G.C. Hawley Middle School Band

Sunday, June 3, 2018

20180603

Dear band parents,

Here is some important information as we go into our last week of band for this school year:

Yes, you need your instrument this week

-------------------------------------------------

1. Yes, we are playing music in band this week. We will have electives almost every day this week, so please make sure your child brings their instrument to school. Clarinets and Saxophones, please make sure you have a good reed to play on (please ask your kids about this today).

Renting your instrument with Hills over the summer

---------------------------------------------------------------

2. If you are renting your instrument from Hills Music Shoppe and you will be in the band next year (at Hawley or in high school), then you do not need to return it to them over the summer. If you return your instrument, you will lose all of the $$ equity you built this year with your payments. You want to keep your instrument to keep your equity, and so you can play your instrument over the summer (talent: use it or lose it!). I have plenty of fun stuff to practice on my website, and I will keep looking for more.

No more emails, please sign up for Remind texts

-----------------------------------------------------------

3. I will not be using email to send out my weekly "this week in band" information anymore, because more and more often it is being blocked as spam. I don't know what Google changed in its spam detection to cause this problem, but I know I can't fix it. I will instead use the Remind text message system exclusively. You can download the Remind app to get all the features it offers, but you do not need to. All you need for basic communication is a phone with text messaging.

@HAWLEYBA18 for 5th graders going into 6th grade

@HAWLEYBA17 for 6th graders going into 7th grade

@HAWLEYBA16 for 7th graders going into 8th grade

Sunday, May 13, 2018

201805132

Dear 5th, 6th, and 7th grade band parents,

I just wanted to share the great news with you, in case you have not heard already. Yesterday, the Hawley 8th grade band performed at the Carowinds Festival of Music, along with bands and orchestras from all around North Carolina, South Carolina, and Virginia. Their performance was judged by two of the most highly-respected bandmasters in the country, as well as world-famous composer and our friend James Swearingen.

Our performance was given the Superior rating, which is the highest possible rating. In fact, we received the Superior rating from all three judges.

I wanted to take a moment to explain this in a little more detail, because if you have not been involved in the "band world" for very long, you may not know how significant this Superior rating is. I spoke with the judges yesterday and asked them a question I have never asked them before: how many bands earn this Superior rating at the festival? Not because I want to degenerate this into some kind of competition, but rather I wanted some frame of reference for how rare this achievement is. While it was hard to give an exact number, they said it is about 10%. So over an entire day of band and orchestra performances, they may give the Superior rating twice on average.

I was encouraged by the answer I received. It should be very, very difficult to earn this rating, or it would not mean much, right? And it was very, very difficult. Your children worked on this music for months. Every note, every detail, every volume change, and every style marking on the sheet music had to be played correctly. On top of all of that, everyone had to play with beautiful characteristic tone on their instrument, everyone had to play in tune with each other, everyone had to maintain rhythm and tempo together, everyone had to execute changes to these elements together and in unison.... on and on. And on top of all of that, everyone had to follow through and execute all of this while maintaining composure through stage fright.

It is incredibly difficult. Almost nobody does it. Our 8th grade band did.

In fact, this is the fourth year in a row that I have taken the Hawley 8th grade band to this festival and earned the Superior rating.

Music is art, and I don't think it should be reduced to winning trophies. The trophies should not be the point of a band program. That said, the trophies are a symptom, an indicator that your children are receiving a quality music education.

I am sharing all of this with you for three reasons: first, I hope you will join me in congratulating our 8th grade students for their incredible achievement. Second, I hope that you feel encouraged by it... have confidence that your child is receiving a quality music education and is involved in a solid band program here at Hawley, one of the best in the state. Third, I hope your child feels inspired... it will be their turn soon!

TOMORROW NIGHT (Monday) at 6:00pm in the Hawley cafeteria, we have have another band parent orientation and instrument tryout night for 5th graders. If you have any friends who might be interested in 6th grade band next year, even if they have no previous experience, please tell them to come to this meeting. They will get to learn about our band program and try all the instruments to see which one they might want to play. Thank you for spreading the word!

And congratulations again, SUPERIOR 8th grade band! Justin Dickson

20180513

Dear band parents,

It's band concert week at Hawley Middle School!

WHEN?

----------

- 6th grade: this Thursday, May 17. Students should report to the stage by 6:45pm.

- 7th and 8th grade: this Friday, May 18. Students should arrive at 6:30 so we have time to tune everyone and warm up.

WHERE?

------------

South Granville High School auditorium. NOT at Hawley.

WHAT DO WE WEAR?

------------------------------

Formal black and white attire, same as our December concert (no Santa hats this time). Details are in the class syllabus if you need to see them: http://justindickson.com/band/documents.htm

WHAT ELSE?

------------------

- Don't forget your music folder! Lots of kids keep their folder in their backpack. Please don't forget it for the concert.

- Leave your instrument case in the car, do not bring it in the auditorium, except for tuba and percussion.

- Admission is always free, please invite your friends and family.

20180512

Dear 8th grade band parents,

Yesterday, your children performed at the Carowinds Festival of Music, along with bands and orchestras from all around North Carolina, South Carolina, and Virginia. Their performance was judged by two of the most highly-respected bandmasters in the country, as well as world-famous composer and our friend James Swearingen.

I am sure your kid told you already, but our performance received the Superior rating at the festival, which is the highest possible rating. In fact, we received a Superior from all three judges.

It is incredibly difficult. Almost nobody does it. Your children did.

And it's not because of me. I don't think I am an unusually talented musician or director. This isn't false humility, it's what I really think. I think most directors could do what I do. It happened because your children made a choice: they decided they wanted it, and I showed them how. That's it. They did the work, all I did was tell them what to do. This is their achievement.

Now I have a request: tell your friends. Tell your friends about what your kids have done in the band at Hawley. Bad news tends to travel fast, and we tend to take good news for granted. Let's not take this for granted. Go brag about your children. I know I will. Justin

Sunday, May 6, 2018

20180506

Dear band parents,

This is Justin Dickson, band director at Hawley Middle School. Every week I will send out a message like this to communicate what is happening this week in band class, upcoming events, and other announcements.

8th GRADERS GO TO THE CAROWINDS FESTIVAL OF MUSIC THIS SATURDAY!
I will send out an itinerary for this Saturday, May 12, soon. We will meet in the band room at 8:00am on Saturday.
The weather forecast looks great right now, about 90 degrees and no rain. Please join me in telling your kids to stay hydrated throughout the day (water, not just soda).
Please make sure you have your blue band t-shirt.

5th GRADER INSTRUMENT TRYOUT NIGHTS NEXT WEEK
We have scheduled more "Band Parent Meeting and Instrument Tryout Nights" for incoming 5th graders for May 14 and May 21 at 6:00pm. Our original dates got snowed out. Please help me spread the word to any 5th graders who may be coming to Hawley next year. Thank you!

"ROOKIE CAMP" FOR 7TH AND 8TH GRADERS INTERESTED IN MARCHING BAND

7th and 8th grade band parents, next year, your child is eligible to be a member of the South Granville High School Marching Band. SGHS hosts a "rookie camp" where beginners learn how to march, meet the student leaders in the marching band, and have fun learning the basics of marching band. This is not a commitment, this is an opportunity to come and learn about marching band, but I think your child will love it (like I did) once they try it.

The "Marching Band Rookie Camp" is at SGHS May 21-24 from 4:00-6:30. Your child will need a ride. If you cannot provide transportation, please let me know ASAP and I am sure we can arrange something. We do not want anyone to miss this opportunity just because they could not get a ride.

Yes, 7th graders can be in the SGHS marching band next year as an 8th grader.

Feel free to contact Mr. Maston with any questions at MastonBM@gcs.k12.nc.us

BAND CONCERTS ARE NEXT THURSDAY & FRIDAY!

Please see the calendar for details: http://hawleyband.blogspot.com/2018/04/20180426.html

E.O.G. PROCTORS NEEDED

Our school needs many volunteers to proctor the exams. If you are willing to help, even for just one day, please call the school at 919-528-0091. Thank you!

IN THE BAND ROOM THIS WEEK
We will be working on our concert music in all classes this week. We will spend a lot of time recording ourselves, and listening to / evaluating that recording to determine what we need to improve before the concerts next week.

Students may make up outstanding playing tests when they have practiced and are prepared, they just need to let me know.

===========================
OLD BUT STILL RELEVANT INFO
===========================

PLEASE SIGN UP FOR TEXT ANNOUNCEMENTS
If you have not already done so, please sign up to receive text message announcements from me via the Remind app. You do not have to download the app. Just sent a text message to phone number 81010 , and the text message should say...
... @HawleyBa18 for fifth grade, next year's sixth grade
... @HawleyBa17 for sixth grade
... @HawleyBa16 for seventh grade
... @HawleyBa15 for eighth grade

8th GRADE PERFORMANCE AT THE CAROWINDS FESTIVAL OF MUSIC!
8th grade band only. In case anyone needs it again, here is the paper with all of the information about the Carowinds Festival of Music event:  http://www.justindickson.com/band/stuff/carowinds-letter.pdf

TECHNOLOGY TO MAKE LEARNING EASIER
By now, most of you know that I designed a free mobile app for my students called Bandmate Chromatic Tuner (www.bandmatetuner.com). I highly recommend that you download it, or that your child downloads it on their phone / tablet if they have one, because it makes it so much easier for kids to learn their notes while they are practicing at home.
The Bandmate Tuner app is a big deal because it gives personal feedback to students while they learn. It lets students see what note they are playing, so that they can check for themselves if they are playing the right note or not. It has made it so much easier for my students to learn, and people all around the world have discovered it and are using it in their own music programs.

FLUTES, CLARINETS, AND SAXOPHONES NEED A SWAB
If your child plays a woodwind instrument (flute, clarinet, or saxophone), they need a swab so they can clean out their instrument every day before putting it back in the case. You can order one from Hills Music Shop if you do not have one.
If woodwinds are stored in the case without swabbing, moisture causes the pads under the keys to wrinkle and be ruined. This costs $100-200 to fix, depending on the extent of the damage. A swab costs $5. Please make sure your child has a swab.

FACEBOOK
Our band program has a Facebook page. You can "like" it here:  www.facebook.com/HawleyBandRoom

9th GRADE BAND REGISTRATION
Yes, it's already time for our 8th graders to start thinking about their 9th grade class registration! Mr. Maston and I put together a document to help you understand which band classes are available to you at SGHS next year. Just go to the "SGHS" page on my website (click here), and click on "Information about 9th grade band registration".

CONCERT CALENDAR
October 26, 6:30, 8th grade only, at Hawley
December 12, 7:00, 6th grade only, at Hawley
December 15, 7:00, 7th and 8th grade, at SGHS audition
March 8, 7:00, 8th grade only, at SGHS auditorium
May 12, 8th grade only, Carowinds Festival of MusicMay 17, 7:00, 6th grade only, at SGHS auditorium
May 18, 7:00, 7th and 8th grade, at SGHS auditorium

Sunday, April 29, 2018

20180429

Dear band parents,

This is Justin Dickson, band director at Hawley Middle School. Every week I will send out a message like this to communicate what is happening this week in band class, upcoming events, and other announcements.

MORE 5th GRADER INSTRUMENT TRYOUT NIGHTS
We have scheduled more "Band Parent Meeting and Instrument Tryout Nights" for incoming 5th graders for May 14 and May 21 at 6:00pm. Our original dates got snowed out. Please help me spread the word to any 5th graders who may be coming to Hawley next year. Thank you!

7th GRADERS CAN DO MARCHING BAND AT S.G.H.S. NEXT YEAR!

Dear 7th grade band parents, next year, your child is eligible to be a member of the South Granville High School Marching Band as an 8th grader. This is something that Mr. Maston (the band director at SGHS) has allowed for several years, and it is a great opportunity for our talented students.

Your child will need a ride from Hawley to SGHS after school, because they will be expected to attend all after school practices, as well as the home football games, parades, and Saturday band competitions. This year, several of our 8th graders arranged a car pool with each other, so that is an option too.

If you are interested, your child should attend the "Rookie Band Camp" at SGHS May 21-24 from 4:00-6:30. This is not a commitment, this is not you signing up for marching band. Think of it like how our athletic teams have "open practices" before tryouts. Your child will get to know Mr. Maston and the student leaders in the band, they will be taught the basic skills of marching, and then they can decide if this is something they want to do next year.

The 8th graders who take advantage of this opportunity quickly become the best musicians in our band program every year. They learn so much and develop their skills on their instrument from playing next to the high school students, and the high school students go out of their way to help and teach the "rookies" everything they can. The SGHS marching band has an incredibly positive, nurturing student culture that way. I hope you will consider allowing your child to be a part of this award-winning band of dedicated, fun, caring, hard-working student musicians.

Feel free to contact Mr. Maston with any questions at MastonBM@gcs.k12.nc.us

CALENDAR FOR THE REST OF THE YEAR

I sent this out last week, but here it is again: http://hawleyband.blogspot.com/2018/04/20180426.html

E.O.G. PROCTORS NEEDED

Speaking of the end-of-grade exams, our school needs many volunteers to proctor the exams. If you are willing to help, even for just one day, please call the school at 919-528-0091. Thank you!

IN THE BAND ROOM THIS WEEK
6th grade will have a test this week on the "Shaker Hymn" piece that we have been learning for their upcoming concert. Our concert is three weeks away, so we will spend the rest of our class time getting ready for that. We also have a special fourth piece for our concert in the works, but I don't want to say too much about it yet.

7th grade will focus mainly on music for our upcoming concert this week. We will do a lot of recording and evaluating in class, so we can see what issues we need to address in order to make these pieces "performance ready". Students who have not passed off their previous playing tests can do it in class, they just need to tell me when they are ready. Please encourage them to practice at home so they are prepared.

8th grade has two weeks before the Carowinds Festival of Music, so of course we will focus heavily on that music this week. We will also have a playing test on the new version of "Fundamentals For 8th Grade Band" exercise #3, which is a basic scale study in three different keys. Please make sure your child has practiced and is prepared to take this test in class, as taking it before school is no longer possible due to my morning duty.

Jazz Band will keep working on "These Foolish Things" and "Autumn Leaves" this week. We will mainly focus on AL. I wrote a few new solos for it, so we need to see who wants to play them.

Thursday, April 26, 2018

20180426

CALENDAR FOR MAY AND JUNE

Dear Band Parents,
It is about to get very busy as we approach the end of the year, so I put together this master calendar of all band-related events. The best way to stay in touch is to receive the text message announcements I send every week through the Remind app. You do not need to download the app in order to receive the messages, you only need to text the code for your child’s class on your cell phone.
Just sent a text message to phone number 81010 , and the text message should say... ... @HawleyBa18 for fifth grade, next year's sixth grade ... @HawleyBa17 for sixth grade ... @HawleyBa16 for seventh grade ... @HawleyBa15 for eighth grade ... @HawleyJazz for jazz band

WHEN	WHO	WHAT
May 10	Jazz	Spring athletic awards banquet, at Hawley. Be there at 5:30, we will start playing at 5:45. Dress nicely -- boys wear a collared shirt, etc.
May 12	8th	Carowinds Festival of Music. Meet in the Hawley band room at 8:00. Blue band t-shirts.
May 14	5th	Band parent orientation meeting and instrument tryout night for rising 5th graders. 6:00pm in the cafeteria.
May 14	Jazz	Hawley Night Of The Arts. Jazz band will play for 30 minutes. Details TBA. Blue band t-shirts.
May 17	6th	Spring concert. At South Granville High School. Be seated by 6:45, formal black & white dress.
May 18	7th, 8th, Jazz	Spring concert. At South Granville High School. Be seated by 6:30, formal black & white dress.
May 21	5th	Band parent orientation meeting and instrument tryout night for rising 5th graders. 6:00pm in the cafeteria.
May 21-24	7th, 8th	Rookie Camp for students interested in marching band at SGHS next year. 4:00-6:30 at SGHS. Percussion auditions will also happen here.
May 21-25	7th	Auditions for next year's Jazz Band and Football Pep Band. We will do this during class time.

Sunday, April 22, 2018

20180422

Dear band parents,

This is Justin Dickson, band director at Hawley Middle School. Every week I will send out a message like this to communicate what is happening this week in band class, upcoming events, and other announcements.

MORE 5th GRADER INSTRUMENT TRYOUT NIGHTS
We have scheduled more "Band Parent Meeting and Instrument Tryout Nights" for incoming 5th graders for May 14 and May 21 at 6:00pm. Our original dates got snowed out. Please help me spread the word to any 5th graders who may be coming to Hawley next year. Thank you!

7th GRADERS CAN DO MARCHING BAND AT S.G.H.S. NEXT YEAR!

Feel free to contact Mr. Maston with any questions at MastonBM@gcs.k12.nc.us

YES, PARENTS CAN COME TO CAROWINDS. PLEASE DO!
8th grade trip to the Carowinds Festival of Music is Saturday, May 12. Some parents have asked me if they can join us. YES! Of course, we would love to have you! In fact, the bigger audience we have cheering us on, the better! There is no additional $$ cost to attend the performance, you only need to buy the regular admission ticket into the Carowinds park like every regular person who is going to Carowinds that day to ride the rides etc. You can just buy your ticket at the gate. You may be able to buy tickets ahead of time online, too.

JAZZ BAND SCHEDULE

Here is a list of everything the Jazz Band is doing for the rest of the year: http://hawleyband.blogspot.com/2018/04/20180419_19.html

MAKING UP TESTS IN THE MORNING

My morning duty assignment has changed so I am in the cafeteria and then monitoring the hallway from 8:00-8:30. As a result, I am not able to hear playing tests before school starts. I also cannot hear them at 8:30 because first core class starts at that time, and students need to be in their core classes. I cannot expect students to come make up work during other teachers' instructional time, and the almighty EOG exams are coming up so students really need to maximize their core class time.

My recommendation is that students practice / study ahead of time so they are prepared to pass their test in class, so they don't have to worry about making it up.

E.O.G. PROCTORS NEEDED

Speaking of the end-of-grade exams, our school needs many volunteers to proctor the exams. If you are willing to help, even for just one day, please call the school at 919-528-0091. Thank you!

IN THE BAND ROOM THIS WEEK
6th grade will continue working on their third piece of concert music, "A Shaker Hymn". Our goal is to be able to play this by the end of the week. If your child did not pass off their playing test from last week on "Caribbean Delight," please make sure they are practicing at home and they can tell me when they are ready to try again any day.

7th grade will take a break for a few days from our concert music, and explore some other material. They are ahead of schedule with their concert preparation, and I do not want to get bogged down in monotony. I am going to throw some Pep Band stuff at them, and maybe they can start to consider playing in our football pep band next year. I will do the same thing with some Jazz Band music. If your child did not pass off their playing test from last week on "Long Day's Journey," please make sure they are practicing at home and they can tell me when they are ready to try again any day.

8th grade will learn a new piece for our upcoming concert this week. And of course we will also continue "polishing" the other concert & Carowinds Festival music.

Jazz Band will keep working on "These Foolish Things" and "Autumn Leaves" this week. AL is a new one I just finished this weekend, but I have not written many solos for it yet. I will try to write a solo for everyone who wants one by the end of the week. Practice, practice, practice!