Grade 8 Senior Band Karate
Technique & Musicianship
Accurately perform each song or skill for Mrs Aitchison to receive your Senior Band Karate ring and beads. All songs/skills must be demonstrated with proper technique, posture, embouchure/grip, tonguing/sticking, and tone in order to achieve the bead. Don't worry if you miss a note on your first (second, third....) try. There will be plenty of more times to get it right!
You will receive a ring to put on your instrument case,. If you lose it and/or the beads, Mrs Aitchison will not replace them. Please know that these are all great skills for you to accomplish and it is a HUGE deal when you earn a bead. Good luck!!
Opportunities to pass a band playing test will be during the end of class time and/or during lunch (retests only). Please ask to complete a test once you are completely ready and confident. With regular at-home practice (every day or every other day) you should be able to test once per band week and earn the bead once each month of the school year. Percussionists please note the exercises to be completed on mallets or snare drum. To be completed in the following order:
RING: Review of Intermediate Band (routines and introduction to the instrument)
-enters the room quietly, finds his/her seat, sets up quickly, and leaves his/her case out of the way
-instrument case is clearly labelled with name and homeroom division
-identifies the parts of his/her instrument
-consistently knows how to set up and care for instrument without assistance
-consistently forms proper embouchure/stick grip without assistance
-consistently tongues/sticks all notes properly without assistance
-consistently brings all material to class without reminders
WHITE BEAD:
-Page 43: #2 Concert Bb Scale, Arpeggios, Thirds
YELLOW BEAD:
-Page 43: #4 Concert Ab Scale, Arpeggios, Thirds
ORANGE BEAD:
-Page 45: #12 Concert C Scale, Arpeggios, Thirds
-----THE ABOVE BEADS SHOULD BE COMPLETED PRIOR TO THE START OF TERM 2-------
RED BEAD:
-Sight Reading Level #3 line A, B, or C
GREEN BEAD:
-Concert Bb Blues Scale (Essential Elements, back cover)
BLUE BEAD:
-Page 43: #3 Concert Eb Scale, Arpeggios, Thirds
PURPLE BEAD:
-Page 43: #1 Concert F Scale, Arpeggios, Thirds
-----THE ABOVE BEADS SHOULD BE COMPLETED PRIOR TO THE START OF TERM 3------
BURGUNDY BEAD:
-Sight Reading Level #3 line A, B, or C
BLACK BEAD:
-Chromatic Scale one octave up and down starting on concert Bb
PINK BEAD:
-Your choice: Page 43-45: #5-11 Scale, Arpeggios, Thirds (watch the key signature!!)
ONGOING BEADS: These beads will occur year-long as described below.
SILVER BEAD: Masterclass Attendance (may earn one silver bead per term)
-attend all masterclass sectionals in one term
(must be prepared with instrument, music/book, and pencil)
GOLD BEAD: Concert Performance (one gold bead per event)
-perform at the Winter Concerts (Evening and School)
-perform at the Spring Concert (Evening and School)
-perform at festival
BONUS BEADS: The remaining beads are optional but highly encouraged. These include:
CLEAR BEAD: Mentorship (may earn multiple clear beads in the school year)
-provide extra help to another band student on their instrument 5X in the school year outside of class time (in the band room/practice rooms) before/after school or at lunch
GREY BEAD: Concert Review (may earn multiple grey beads in the school year)
-attend a symphony concert, orchestra, high school band concert, jazz group and turn in a typed review
-watch a video of a professional playing your instrument (on YouTube or somewhere online). This can be a soloist, in a small group, or in a large ensemble. Turn in a typed review (please see Mrs Aitchison for the criteria sheet)
STAR BEAD: Private lessons on band instrument (you may do one or both of the following)
-take regular lessons on your band instrument to push yourself further/faster
-or attend a special intensive instrumental workshop on your band instrument
CONGRATULATIONS!
Once you have passed all of the Senior Band playing tests (earning each of the beads),
you will be ready to move onto Grade 9 High School Band!