Today was a great day at the note factory! We’re finally, if a bit slowly, getting back into the swing of things (and really will once jazz band begins…sorry, I had to…). All but one returning member remembered to bring their instrument and progress is already being made on maturing of tone quality and increasing technique. The beginners have made great progress on everyone trying all the instruments and we will definitely be able to finish that very important process tomorrow. It is always fun for me to see for which instrument the students show an aptitude, and often they would be good at more than one, with even an occasional student scoring very high on ALL the instruments. It is equally fun to see the surprise on the student’s faces when they prove to be good at an instrument they had never considered. In the past, some of those students have made All-State. Yes, it is a very important process.
The 8th grade concert and both symphonic band classes began looking at music for the Fall concert today. While it is likely that the symphonic band will play Drayton Hall Esprit as one of their pieces, the concert band will get more difficult music than what they read today.
As for practicing for the 7th and 8th grade students:
- All students in both 8th grade concert and both symphonic band classes should practice page 10 in the Foundations for Superior Performance, specifically the major scale, mini-scale and tonic arpeggio, and scale pattern one. Students who don’t have their own copy were given a copy to borrow until theirs arrives.
- Additionally, 7th grade concert band students should practice line 7 in Essential Elements Book 2. Again, those who don’t have their own copy were given one to use until they do.