Expert Musicianship Award

Announcing the Expert Musicianship Award for 7th and 8th Graders

Requirements:

  1. Demonstrate daily the highest degree of leadership, participation, dedication, preparation, and reliability in our school's band or orchestra.
  2. Research and prepare a report on your instrument. Include as much information as you can about it, such as its manufacturer and model, place of manufacture, serial number, and how long you've had it. Describe the history of your instrument. Please include at least one illustration.
  3. Learn the Junior District solo for your instrument, and perform it without mistakes in a rehearsal of the band or orchestra. Pianists should prepare a solo at that same level of difficulty.
  4. Learn your scales so that you can correctly name the notes of all twelve major scales, all twelve natural minor scales, all twelve melodic minor scales, and all twelve harmonic minor scales. You must have all your scales memorized. Be able to sing them as well as play them.
  5. Be able to identify the key signatures of all twelve major keys, and know their relative minors.
  6. Be able to name all the intervals (prime, major and minor second, major and minor third, perfect and augmented fourth, perfect, augmented, and diminished fifth, major and minor sixth, major and minor seventh, and octave) starting from middle C.
  7. Conduct the school ensemble in one selection of music, in rehearsal.
  8. With your family, attend a concert of the Boston Symphony Orchestra or the Boston Pops Orchestra in Symphony Hall, and submit a one page Concert Critique report. Be sure to arrive 30-45 minutes early so you can study the historical displays all throughout the hall. Describe the music, the location, the audience, the ensemble, and give your reaction and thoughts about the concert.
  9. Play a musical selection of your choice on piano, demonstrating that you can use correct finger position, posture, and touch with both hands. It could be something simple from a beginner book, and it does not have to be memorized.
  10. Choose a song and sing it during rehearsal, demonstrating a good understanding of expression, pitch, rhythm, and form. Suggested songs: America, The Beautiful, The Star Spangled Banner, and others with great meaning. You should prepare all the verses, not just the first verse. It does not have to be memorized. Learn about the composer, the history of the song, the historical context of its composition, and its meaning as it appears to you.

The Expert Musicians will be able to conduct rehearsals of the Concert Band, Symphonic Band, and Orchestra during the school year. They will receive a certificate, an award, lunch at Bertucciís, and a personal recommendation to the high school music faculty.

Please plan to finish all your work by June 1, 2019 at the latest.

Good luck!