Choir

Construction Careers Academy High School

Warren High School Choirs

Beginner Women’s Choir - An all-female ensemble for beginner singers in grades 9-12. Membership is open.

Men’s Choir - An all-male ensemble for beginner to intermediate singers in grades 9-12. Membership is open.

Non-Varsity Women’s Choir - An intermediate all-female ensemble for singers in grades 9-12. Membership is based on audition or director approval.

Varsity Women’s Choir - An all-female ensemble for advanced singers in grades 10-12. Membership is based on audition and director approval. This ensemble participates in UIL competitions.

Varsity Mixed Choir - A mixed ensemble for advanced singers in grades 10-12. Membership is based on audition and director approval. This ensemble participates in UIL competitions.

Chamber Choir - A class that explores and performs music from various periods. Students in this class must also be enrolled in a choir class.

Zero Hour - An a cappella group that meets during Zero Hour. Membership is based on audition and director approval. This ensemble performs at various events and competitions throughout the year.

Expectations

Come to class on time and prepared.
1. A. Students should be in their assigned seat by the time the tardy bell rings and should have all necessary supplies for rehearsal (binder, sharpened pencil, music).
2. B. Any student who is tardy will have to report to tardy round-up and receive a pass before coming back to class.
3. C. Bathroom breaks should be taken care of before class.
No food or drink (except water in a resealable container) in the choir room.
Respect yourself, your directors, and your teammates.
1. A. Choir is a group effort. In order to run a smooth and productive rehearsal, students need to be aware of others as well as the directors.
2. B. This includes keeping talking to a minimum and refraining from degrading or negative statements.
3. C. No electronic devices of any kind during rehearsal. No personal grooming during rehearsal, and no disruptive or distracting behavior during rehearsal.
4. D. Respect the room in which you rehearse. Do not leave trash around the classroom or leave supplies where they do not belong. If you help keep the classroom clean, rehearsal will continue to be productive.
5. E. Adhering to all expectations and being on-task during rehearsal will keep rehearsal running smoothly.
Discipline Policy
1. 1st infraction: verbal redirection
2. 2nd infraction: teacher/student conference after class
3. 3rd infraction: teacher/student conference after school and call to parent
4. 4th infraction: office referral
Choir Grading Policy
1. A student’s choir grade is an average of the following categories:
2. Participation (50%)
3. Each student earns one participation grade per week based on his/her rehearsal work habits every day during class. Promptness, attentiveness, focus and preparedness (having supplies ready before the bell rings) are all considered when the director evaluates a student’s participation.
4. Required Rehearsals (20%) and Concerts (20%)
5. Each student will receive a grade equivalent to a test grade for each outside required rehearsal in which they participate, such as UIL rehearsal and tech rehearsals for concerts. Concert grades will contain multiple criteria including promptness, correct uniform, concert etiquette, as well as participation. If a student is absent from a rehearsal or concert, they will earn a zero (0). These can only be made up if the director excuses the absence.
6. Required rehearsals and concerts are mandatory. If a student misses a concert with an unexcused absence they will most likely earn a failing grade for the six weeks. Absences will only be excused for extra-curricular UIL events, student illness, death in the family and family emergencies with a written note from the parent. A note will be needed for the choir director separate from any notes sent to the Attendance Office. The director has the final determination of excused absences. All rehearsals and concerts will be announced weeks in advance and are listed on the choir calendar. Work conflicts will not be considered an excused absence!
7. Assignments (10%)
8. Various written assignments, tests and music checks, as well as sight-reading tests will be given throughout the year.
9. Extra credit will be offered to any student who attends an outside performing arts performance (such as a performance of the W.H.S. band, orchestra, dance, or drama department, as well as community theatre and opera within San Antonio). Students must present a program from the performance as well as a one-page, typed, double-spaced report on their likes and dislikes of the performance. There is a limit of one extra credit submission per six weeks.
Choir Uniform
1. Women:
  1. All ladies will be issued a choir dress at the beginning of the year. It is up to them to keep track of their dress until the end of the year when they are returned to the choir.
  2. Black closed-toe shoes with a low heel that are comfortable to stand and walk in all day
  3. Black hose
  4. Appropriate hem on dress
  5. Hair in a pony-tail or braided back
  6. No jewelry
  7. No nail polish
2. Men:
  1. All men will be issued a tuxedo (jacket, shirt, pants, cummerbund and bowtie) at the beginning of the year. It is up to them to keep track of their tux until the end of the year when it is returned to the choir.
  2. Black dress shoes and black socks
  3. Informal Uniform:
  4. Warren Choir shirt
  5. Blue jeans (no holes or frayed ends)
  6. Appropriate, closed-toe shoes
3. Uniform Care
  1. Do not wash your dress at home, they are dry-clean only and will be given to you clean.
  2. Do not hem your dress/tuxedo or cut it in any way. These are property of NISD.
4. Uniform Replacement Fees
  1. Concert Dress: $125.00
  2. Tuxedo: $140.00
  3. The uniform that is checked out to you is not to be damaged, cut, or decorated in any way. Failure to adhere to this rule will result in a fee to replace the damaged item(s).
Concerts
1. Choir is a performance-based activity. All students taking these classes do so with the understanding that they will perform in public. Each choir has different performance opportunities, but it is important to remember that each performance is a representation of the choral program at Warren High School. During the course of the year, each choir member is required to prepare music for public performance to the best of their ability. There are no “unimportant” concerts. Each member is an important part of the whole and has a responsibility to be at every public performance. Inability to fulfill this basic requirement may result in removal from the choir program. There is no equivalent work for a missed performance.
2. In the event of a necessary absence, a director must be contacted at least two weeks before the concert. Absences can affect programming. An unanticipated absence is not only discourteous, it jeopardizes weeks of hard work by other students and the directors. If you must be absent, please talk with a director as soon as possible. Director information is located on the front page.
Concert Etiquette
1. The students performing will have spent many hours in preparation and want to give their best performance. Following these simple guidelines will help our performances be more pleasant for both performers and the audience.
  1. Please do not talk or whisper while music is being performed.
  2. Please do not enter or leave the concert while during a piece. If you must leave the concert before its conclusion, please do so after a song is finished.
  3. Please wait to applaud until the conductor has put both hands down, showing that a piece has ended. Whistling and shouting are never appropriate at a choir concert.
  4. Please do not allow small children to move about at any time during the concert. If your child becomes restless, please step out of the auditorium and return when your child has quieted down.
  5. Please do not take flash pictures while music is being performed.
  6. Please check your cell phones and other electronic devices to insure that you have turned them off. If you find that you must make/answer a call during the concert, please excuse yourself quietly from the auditorium before proceeding.