Friday 30 October 2015

Happy Halloween!

Reminders:
-Please pay the t-shirt fee online or for RCS students please return a cheque or cash
- Please pay the band transportation fee online (RCS students please pay by cheque or cash)

In Grade 6 Band
(Massey, McVeety, RCS, Grant Road, and Perry)
This week the Grade 6's added notes 6 and 7 to our repertoire.     When we tried putting all the notes together in the order that we learned them, we discovered that we have a scale.    For those students who studied music previously the 7th note is low.   This is because in the beginning ranges, this note is much more accessible as a low note rather than a high note.    Some very determined Grade 6's tried playing their 7th note high and their first note an octave higher.   This is high note is not expected right now!

Grade 6's this week continued playing the Blues, and also continued working on our ear training.   We discovered that when two people play a major second a part at the same time, we can get a bit of an eery feel.   Many of us used this interval as we composed some "spooky"  music.    Most students were asked to practice lines 2.3, 2.4, and 2.5.   If students had already practiced these, they may move on.

In Grade 7 Band 
(Massey, McVeety, RCS, Grant Road, and Perry)
Grade 7's are continuing to work on articulations.   Specifically we are looking at accents and how they are played on our instruments.   Students were reminded that an accent means there is space before and after a note.    Grade 7's have been working on Concert Bb, Concert Eb scales and we are beginning work on working on our Concert F scale.    Flutes, clarinets, and saxophones have learned the Concert Eb scale in two octaves.   We worked in our orange books this week as well.  We worked in 2/4 time.  As we worked in 2/4 time we realized that the time signature does not mean how fast or slow a piece is.  It is the tempo markings that do this.   We reviewed the terms andante and allegro.    Perry students were asked to practice either their Concert Eb or F scale (depending on the group they were in), line 1.12, and 41-53 of Night.    McVeety Grade 7's were asked to practice page from their Orange book.   Grant Road students were asked to practice 41-53 of Night.    RCS students had their first sectional with Ms. Howell this week.   They should be working on Concert Eb scale and continue working on Riders.  Massey students did not have sectionals this week.   They should be practicing Page 5 from their Orange Book.  

In Grade 8 Band
(Massey, McVeety, Grant Road, and Perry)

This week in Grade 8 Band we had a full band rehearsal as well as our clinic with Mr. G.  In the clinic we spent a lot of time working on Rippling Watercolors.  We focused on our sound, pushing air through the instrument and listening for the important parts.  By the end we were sitting in a circle playing and it sounded much improved.  We ended the clinic working on As Winds Dance.  This piece is very rhythmic and needs precision in order for it to reflect the style.  This week we started working on Spania.  Students are to learn their notes and rhythms for our full band rehearsal on Monday.

Friday 23 October 2015

Ending October

Reminders:
-Please pay the t-shirt fee online or for RCS students please return a cheque or cash
- Please pay the band transportation fee online (RCS students please pay by cheque or cash)
-Massey, McVeety, Grant Road and Perry Grade 8's - Retreat day on Wed. Oct. 28 - please make sure permission form is turned in.
-Massey Grade 7's will not have sectionals on Oct. 28 due to the Grade 8 retreat.

Please Note:
- We would like to welcome Robin Howell to our teaching team.   She will be working with the RCS Grade 6 and Grade 7 students.   RCS families are asked to note full band times remain the same, but sectionals will now be on Day 4 morning.   We would like to also welcome Bev Brander who will now be working a little bit with the Massey Grade 6's.


In Grade 6 Band
(Massey, McVeety, RCS, Grant Road, and Perry)
This week in Grade 6 Band we learned the 12 bar blues.    The 12 bar blues are made up of our first, our fourth and our fifth notes.   Once we learned the 12 bar blues, we learned the jazz standard - C Jam Blues (in Bb).   This piece is made up of only our fifth note and our first note.    This week as well, we checked Grade 6's to make sure students were comfortable with their first five notes, and with tonguing.   Some of the Grade 6's were ready to be introduced to their 6th and 7th notes.    We experimented a little with these notes.   Students were asked to compose their own song that was "spooky."   We heard many interesting compositions.     Most students were asked to practice 1.27, 1.31, and 2.1.   Students who had already mastered these lines were asked to move on.

In Grade 7 Band 
(Massey, McVeety, RCS, Grant Road, and Perry)
There were some very nice sounds coming from the Grade 7's this week.   We are continuing to work on balancing and blending.   To do this we have "scrambled" and we have tried to find the note that the low instruments are playing.    Grade 7 students are working on their concert Eb scale now.  Clarinets, saxophones, and flutes are learning it in two octaves.    Students are continuing to work in their Orange books.    Most students are about on page 5.    Massey, McVeety, RCS, students will be working on their articulations in Riders to Stonehenge.   They are asked to practice 56 to the end of Riders and their concert Eb scale.    Grant Road and Perry students were asked to practice 33-53 of Night.  They will be working on articulations this week.   All Grade 7 students can be expecting some new sheet music this week.


In Grade 8 Band
(Massey, McVeety, Grant Road, and Perry)
Reminder that the U of R clinic with Mr. Ghiglione is this upcoming Wednesday, October 28th.  Full Band is on Monday, October 26th.  Both Rippling Watercolors and As Winds Dance are coming along nicely.  Please be sure of your part so that we can get the most out of our clinic.  Once the notes and rhythms are learned, we can begin to make music.  This involves our articulations and dynamics.  If you haven't handed in your clinic form, please bring it to full band on Monday.

Friday 16 October 2015

Short Week

Reminders
- T-shirt Forms are now due.   We will be sending in orders in by the end of the month.   If you have not already given us a t-shirt size, please hand it in.  We will have sample sizes with us next week for students who are not sure of their t-shirt size.
-T-shirt payments may be made online.

Congratulations!
-Congratulations to all Grade 7 and 8 Brass students on the first annual Brass Day.   About 500 Grade 7 and 8 brass students were treated to clinics and an amazing concert.   Congratulations to all.

This Week in Grade 6 Band 
(Massey, McVeety, RCS, Grant Road and Perry)
Grade 6 students added two more notes to their repertoire.  With our five notes students practiced sustaining pitches, and worked on their tonguing.   Over the next week we will be checking all Grade 6's first five notes and tonguing.   Students as well continued to work on ear training.   The learned to differentiate the intervals of a major second, major third, perfect fourth and perfect fifth.   Students wrote in their composition books using their first five notes and some went on to write a composition to also include a new note.   Grade 6's are encouraged to play several notes in one breath.   For flutes at this point this is difficult, but it will get easier.  During our sectionals and full band students played in harmony.    This is hard at first because students are not all doing the same thing at the same time.    Most students were asked to practice lines 1.21, 1.22, and 1.23.  If students have mastered these already, they should be moving on to the next page.    Students are also encouraged to continue writing compositions in their composition books.

This Week in Grade 7 Band
This was a bit of a funny week with the Grade 7's.   We only saw the Massey, McVeety students for full band and only saw the Perry, McVeety Grant Road and RCS students for sectionals.   During these times we worked on the Concert Eb scale, we worked a little bit on Page 5 of the Orange book, and we continued to work on our band music.    We are working at balance and playing soft as well as loud and we are working at matching our articulations.    Massey, McVeety, and RCS students were asked to practice 56 to the end of Riders and the beginning to 15 of Praises.   Grant Road and Perry students were asked to practice the middle section of Night (measures23-53.)

This Week in Grade 8 Band
This week we didn't have full band but most students did have sectionals.  We have gone through Rippling Watercolors and As Winds Dance from beginning to end.  We need to be ready for these for our clinic on October 28th.  Soon we will be adding Spania to our repertoire.  If you haven't handed in your clinic permission form yet, please bring it in to full band on Monday.


Friday 9 October 2015

T-Shirts, Brass Days, and Clinic forms

Reminders
-Please return Brass Day permission forms
-Please return Instrument Rental Forms
-Please Return T-shirt Forms

Events This Week
BRASS DAY - WED. OCT.14 - for all Grade 7 and 8 Brass Students
-Students will be bused to the University of Regina.   Please make sure permission forms are handed in.  

This Week In Grade 6 Band 
(Grant Road, Perry, Massey, McVeety, and RCS)
With this being a short week we did not have full band.   We spent this week in sectionals reviewing our first four notes and spending a great deal of time working on our breathing.   Students were challenged to see how many notes they could play in one breath.   Many students were trying to breath after each note, and so we learned that it sounds much better when we play more than one note in a breath.   

We  also continued to work in our composition book.   Students practiced writing their first four notes as whole notes, half notes, and quarter notes.   Students then began composing their own composition.   Some students began experimenting with some new notes as they wrote their composition.   We encourage students to experiment with their own compositions.   Most students were asked to practice lines 1.18, 1.20, and 1.21.   Some students had these lines mastered already and so were asked to move on to the next set of lines.  


This Week in Grade 7 Band
(Grant Road, Perry, Massey, McVeety, and RCS) 
This week in Grade 7 Band we went beginning to end in three pieces!   We still have lots of work to do, but this is a huge accomplishment.   During our classes we have been working a lot on using warm air.   We have experimented with the difference in warm and cold area, and have experimented with listening to different instruments as we work on our balance.   Grade 7's were also tested on their chromatic scale.  Massey, McVeety, and RCS Grade 7's were asked to practice Riders to Stonehenge.   Grant Road and Perry Grade 7's were asked to practice m. 1-33 and 53 -end of Night.    


This Week in Grade 8 Band 
(Grant Road, Perry, Massey, McVeety) 

We're preparing for our clinic on October 28th with Mr. Brent Ghiglione at the U of R.  Students should have brought home their permission form already but if they have not done so please bring them in ASAP.  A copy of the permission form can be found here on the left hand column.  Students will be bussed from their home school at 9:15 and will return to their school by lunch.  

We continue to rehearse the Balmages piece, Rippling Watercolors.  There are some really nice sounds starting to emerge.  Students should be learning their part from beginning to end now.  We've begun working on As Winds Dance this past week.  Students will be playing up to measure 35 for their next playing test.  We also have started working at Spania.  All these pieces should be practiced from beginning to end.  Feel free to practice along with recordings of the pieces.  Recordings can be found at:

http://listeninglab.stantons.com/
or
http://www.jwpepper.com/sheet-music/welcome.jsp


This Week at Hawrylak, Jack MacKenzie, Wilfred Hunt, and Wilfrid Walker 
Students are continuing to improve weekly!   Thank you for all your work!

Friday 2 October 2015

Names Please!

Reminders:
-Please make sure your child's name is marked on his or her instrument case and his or her band book.  We've had a few left at Campbell and cannot tell whose they are!
-Grade 7 and 8 brass players are reminded to return their permission form for the Oct. 14 Brass Day
- We have begun distributing t-shirt forms.   Students are asked to return these by Oct. 16.    We will bring a few shirts in for sizing.    If the $15 t-shirt fee has not shown up on your online account, please give us a few days to get it up there.    It should be up there soon!  
-There is NO curiosity club on Monday Oct. 5.


This Week In Grade 6 Band 
(Grant Road, Perry, Massey, McVeety, and RCS)
It has been quite fun getting to know all of the Grade 6's!    This week students continued to work on their first three notes and added a fourth note.    Students practiced writing their first three notes as whole notes, half notes and as quarter notes.   Students also composed a short piece using their first three notes.   Students are encouraged to use their composition books as a "musical sketch book."   If students have an idea, they are encouraged to write it down.    Grade 6's also began trying the "Breathing Gym" this week.   The breathing gym is a breathing technique used by two tuba players.   We will try a new exercise each week.   We had some really great guest conductors in full band and we experimented with different tempos and with fermatas.   Great job this week Grade 6's!   Grade 6's should have lines circled in their books as to what to practice.   If they don't, most Grade 6's were asked to practice the first three lines on Page 8.

This Week in Grade 7 Band
(Grant Road, Perry, Massey, McVeety, and RCS) 
This week the Grade 7's began using the Breathing Gym again.    This will help in developing our sound and developing the length of our phrases.   Grade 7's worked on their Cocnert Bb Scale, Concert Eb scale, and chromatic scale.   Most Grade 7's worked on Page 3 of the Orange Book.   We are still missing a few orange books.  They are coming!     Massey, McVeety, and RCS Grade 7's have begun working on Praises and on Riders to Stonehenge.    Grant Road and Perry Grade 7's began working on Night and Tu Ungane.   All Grade 7's are reminded they will need to play their chromatic scale for us next week.

This Week in Grade 8 Band 
(Grant Road, Perry, Massey, McVeety) 
The Grade 8's are continuing to work on their Brian Balmages piece.  They are also working on As Winds Dance.    Grade 8's are continuing to work on their ensemble sound by using the Circle of Fourths and chorales.    They also began using the Breathing Gym this week.    Grade 8's are reminded they will be playing the Circle of Fourths this week.

This Week at Hawrylak, Jack MacKenzie, Wilfred Hunt, Wilfrid Walker 
Mr. Adelman is enjoying getting to know everyone!