Files

High School Band Handbook 

Middle School (grades 6-8) Handbook (also good reading for 5th grade) 

Instrument Shaped Objects

Instrument Care Guidelines

4-part TAPS for trumpets

Band Lesson Plans

Lesson Plan - Student Music Selections

Instructions for Music Selection

1) Go to jwpepper.com

2) Select "Band"  then  "Concert Band" (NOT jazz band or marching band)

3) Choose any category as long as it stays in "Concert Band"

4) Select appropriate grade level

• 6th grade = "very easy"

• 7th and 8th grade = "easy"

• High school = "medium easy" or (maybe) "medium"

5) Listen to several recordings before making ONE selection (max of one per student)

6) copy the URL/link to the piece into an email to Mr. Van (avan@spartanpride.net)

Suggestions:

• Choose music that uses the instruments we have (i.e. do not choose music with lots of tuba if we have no tuba player)

• Do not choose music just by title - it may be your favorite song but it has to sound good for band AND it has to sound like the actual song.  Not every arranger is as good as Mr. Van!  LISTEN to your selection before sending it.

Lesson Plan: Evaluate Performance of our literature

1) Go to youtube

2) Find a live performance of two pieces our band is currently performing

3) Listen to each piece (optional: with partner)

4) Answer the following questions for both pieces:

• What is the Title, Composer and year of publication?

• Which band is performing?  Include a URL link to the recording you viewed.

• What grade level band is performing?

• How large is the ensemble performing (# of players)

• How does the instrumentation differ from our band?

• Explain the challenges in this piece specific to your instrument using measure numbers and WHY each part is challenging.

• Give your opinion of how well the band performed, with SPECIFIC criteria (i.e. accuracy, intonation, balance, blend, how well they performed together).  Do not include the quality of the video for this evaluation.