|
|
|
|
Music is an integral part of a comprehensive education. Music enhances the quality of our lives by extending the boundaries of our thinking, providing an important means for self-expression and personal fulfillment, and by aiding in the development of confidence and self-discipline. Further, music develops within the individual a unique and important mode of conceptualization, evaluation and creativity. The school music program exists to inform, challenge, direct, enhance and provide meaningful experiences so that students may establish a solid and permanent relationship with music.
St. Francis DeSales Campus - Mrs. Jean Hopka
All students entering grade five (5) in the Fall are eligible to join the School Band Program. Students need to own or rent their own instrument if they plan to join the band. The school does not provide any instruments for student use. (See "Instrument Selection" below for further details.)
Instrument selection is done in May of the Fourth Grade year. This is a two part process:
Instruments may be purchased on your own from a private party, however, make sure the instrument is in good working order before purchasing. Have it checked out by the teacher or qualified personnel at a music store. You may purchase or rent-to-own from "Heid Music" or another area music store. We recommend renting instruments from "Heid Music", though you are free to go elsewhere if you choose. However, a sales representative from "Heid Music" stops at school weekly to pick up instruments needing repairs. In this way repairs can be handled without you having to make a trip to Green Bay or Appleton.
All lessons will be either before school, after school or during lunch recess time. No students will be pulled out of other classes for their band lessons. Likewise I would appreciate your not giving your child permission to skip band lessons in order to practice for serving, etc. Lessons are given in the Music/Band Room. Students will be grouped for lessons in groups of like instruments. At the start of the year we will take all flutes together, all clarinets together, all saxophones together, all trumpets and cornets together, all trombones together and all percussion together. I will do this until after Christmas. At that point I will group them together in smaller groups of like instruments that seem to be progressing at the same speed. I try to schedule all drum lessons for either before or after school. This is done because of the volume of a group of drummers playing together and the fact that other classes around the music room may be back in class during the fifth grade lunch recess time.
We will have full band rehearsals about once a week beginning in late October. Full band rehearsals will be held in the Music Room. A letter will be sent home in September with the exact start date and schedule for full band rehearsals.
The beginning band student needs to practice for 15 - 20 minutes a day for the first 3 months. After that, 20 - 30 minutes per day will be necessary. Practicing is to be done at home or with a friend - lesson time and band rehearsal time is not considered practice time!!! Small amounts of concentrated practice are better than longer periods of unfocused practice time. If you can provide a quiet place at the same time every day where your child will be uninterrupted, he/she will develop correct practice habits that will last a lifetime. A straight chair, a music stand and adequate lighting will all help to insure success. The book we have selected for lessons, "Accent On Achievement", contains many familiar folk songs that you will easily recognize. You do not have to have a background in music to know if your child is playing correctly. Your interest and praise are very important factors in guaranteeing your child's enjoyment of music, and success in playing their instrument. Your child'slesson book contains a "Practice Record" page. Together, you are to record the amount of time they practice each day. If they did not practice on a given day, a zero (0) should be recorded. It is important to fill in the "Practice Record" on the day that they practice. Do not wait until the end of the week and then try to remember how much your child practiced during the week. This is not an accurate method of record keeping. When a week is completely filled, and the practice time totaled, one parent should initial or sign in the appropriate space on the chart. DO NOT sign for a week that is not yet completed. We will initial the "Practice Record" at each weekly lesson only if it has been signed or initialed by a parent. This shows me that you are aware of the amount of time your child has spent practicing during the week.
Everyone:
Woodwinds:
Brass:
Percussion:
For your convenience, when students need to purchase certain supplies, they can be purchased directly from the Band Director. Prices are as follows:
Concert Attendance Rehearsal Attendance Rehearsal Expectations
Care and Storage of Instruments While at School Care and Maintenance of Your Instrument Always clean your instrument immediately after playing. Always store your instrument in its closed case when not in use. DO NOT put anything in your instrument case that it was not designed to hold. Never let other children, family members or friends hold or play your instrument "just for fun." This almost always leads to an "accident" and accidents can be expensive to fix! Never have Mom or Dad "fix" an instrument that appears to be broken or not working. Have the Band Director look at it or take it to an authorized instrument repair technician.
There is a quarterly "Progress Report" sent along with the school report cards. Please sign and return this "Progress Report" along with the school report card. Progress is evaluated in the following areas:
Students will be evaluated using the following scale:
Play at School Liturgies Play at the Art Show
Christmas Band Concert given for the rest of the school and parents who are able to attend shortly before Christmas Vacation in the school hall. Spring Band Concert in May. Other Performance Opportunities for the band sometimes do arise during the second half of the school year. If and when they do, you will be notified by letter well in advance.
|
|
|
