Our October Odyssey Continues
October 15th, 2023
Schedule Change for 5th and 6th Band
Begins MONDAY, October 16
It is officially time to adjust our schedules for 5th and 6th grade band. 5th grade modifications affect clarinets, saxophones, and brass. 6th grade modifications adds a full band meeting, thus helping us achieve our 125 minutes of district required band meeting minutes.
5th grade schedule (begins October 16)
Monday - Flutes (specials); Percussion (RTI)
Tuesday - Brass (specials); Reeds (RTI)
Wednesday - Percussion (specials); Flutes (RTI)
Thursday - Saxophones (specials); Brass (RTI)
Friday - Clarinets (specials)
6th grade schedule (begins October 16)
Monday - Percussion
Tuesday - Woodwinds/Brass
Wednesday - Percussion
Thursday - Full Band
Friday - Woodwinds/Brass
Congratulations Fundraiser 1-5th place
Top earner!
Caden earned himself a $10 Amazon gift card for being the top earner in the fundraiser.
Second place
Colin chose his favorite, gummy bears!
3-5th place
Elsy, Brenden, and Alex rounded out our top earners, each earning a treat of their choice!
Thank you so much to all of our 28 fundraiser participants! We have half of our Sonor Xylophones on order for 4th graders and will be applying the remaining funds towards incidentals as the year progresses, music purchases, and festival fees.
Mock Auditions for 6-8th graders
Students in grades 6-8 will be experiencing what a music audition feels like in the coming weeks. Students have had their music since the end of August, with all of the music being introduced in classes over the last month and a half. Students were to then refine and grow the music into a solid audition. Every student will record themselves performing, what we are calling, Honor Band Audition Assignment. This is available to them in Canvas and due no later than October 31. Instructions are typed into the assignment, as well as being typed and handed out as a paper copy.
Percussion students will need to use school owned equipment to complete their assignment. This process may take class time to complete. Instruments they need to use that are not available to them at home can include chimes, bass drum, timpani, and agogo bells.
Audition words of wisdom... this process can be scary and nerve wracking, which is why we are all doing this and trying. The more we do this process, the easier it gets. Most nervousness comes from preparedness, so hopefully individual practice has been happening at home to prepare. If not, there is still time!
- There is no such thing as a perfect audition -- as a musician, we always tend to find ONE thing we wish could have been better. It is important that students record a full audition and submit the assignment and realize that a few mistakes here and there are not something to be upset with. We learn from it, grow from it, and modify for the future. It's ok to make mistakes!!
- Scales are important -- the scale requirements are one of the most important elements. Use it to show off tone quality!
- Don't sacrifice accuracy for speed -- if something is too difficult at the recommended speed, slow it down! in 7th & 8th grade, their etude 33 is marked at 112. It would be better to take it at a slower rate of speed, should it not be doable at the speed given. 90 would be a fantastic goal.
- Simplification of parts is acceptable -- 6th grade clarinets do have to "cross the break" for the first time in a project like this. They all can do it, but have struggled doing it in the tempos given. The students may lower that pitch to, what we call, flying saucer C, to make it easier. 7th & 8th graders learned on Friday how to simplify their etude 33, especially for trombones. If the 16th notes are too fast/too hard, they may transform them into 1 quarter note (only play the first) or 2 8th notes (only play note 1 and 3 in the group of 4).
- Take time in between selections - Students need to submit all in one audio/video, but they should be taking 2-3 deep breaths in between scales/etudes. Judges would rather hear silence in between and calming/thinking of the music to come than rushing onto the next and not being ready.
- Be proud of yourself - This is a brand new process for 85% of the students (all 6th graders and most middle schoolers). Be proud of yourself for putting in the work and effort. YOU CAN DO THIS and I BELIEVE IN YOU!
Click the title above to fill out the google form for shirts. These are for 5th and 6th graders only. They are the uniform for all band performances (hopefully for 2 years). This year, students picked the design and chose to have it on a solid black cotton tee. The only addition to the photo here is that Sunset Ridge will be outlined in white to make it pop.
5th grade MUST fill out the form for order. 6th grade only needs a shirt if they are new to band, lost or outgrew their shirt from last year.
Middle School Band Concert
Arrive around 5:15pm for a 5:30pm start time. This is middle school only, but younger students are welcome to come and listen! Students should wear their band polos (on order), jeans or black pants, and shoes of their choice.
Thursday, Nov 2, 2023, 05:30 PM
Sunset Ridge Cafegymatorium
5th and 6th Grade Band Concert
Arrive around 5:15pm for a 5:30pm start time. This is 5th and 6th grade only, but older students are welcome to come and listen and help out (record, set up, clean up). Students should wear their band t-shirts (order form coming this week), jeans or black pants, and shoes of their choice