PM in the Johnston auditorium. Report time for this concert is 6:30 PM. Dress Attire will be casual attire as listed below.

Students will be selected for the ensemble concert in December based on the repertoire needed for those concerts and parents will be notified.

the 8th grade graduation recitals for the advanced class will be in M4, our other concert venue during May. Dates TBA. These will take place during their 1st period class time.

CONCERT ATTIRE

Casual:

Johnston Piano shirt (students will receive when fee is paid)

        Black slacks

        Black socks

        Black shoes

Formal:

Girls

        Floor length or mid calf skirt or dress of your choice with no split in the skirts or dresses

        Coordinated Pants Ensemble

        Dress shoes

 Boys

        Dress Shirt (tie and coat optional)

        Dark slacks

        Dress shoes

Students will not perform if they are not appropriately dressed. Their grade will be adjusted to reflect the lack of performance.

GRADING

The students’ grade will reflect work done in the following manner:

Classwork                                                         35%

Performances/Tests                                           20%

Quizzes/Homework                                           30% 

Products/Projects                                              15%

Please feel free to email me using dgrossco@houstonisd.org any time you have any question about piano. Ms. McKelvey may be reached at rmckelve@houstonisd.org.

We are very excited about this year!

Sincerely,

Mrs. Diane Grosscope              Ms. Rolethial McKelvey