Reminders:
-Band Room Concert - Thurs. Nov. 19 - 7:00p.m. for Junior Winds and Jazz Band.    Students are asked to meet at 6:30p.m.    Students are asked to bring one dozen treats to share after the concert.    The concert will take place in the band room, everyone is welcome.

This Week In Grade 6 Band
 (Massey, McVeety, RCS, Grant Road, Perry)
This week in Grade 6 band students played beginning to end of two pieces of sheet music.   This is a major accomplishment.    Students learned that once we figure out the musical "form" it becomes easier to put a piece of music together.   They also learned that it takes a great deal of endurance to play a piece beginning to end.     Grade 6's also agreed that they liked the sound of playing in harmony.  This is tricky for many students as it means some people do not play the melody.    Students agreed that playing the "rests" in many ways is more difficult.   This requires everyone counting exactly the same.

Grade 6's also worked on their Concert Bb scale.    Due to the range of this scale some instruments will need to jump down and play a low 7th and 8th note.    Students are mostly working on Page 12 in their blue books.   Students were asked to practice Jingle Bells and Star Search.   They were told if they have already mastered this, to move on to the next line.

This Week in Grade 7 Band
(Massey, McVeety, RCS, Grant Road, and Perry)
This week in Grade 7 Band students are getting to the final stages of preparing for their Dec. 2 concert. Students are working on dynamics and articulations in all of their pieces.  In Grade 7 we try to make sure students understand and can demonstrate the difference between accents, staccatos, slurs, tenuto, and a "normal" tongue.   Each of our pieces have these articulations and we are working on identifying the differences.

All Grade 7's are asked to practice their sheet music.  Grade 7's who have mastered their sheet music are encouraged to participate in the scale challenge.   Students have learned Concert Bb, Concert Eb and are working on Concert F.   Some students have now moved on to Concert Ab and Concert C scales.  Our concert is quickly approaching.   All Grade 7's need to make sure they are practicing.

This Week in Grade 8 Band
(Massey, McVeety, RCS, Grant Road, and Perry)
The Grade 8 Band is still working on As Winds Dance and Rippling Watercolors.  Notes and rhythms should be learned so that we can focus on articulations and dynamics.  When practicing, use a metronome or play with the recordings in order to keep a steady tempo and hear how your part fits in. In the next few weeks we need to focus on balance so that our pieces reflect the composers intent. We will also be getting a new piece at our next full band rehearsal on Wednesday that we will need to learn for our concert on December the 2nd.