Hello everyone!

We are in "week 3" and we are off and running in all classes. 8th graders are working on sheet music, seventh graders are working on technique, refining their playing skills, and guitar working on playing technique and melodic patterns. We have been discussing what to be practicing at home. I will list that below. Parents, please find time to sit with your student to set a practice schedule.

Weekly E-Mails:

I send out weekly emails through Mi-Star to student emails and parent email addresses that are listed on student registration. These email links will also be in Google Classroom.

Facebook Group:

We have a Facebook group at: https://www.facebook.com/groups/frostmsmusic/

Please join!

Follow on Twitter:

Frost MS Music: https://x.com/frostmsmusic

Mr. Rais Music: https://x.com/mraisbass

Know any students who should join our band or orchestra?

If you have any friends that want to join our band or orchestra, there is still time this week to join. Students can still join the Frost Band and Orchestra classes and still take electives. Tell your friends to join! See your counselor or Mr. Rais for more info!

Chicago Tour 2025!!!

We are planning our Chicago Tour, which will be scheduled for Friday, May 9. This is open to our band, orchestra and guitar students. We are also looking for parent chaperones as well. We are getting the final costs worked out and we will have this information sent out soon!

Frost Music Wear!

Our music wear store will be opening soon! We will have hoodies, t-shirts, concert music shirts, pj pants, shorts, drawstring bags, and more! Link coming soon!

All music students started playing their instruments as of last week. So we are into week two playing on instruments for Concert Band, Concert Orchestra and Guitar. Students in all music classes need the required method book. These can be purchased on Amazon. Please make sure that they get the book for their instrument!

The attached links listed below include the links for the purchase of the method books, what students need for class and more.

Large instruments such as Double Bass and Tuba:

These instruments will be provided for home and school use.

Cello, double bass, tuba, Bari sax instruments will keep one instrument at home, and use a school instrument in class.

Students need to purchase their method book for class.

- All students should have a music locker assigned to them. Students remember your locker number.

- All students should have a pencil for class. Keep one in your case.

- All students are playing their instruments.

Parents, please sit down with your student to help come up with a plan to practice at home. Students are to bring instruments home to practice. They can stop in the music room after school to pick their instruments up.

1st/6th Hour:

- Developing embouchure (mouthpiece) sounds.

- Instrument playing position

- Rhythms: Able to clap and count whole, half, quarter, eighth notes

- Percussion: Able to play buzz rolls, paradiddle, 8 on a hand (see percussion page on fmsmusic.org for more info)

- Students are working on playing their first 5 notes. (Handout) See Google Classroom.

- Practice warm up sheet: First Fundamentals 5 notes reading (Practice with recording)

2nd Hour:

- Foundations Warm-Up Set #2

- Danger Notes Scale Sheet: Concert A-flat scale, B-flat scale

- Rhythms: Able to clap/count; whole, dotted half, half, quarter, dotted quarter, eighths, sixteenth rhythms, 2/4, 3/4, 4/4, cut time

- Independent tuning

- Percussion: Able to play A-flat scale, B-flat on mallets

- Repertoire:

*Star Spangled Banner

*The Victors

*Life is a Highway

3rd Hour:

- Tuning

- Tone: Full bow use, playing with a large sound

- Rhythm: Clap/Count Whole, Dotted Half, Half, Quarter, Eighth, Sixteenths notes

- Scale: D Major (2 octave) - Use scale sheet

- Intonation Sheet: #1-2 A and B line

- Repertoire: Violins learning both parts 1 and 2

*At the Lake

*Sparkle City

*Sword Dance

4th Hour:

- Instrument holding position

- Practicing bow hold: look at finger placement

- Use videos to review bow hold placement

- Rhythms: Able to clap and count whole, half, quarter, eighth notes

- Pizzicato (plucking) finger placement, plucking practice

- Moving the bow long tones on each string

- Playing first 5 notes: D, E, F#, G, A

5th Hour:

- Instrument holding position

- Left and Right hand placement on instrument

- Using a pick

- Sound Innovations Book: Exercises: #1-6

- Rhythms: Able to clap and count whole, half, quarter, eighth notes

- Pieces: Be able to play #3-4 independently

Dates:

Tuesday, October 1: @ Stevenson HS: Back parking lot / Football field

Times:

Arrival: 6:30p (meet in back parking lot) (put cases along the track, make sure name is labeled)

Performance: 7:00p (on the field)

Wear: Dress for the weather; Frost Music wear or Frost Wear

Wednesday, October 16: @ Churchill HS: Practice and Parent Meeting

Parent Meeting in CHS Music Room: 6:30p

Students meet outside of the field house / football field (enter from front of CHS): 6:30p

Cases: Put on the track

Wear: Dress as you are, dress for the weather.

Friday, October 18: @ Churchill HS: Game Day (Pre-Game) / Tailgate party (Optional)

Students meet in the back parking lot; put cases in the music room

Tailgate party: Frost Band / CHS Band ($5.00 per person) 5:00-6:00p

Students in block at 6:30p

Wear: Dress for the weather, wear music wear / school wear if available

Flip books / Lyres needed! Purchase yours now!!!

Students are going to need a flipbook and lyre for their instrument. We have a Marshall Music online store to purchase recommended lyres. Brass players should use bell clamp on lyres.

Marshall Music Frost Online Store: CLICK HERE

We have our Frost Music Wear store now open! The store is open until September 25 then the store will close, and a few weeks later, your music wear will be delivered to the school.

It isn't mandatory to purchase, but it is awesome to share your pride and represent the Frost MS Music Program!

We have t-shirts, hoodies, track jackets, shorts, PJ pants, beanie hat, and more!

We are just waiting for the final details from our travel company so we can release it to all of you! I am really excited about our Chicago tour as our students will get to perform at VanderCook College of Music, enjoy the tastes of Chicago food, and explore this amazing city!

I will be hosting an online Google meet for our Chicago tour. Date TBA

Please make sure students and parents sign up for the appropriate Google Classroom:

We use Google Classroom to post sheet music, supplemental guides, reminders, important dates, assignments, and more.

Students need to be signed up before the end of the first school week.

1st Hour: Concert Band

https://classroom.google.com/c/NjkwMjUxNzIyODYz?cjc=uj5vyvh

Code: uj5vyvh
2nd Hour: Symphonic Band

https://classroom.google.com/c/NjkwMjUxNzE2NDUw?cjc=nvlixk6

Code: nvlixk6

3rd Hour: Chamber Orchestra

https://classroom.google.com/c/NjkwMjUxODM2MDc2?cjc=xgbtpbl

Code: xgbtpbl

4th Hour: Concert Orchestra

https://classroom.google.com/c/NjkwMjUxNTQyMDU4?cjc=fcsgx42

Code: fcsgx42

5th Hour: Guitar fundamentals

https://classroom.google.com/c/NjkwMjUxNzc3ODY1?cjc=nf4dphp

Code: nf4dphp

6th Hour: Concert Band

https://classroom.google.com/c/NjkwMjUxNzIyODYz?cjc=uj5vyvh

Code: uj5vyvh

Band Items:
https://shop.marshallmusic.com/c-1223-livonia-frost-ms-band.aspx?pagesize=100

Orchestra Items:

https://shop.marshallmusic.com/c-1224-livonia-frost-ms-orch.aspx

Percussion Students:

https://frostmsmusic.weebly.com/percussionists-requirementseducation.html

Band Students:

https://frostmsmusic.weebly.com/band.html

Orchestra Students:

https://frostmsmusic.weebly.com/orchestra.html