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 GRADE BAND TO PLAY AT CREEDMOOR MUSIC FESTIVAL
The Mayor of Creedmoor personally asked me to bring our band to the Creedmoor Music Festival on Saturday, September 16 (soon!). Please return the permission form to me this week. If you need the information paper again, you can view it here: https://docs.google.com/document/d/1G7obWH0P762ElLXvBPfD8_02d63_GC-pTlXtxlCuRE8/edit?usp=sharing
Parents, we need every member of the band participating, if possible. This is our chance to show off our band program to hundreds of music lovers in the Creedmoor community, most of whom have never heard us play before. I really want us to sound and look our best. Thank you!!!
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.
Students are allowed to use it in band class, too. In fact, I highly encourage it. If you would like your child to use it in class, I recommend you purchase the Peterson PitchGrabber pickup: https://www.amazon.com/Peterson-PitchGrabber-Mobile-Tuner/dp/B014L9CCHO/
This is like a microphone that will only "hear" your instrument, so you can use the Bandmate app in class while other people are playing their instruments beside you.
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. In fact I expect it will hit 1 million downloads by October.
IN THE BAND ROOM THIS WEEK
6th graders will start learning their first three notes this week! Our "textbook" is all online at www.JustinDickson.com/Band . This week we will begin working on Chapter 1 from the Method. I will also show trumpet / trombone / baritone players how to clean and oil their valves and slides, which should be done at least once a week.
7th grade will continue playing the songs in Chapter 10 and will take a test on #10.06. We will also continue learning our new "Fundamentals For 7th Grade Band". We will probably have time to start working on Chapter 11 at the end of the week.
8th grade will test on #1.07 from our new Fundamentals routine this week. We will continue learning material from this Fundamentals page, and start working on new music for our October concert.
PEP BAND
Practice Wednesday after school, parents can pick you up at 5:00 at the front of the school.
============
OLD STUFF
============
CONCERT CALENDAR
Our concerts will be a little different this year. First, the 6th grade band will perform on a separate night than the 7th and 8th grade bands. This is because our band program and the SGHS band programs have gotten so big that the auditorium is too small to have everyone together on the same night like we used to. Mr. Maston and I are so proud and grateful that you have made band so popular that we are dangerously overcrowded at our concerts (thank you!), but now we need to make some adjustments. So, here is our concert schedule for the year:
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 17, 7:00, 6th grade only, at SGHS auditorium
May 18, 7:00, 7th and 8th grade, at SGHS auditorium
The other change with our concerts this year is that, as you can see, 8th grade will perform 4 concerts instead of 3. I want 8th grade band to be about getting as much performance experience as possible. This is a big step for our program, but we are ready for it.
INSTRUMENT STORAGE DURING THE SCHOOL DAY
Students have the option to carry their instrument around with them all day, or store them on the shelves in the band room during the day. They will be able to come by the band room at the end of the day to pick their instruments up, so they can go home and practice.
DO YOU HAVE YOUR INSTRUMENT?
Parents, please help your child remember their instrument in the morning. Please make sure it is in working order. Clarinets and saxophones, please make sure you have extra reeds.
THANK YOU
Thank you, parents, for signing up your child for band. You didn't have to do it, but you chose to do it, and I don't take that for granted. Thank you for making music education important in your family. Thank you for spending your money on an instrument for them to play. Thank you for supporting me and our school band program. I love my job and we are going to have a great year together. Justin Dickson