Sunday, January 29, 2017

This Week In Band 1/29/2017

Dear Band Parents,

Here is the plan for this week in band at Hawley Middle School.


Concert March 10
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     Don't forget, our next concert is Friday, March 10.  Students should arrive at 6:45 to get seated and tune, and we will start playing promptly at 7:00.  This concert will feature only our 8th grade band and the SGHS concert band.  It will be held at SGHS, students wear formal black & white.


In the Band Room
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     6th Grade:  This week we will get into chapter 7, in which we learn about 3/4 meter.  Lots of fun songs in this chapter.  For the next test, students can choose their favorite: 7.03 or 7.04.  I will post instructional videos for these songs on our Youtube channel soon, to help students practice at home.

     7th Grade:  We have been learning new high notes and doing lots of "reps" in class to build muscle strength to play those notes well.  For our next test, students can choose a song from chapter 15.  Obviously they have to pick a different one than they did last week.  Only clarinets can choose 15.03 or 15.07, they are too easy for everyone else.

     8th Grade:  We are working on music for our next concert.  We will continue working on a second piece this week.  Our first playing test of the quarter will be from our first piece, "Tears of Arizona," this week.  Students may listen to a recording of the piece online to help them practice: 



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     Old News
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Sign Up To Receive Class Announcements By Text Message
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On your cell phone, send a text message to the phone number   81010
Send the message   @HawleyBa16    to sign up for 6th grade messages
..............................  @HawleyBa15    to sign up for 7th grade messages
............................... @HawleyBa14    to sign up for 8th grade messages


Band Facebook page
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     If you are an active Facebook user, please go here and "like" / "follow" our band page: www.Facebook.com/HawleyBandRoom


Download This App, Please
---------------------------------
     Students should download the free app  Bandmate Chromatic Tuner  on their Apple or Android phone, tablet, iPod, etc.  This is an app I designed.  We will use it regularly in class, and students should use it regularly at home while they practice to check if they are playing the correct notes.


Calendar
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Friday, March 10:  8th grade band Concert.  Location is the South Granville High School auditorium.  Students arrive at 6:45, concert starts at 7:00.

Tuesday, April 4:  8th grade only, $95 for the Carowinds Festival of Music is due.  Checks payable to "Hawley Middle School."

Thursday, May 11:  6th, 7th, and 8th grade band Concert.  Location is the South Granville High School auditorium.  Students arrive at 6:30, concert starts at 7:00.

Saturday, May 13:  Carowinds Festival of Music, 8th grade only.  Students meet in the band room at 8:00am, will return around 10:30pm.

Sunday, January 22, 2017

Dear Band Parents,

Here is the plan for this week in band at Hawley Middle School.


In the Band Room
----------------------
     6th Grade:  We have been learning to play melodies that use dotted-half notes, and also learning "Yankee Doodle" (#6.03).  We have had a lot of fun seeing how fast we can play "Yankee Doodle."  It will be our next playing test, but students do not have to play it fast for the playing test.

     7th Grade:  We have been learning high notes and doing lots of "reps" in class to build muscle strength to play those notes well.  Then we have been playing songs from Chapter 15 that use those notes.  For our next playing test, students can choose their favorite song from #15.01-15.05 (only clarinets can choose 15.03, it is too easy for everyone else).

     8th Grade:  We are working on music for our next concert.  We will start working on a second piece this week.  Students should be practicing their part for "Tears of Arizona", as this will be our next playing test.



=============
     Old News
=============

Sign Up To Receive Class Announcements By Text Message
--------------------------------------------------------------------------
On your cell phone, send a text message to the phone number   81010
Send the message   @HawleyBa16    to sign up for 6th grade messages
..............................  @HawleyBa15    to sign up for 7th grade messages
............................... @HawleyBa14    to sign up for 8th grade messages


Band Facebook page
-------------------------
     If you are an active Facebook user, please go here and "like" / "follow" our band page: www.Facebook.com/HawleyBandRoom


Download This App, Please
---------------------------------
     Students should download the free app  Bandmate Chromatic Tuner  on their Apple or Android phone, tablet, iPod, etc.  This is an app I designed.  We will use it regularly in class, and students should use it regularly at home while they practice to check if they are playing the correct notes.


Calendar
-----------
Friday, March 10:  8th grade band Concert.  Location is the South Granville High School auditorium.  Students arrive at 6:45, concert starts at 7:00.

Tuesday, April 4:  8th grade only, $95 for the Carowinds Festival of Music is due.  Checks payable to "Hawley Middle School."

Thursday, May 11:  6th, 7th, and 8th grade band Concert.  Location is the South Granville High School auditorium.  Students arrive at 6:30, concert starts at 7:00.

Saturday, May 13:  Carowinds Festival of Music, 8th grade only.  Students meet in the band room at 8:00am, will return around 10:30pm.

Sunday, January 15, 2017

Dear Band Parents,

Here is the plan for this week in band at Hawley Middle School.


End of the Quarter is Friday!
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     The end of the grading quarter is this Friday.  Any incomplete playing tests must be completed by Friday.


In the Band Room
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     6th Grade:  I sent you an email last week stating that we are changing our last test of the quarter to #6.04 instead of #6.05, as we have not had time to get 6.05 ready thanks to the snow days.  So we will knock out 6.04 this week, and continue learning the other fun songs in Chapter 6.

     7th Grade:  We have been working through Chapter 13 and 14, in which we begin to learn the notes of our upper register and build embouchure strength so we can hit those notes consistently.  We are working up to the songs in Chapter 15, which we will probably start this week.  Our final two tests of the quarter will be:
- Clarinets:  14.06 and 14.11
- Everyone else:  13.03 and 13.04

     8th Grade:  We are working on music for our next concert.  We started rehearsing "Tears of Arizona" by Brian Balmages last week, and will continue to work through it this week.  Anyone who as not passed off #16.01 needs to do it by Friday, which is the end of the quarter.


Dr. King Day
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     Oscar Peterson is one of my very favorite jazz musicians.  Take a moment to listen to "Hymn To Freedom" on this important day.  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tCrrZ1NnCuM