October 20, 2014
Wow, the Fourth grade band has really been working hard with the first few notes. All students should be working on the worksheet called FIRST NOTES. They will have a playing quiz on it next week .
Flutes – Keep your chin up
Clarinets – Stretch those fingers and reach for the bottom key holes. Lots of air.
Saxes – Fast air and good posture
Trumpet – Keep your lips and corners firm while blowing fast air
Trombone – Work on moving the slide to 4th position
Baritone – Keep the note steady by keeping your lips firm in one place.
Percussion – Xylophone playing quiz on Breathing Easy next week.
5th Grade is ready for their field trip on Friday. Please bring a sack lunch and wear your blue band shirt. Cameras and video are not allowed during the performance, but can be used outside at lunch. Our three chaperones are Mr. Lopez, Mrs Navarette, and Mrs. Napierkowski.
October 2, 2014
4th Grade Band – We have just had a couple lessons and the students seem to be off to a good start. The brass section (trumpet, trombone, and baritone) will meet with me before school on Tuesday, Oct 7 at 7:45 AM in the Multi. The woodwind section (flute, clarinet, saxophone) will meet with me before school on Thursday, Oct 9 at 7:45 AM in the Multi. Starting Oct 14, all instrument groups will meet before school every Tuesday and Thursday at 7:45 AM in the Multi. Everyone keep working on their mouthpieces to form the correct embouchure. Students should be working on Mary Had a Little Lamb for their next lesson. Percussionists should be able to play the first 2 pages in the snare drum packet of music I gave them at their lesson last week.
5th Grade Band –
Scale – C Concert
Chorale #3
Hawthorn School Song – ALL
Ancient Spirit – ALL
American Spirit Overture – 1-43
Viking Legend – 1 26
Tango Bells 1 -5
September 23, 2014
This year Elementary North had a great recruitment and we have 26 young musicians in the band. Everyone received their instrument last night at the orientation night and their first lesson. Keep practicing the basics, such as good posture and how to make a sound on the mouthpiece. Don’t worry too much about playing different notes. You should have all received a practice checklist of tasks to do as you practice each day. Make sure to fill it out and return it at your lesson next week. Students during their lesson with me this week will receive their band binder plus a fingering chart, rhythm sheet, First Lesson paper, and a worksheet that needs to be turned in next week at their lesson. The answers are on the back, you just have to find them. Let’s have a great year!
September 4, 2014
Welcome back to a great new start to the school year! I am very excited about our upcoming year with all of our field trips and performing opportunities. Students in fifth grade band will perform a holiday concert at Hawthorn Lakes in December, will prepare for the Little People’s Band Festival in March as well as the Spring Break concert, then finish our year with a trip to the Allstate Arena to play for the Chicago Sky. In order to prepare for all of this, lessons during the school day will begin the week of Sept. 8th. Please check the lesson schedule. Morning rehearsals will be Monday, Wednesday, and Friday at 7:45am beginning the week of Sept 15. Please have your instrument working and look for your band binder. Please let me know if you have any questions.