"Common Times" Weekly Newsletter 9/20-9/24
Greetings Wildcat Band Family!
Another great weekend for our Razorbacks!!
It has been a fantastic week for the Wildcat Bands! We were afforded the opportunity to perform at a Natural's Game for the first time in 2 years and the students did awesome!! They represented BPS, WJHS and The Bentonville Band Program incredibly well. I could not be more proud of them!
Huge thank you to Mrs. Streck for chaperoning the trip and recording the performance and to Mrs. Hopkins for being our official photographer of the year sharing her talents with us!!
PC: Mrs. Hopkins
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Please get all order forms and money turned in for both the candles and mums fundraiser on Monday, September 20th. This will allow me to process the orders and deposit the funds before going on paternity leave. THANK YOU!
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Just a reminder that instruments go home every single day and that it's vital for student progress to practice no less than 15 minutes per day, 5 days a week. Please help your band student find time at home to practice and beef up their musical muscles! Students are welcome to practice in the band room before school on A days as early as 7:30am (just come knock on the back band room door) and can stay any day there is a scheduled after sectional until 4:30 to practice in a practice room.
HINT: Students have SOMETHING to practice and prepare for every class even if it isn't a playing test. To be successful, students should be practicing regularly.
What a 15 minute practice session should look like:
2 minutes - Long Tones (F-Remington, Scales in whole notes, pg. 7 of Embouchure Boot Camp)
2 minutes - Lip slurs and buzzing for brass instruments. Chromatic scales or finger exercises for woodwinds.
2 minutes - scales for accuracy and increased speed with great tone.
7 minutes - assignment (focus on a small goal to noticeably improve a difficult part)
2 minutes - pick ANYTHING you enjoy playing
For a 30 minute practice session the above times can simply be doubled
If your student is "bored" with what we are currently doing in class and wants more of a challenge, reach out to me and I will get them some more challenging material to work on.
If your student is struggling with what we are doing in class, please reach out as I have many resources available to assist students at all levels.
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Many thanks to all those who volunteered this week in the concession stands at Tiger Stadium!!! We could NOT do it without you. I've heard from several of our volunteers how much fun and how easy it was! So, if you have some time this week, please consider signing up for a junior high game or the high school game. The concession stand is the single largest fundraiser for the Bentonville Bands. Funds from this help to offer band feeds, purchase new instruments, provide financial assistance to band families and scholarships for students to attend summer band and music camps. It takes a village!
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All-Region Sectionals
Will continue with Mrs. Q while Mr. Jones is gone on leave.
Saxophones will meet during priority on Tuesday.
Euphoniums will meet during priority on Thursday.
Percussion will be IN person Wednesday 3:45-4:30.
Sectionals WILL continue with our awesome sub Mrs. Quitschau (14 years of successful band directing experience). while I am out on Paternity Leave scheduled to begin on September 23rd.
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To stay in the know be sure to follow us on your social media platform of choice: Facebook, Instagram or Twitter - @wjhswildcatband and/or at www.wjhswildcatband.com
If you have any questions or concerns, please never hesitate to reach out. We are partners in your student's growth and need to work together for them to be as successful as possible.
Have a band-tastic week everyone!
Musically Yours,
