Beginning Band

Class Description

Beginning band class is designed to teach beginning instrumental skills to students with little or no previous band playing experience. Instruments taught in the and at the beginning of the school year are limited to: flute, clarinet, trumpet, horn (French horn), trombone, baritone, tuba and percussion. With instructor approval, students are eligible to switch to bass clarinet and drums no earlier than 2nd semester. Beginning Band will present two concerts this year: one in December and one in May. A concert uniform is required. Please see further down this page under "Concerts and Uniforms" for more information regarding uniform requirements and details.

Supplies

We will use Tradition of Excellence book 1 in Beginning Band class. Students need to have their Binder, planner, Tradition of Excellence book, pencil, instrument, sheet music and maintenance supplies with them at every class.

Practice Information

Philosophy: Individual practice is an essential element of learning an instrument and becoming and confident musician. Every student in band is expected to practice regularly throughout the school year. Practice is how students can be prepared for our in class playing tests and concerts, both of which are assessment grades. Students need to practice enough so that they are prepared for class and keeping up with the material we are learning.

Practice Expectations:

1. Practice 4-6 days each week.

2. Practice for at least 90 minutes over the course of the week. (If you practice for 6 days, that is ONLY 15 minutes a day!!!)

Suggested Woodwind and Brass Practice Routine:

2 minutes: Class warm-ups (includes breathing and Concert F for 8 counts)

2 minutes: Long Tones and Lip Slurs Warm-Up

5-10 minutes: Numbers from Essential Elements for Band that we are working on in class

- Start with some review, then work on the newer numbers we are learning

10-15 minutes: Assessment Assignments

- These are the numbers assigned as in class playing tests and any sheet music we have

5 minutes: Play what is fun for you!

Suggested Percussion Practice Routine:

1 minute: 8's (on a hand) on practice pad/snare drum

2 minutes: Long Tone and Slur Warm-up on pad/snare

5-10 minutes: Snare Drum Review of the numbers from Essential Elements for Band we are working on in class

5-10 minutes: Snare Drum Assessments for in class playing tests

2 minutes: Long Tone and Slur Warm-up on mallets

5-10 minutes: Mallet Review of the number from Essential Elements for Band we are working on in class

5-10 minutes: Mallet Assessments for in class playing tests

5 minutes: Play what is fun for you!

Practice Systems

We use online practice journals that students submit once a week. The goal is that by creating online practice forms, students and parents will have easier access to practice logs, and the process for turning in practice time will be simplified. These practice logs are accessible on any computer, tablet and smartphone. If you do not have access to these from home, please see Mr. Roy to get an alternate assignment.

Students have also been given a paper copy of a Practice Journal to keep track of practice during the week, and then help them fill out and submit their online journal.

Please note:

Students - Practice records are all about communication and accountability. Please be honest and use integrity!!

Parents - Once your student has entered all their information about what they practiced and for how long they practiced, you will need to enter a Pass Phrase, or Password. Please think of this as your electronic signature. The first time your student submits their practice card, you will pick this pass phrase. Please use the same one every week. If you need to change this phrase, please e-mail Mr. Roy at christopher.roy@dysart.org. Please keep this pass phrase private from your child and help them practice integrity and accountability.

Practice FAQ's

General

Q: What should my child practice at the start of the school year?

A: My expectation is that students are practicing what is being taught in class. If we are playing, for example, long tone 1, slur 1 and #'s 10 and 13 from the book, that is what they should work on at home. If your child is ahead of the class, they should continue learning new songs and warm-ups. Students will always have something to practice.

Q: Are students expected to practice during Thanksgiving, Winter or Spring Break?

A: Students are generally not required to practice during these breaks, but it is HIGHLY encouraged! :)

Q: Are practice and practice journals for a grade?

A: YES! The information submitted in the practice journals will receive weekly work habits grades. Once a month, practice journal work habit grades will be averaged together for a monthly practicing assessment grade. Furthermore, the practicing that you do will also influence and affect your in class playing tests and assessment grades. As mentioned above, practice is what will make in class playing tests and concerts more successful. The more students practice, the better prepared they are and the better the grade they receive on their assessments!

The more students practice, the more fun they will have!

Practice Journal FAQ's

Q: Do I turn in my practice journal every week?

A: Yes. They are due every Wednesday by midnight.

Q: What do I do if I forget my Pass Phrase or Password?

A: Enter a new one and mention it is new. (Example: Roy1 - New password Mr.Roy!) Also, parents please send me an e-mail at christopher.roy@dysart.org to verify this new pass phrase.

Q: My computer and/or internet EXPLODED over the weekend, what should I do???

A: Take cover!! Bring a note in to Mr.Roy on Monday and bring in your practice journal on notebook paper signed by your parents to verify your time.

Practice Support and Suggestions for Parent

Below are practice suggestions for families on how to set-up and support successful practice sessions for your student:

1. Find a Private Location. It is best for your student to have a distraction free location when practicing. Many families find bedrooms, basements and home offices tend to be the best places for practice.

2. Perform!! Do not wait until band concerts for performances! Setup times for your student to play songs out of their book for you as mini recitals or concerts. This is not only enjoyable for parents, it will also inform you of your students' progress and give your student opportunities to perform outside of classes on concerts. Include extended family and neighbors too!

3. Consistency. Go over your students' out of school commitments together (ie. dance, youth group, scouts, sports, etc.) and decide on consistent days and time for practice. Do not let your student leave practice to chance, mood or inspiration. Some students have found success by not only deciding on consistent practice days and times, but by then adding that information to their planner as well!

4. Encouragement! Encourage your student to practice. Encourage them to practice not just the music they already know and are already good at, but to practice the tough stuff! A wise musician once said: "If you sound great in the practice room you are NOT practicing the right thing!"

5. Support. Especially in Beginning Band, students will hit a time when the honeymoon phase has ended and the music starts to get hard. Help support and encourage your student that even though it is hard now, practicing will make it easier!

SmartMusic Information

SmartMusic is a computer assisted music practice program. Students watch their music on the computer screen, play into a microphone and when finished, are shown how successfully they played the music. Students that use SmartMusic comment on how their at home practicing is not only more focused and productive, but is also more fun! SmartMusic is offered as a yearly subscription.

But! Don't just take my word for it...please look at SmartMusic's website to see all of the incredible benefits this program has to offer. (https://www.smartmusic.com/classic/)

If you think SmartMusic is for you and your student, please feel free to purchase a subscription at any time. We will use SmartMusic in class occasionally and if you decide to purchase SmartMusic at a later date, that is fine as well. Students that purchase SmartMusic may have the opportunity on some tests to take playing tests at home through SmartMusic, rather than in class in front of everyone else.

SmartMusic Tech Support: 1-866-240-4041

Grading

Band is an academic course with State Music Standards and National Music Standards. Band grades are based on the following categories:

1. Practice

Please see the section above for details on practice.

4 - Practice more than expectations

3 - Met practice expectations

2 - Did not meet practice expectations

1 - Practice Journal not submitted or no time practiced

2. Concerts

All concerts are Assessments and as such are REQUIRED ATTENDANCE and GRADED. Grades are based upon attendance and participation.

3. Individual Playing Assessments

These are the in class playing tests or recorded playing tests we will complete. Students will be assessed approximately every 2 weeks during class time using the rubric provided during class time.

4. Written Assignments

Students will occasionally complete in class writing assignments concerning music history, music theory, music comprehension and the pieces we are playing or listening to in class. This will all happen completely during class time and will not be sent home as homework.

Late Work

Philosophy: Promptness, productivity and responsibility are life skills needed in any occupation. Grades need to be an accurate reflection of learning. Class assignments are intended to support learning in a timely manner. Therefore, it makes little sense and is not in the students' best interest to accept late work weeks after it is assigned. In order to support and promote a student's proactive and time management skills, the following expectations have been established in Band classes:

- The expectation is that work is finished and turned in on time at the assigned due date.

- If a student has late work to turn in, Mr. Roy needs to be notified ASAP so we can work together to decide on the best course of action (ie. grant an extension to the deadline, modify the assignment, grade reduction based on the lateness of the assignment, etc.)

- Depending on the situation, Mr. Roy may or may not grant an extension to the student.

- If an extension is granted, Mr. Roy and the student will agree upon an alternate due date.

- A mark of "MI" or missing will be placed in the grade book until the assignment is complete.

Make Up Work

If a student misses class, they should:

1. START WITH CHECKING THIS WEBPAGE!!

2. Click on the lesson plan for the day they missed (located at the top of this page).

3. On your first day back to class, attend class as normal to see if there was new material presented (no need to tell Mr. Roy you were gone at the beginning of class.)

4. Ask classmates questions at appropriate times if there is something you do not understand.

5. See Mr. Roy at the end of class for any questions you may have.

Students - Please do not ask "What did I miss?" at the beginning of class or in the middle of a class discussion. This will not create the best conditions for you to get all the information you need. E-mail is usually not as good of an option for make-up work as in most cases additional guidance is necessary for students to completely understand what they missed and need to make-up.

Listed below are the general make-up practices and procedures for class work:

Practice: If you were sick or out of town for more than 3 days, contact Mr. Roy for your make-up practice procedure.

Written Work: Students may make up work missed by making arrangements with Mr. Roy. IT IS UP TO THE STUDENT TO MAKE THESE ARRANGEMENTS!!!

In Class Playing Tests: Students may make up missed tests by scheduling time with Mr. Roy. IT IS UP TO THE STUDENT TO MAKE THESE ARRANGEMENTS!!!

Concerts and Uniforms

Concerts are the culmination of all the students have learned and worked on over a period of time. Concerts are a unique performing experience and they are a celebration!!! Concerts also teach students valuable skills such as: how to prepare for a long term goal, cope with nerves and performance anxiety, how to behave at formal concerts and how to critically listen to other performances. Concerts are also a team activity. In band, no one is put on the bench - everyone must participate completely all the time, or the group as a whole suffers. Concert music is carefully selected with the students and ensemble ability in mind. If a part is missing, the entire ensemble will suffer. There is no way to "make-up" or replace a concert experience because of the unique experiences listed above and the teamwork necessary for every student to be successful. Therefore, ALL CONCERTS ARE REQUIRED. In order to promote and support students' responsibility, accountability, time management skills and hard work, the following expectations and procedures have been established:

- All school concerts and dates were established and finalized by the Music Department with plenty of time in advance.

- All concert dates are posted on the band website and distributed in paper form at the beginning of the school year.

- It is expected that students and parents write the dates of all the concerts in their planners and family calendars and prioritize their schedules to make it to the concerts. (It is recommended that parents support their students with their planners, but still have your student initiate and negotiate their schedule.)

- In the event of a conflict with the concert, it is expected that the student contact Mr. Roy in a reasonable amount of time prior to the concert - 2 week minimum - to see about scheduling possibilities (arrive after the report time, miss the warm-up, etc.)

- Once the student has alerted Mr. Roy to the scheduling conflict, parents are asked to also communicate with Mr. Roy via e-mail so everyone is involved and working together.

- In the extremely rare event of an unavoidable conflict, an alternate performance based assignment will be assigned to the student to perform in front of the class or in front of Mr. Roy, and the student will be assigned to listen to the recording of the concert and write a summary about the concert recording.

- If a student becomes ill or is in an emergency situation, please call and/or e-mail Mr. Roy as soon as possible! Students will be assigned to listen to the concert recording and write a brief summary.

- If a student fails to come to a concert because they choose not to or they forget, their concert grade will be recorded as IE (insufficient evidence) and make up work will not be provided.

Concert Uniform and Information

All Beginning Band students have the same required uniform that they must wear for all concerts and performances.

Gentlemen:

1. White Dress Shirt

2. Black Pants - preferably with a belt. (NO JEANS)

3. Black Socks and Black Shoes

Ladies:

1. White Dress Shirt

2. Black Pants OR Dress or Skirt - Skirt length must be bellow knees

Concerts are a formal celebration. Please use your best judgement concerning clothing choice. The school dress code and Concert Uniform are fully enforced and if a student arrives dressed inappropriately, they will not be able to perform in the concert.

Class Handouts

Click on the link "Handouts" below to access the handouts page.

Please note: due to copyright laws, I cannot post sheet music online. If you lost your sheet music, you will need to borrow your part from a classmate and then bring it to me to copy.