Common Times" Weekly Newsletter 3/7-3/11
Upcoming Events
March 8th - 8th Grade Band Full Rehearsal 3:45-5:30pm
March 10th - Concert Assessment (5:20pm performance time)
March 14th - Percussion Ensemble Concert @6:30pm at Arend Arts Center
March 21-25 - Spring Break
March 28th - 8th Grade Sectionals Resume
Greetings Wildcat Band Family,
It was wonderful meeting so many families during conferences last week and it is no wonder why your kids are so awesome!
HUGE shoutout to the 8th grade band on an OUTSTANDING concert Friday night!! I mean, wow! With students such these who work hard to be prepared EVERY DAY and who are not shy to receive constructive criticism it is like being in an all-region honor band every day we have class. Very few students across the country get to have this experience once a year, let alone every class. This has all to do with their daily focus on achieving excellence in all that they do.
I am beyond excited to welcome our student teacher this week, Ms. Bailey Tadda. Ms. Tadda is a graduate of Bentonville High School and an alumni of Washington Junior High. She currently attends Kansas State University and will graduate this spring with a Bachelors of Science in Music Education. Her primary instrument is flute, but we will be putting her to work learning and teaching all classes. If you see her, please welcome her.
8th Grade Band - please remember that we will have:
full band rehearsal on Tuesday 3:45-5:30pm.
Percussion weekly sectional Wednesday until 4:45.
Assessment Concert this Thursday, March 10th. Concert Black. Family and friends are invited to attend!
To review a complete copy of our calendar until the end of the year, you can find it here.
We have changed the 7th Grade Silver Dollar City trip to May 7th to coincide with the Jazz Band Festival in Branson due to transportation issues on our original April date.
Homework Assignments this Week
Click the arrow next to a class to expand the homework for the week. Not everything is required to record or turn in for a grade. This is simply a list of items students should be working on during their practice sessions throughout the week to continue growing on their instrument and to be prepared for class.
ALL CLASSES WEEKLY PRACTICE RECORD:
Student need to complete their weekly practice record consisting of 4 days of practice for 20 minutes each. It is important student complete it correctly and turn it in on time. Practice records will not be accepted more than 1 class day late for credit. Concept Checks and Sectional Assignments will not be accepted more than 2 weeks after the due date for credit. Students who are sick for multiple days are excused from band assignments with a doctor's note turned in to the school for the week they are out.
7th Grade High Winds (1st Period)
The focus of each practice item below is written next to it. For this to be fully effective, this is NOT a play it, check it off and move on. Your goal to move to the next item is to play with no more than 5 mistakes on day 1, no more than 4 mistakes on day 2, no more than 3 mistakes on day 3, no more than 2 mistakes on day 2 and no more than 1 mistake on day 4.
Mistakes include: Wrong rhythm, wrong note, wrong articulation, wrong dynamics, poor tone quality (closed, pinched, weak, unsteady), and not playing within the correct tempo range.
Practice the Following items WITH A METRONOME:
Breathing Exercises: (60bpm)
8 beats in, hold 8, out in 8 (repeat 2 times)
4 beats in, hold 4, out in 4 (repeat 4 times)
2 beats in, hold 2, out in 2 (repeat 4 times)
1 beat in, hold 1, out in 1 (repeat 4 times)
1 beat in, 1 out (repeat 7 times)
Large, SLOW breath in for 4 beats and out in 4 (3 times)
TIPS OF AWESOMENESS - Breathe using the "OH" syllable. COMPLETELY fill up your lungs on the inhale and COMPLETELY empty your lungs on the exhale. Use your blade check point. (example: https://youtu.be/ty5fbD0bvtQ?t=95)
Warm-Up Book in Google Classroom
Long Tones 1 and 2 (80bpm) use a tuner to work to stay right in tune. If you are sharp, open up; if you are flat firm up and blow faster air. Flutes, smaller aperture if you are playing flat and blow faster air; larger aperture and stronger air if you are sharp.)
Articulation 1 and 2 (75bpm)
Technique Development #1
EE2 (Essential Elements Book #2)
#37, 38, 48 - focus is counting, playing and transcribing in cut time
Pg. 16 - playing 16th note melodies
Scale:
Concert g minor Scale and Arpeggio (Flutes= g minor; Saxophones = e minor; Trumpets = a minor; Horns = d minor)
Review Concert C, F, Bb and Ab Major Scales
Concert Music
"High Voltage" - 8th note accent patterns
"Jungle Dance" - Ms. 1-49 (focus is all right notes. USE a tuner to check)
Rhythm Review
Practice some 16th and syncopation rhythm review using this Blooket: https://www.blooket.com/play?hwId=621b7843d5afb4286ab8da2c
We ALL have the time to practice for 20 minutes, 4 days a week. You MUST schedule your time accordingly to find the time to do your part to make our ensemble the BEST it can be. Priority time is an option to get your time in during the school day. With no sectionals during priority this semester, it is an EXCELLENT time to get your time in.
OPTIONAL WORK TO MAKE YOU BETTER
Got it already and want to challenge yourself? Here are some additional items out of our EE2 book for you to push your self.
Pg. 34 #160-162 (major focus on articulation and clear articulation) Metronome should be set no faster than 80bpm to begin with and work it up as fast as you can but with a focus on clear articulation and awesome tone. Increase tempo by only 4bpm each time you go quicker.
Pg. 40 #197 - count rhythms, go SLOW, use youtube to lookup a recording of the solo. Practice no more than 2-4 measures at a time.
Go to musescore.com or noteflight.com. Create a free account. Find music you may wish to play for fun. Alternatively, you can use musescore or noteflight to listen to a favorite song and try to write out the melody for you to be able to play along OR create your OWN ORIGINAL song. :)
8th Grade Band (2nd Period)
The focus of each practice item below is written next to it. For this to be fully effective, this is NOT a play it, check it off and move on. Your goal to move to the next item is to play with no more than 5 mistakes on day 1, no more than 4 mistakes on day 2, no more than 3 mistakes on day 3, no more than 2 mistakes on day 2 and no more than 1 mistake on day 4.
Mistakes include: Wrong rhythm, wrong note, wrong articulation, wrong dynamics, poor tone quality (closed, pinched, weak, unsteady), and not playing within the correct tempo range.
Practice the Following items WITH A METRONOME:
Breathing Exercises: (60bpm)
8 beats in, hold 8, out in 8 (repeat 2 times)
4 beats in, hold 4, out in 4 (repeat 4 times)
2 beats in, hold 2, out in 2 (repeat 4 times)
1 beat in, hold 1, out in 1 (repeat 4 times)
1 beat in, 1 out (repeat 7 times)
Large, SLOW breath in for 4 beats and out in 4 (3 times)
TIPS OF AWESOMENESS - Breathe using the "OH" syllable. COMPLETELY fill up your lungs on the inhale and COMPLETELY empty your lungs on the exhale. Use your blade check point. (example: https://youtu.be/ty5fbD0bvtQ?t=95)
Embouchure Boot Camp
Flutes - Pg. 8 head joint drills. Pg. 9 Stretch Drills. Pg. 14 Single tonguing (2nd exercise)
Oboes - Pg. 8 Stretch Drills (top). Pg. 9 Register Drills (both). Pg. 14. Single tonguing (2nd exercise)
Clarinets - Pg. 8 Stretch Drills (top). Pg. 9 Register Drills (both). Pg. 11. Single tonguing (2nd exercise)
Saxophones - Pg. 8 Stretch Drills (top). Pg. 9 Register Drills (both). Pg. 11. Single tonguing (2nd exercise)
Brass - Pg. 8 Mouthpiece Buzzing (buzz with attached audio file), Pg. 10 Stretch Drills (top), Pg. 11 Lip Slurs (use valve/positions as indicated), Pg. 14 Single Tonguing (bottom)
Percussion - Pg. 8 Sticking Drills (both) Aim to have both hands sound the same. Pg. 11 Roll Drills (top). Pg. 19 Technical Drills (mallets, both)
EE3 (Essential Elements Book #3)
Pg. 6 and 7
Cirque de Lestrange
Tuning and consistency
Practice with a tuner
Record yourself in small chunks, listen back
Can you play every note of every measure? If not, work on it.
Listen to recording. How can you help make the ensemble sound more like this? https://www.jwpepper.com/sheet-music/media-player.jsp?&productID=10908046&type=audio
Blue Ridge Reel
Articulation consistency
TEMPO consistency - practice with a metronome half note=108bpm OR quarter note -216bpm
Individual responsibility - can you play every note and every rhythm correctly every time? If no, practice until you can't get it wrong.
2nd trumpets - use a tuner and check starting notes. Practice to play stronger.
Listen to recording. How can you help make the ensemble sound more like this? https://www.jwpepper.com/sheet-music/media-player.jsp?&productID=10369931&type=audio
Hsien
Focus on tuning - Especially in soft dynamics and when few instrument are playing.
Style consistency
2nd trumpet parts 100% accurate, in tune and with GREAT tone.
Listen to recording. How can you help make the ensemble sound more like this? https://www.jwpepper.com/sheet-music/media-player.jsp?&productID=10515874&type=audio
Rhythm Review
Practice some rhythm review using this Blooket: https://www.blooket.com/play?hwId=6212853122a2226c449168a1
We ALL have the time to practice for 20 minutes, 4 days a week. You MUST schedule your time accordingly to find the time to do your part to make our ensemble the BEST it can be. Priority time is an option to get your time in during the school day. With no sectionals during priority this semester, it is an EXCELLENT time to get your time in.
OPTIONAL WORK TO MAKE YOU BETTER
Got it already and want to challenge yourself? Here are some additional items out of our EE2 book for you to push yourself.
Pg. 34 #160-162 (major focus on articulation and clear articulation) Metronome should be set no faster than 80bpm to begin with and work it up as fast as you can but with a focus on clear articulation and awesome tone. Increase tempo by only 4bpm each time you go quicker.
Pg. 40 #197 - count rhythms, go SLOW, use youtube to lookup a recording of the solo. Practice no more than 2-4 measures at a time.
Go to musescore.com or noteflight.com. Create a free account. Find music you may wish to play for fun. Alternatively, you can use musescore or noteflight to listen to a favorite song and try to write out the melody for you to be able to play along OR create your OWN ORIGINAL song. :)
7th Grade Low Brass (3rd Period)
The focus of each practice item below is written next to it. For this to be fully effective, this is NOT a play it, check it off and move on. Your goal to move to the next item is to play with no more than 5 mistakes on day 1, no more than 4 mistakes on day 2, no more than 3 mistakes on day 3, no more than 2 mistakes on day 2 and no more than 1 mistake on day 4.
Mistakes include: Wrong rhythm, wrong note, wrong articulation, wrong dynamics, poor tone quality (closed, pinched, weak, unsteady), and not playing within the correct tempo range.
Practice the Following items WITH A METRONOME:
Breathing Exercises: (60bpm)
8 beats in, hold 8, out in 8 (repeat 2 times)
4 beats in, hold 4, out in 4 (repeat 4 times)
2 beats in, hold 2, out in 2 (repeat 4 times)
1 beat in, hold 1, out in 1 (repeat 4 times)
1 beat in, 1 out (repeat 7 times)
Large, SLOW breath in for 4 beats and out in 4 (3 times)
TIPS OF AWESOMENESS - Breathe using the "OH" syllable. COMPLETELY fill up your lungs on the inhale and COMPLETELY empty your lungs on the exhale. Use your blade check point. (example: https://youtu.be/ty5fbD0bvtQ?t=95)
Warm-Up Book in Google Classroom
Long Tones 1 and 2 (80bpm) use a tuner to work to stay right in tune. If you are sharp, open up; if you are flat firm up and blow faster air. Flutes, smaller aperture if you are playing flat and blow faster air; larger aperture and stronger air if you are sharp.)
Articulation 1 and 2 (75bpm)
Technique Development #1
EE2 (Essential Elements Book #2)
#37, 38, 48 - focus is counting, playing and transcribing in cut time
Pg. 16 - playing 16th note melodies
Scale:
Concert g minor Scale and Arpeggio
Review Concert C, F, Bb, Eb, Ab and Db Major Scales and c minor scale
Concert Music
"High Voltage" - 8th note accent patterns
"Jungle Dance" - Ms. 1-49 (focus is all right notes. USE a tuner to check)
Rhythm Review
Practice some 16th note and syncopation rhythm review using this Blooket: https://www.blooket.com/play?hwId=621b7843d5afb4286ab8da2c
We ALL have the time to practice for 20 minutes, 4 days a week. You MUST schedule your time accordingly to find the time to do your part to make our ensemble the BEST it can be. Priority time is an option to get your time in during the school day. With no sectionals during priority this semester, it is an EXCELLENT time to get your time in.
OPTIONAL WORK TO MAKE YOU BETTER
Got it already and want to challenge yourself? Here are some additional items out of our EE2 book for you to push your self.
Pg. 34 #160-162 (major focus on articulation and clear articulation) Metronome should be set no faster than 80bpm to begin with and work it up as fast as you can but with a focus on clear articulation and awesome tone. Increase tempo by only 4bpm each time you go quicker.
Pg. 40 #197 - count rhythms, go SLOW, use youtube to lookup a recording of the solo. Practice no more than 2-4 measures at a time.
Go to musescore.com or noteflight.com. Create a free account. Find music you may wish to play for fun. Alternatively, you can use musescore or noteflight to listen to a favorite song and try to write out the melody for you to be able to play along OR create your OWN ORIGINAL song. :
We ALL have the time to practice for 20 minutes, 4 days a week. You MUST schedule your time accordingly to find the time to do your part to make our ensemble the BEST it can be. Priority time is an option to get your time in during the school day. With no sectionals during priority this semester, it is an EXCELLENT time to get your time in.