In this issue:

• 5th grade: helpful pointers for parents
• Updates from the middle school bands
• AHS marching band recap

5th Grade Band News

The success of the band is directly related to the individual progress that is made by each student in the group. We would like to thank the students, parents, classroom teachers, and the administration for their continuous support of the instrumental music program. We would like to offer some helpful suggestions for you to continue to provide support to your child.

Helpful Pointers to Parents of Fifth Grade Band Students

Your child's success on his/her chosen instrument is of great importance to him/her, to you the parent, and to us the instructors. At each lesson, your child is told what material to practice and how to practice it. However, we realize that many outside factors cause home practice to become a struggle at times. To make practice as productive as possible, we would like to give you some helpful suggestions based on our experiences, first as students and then as teachers. We hope that the following suggestions will help you to help your child at home.

• Provide your child with as good an instrument as possible. Help find a safe place to keep the instrument in your home.
• Provide your child with a music stand. It will promote good posture and proper breath control.
• Set aside a consistent, regular time and place in your home for practice. We would recommend setting a goal of 100-120 minutes of practice each week (15-20 minutes of daily practice). Arrange the practice schedule free from interruptions by television, outdoor play, and brothers and sisters.
• Try using SmartMusic as a practice tool. Students can practice their lesson assignment in SmartMusic at a tempo that is comfortable and SmartMusic can aid them in assessing their progress. Students can record themselves and email the recording to us so they can cross off the song and keep going in the book. SmartMusic allows students to play along with a professional recording when they practice their full band music. You can get more information at www.smartmusic.com or 1-(800)-843-2066.
• Show an interest in your child's practice and study. Be generous in your praise and encouragement. Occasionally reward them for consistent practice. Encourage them to perform a 5-minute recital for you!

With parent-teacher conferences, concerts coming up, and everyone in the routines of the school year, November is a great time to take stock of a few band-related items.

• Does your clarinet or sax player have enough reeds? Do they need an upgrade in quality or strength?
• Does your student need a mouthpiece upgrade? If your student is 7th grade or above and still playing on a beginner mouthpiece, it’s probably time to upgrade. Ask your student’s instructor for recommendations.
• Looking to go deeper? There’s nothing like upgrading to an advanced level instrument (see article below) and/or taking private lessons to move to the next musical level. Your student’s instructor will have some great recommendations for either of these options.

Ames Middle School Bands

7th and 8th grade students honored by SCIBA

On Tuesday, November 6th, nine Ames Middle School band students will participate in the South Central Iowa Bandmasters (SCIBA) Middle School Honor Band Festival at Ankeny Centennial High School. This annual event involves students from more than seventy school districts. Students will rehearse with guest conductors during the day, then perform an evening concert.

Seventh graders are recommended by individual instructors and then selected by a SCIBA committee. To balance instrumentation within each band, a limited number of students from each school are chosen. Representing AMS are Hannah Song (clarinet) and Anleah Walker (F horn).

Eighth grade students are selected based on live auditions. Students auditioned in Waukee on Tuesday, October 2nd. Those selected from AMS include David Lee, Lillie Kennedy, Alina Markutsya (flute); Lindy Chen (oboe); Harvey Kenemer (trumpet); Allie Enyart (trombone) and Eliza Loecke (percussion).

Additionally, David Lee, Lillie Kennedy, and Allie Enyart earned selection to the Iowa Bandmasters Association All-Iowa 8th Grade Honor Band. That group will meet and perform in May.

Congratulations to all AMS students selected for the SCIBA Honor Band Festival!

ORPHEUS HONOR BAND

AMS seventh and eighth grade students have a second honor band opportunity. On Tuesday, January 15, Simpson College (Indianola) will host the Orpheus Middle School Honor Band. If selected, interested students will be notified and receive music in December. The band will rehearse during the day with a guest conductor, then present a concert at Pote Theatre that evening.

AMS Band Calendar

Be sure to add these dates to your calendar!

Have You Considered Upgrading Your Child's Instrument?

After your child has been playing four to five years, you should consider the benefits of upgrading your child's instrument. Benefits include, but are not limited to, the following areas:

1. Improved tone quality
2. Additional keys
3. Improved construction and materials
4. Improved response

A student's progress is directly affected by the quality of instrument they are using. Instrument design is constantly being reevaluated and improved. To offer your child the best possible opportunity to musically express themselves and improve technically on their instrument, you will want to investigate upgrading to a better instrument.

Ask the following of you, your child, and your child's band instructor when considering upgrading your child's instrument:

• Is my child's progress being limited by the quality of instrument they are currently using?
• Could an instrument upgrade spark a renewed interest in music?

Ask your child's band instructor before pursuing a new instrument purchase. He or she is an invaluable resource when you are considering this important investment in your child.

Students earn All-State honors

Being selected as an All-State Musician is an honor. This festival gives students from every school district in the state the opportunity to perform with other outstanding student musicians, under the direction of world-renowned conductors. Students prepare scales, selected etudes and a solo, and audition at one of six selected sites throughout the state.

Ames Senior High band students auditioned at Indianola on Saturday, October 21, for positions in the 285-member band, 210-member orchestra and 600-voice chorus. Students selected for these groups rehearse in Ames on Friday and Saturday, November 17 and 18, with a festival concert at Hilton Coliseum on Saturday evening at 7:30 PM.

Students who auditioned are listed below. Those selected for the festival are indicated with an “A” after their name. Those selected as alternates are indicated with an “ALT” after their name.

AHS to host Dallas Brass Concert

According to Mr. Levine, "a Dallas Brass concert is intended for the entire family. Their ideal audience has a range in ages from 5 to 95. Their goal is to entertain and enrich by playing great music, while showing our audience how much we enjoy what we do." The group will perform as an ensemble but will also perform a couple of selections with Ames band students. More details about the group can be found at dallasbrass.com.

AHS Wind Symphony to perform at UNI

The AHS Wind Symphony has been invited to perform at UNI on March 12, 2019, as a participant in the UNI Invitational Wind Band Clinic. This is an event for accomplished high school bands in recognition of their Commitment to Excellence in music education and band performance. Only six bands are invited to participate. The event is held in the 1500-seat Great Hall of the beautiful Gallagher-Bluedorn Performing Arts Center, on the campus of the University of Northern Iowa. The Great Hall is a world-class performing venue that our students will remember for a very long time! The Wind Symphony will receive two 50-minute performance/clinics and also have the opportunity to observe two other ensembles’ performance/clinic. Students will also attend a performance of the UNI Wind Ensemble.

Marching Band Observation Tower to Retire

2018 AHS Marching Band Leaders

AHS Band Calendar

For the full calendar, click here.

Ames Band Staff

Andrew Buttermore, Ames High School

Chris Ewan, Ames High School

Ron Ferneau, Ames Middle School, 8th grade

Deb Fritcher, Ames Middle School, 7th grade

Tascha Hauber, Ames Elementary

Paul Tallman, Ames Elementary

Peter Thompson, 6th grade and Ames High School