Concert Countdown: 7 weeks!!

We've officially begun counting down until our very first concert! 7 weeks until Tuesday, Dec. 13 for SGS and Thursday, Dec. 15 for RGS! Our concert will consist of mostly pages 16 and 17 in the band books and the students know that if the are well prepared with their homework for band that they should start looking at the concert music. I know 7 weeks sounds like a lot, but it really isn't when you only have band one time a week and when you throw in crazy schedules like for Parent-Teacher conferences and Thanksgiving. I sent home schedules for November/December with the band students this week. I will post the schedules on my website next week. I left the file on my C drive at school and can't access it to post it until then.
If you have some time, you should look around on my You Tube channel. I have my own "channel" that has playlists of videos of different instruments, full bands, small groups and other interesting things. I know that every household has different rules and that some of the 5th graders might not be allowed to surf around You Tube. I haven't really been promoting my You Tube channel to the students. I will leave that up to you, as the parents, to show them the channel and then take a look and listen together, if you so wish. I will be taking some time next week to add many more videos, so check back next week too!
It's coming to the point for many students where they have to start practicing a little more in order to be prepared for lessons. It's not quite as easy as it was in the beginning and we are learning new notes more frequently. Please encourage your child to practice 20-30 minutes for 3-5 days a week. Unfortunately, some students have already thrown around the dreaded "Q" word...shhhh.....quit.....It's only been 8 weeks and we're more than half-way to our concert! I don't think that anyone should be considering that right now. They haven't even experienced a tiny bit of what band is really like. Please encourage your child to stick with it and not take the easy way out. When one person considers this, it's like a horrible domino effect on the whole group. Besides, it's way too early to be thinking about that, anyway! Many of the students (and me too!) are getting really excited for the concert in December. It will be here before you know it!
Have a great week! Feel free to stop by my office during Parent/Teacher conferences next week. I'll be at RGS on Wednesday 4-8, and Thursday 12:30-3:45 and at SGS on Thursday from 4-8. My office is in the cafeteria at both schools. I'd love to discuss your child's progress with you!

Amanda Storer

678-6726

astorer@nsd2.com

www.mrsstorersbands.weebly.com

Countdown to the First Concert: 2 months!!!

The band students are moving along quite nicely! I know that 2 months seems like a long time from now (and it kind of is) but when you only see your students once a week, that means I only have like 8 lessons with my band students before our first big concert!! And factor in a sick day or two between them and me and my children and that means there might even be less!

If you don't already, be sure to mark you family calendar's with our Winter Concert so that there are no conflicts. The Winter Concert at SGS is Tuesday, December 13, 2011 at 7pm. It is the same night as the 3rd grade musical and all of the 5th graders also sing at this concert. At RGS, the 5th grade musical and band concert is Thursday, December 15, 2011 at 7pm. More information about what to wear will be sent home closer to the date.

Now that we are learning more notes (most students know how to play and read 5 notes!) some students are having a hard time reading the notes. If your child struggles with reading in general, it may transfer to note reading as well. Or even if your child does not struggle in class with reading, they may struggle with note reading. I've instructed a few students to write the letter names in their music before they practice. Some students might need this for most of the year, but most do not. I don't mind if they write the notes in if they really need to, but I don't want it to become a crutch where they are not reading the notes at all, but just the letters. Because there is more to notation than just pitch (ie. note duration and length, articulation, etc.) they can't just be looking at letters above or below the notes. I am always trying to reassess and see what each child needs and when they may be able to stop writing in the names, we'll figure it out. Note reading games and flashcards are a big help! Look at my blogpost from a couple of weeks ago for links to cool music reading games!

I know of one family that has purchased a subscription to Smart Music and has started using at home! That is so cool! I hear that next week I should be getting a Mimeo that turns my white board into a smart board!! Then I will be able to project the music from Smart music on the white board and we can start really seeing what the program can do. I can't wait to update you next week about how it went!

I hope you have a fantastic week! As always, please feel free to call or email if you have any questions or concerns.

 

Amanda Storer, Band Director

Richmond Grade School and Spring Grove School

www.mrsstorersbands.weebly.com

astorer@nsd2.com

(815) 678-6726

Week 4 of Band Lessons!

Happy 4th week of band lessons! This week was an exciting one for a lot of the band kids. Many of the students were able to try move up to the next rank in "The Principal's Own Band." Everyone in the two bands has moved to the rank of "Private" at their second lesson because they can assemble/disassemble their instruments, sit and play with good posture and hand position and make a good sound. In order to move up in rank to "Private First Class," they must play line 1.17 for me by themselves. I recorded each student who could play it proficiently and I sent that recording to their parents through email so that you can keep track of their achievement. The flutes have not gotten that far in the book yet (this is typical, the flute is slower to start), but they will be there next week or the week after! If you did not receive an email with a recording, I may have asked your child to work on the song over this week again as it may not have been ready. No worries, everyone has their own way of progressing. If you didn't get a recording emailed to you and your child says that they did make one, let me know.

The SGSers had their first full band rehearsal this week! I was going to start full band next week, but I was asked to judge trumpet auditions for the IMEA festival try-outs in Orland Park on Tuesday afternoon and evening, so I will be gone next Tuesday afternoon. EVERYONE AT SGS WILL HAVE A LESSON NEXT TUESDAY MORNING, so please remind your child to bring their instrument. Even though I will be leaving early for the day, I will be there all morning and I rearranged the schedule so that everyone will have a lesson in the morning. The students can check the schedule outside in the 5th grade mobile hallway on Tuesday morning to see what time they will have to see me.

RGS: Your first full band is next Wednesday, October 12!! The most important thing to remember is that CLARINETS! You will have to start bringing your instruments and music on Wednesdays AND Thursdays. I picked clarinets as the people who would have to bring their instruments two times a week because they are small.

Please encourage your child to play for you! They are so proud of themselves and it 's a great way to validate their practicing. When you ask your child about their lessons, what they are learning and if they can demonstrate for you, you are showing them that you think band is important and that you are proud of their accomplishments. This will go a long way in boosting their confidence! Thanks for all of your support! As always, let me know if you have any questions or concerns about anything! Have a great week!

Amanda Storer, Band Director

Richmond Grade School and Spring Grove School

(815) 678-6726

www.mrsstorersbands.weebly.com