Grade 8 band

Improvement Noted

 
Picture of Amber Aitchison
Improvement Noted
by Amber Aitchison - Friday, 28 February 2014, 3:27 PM
 

I am noticing an improvement to the attendance at Masterclass Sectionals! Way to go Band students! We will have so much fun at the upcoming Festival this spring! Currently you have music to practice regularly including Grease, Black Forest Overture, Annabel Lee, Sousa March, Funkytown, Some Nights, and the Concert Bb, Eb, and F scales.  Remember to include a warmup (scales, mouthpiece exercises, long tones) to get limbered up so to speak, then play through your pieces taking note of difficult sections. Go back and isolate various challenges slowly, repeatedly, gradually increasing tempo. Remember you are "potty training" after all. It takes time and practice! Other non-playing practice ideas include: counting/clapping rhythms, doing articulation studies (back of the band book), practice speed tests (note naming), and review theory. For some fun, find a pop music book or Disney music to play. Perhaps invite a fellow band buddy over to practice/play duets. This should be fun, right?! You're starting to sound really great, keep up the hard work! Here's a link to the sound files of the pieces we are playing. Listen and try to play along: Concert Pieces. Click on the link and you will be taken to the page that lists every piece the bands are working on.