Weekly Update

UPDATES

Updated Advanced Band News:  Honor band and advanced band auditions are taking place this week.  Students have signed up for a 10 minute slot either during lunch or after school.  As of  now, the spring trip is still on hold, but I am allowing the students an opportunity to earn back the trip. The class will, with good rehearsals, earn a letter that spells "D-I-S-N-E-Y-L-A-N-D."  If the class spells it out with at least 10 well behaved and productive rehearsals between now and December 12, they will earn back the trip.  So far, it's helping.  They earned a letter on Friday, but didn't earn one today.  They should all know my expectations, so it's all a matter of teamwork.

Students who are in two different ensembles: if they are having trouble fulfilling their practice requirements, they can split their practice time between the two instruments. This means at least 50 minutes and at least two days per week on each instrument. Please either write both instruments on one sheet or staple the two together to ensure they are given full credit.

CALENDAR OF UPCOMING EVENTS

November 19-22: Honor Band Auditions: During lunch and after school from 2:30-3:30 PM.
December 7: Sparks Hometowne Christmas Parade (mandatory for marching members): Times TBA
December 12: Winter Concert (mandatory for all bands and strings): 5:30-8:30 PM. Community Center.

PRACTICING

*Practice Sheets due Tuesday*  The first class with 100% turned in on time will earn the reward of no longer needing to fill them out.

Starting this week, instead of lunch detentions, students will have writing assignments during class on their block schedule days.  They will be required to complete a paper on responsibility in order to reinforce their need to turn in work.  Lunch detentions are taking a lot of time away from my students who need help on Fridays at lunch.

Please practice the following this wee:

Beginning Band: First Concert March, Name That Christmas Carol, Holiday Fanfare.
Concert Band: Sounds of the Season, Irish Tune from County Derry, Linus and Lucy.
Intermediate Band: Merry Bells, In The Bleak Midwinter, Ding Dong Merrily on High, Holiday Classics, and Cartoon Christmas (Measures 11-37 and 79-end ONLY).
Advanced Band: It's The Holiday Season, Cartoon Christmas, Russian Christmas Music.
Strings: Experienced students should work on any Strazz music and Diggy Liggy.
Beginners, violas, and low strings should work on Lackawanna Locomotive and Countdown to Christmas.  Everybody should work on all Christmas carols that we rehearsed this week.

That's the news for this week! 

-Mr. Jacques