Boise-Eliot SchoolBOISE ELIOT BAND 6th -8th Grades
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SCAN TO BOTTOM OF PAGE FOR ADVANCED BAND LESSON PLANS
What do:
Albert Einstein
Samuel L. Jackson
Bill Clinton
Prince Charles and
Halley Berry have in common?
They were all in their school bands!
Now you can be too!
Playing in the band can affect your grades --- for the better:
IN other words, playing in band is like weight lifting for your BRAIN!
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Band is offered as an "elective" during the regular school day. Band students do not miss other required course work in order to attend band. Band is a full year course.
Typically, a clarinet flute or trumpet will cost about $30/month to rent through a music store. You can provide your own instrument, but please don’t go out a buy one before you and your parent have talked with me.
WE CAN WORK IT OUT!
Two levels of band classes are offered. Those who successfully completed band last year and want to continue will be part of the Concert Band program. A beginning program is also offered for those with no previous experience in band, those who want to begin a different instrument and those who would benefit from a second time through the first year curriculum.
If your child is in band, he or she is expected to practice at home. Every day is not too much! This year I will NOT be requiring practice records. Instead, we will determine if the student is practicing enough based on his or her performance on weekly playing quizzes. These weekly quizzes will make up a large part of the student's grade in class. (Also considered are: daily participation--having all materials ready, following directions, etc., attendance at performances, completion of homework sheets/assignments---theory pages, listening reports, etc. and meaningful extra credit completed--taking private lessons, attending concerts and writing about them.)
Every band student brought an instrument contract and a band grade explanation home for parents to sign and return. If you did not see it, call or email me:
Contact Becky Underhill at (503) 916-6171 or email me at: bunderhi@pps.net
COMING SOON:
Barnes and Noble Lloyd Center: Sunday, Dec. 11, 3:30
Winter Concert: December 16, 1:45 at Boise Eliot (school day concert, parents invited)
City Middle School Festival: February TBA (school day festival)
Spring Concert: May TBA
Oaks Park Play to play: May/June TBA
ADVANCED BAND COMMANDO
11/28
You need: instrument, black book, scale sheets, pencil, concert music
Be silent in your seat by 9:40
Pass out rhythm sheets.
Read exercises2/4: 1 and 2, with band counting (1 + 2 +)
Scale sheet: concert B flat and F
F scale, using rhythm #1 for each step
Warm ups: Black book pg 16:67
QUICKLY:
Introduce grade book and weekly quiz component----
** In your planner, write: practice scales (Anthony pg 42 blue), pg 16:71, concert music
“From now on, please enter the planner info at beginning of class—I’ll check as you leave.
If not done, stay and do it. You’ll probably be late for your next class and I will NOT excuse it.
CONCERT MUSIC
Nutcracker (focus on dynamics, remember repeat we added)
Linus and Lucy (new for this year)
Somewhere in My Memory
CHECK PLANNERS
11/30
IN PLANNER: B flat, E flat and F concert scales, Black Book (BB) 12:47 and 16:67, Concert music
Read exercises 2/4: 3
Scale sheet: concert B flat and f
F scale, using rhythm #1
Warm ups: Black book pg 12:47
Nutcracker
Linus and Lucy
Somewhere in My Memory
CHECK PLANNERS
12/2
IN PLANNER: B flat, E flat and F, BB12:47, 16:67, 22:102 Concert music
Rhythm exercise: 2/4: 4
Scales: B flat, E flat and F
Nutcracker
Linus and Lucy
Somewhere in My Memory
CHECK PLANNERS
12/5
In Planner: B flat, E flat, F BB12:47, 16:67 and 18:81, 22:102
Rhythm exercise: Read aloud 2/4 1,2,3,4
Scales: B flat, E flat
Let’s Go Band
Nutcracker
Linus and Lucy
Somewhere in My Memory
12/7
In Planner: B flat, E flat, F BB: 16:67, 18:81, 22:102 Concert Music (CM) Water is Wide
Rhythm: Read aloud 2/4 1,2,3,4
Scales: B flat E flat
Warmup BB: 16:67, 18:81
Nutcracker
Linus and Lucy
Somewhere in My Memory
CHECK PLANNERS
12/9
Planner: CONCERT SUNDAY Barnes and Noble 3:30 Lloyd Center, 22:102, CM
Rhythm: ¾ #1 (write it in)
Water is Wide
Nutcracker
Linus and Lucy
Somewhere in My Memory
CHECK PLANNERS
12/12
Planner: Concert Friday School 1:45 wear band shirt or navy polo Can Can
KNOW all concert music Invite family
TEST 22:102 (rhythm and Pitch)
Nutcracker
Linus and Lucy
Somewhere in My Memory
CHECK PLANNERS
12/14
Planner: Concert Friday School 1:45
Dress rehearsal for concert
Nutcracker
Linus and Lucy
Somewhere in My Memory
CHECK PLANNERS
12/16
In Planner: Play for friends and family over the break
CONCERT this afternoon. Wear band shirt (or navy polo)
Can Can
Nutcracker
Linus and Lucy
Somewhere in My Memory
CHECK PLANNERS
Getting started on your instrument
Clarinet solo (Rhapsody in Blue)
Clarinet quartet (The Simpsons)
76 Trombones (From The Music Man)
Flute (Jean Pierre Rampal and Miss Piggy)
Instrument Descriptions
Flute
This is a small instrument that plays high pitched notes and plays the tune, or melody, in most band music. More than any other instrument, it requires a careful match with the student. Very few students are mediocre flute players— most can either play the flute very well or simply cannot play it at all, due to lip shape. Your band teacher will help determine if flute is a good choice. It is important for your child to have a strong second choice if they wish to play the flute.
Clarinet
This instrument is also small. Like the flute, it often plays the tune in band music. It is an easy instrument to start on, although like all instruments it has its own difficulties later on. It also requires a constantly replenished supply of reeds, which must be purchased and are fragile. The clarinet is also an excellent choice if the student wishes to eventually switch to oboe, bassoon, or saxophone.
Alto Saxophone
This instrument is large, heavy, and expensive. It uses reeds, like the clarinet. To successfully play the sax, a student must have large hands. Although it is rather easy to play if the student is big enough, it is sometimes a better idea to play for the first year on the much lighter and less expensive clarinet, and change to sax in junior high school. A few taller, large-handed students can play the tenor saxophone.
Trumpet/Cornet
These two brass instruments are so close to being identical that a choice between them is not very important. The trumpet is small and high pitched. It sometimes plays the tune, especially if the tune needs to be loud. The trumpet mouthpiece puts great demand on face and lip muscles and requires a great deal of practice time. Braces on the teeth make trumpet playing difficult. If the student is a casual band student, and not diligent in their practice, the trumpet is not a very good choice. On the other hand, if they want to play the melody and really be heard, the trumpet is a fine choice.
Trombone/Baritone
These two related “low brass” instruments are really very similar. They use the same mouthpiece, and can play from the same music. The main difference is that the baritone has valves (it’s like a big trumpet) while the trombone has a slide. These instruments with their low sounds play the very important bass line in band music, like an electric bass in a rock band. They are both easier to blow than the trumpet. The trombone’s slide is capable of some great special effects.
Percussion (At least one year of band or piano is requires before instruction on percussion) Percussion is more than just drums! It includes struck instruments such as the triangle, cymbals, wood block, claves, as well as melodic instruments such as bells and marimba. All percussion students start on bells and drum practice pad, and are tested on both drum rhythms and bell melodies. They begin using actual drums later in the school year. Percussion requires excellent rhythm skills, and much practice. Students are encouraged to use a “percussion kit”
