Musician Expectations

The following expectations

• Be on time to all rehearsals and performances. EARLY IS ON TIME – ON TIME IS LATE.

• When the director or staff member steps on the podium or asks for your attention, all talking should cease.

• Come to rehearsal with a good attitude.

• Students are required to practice and won’t make any improvement without putting in practice time. Rehearsals are to work on musical concepts relating to the whole group such as balance, blend, and interpretation. Notes and rhythms must be learned at home. Additionally, chances are that if you know your own part, you will find rehearsals to be much more musically rewarding and therefore enjoyable.

• Make a real effort to improve on a daily basis and establish a good practice routine.

• At the end of rehearsal, put all materials in their proper place. Everyone must help with set-up and take-down. Many hands make light work.

• There will be no horseplay in and around the music room..

• All percussion equipment is off limits to anyone not specifically designated to use it.

• No storing of personal belongings in the music room. Personal belongings must be kept in the student’s locker at all times.

Practice Expectations

As with any activity, you get out of it what you put into it. Band will not be rewarding unless you practice! There are many values in music that transfer to other areas of life. Although this will not immediately happen, persistent practice will lead to enthusiastic, driven practice.

Here is a suggested plan of study:

• Pick a set time each day

• Have a set place to practice

• Stretch and do breathing exercises prior to warm-up

• Use our daily warm-up & think “tone”

• Play some form of scales at every practice session

• Take a break every 20 minutes

• Work on technique (articulations, accents, etc.)

• Practice sight-reading

• Be musical and use the tuner for part of your practice session

• Increase your dynamic range (work pianissimo to fortissimo)

• Increase your endurance (15 minutes of FULL TONE playing)

• Increase your range (highest note with a good tone)

• Use a metronome for a specific portion of your practice session

• “I will start with _____ minutes and increase to _____ minutes …”

Students in music are expected to practice for 90 minutes per week.