PREPARATORY DIVISION STUDENTS (GRADES 4—7)

Preparatory Divisions Policies and Procedures

ATTENDANCE REQUIREMENTS
Attendance at each of the following events is mandatory.  STEP students are expected to plan for designated STEP events to ensure participation and attendance for the entire event.  If a student can’t attend a required activity due to illness or family emergency, contact the Artistic Director at (917) 916 – 5027 and the Project STEP office.

Participation in STEP events takes priority in the student’s program of study.  Please do not sign up for extracurricular school events that conflict with Project STEP activities.

Attendance at the following events is required:
(Please consult the calendar for dates)

• All private lessons, theory classes, workshops, and orchestra/chamber music classes
• Master classes
• The Spring Recital and Community Service (students will perform)
• Two enrichment concerts in the Boston area (1 per semester) with two concert reports
• Required mid-year evaluations and Spring Workshops with the Artistic Director and Artistic Committee
• Year-end performance evaluations

Students must contact the Artistic Director concerning participation in any outside musicial activities.

ACADEMIC PERFORMANCE REQUIREMENTS
Project STEP was designed to give the most talented under-represented students of color the training and support needed to become professional musicians.  In order for this to happen, both musical AND academic excellence is required.  To succeed in college or conservatory, young musicians need to have a strong academic background, good grades and SAT scores.  Analytical thought is the cornerstone of being able to be an expressive and literate musician.  A student who has weak academics will have trouble completing the course requirements in a college or conservatory and will have a more difficult time succeeding both in musical and other professions.

Most serious music students also tend to succeed in school.  Balancing the rigors of academic and musical life is a challenge for all students, and developing the organizational skills to find this balance is very important to Project STEP.  If your child is having academic problems, please contact STEP as soon as possible and we will try to help.  The Project STEP staff, teachers and Board of Directors are excellent resources for advice on academic issues.  Please do not hesitate to call the STEP office with any questions or concerns.

PROBATION

Factors that will be considered in evaluations are:

• Overall teacher’s grade and jury grade
• Theory grade
• Chamber Music (* Tardiness and absences will be taken into consideration)
• Composer of the Month reports
• Community Service
• Concert Reports
• Attendance at required performances and master classes

The last four factors are the responsibilities of students.  If a student misses one element, s/he will receive a probationary warning.  If a student misses two elements, s/he will be placed on probation.

Probation serves as a warning that a student is not making sufficient progress in the program and the student will be dismissed if improvement does not occur both academically and musically.  If s/he has been found not to be able to uphold the standards of the program, the student will be counseled out of Project STEP.  STEP will work with these students to help them get scholarships with other music programs, such as the Boston Youth Symphony Orchestra’s ICP, New England Conservatory Preparatory School Community Resources program or the Longy School of Music.

YOUTH PREPARATORY AND PREPARATORY DIVISIONS ANNUAL PROGRAM FEE  
The annual program fee is $400.  A full payment or a letter laying out a payment plan is due by Friday, September 26, 2008.  Please Note:  All fees must be paid or on a payment plan by November 1st in order to register for the second semester of the program.  Any families who have not paid or are not on a payment plan by that date will not be able to register for the January – June semester of instruction.  This is consistent with the New England Conservatory Preparatory Division policy.  

FINANCIAL AID 
Financial aid is available for the program fee.  Families who wish to apply should complete the Application for Financial Aid in this book.  Financial aid awards may cover the full amount of the program fee or a portion thereof.  Families must reapply for financial aid each year.  All information relative to the financial aid application is confidential.  Applications are reviewed only by members of the Financial Assistance Committee of the Board of Directors.  The Executive Director is informed of the decision only and applies the aid to the fee balance.

TRAINING DIVISION EXAM AND AUDITION REQUIREMENTS

In addition to the exam repertoire, a passing year-end grade in the theory class is required for each student.

At the twice-yearly exams, and for auditions, students must perform the following:

grades 4, 5, 6

Violin

1. Three 3-octave scales and arpeggios
2. Two contrasting studies addressing techniques such as: slow and melodic playing; perpetual motion, Martele or staccato
3. One movement of a concerto such as Vivaldi, or a piece of similar difficulty
4. A short sight-reading piece given to the student at the exam

The scales and piece must be memorized.

Viola

1. Three 3-octave scales and arpeggios
2. Two contrasting studies addressing techniques such as: slow and melodic playing; perpetual motion, Martele or staccato
3. One movement of a concerto such as Teleman, or a piece of similar difficulty
4. A short sight-reading piece given to the student at the exam

The scales and piece must be memorized.

Cello

1. Three 3-octave scales and arpeggios
2. Two contrasting studies addressing techniques such as: slow and melodic playing; perpetual motion, Martele or staccato
3. One movement of a concerto such as Vivaldi, or a piece of similar difficulty
4. A short sight-reading piece given to the student at the exam

The scales and piece must be memorized.

Bass

grades 4

1. Four (two major and two minor) 1-octave scales and arpeggios
2. Two contrasting studies addressing techniques such as: slow and melodic playing; perpetual motion, Martele or staccato
3. One movement of a concerto or sonata, or a short piece of some difficulty
4. A short sight-reading piece given to the student at the exam

The scales and piece must be memorized.

grades 5

1. Four (two major and two minor) 1-octave scales and arpeggios
2. Two contrasting studies addressing techniques such as: slow and melodic playing; perpetual motion
3. One movement of a concerto or sonata, or a short piece of some difficulty
4. A short sight-reading piece given to the student at the exam

The scales and piece must be memorized.

grades 6

1. Three 2-octave scales and arpeggios
2. Two contrasting studies addressing techniques such as: slow and melodic playing; perpetual motion
3. One movement of a concerto or sonata, or a short piece of some difficulty
4. A short sight-reading piece given to the student at the exam

The scales and piece must be memorized.

grade 7

Violin

1. Three major and minor scales and arpeggio in three octaves in legato and detached sixteenth notes, including one scale in thirds
2. Two studies from Kayser, Mazas, Kreutzer, etc. addressing different techniques, such as
   1. Slow and melodious
   2. Double-stops
   3. Perpetual motion, spiccato
   4. Staccato
3. One fast movement from a classical concerto or sonata such as Haydn or Mozart, as well as one short slow piece exhibiting tone production
4. A short sight-reading piece given to the student at the exam

The scales, arpeggios and concerto must be played by memory.

Viola

1. Two major and minor scales and arpeggio in three octaves in legato and detached sixteenth notes, including one scale in thirds
2. Two studies from Kayser, Mazas, Kreutzer, etc. addressing different techniques, such as
   1. Slow and melodious
   2. Double-stops
   3. Perpetual motion, spiccato
   4. Staccato
3. One fast movement from a classical concerto or sonata such as Telemann, J.C. Bach or Handel, as well as one short slow piece exhibiting tone production
4. A short sight-reading piece given to the student at the exam

The scales, arpeggios and concerto must be played by memory.

Cello

1. Two major and minor scales and arpeggio in three octaves in legato and detached sixteenth notes, including one scale in thirds
2. Two studies from Krane, Schroeder, Popper, etc. addressing different techniques, such as
   1. Slow and melodious
   2. Double-stops
   3. Perpetual motion, spiccato
   4. Staccato
3. One fast movement from a classical concerto or sonata such as Ludwig Mendelssohn or J.C. Bach, as well as one short slow piece exhibiting tone production
4. A short sight-reading piece given to the student at the exam

The scales, arpeggios and concerto must be played by memory.

Bass

1. One major and one minor scale and one major and minor arpeggio in two octaves fast in legato and detached sixteenth notes or two slurred and two fast detached
2. Two studies addressing different techniques, such as
   1. Slow and melodious
   2. Perpetual motion, spiccato
   3. Staccato or hooked bowing
3. One fast movement from a classical concerto or sonata such as Capuzzi, as well as one short slow piece exhibiting tone production
4. A short sight-reading piece given to the student at the exam

The scales, arpeggios and concerto must be played by memory.

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