Our December concert has been scheduled for Tuesday, December 11th. This concert will take place in the school gym beginning at 7p.m. and will conclude at 8:30p.m. I hope you are planning to attend to hear and see your child’s progress.
o Students performing in the concert need to be at the school by 6:30p.m. o Student Dress: nice, clean, holiday colors (I will be wearing a suit and tie). o Plan to stay for the entire evening
Our concert is part of what we teach. During our concerts students are introduced to concert etiquette. This means that students learn how to behave and respond to performing groups like the chorus and the other band groups. Please do not plan to leave during the performances. I welcome any parents who are available to sit with the band groups to help them demonstrate respect to the groups by listening to their performance and refraining from all talking.
Mr. Hardin Band
Middle School All-County Band Information
Clinic: March 17th and 18th, 2008
There will be a concert for the community on the evening of March 18th,
Success on your Musical Instrument
Success on a musical instrument can be defined in many different ways. For our purposes we will define it as continually making good progress on the instrument. The "good progress" can be affected by the physiological ability of the student and by the degree of innate musical talent. Far more important than either of these in the early stages is a regular and focused practice regimen and selecting an instrument that they are physically able to play.
In the early stages I suggest that the student focus on creating a regular schedule of practice consisting of 5-7 days per week. I do not stress the amount of time (I suggest 15 min.) until they have established the "habit" of getting the instrument out regularly. The students that establish this regimen usually do better initially than students identified has having more music talent or aptitude. In short, too much emphasis is usually placed on talent and not enough on good practice.
There is a Difference between Playing and Practice
Very often students will confuse the terms play and practice. I define the term "playing" as playing through the music one or several times over. "Practice" on the other hand has a focus. This focus includes:
1. Playing the established warm up (long tones, scales etc.)
2. playing the music
3. identifying the problem spots
4. making exercises out of those problem spots
5. work from a slow tempo to the required tempo
6. working out the music from small pieces to larger
7. playing the piece from beginning to end as a wrap up (this will also facilitate the endurance of the performer)
8. Using your "second brain" (the pencil) throughout this process
I really don't like to get into semantics. Play, Practice, Rehearsal are all words we throw around. In a perfect world, my students would come to me having practiced their music on their own. Then as a band we would rehearse the selections concentrating on balance, tone, interpretation, technique, intonation, and musical effect.
The Teacher's Role
The teacher and parents play an important role in this process by providing the support to the student's efforts and guiding them in the right direction (such as maintaining the correct practice regimen). In my opinion teachers should be enabling the student to teach themselves. The student should know where to find any fingerings they don't remember, where to find the rhythmic counting syllables they need, and how to read the music inclusively (not just the notes). The teacher should also provide a reasonably good tone for them to imitate (or find someone that can). It is my firm belief that teachers should model playing behaviors for their students. Nothing teaches as well as an aural rendition. A pitfall that needs to be avoided here is the tendency to over teach or to rely too heavily on rote teaching. At least 60% of the learning by the student needs to be self discovery through practice. Over teaching can create a dependent student that is unwilling to learn a single note or rhythm without first getting help from the teacher.
Private Teachers - What to expect
Many students (after advancing to a certain level) decide to take private lessons on their chosen instrument. The following list gives you guidance on the type of instruction you should expect from a private teacher. Most good teachers will show most of these traits at some point in their instruction. This list is not all inclusive and some good teachers may show only some of these instructional goals. Please use this list as a guide in selecting or evaluating a private teacher.
1. Most good private teachers will have a standard lesson time and will not constantly change from week to week. This creates an inconsistency that is hard for the student (and teacher) to adjust to. There will be occasional variation due to scheduling but in general it should be consistent. The teacher should work closely with student and parents to plan ahead and be as consistent as possible.
2. Most good private teachers will guide their students through a set of drills called a warm up. This warm up is one of the best ways to teach the fundamentals of playing and the student is usually encouraged to practice this first every day. It also can be valuable for the teacher to occasionally play this warm up along with the student in the lesson. The essence of style and tone can be aurally reinforced with this procedure.
3. Most good private teachers will lead the students toward different musical skills through the use of appropriate etudes,scales, exercises and/or rudimentary exercises.
4. Most good private teachers will demand high standards of playing from the student. These standards will remain demanding and change as the student progresses. One of the worst things that can happen in a lesson situation is that the teacher teaches below the students' ability level. The student should feel challenged. There are times that a basic skill has not been developed by the student. In this case the student may feel like they are not being challenged, when in fact the teacher must encourage the student to develop this skill before moving on. It is essential that this be communicated to the student. Make sure your student practices the required skills.
5. Private lessons should primarily be skills and expression focused not (note) focused. Teaching the music is not the function of the lesson. Teaching the student the strategies and skills needed to teach themselves should be emphasized.
6. The private teacher will use a variety of approaches to teaching and be able to put concepts "in the students' own words". After basic skills are developed the teacher will use several different methods to fine tune many of the playing techniques.
7. The private teacher must emphasize style and expression in all lessons.
8 The private teacher must try to develop a good rapport and respect between them and the student.
9. The private teacher must maintain a system of keeping track of the student's progress and should communicate with the parents periodically. They should efficiently plan the students lessons and progress.
10. The private teacher should encourage solo playing as well as playing in available ensembles.
11. Most good private teachers will include skill development, musical expression, how to practice, musical style, sight reading, and solo playing in their lessons.
What to watch for:
I personally would have doubts about following types of private teachers for my students. Although there are always exceptions.
1. A teacher that accepts everything the student plays as good enough. These teachers usually don't have very high standards. If the student is being challenged, it is only natural that some skill etudes will take more than one lesson to learn. Expect to repeat some things (occasionally - not too much) from week to week. If they are being taught beneath their level they will regress rather than progress.
2. A teacher that never demonstrates skills or concepts. A teacher that can't demonstrate musical concepts, may be able to describe it without really knowing how to impart it to the student. It can be very hard for them to make the student understand. If a teacher can no longer demonstrate the concept due to some physical limitation they should make use of colleagues or advanced students that can. A teacher must have a wide variety of ways (tools) for teaching the same musical concepts. Some skills, such as tone, are dependent upon an aural imitation, which must be provided by recordings or the individual teacher.
3. A teacher that rarely looks at the student (constantly watching music etc). Good eye contact is essential for develping good rapport.
4. A teacher that says negative things about or advises against participating in the school music programs. These concerns should be addressed to the program designee, not the student. Any ensemble experience can be good for the student, even if they don't match up to the standards that the private teacher expects.
4. A teacher that continually says "next" without giving feedback for the piece just played.
5. A teacher that constantly misses lessons. Some teachers cannot handle the load of students that they are trying to teach. A once a week private lesson is ideal. If the average falls well short of that, find a teacher that is less busy.
6. A teacher that is not professional in the lesson. (Saying inappropriate things, doing inappropriate things, etc)
7. A teacher that is not committed to the student for the long haul. The student needs to develop a rapport with the teacher over a long period of time. Occasionally you will find a college student in their senior year that is offering private lessons. Because of their situation, they are unlikely to be available for lessons over a period of a couple of years or more. Switching teachers too much can be a traumatic event for some students and can seriously hinder their progress. Preference can be given to proven track records with former students. Try to find someone that will be there for a long period of time.
8. It is important to know that some teachers may not match the students' learning style. This is not necessarily a negative reflection upon the teacher or student. Some students just are motivated by different personality types.
Please remember that you have committed to a regular schedule of focused practice. It is a waste of the student's and teacher's time to not fulfill your practice requirements. If you can't practice faithfully you may want to consider stopping the lessons and allow a student that will practice a chance.
Band Proficiency Levels
Students should always try to sight read the music regardless of level
Student knows fingerings and can play sustained pitches on most (if not all) of notes on page. Motor skill coordination, counting and embouchure need work. Student can play very few phrases without teacher assistance. Major hesitations are evident along with looking up rhythm and fingerings in book.
Level 2 proficiency : Practice level (after practice)
Student knows fingerings and can play sustained pitches on all notes on page. Motor skill coordination, counting and embouchure need more work but improvement has been shown. Student can play major sections without teacher assistance with few missed notes and some hesitations.
Level 3 proficiency : Refinement level (practice and review)
Student has few problems with minor hesitations. Students can identify problem spots and create exercises to improve them. Student can play all but the hardest phrases without hesitation.
Level 4 proficiency : Mastery level (review and maintenance)
Student has no hesitations, wrong notes or rhythm/beat problems. Motor skill coordination is evident and tone is normal for that student. Mastery is achieved after 4 times through the song without problem. Music must now be reviewed.
Level 5 proficiency : Sight Reading level
Student can sight read the music almost perfectly (with few if any hesitations) upon first trying to play it. Student can be allowed to study the music for a short time before attempting to play.
From the Instrumental Music Resource Page: http://fcweb.fcasd.edu/~Dan_Traugh/imrp.html
This Web page is brought to you by the resources of North Rowan Middle School in Spencer, N.C. On behalf of the dear people who enjoy being part of the Band at North Rowan Middle School, we say welcome to our Web Page. Last updated 01/09/07
InBand we want to learn how to use our instruments (our exterior voice) to make a Joyful Noise!
Okay, what we really want to do is make Beautiful Music!
In Band Class we follow the following approach: 1) P0D's - Problem of the Day (this is a daily math/music problem that we work on at the beginning of our class to help improve our school's Math Skills and Scores.) Often the Problem of the Day will invove the element of rhythm and counting rhythms.
2) Musical Vocabulary - We are learning the language needed to speak music and learn music. I will mention more about this later and list the words I consider important. To get a look at some of the words I use, check out the flashcards:) 3) Rhythm - We are learning to count and clap rhythms. 4)Pitch - We are slowly, but steadily learning an awareness of pitch. This awareness will increase our enjoyment of music.
NRMS Band Syllabus
Dear Parents/Students:
The following information is provided to answer many questions about band. Please sign the form at the end and return as soon as possible.
CLASS PROCEDURES
STARTING CLASS
* Enter the band room quietly. No running is allowed.
*Get your instrument, music and pencil and go to your seat quickly and
quietly.
PROCEDURE FOR ENDING CLASS
*Wait until you are directed to pack up your instrument.
*Quickly and quietly go to your locker to put your instrument away.
*LOCK YOUR LOCKER.
*Return quickly to your seat.
*Straighten your music stand and chair.
*You will be dismissed by rows to line up and to walk quietly to your next
class.
*We walk in a single file on the right side of the hall.
*TALKING IS NOT ALLOWED.
CLASS RULES
1. Play only your instrument and only when directed to do so.
2. Raise your hand and wait to be called on by the director before speaking.
3. Food, drinks, candy and gum are not allowed in the band room.
4. Treat every member of the band with respect, as you would like to be treated.
5. Follow the teacher’s instructions the first time they are given.
CONSEQUENCES
* Verbal or written warning
* Student writes an explanation of how to correct the inappropriate
behavior.
* Parent contact
* Referral to the office
* Exclusion from a band trip and/or concert.
* Removal from band
CONTACT INFORMATION
Band Director, NorthRowanMiddle School
(704) 639-3022; hardinwo@rss.k12.nc.us
CLASS NEEDS
* Pencil and composition notebook everyday* Tissue Paper
* Band instrument everyday
* Band book and band music everyday
* Supplies such as reeds, valve/slide oil.
Grading - Three Components
65% Classwork, which includes quality of your participation in the
classroom, performances and/or concerts.
25% Tests and quizzes. You may be tested as needed on knowledge and skills. Keep in mind that you are evaluated everyday for qualities of muscianship,including: 1. Posture, 2. Playing position, 3.Tone
quality, 4. Music reading skills, 5.Counting Rhythms, 6. Knowledge of Fingerings.
10% Homework/Practice Sheets.Band students should practice everyday to reinforce the skills covered during class. Practice records are to be turned in weekly. minute practice sessions per week (on different days of the week) earn a homework grade of “A”.
PERFORMANCES
Several performances are scheduled during the year. ALL MEMBERS OF THE BAND ARE REQUIRED TO PARTICIPATE FULLY IN THESEPERFORMANCES AND ANY PRACTICES NEEDED TO PREPARE FOR THE PERFORMANCE. Failure to do so will result in a lowered grade equal to 25% of the total grade.
IMPORTANT EVENTS
Band trip fundraiserAugust/September
Christmas Concert December
All-County Honors BandFebruary
Band TripMarch/April
Spring Band ConcertMay
BOOK INFORMATION
Name of book:Standard of Excellence (Level 1, 2, or 3)
Cost:approximately: $7; with CD’s approximately $9
www.pulsethemovie.com/ STOMP has a new IMAX movie out, and this website is AWESOME! Play some games, write some rhythms, hear your composition!!! Very Cool!!
November 2008 To view the full calendar, click the above link.
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