The Concert Band is made up of mostly 9th and 10th grades.  They perform 4 concerts along with other performances through the year.  This is the group most freshman will be in when you join band at Cretin-Derham Hall.

Read this if you are taking Honors Credit...

Honors credit is available for 10th, 11th, and 12th grade.  In addition to the general credit requirements honors persons will give a live recital performance in front of the class and go to an outside performance and write a concert report- click here for guidelines.  Go to the course requirements page using the link on the left side column of links for more information.

Advice on your recital performance...
For the recital, you need this to be your best performance (you always want to give your best performance anyways!).  Take it seriously and prepare the music ahead of time just as you would for any concert or contest.  Please be sure to check in with the teacher on your performance piece to make sure all is well.  Do this even if you are taking private lessons, performing in an ensemble or using Smart Music accompaniment.  It is better to check in many times instead of showing up and performing.  Even the best musicians should check with their teacher for any advice they may have before the performance; just play your piece for them before or after school or send them a recording of your performance to get some advice on the next step.  The performance typically will be towards the end of the trimester.  Remember the day you signed up for and come prepared to play in front of the class on that day.  Listen to their feedback and apply it as usefully as you can in your next performance.Those pursuing solo/ensemble contest in the Spring will substitute their contest performance for their recital performance.

Advice on writing your concert report...
When writing the report consider how the musicians performance relates to what you do in class as a student?  How do you think  you get to that level?  Are there things you need to do that the performers are doing? Should they/you be doing something in addition to what they/you are already doing?  Ask your self these questions as you listen to the concert and think about these questions when you write your report.  Late papers result in a grade reduction for each day late; 1 day late= 1 grade reduction (i.e. A goes to a B), 2 days late= 2 grade reductions (A goes to a C).  Don’t forget to include proper grammar and cohesive sentence structure.  

Daily stuff needed

Please be ready every day for a pencil, instrument, and music check!  You will need to have some scratch paper ready as well.

Our success as a band depends on how much you practice as an individual outside of rehearsal!

Other assignments maybe given throughout the trimester.  The assignments will count towards your grade.  The grade you receive on your assignment may affect your grade if that assignment grade is unsatisfactory.  This can reduce your grade from an A to an A- in most cases.  The teacher will determine when and if your grade is reduce.  Please  talk to the teacher about your grade if you have a question.  Do this before the end of the trimester.

Concert Band Mid Trimester Grading Break down	End of the Trimester Grading Rubric
A  2 lessons, 2 pep bands	A   4 lessons, 4 pep bands
A- 2 lessons, 0 pep band	A-  4 lessons, < 4 pep bands
B 1 lesson, 1 pep band	B+  3 lessons, 4 pep bands
B- 1 lessons, 0 pep band	B    3 lessons, < 4 pep bands
C+ 0 lessons, 2 pep bands	B-   3 lessons, 0 pep bands
C 0 lessons, 1 pep band	C+ 2 lessons, 4 pep bands
C- 0 lessons, 0 pep band	C    2 lessons, < 4 pep bands
(Keep in mind there's still time left	C-   2 lessons, 0 pep bands
but you may have wasted valuable	D+ 1 lesson, 4 pep bands
time not keeping up)	D   1 lesson, < 4 pep bands
	D- 1 lesson, 0 pep bands
	F   0 lessons, any pep bands

If you don't do the work, you will not get the good grade.

Plan ahead to come to prepare and come to lessons.  Please check with your teacher

ahead of time (not the day of) if it is okay to miss their class when choosing a lesson time.

Don't forget before/after school also work.  Homeroom amy also work, but once again,

check with the teacher first.  Get a pass from us if you think it is necessary.

Incomplete or missing assignments will turn into zeros if left incomplete or missing.  This can result in in a grade reduction (A to an A-).

Concert Band Assignments, these will also be listed on Infinite Campus.

1. Smart Music Assessments.  (50 - 100 points)These will be short assignments (a few measures or so).  Some will be entire pieces of music.

2. Smart Music Recordings.  (100 points)These assignments will be longer, usually a whole piece of music.  They could consist of solos with Smart Music accompaniment or large group parts.

3.  Intonation Charts (Wind Players only):  (100 points) Using your first Intonation Chart as a guide for out-of-tune notes, read the tuning guide on the first page, try some of the techniques, tune your horn and watch the tuner this time and record your readings.  BE SURE TO TUNE YOUR INSTRUMENT ACCORDING TO THE GUIDELINES PRESENTED TO YOU IN YOUR PACKET.  You MUST have each note you play fall into the range of + or -10 from zero.  Zero is the best of course so try to center the pitch on zero.  Please check the notes at the bottom too with the crescendos and decrescendos and tell me what the tendency of your horn is.  Brass players should record readings with mutes.  Keep in mind you want it in tune so please use the tuner ahead of time before you record your information.

4.  Ear Training (for all players):  This assignment is in development.  The basic premise of this assignment is to train your ear.  You must always listen as you play with a group of people to make sure your timing and tuning and tone are in touch with the rest of the ensemble and that the ensemble is doing that in the correct style.  This assignment will focus on tuning intervals as you play.  Each interval must have balance and adjustment from the pitch center you learn about in your intonation chart.  You will use Smart Music's tuner with the drone and the recording function to play each interval in tune before.  You will record yourself playing each interval within the scale and adjust youring tuning by using your ear to check to see if your in tune. 

5. Mallet Arpeggios, Timpani Performance and Snare Drum Rudiments (Percussion only):  (100 points each)It is important that you schedule a lesson with Mr. Fairweather before the due date in order to receive credit for these assignments. These assignments are assigned based on your ability.  They are considered an introduction to these instruments and it is up to you to continue learning on these instruments after you have completed these assignments.

Mallets...You must prepare all of the exercises before You must perform all of the Mallet Arpeggios and exercises on the assignment at a lesson with Mr. Fairweather. Read the assignment carefully and learn the way each arpeggio feels when you play it.

Timpani...You will have practiced all of methods of tunings and exercises before your lesson. Make sure you've memorized the intervals before you tune the timpani by ear.  Ask for some extra help before you perform at your lesson.

Snare... The Rudiment portion is slightly different than last year. Read about the difference between orchestral playing and rudimental playing.  Then, perform all of the 40 standard rudiments  as indicated on your assignment sheet.  Study each one as an isolate unit, then perform at a lesson the columns that say application in them. For an excellent website on how to play rudiments go to www.vicfirth.com and do a search for rudiments.  Practice and study the

 

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