Concert Band

Current Repertoire:

Sketches of Canada: https://www.jwpepper.com/sheet-music/media-player.jsp?&type=audio&productID=10520376

Playing in the School Band is a wonderful activity! You are with your friends; you get to express yourself; you learn a life-long skill; and you perform in concerts. Here at Bigelow Middle School, the Concert Band and Symphonic Band perform two concerts; a Winter Concert and a Spring Concert.

Band members are expected to participate in all rehearsals and concerts; practice their music at home so they can play it to the best of their ability; take lessons; take good care of their instrument; and support other kids in the group.

All incoming 6th graders should be able to play a one octave chromatic scale in eighth notes, both staccato and legato. Percussionists must bring a stickbag containing their own drumsticks (see below), and be able to play rhythms using quarter notes and rests and eighth notes and rests. Percussionists should also have a practice pad at home, and EVERYONE should have a metronome (and be using it every day!).

Members of the Concert Band will be tested on their note reading ability during the first two weeks of school. Each member will be expected to pass the 6th grade note reading requirement (12 pitches of the clef, scrambled, and named in 20 seconds or less) right away; as well as the 7th grade requirement, which includes the bass clef, by the end of the term.

Instruments of the School Band

• Woodwinds
  • flutes, piccolos, oboes, bassoons, clarinets, saxophones);
• Brass
  • trumpets, French horns, trombones, baritones, tubas
• Percussion
  • snare drum, bass drum, xylophone, timpani, and auxiliary percussion
• To supplement the lower voices, we will use Keyboard Bass (the bass notes played on a keyboard, running through a bass amplifier). There are normally no piano parts written for school band music.

JAZZ BAND does not replace the school band! Jazz Band members must play in the band or orchestra, depending on which instrument they play.

General Information:

6th gr. Band meets on Days 1 & 4 and is open to 6th grade wind, brass, and percussion instrumentalists who played in their 5th grade school ensemble. It is not for beginners on any instrument. Students will play for Ms. Trimpey to judge their level, and will be placed in the appropriate section. Those who are unable to play the music will be expected to work very hard, take lessons, and catch up before actually joining the band on stage.

BEFORE BAND REHEARSAL

• Swish water through your mouth to get all food particles out
• Unpack
• Set up your chair and stand
• Warm up: Brass players - buzz slow glissando sweeps with your mouthpiece. Percussion - play patterns of eight 8th notes and sixteen 16th notes, then long rolls. Winds and brass - play long tones, then slow scales.

AFTER BAND REHEARSAL:

• put the music back in the folder and close it.
• wipe down your instrument with a piece of cotton or flannel cloth. Get all fingerprints and moisture off.
• Swab out flutes, saxes, and clarinets, then wipe out mouthpieces. Store reeds inside the plastic container.
• Empty spit valves on brass instruments.
• Don't put music inside your case! It wasn't designed to protect anything but your instrument.
• help put the chairs and stands away.

Concert Band members may also sing in the chorus. Both groups meet at the same time, across the hall. To do this, band members must first:

1. get Mr. Livingston's permission and Ms. Albert's permission
2. Be Signed up for Private Lessons
3. go to Band on Day 1 and Chorus on Day 4 unless we arrange otherwise
4. Be ready at any time to play the band music for Ms. Trimpey

Being in both groups means that kids are in each group for half the time, so they must work that much harder.

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Because it is against the law to photocopy music, we use original copies in the band folders. The paper is heavier and easy to read. Each original is stamped with the school stamp in red ink, so it is easy to tell from a copy. Those folders never leave the room. I am permitted, however, to make photocopies for home practice. I use yellow, blue, or any color paper other than white, to further distinguish them from the originals. Those practice copies go home and stay there. Any extra practice copies are recycled after the concert.

Materials Needed:

• Pencil with eraser - NO PENS! You should keep this in your instrument case
• Nametag on instrument case - Must include: family name and telephone number
• Folder to take home Practice Copies of music (a Music Binder for in class is provided)
• Metronome
  • A free on-line metronome- http://www.metronomeonline.com/ (but each child should have a "real" one!)
• Instrument and any necessary maintenance supplies:
  • Flute: cleaning rod, swab, polishing cloth
  • Clarinet & Saxophone: reeds, cork grease, swab, polishing cloth
  • Trumpet/Baritone/Trombone: valve oil, slide grease, snake brush, polishing cloth
  • Percussionists must each have a stickbag, containing a pair of snare drum sticks, snare drum mallets, and xylophone mallets. You can get these at any music store. Each stickbag must also have a nametag on it.

All materials can be found at a local music store (go to Resources), Amazon.com or WWBW.com