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 CONCERT RECORDINGS
I was very proud of our 8th grade concert band and jazz band last week. In our previous two concerts this year, our 8th grade band performed beneath their potential. They were terribly out of tune, and failed to execute basic basic musical techniques like dynamics, articulation, and phrasing. We came to terms with this as we analyzed the recordings in class, and worked very hard for the past two months in class on intonation, phrasing, and balance. We learned the hard way that just playing "the right notes" is not enough to perform at the level we have come to expect from our bands at Hawley.
The performance Thursday night sounded like a completely different band from the one you heard in December. Their tone, intonation, phrasing, and balance was that of a mature middle school band, or even a young high school band. I am confident in their ability to perform at the highest level and earn the Superior rating at the Carowinds Festival of Music, if we commit to improving and growing for the rest of the year as we have in the past two months. It won't be easy, but this band has proven that they can do it if they want to.
The recordings from Thursday are up on my website. Feel free to share these with friends and family: http://www.justindickson.com/band/recordings.htm
CAN I GET A VOLUNTEER?
Is anyone available to help on Monday and/or Friday night at 6:00? We are doing our "instrument tryout nights" with the incoming 5th graders. I just need someone to enter each student's name and information into a spreadsheet as they register for band. I can't do it because I will be occupied with the instrument tryouts. Thank you!
5th GRADER RECRUITING
If you know any 5th grade students who might be interested in playing in the band at Hawley next year, please invite them to one of our Band Parent Meeting / Instrument Selection Nights this Monday or Friday, March 12 and 16. Here is a paper about it that they can show to their parents: http://www.justindickson.com/band/stuff/band-invitation.pdf
IN THE BAND ROOM THIS WEEK
6th grade will continue working on their first piece of concert music, "Union March" by Mekel Rogers. Students will be tested to make sure they are learning their part throughout the rest of the semester, so please make sure they are practicing at home.
7th grade will start learning their third piece of concert music this week, "Honor Roll March". I am very proud of the progress this band has made so far this semester. I have given them very challenging music, and they have stepped up to the challenge. In fact, we are way ahead of schedule for our concert preparation. What a great problem to have!
8th grade will start learning our music for Carowinds this week. We will start with one of my all time favorites, "Imperium" by Michael Sweeney. Students will be tested to make sure they are learning their part throughout the rest of the semester, so please make sure they are practicing at home.
Jazz Band will learn a new piece this week. We listened to a few last week, and the next one they asked to learn is "Moanin" as played by Art Blakey & The Jazz Messengers.
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OLD BUT STILL RELEVANT INFO
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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 17, 7:00, 6th grade only, at SGHS auditorium
May 18, 7:00, 7th and 8th grade, at SGHS auditorium