Thursday, January 15

Symphonic Band

We focused on the first contrasting section in Rhythm Machine today. It is tough to keep the tempo up and also play with good style and attention to dynamics. After this, we ran two pieces: Freedom Dance and Reflexão. Students then made a list on their practice sheets of sections in each piece they need to work on. This should help guide their practicing and lesson times over the next few weeks.

Concert Band

I finished evaluating students for their upcoming smart goal project, and students rehearsed sections of Prospect and the fourth movement of the Boysen Symphony No. 4.

5th-Grade Band

The fifth-grade group continues to make solid progress. Today we reviewed slurs on page 19 and progressed to learning about phrases and a new key signature on page 20. We then learned a couple sections of Gavotte and saw how the melody is consistent, but the accompaniment changes to give each section a different feel.

Tuesday, January 13

Concert Band

GREAT rehearsal today. We covered the second half of the first movement in Andrew Boysen's Symphony No. 4, and I think the students are getting the heart of the piece. The first movement burns with primal energy and sustaining that feel for a few minutes straight. The group sounded good singing at the beginning, and we observed some neat compositional techniques at work to unify the piece.

Symphonic Band

There were some fine student performances today, and we made progress in defining some background rhythms in Reflexão. The main part of rehearsal, though, involved increasing the tempo of Basin Street Barbeque and trying to get the flavor of New Orleans to come through. Check out Rebirth Brass Band for some more stylistic inspiration.

5th Grade

We covered a lot of new material today. Students sightread well in the Essential Elements Quiz, #98, and we finished playing the last two sections of Gavotte. Students also received new practice sheets. All students must keep their practice sheet filled out and up to date! Sheets that are incomplete will not receive points. Parents should sign and date their child's sheet a day before the lesson, and students who miss their lesson should show their practice sheet to Mr. DeCaro within one day in order to receive credit.

Monday, January 5

Reminders

Solo and Ensemble is this Thursday from 5:00 to 8:00. This affects all Concert Band students and some Symphonic Band students. See the schedule here.

Symphonic Band

I set some high expectations for the Symphonic Band today. We have just under six weeks to finish preparations for our MMEA performance, and there is a lot to be done. It's not that we're in a bad place right now--the group has worked to meet the expectations placed on them so far this year, and it is time to raise the bar where it now needs to be. Every music director wants rehearsal to be packed and relevant to everyone, and part of the expectations I have for the group over these next six weeks are that they will come to every rehearsal knowing their individual parts so that our rehearsals can focus on the aspects of group playing that can only be addressed together.

To help us focus, we are adopting a pattern of rehearsal called "50 Measures a Day," in which we will focus on a section of music intensely, playing small chunks at a time, before moving on to running large sections of other pieces.

Today, rehearsal focused on the first 50 measures of Rhythm Machine. Students did a great job with the pace of the rehearsal and responding to instructions.

Concert Band

Today was devoted to preparations for Solo and Ensemble on Thursday.

5th-Grade Band

Pretty good rehearsal today for the day after a long break. We reviewed pages 17 and 18 in the Essential Elements books and finished class with a rhythm game. Students should be checking off page 17, #84 and pages 42, measures 21-28 with me before the end of the quarter. All exercises after that will go on the third quarter grading period.

Thursday, December 18

Concert Band

Today we read through most of the three works up for consideration as the main piece on our MSHSL Contest program. They are the Bach Prelude and Fugue in B-flat, Andrew Boysen's Sympony No. 4, and David Holsinger's The Gathering of the Ranks at Hebron.

Symphonic Band

Wow! We played through the whole program that I have planned for the MMEA Clinic in February.  Eight pieces, and we made it.

5th-Grade Band

Surprise! No band today for the fifth graders.

Tuesday, December 16

Important!

Solo and Ensemble Registration and payment is past due! All students in Concert Band should be participating. Some students's ensembles from Symphonic Band are also involved.

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Concert Band

Students turned in smart goals today to drive their practicing over the next month and a half. They will be recording the initial assessment of the skill involved by the end of this week.

Rehearsal focused on expressive playing in Ammerland and correct style in the Bach Prelude and Fugue (which may not actually have been written by Bach...)

Symphonic Band

Following up on yesterday's great Monk Rehearsal, the group sight read what may be the final new piece for our MMEA performance. John Kinyon's Devil Dance begins with a driving fanfare in 6/8, includes a couple tricky measures of hemiola, and may wind up being our concert opener.

5th-Grade Band

Solid work from the group today. We finished our overview of page 17 and explored some improvisation in exercise #85, "Essential Creativity."

Upcoming assignments for 5th Grade include:

1. Page 17, #84--prepared without help from me
2. Page 42, measures 21-28
3. Page 18, #90--may be due in the third quarter instead of second
4. Class Performances! Students are playing on either January 7 or 9 and must choose an exercise from pages 14 through 17.