May 16-20 Happenings

Congratulations to all of the 5-8th Grade Band Students for their excellent work at the Spring Concert! All of the bands looked and sounded great and I am very proud of all of you and your hard work. Now that that is behind us please make sure that you are practicing for your scale playing tests this week in lessons.

Middle School

5th Band

Objectives:

• Continue full octave Bb and Eb scales
• Continue Chromatic Scale
• Discuss Concert
• Read other pieces

Warm-Up:

1. Page 40 Concert Bb and Eb #1, 2
2. Read through Concert F and Ab Keys
3. Chromatic Scale

Music Rehearsal:

1. Discuss Concert
1. Listen to Recordings
2. Collect Music
2. Sultan’s Saber
1. Continue playing in cut-time
3. Chesapeake March
1. Re-read piece and begin rehearsing
4. Discuss possible performance at Open House

6th Band:

Objectives:

• Begin transposing scale rehearsal
• Discuss Concert
• Continue work on Russian Sailor’s Dance possibly for Open House
• Ask for other Open House Performers

Warm-Up:

1. Distribute scale sheets and discuss transpositions
2. Chromatic Scale

Music Rehearsal:

1. Discuss concert and collect music
1. Listen to recordings
2. Russian Sailor’s Dance
1. Begin correcting full ensemble rhythms
2. Perform in sections
3. Discuss possible performance at Open House

7/8th Band

Objectives:

• Continue scale rehearsal
• Rehearse HS Pieces

Warm-Up:

1. Play through Concert Scales: C, F, Bb, Eb, Ab, G, and D
1. Continue playing scales in cut-time
2. Play one major scale in a 3rds pattern
3. Play Chromatic Scale
4. Tune

Music Rehearsal:

1. Spania
1. Continue rehearsal incorporating dynamics and articulations
2. Isolate percussion parts for accuracy
2. Star-Spangled Banner
1. Distribute and read
2. Begin rehearsing and correcting sections
3. School Song
1. Distribute and read
2. Begin rehearsing and correcting sections
1. Isolate the endings and fast passages
2. Work with percussion on parts

High School

Objectives:

• Continue rehearsing major scales
• Rehearse Parade and Memorial Day Pieces
• Meet with percussion to rehearse cadence

Warm-Up:

1. Play through all Major Concert Scales
1. Continue playing scales in cut-time
2. Play one key in 3rds
3. Play one relative-minor scale
1. Natural Minor
2. Harmonic Minor
4. Play Chromatic Scale 3x’s
1. Change articulation pattern

Tune

Music Rehearsal:

1. Star-Spangled Banner
1. Rehearse middle section to smooth section
2. Work to shape the beginning and ends of phrases
3. Isolate intonation on fermatas
2. This is My Country
1. Work to balance melody vs. counter lines
2. Continue with shaping and tuning the slow section
3. The Caisson Song
1. Work with trumpets on fanfare sections
2. Work with ensemble on articulations and dynamics
4. God Bless America
1. Continue reading and begin fixing ensemble parts
5. Spania
1. Incorporate articulations and begin memorization