Lincoln Middle School Band Fall Newsletter

Transcription

1 August, 008 Lincoln Middle School Band Program One Band - One Sound! Lincoln Middle School Band Fall Newsletter Welcome to the LMS Band Program! Dates to Remember Fall Concert - October 14th The U of I Homecoming Parade is scheduled for Saturday, October 5th. The WSU Jazz Festival is set for Wednesday, October 9th during the school day. November Veteran s Day assemblies in the works The Winter Concert which includes 6th, 7th & 8th grade bands is scheduled for the 16th of December. Please check performance dates on page 3. Welcome to the Lincoln Middle School Band Program! I hope everyone had a relaxing and enjoyable summer and also hope that you are ready for an awesome year of music at LMS. This year is proving to be another great one already. With concerts and festivals planned and with the marching band season coming up as we kick off the year, the excitement is phenomenal. We re starting the year off by getting ready to march in the University of Idaho Homecoming Parade on Saturday, October 5th. This will involve both the seventh and eighth grade band members. More information regarding the parade will be forthcoming as the event draws closer. There will be many opportunities this year to perform for our own concerts as well as performances in the community. See page three for a schedule of upcoming performances. I am looking forward to getting to know the sixth grade band members. They have a great deal of new experiences ahead of them this year in the process of learning a new instrument. I believe it will require effort on the part of you as parents, myself as teacher, as well as the student to ensure the student s success. Lentil Festival Parade August 3, 008 Please feel free to contact me if you should have questions regarding Band this year. Mr. Covill, Director of Bands Inside this issue: Starts 6th grade Instruments by September nd! LMS Website - Check It Out Parents, Teachers, Students - Together Performance Dates 3 Music Participation 4 Instruments Needed 4 Grading Policy 5 It is required for all 6th grade band members to have an instrument by September nd. If you have not yet secured an instrument for class, this is your chance to rent or purchase from three companies in our area. Atom Heart Music here in Pullman, Keeney Brothers Music Center of Moscow and Lombard s Music Center of Lewiston have all rentals you will need. All 6th grade band participants will need to have the book Accent on Achievement as soon as possible as well. Everyone should have an instrument and book by September nd! The book can be ordered through our website from Amazon.com lmsmusic.org 6th Graders Need This Book!!!

2 7th/8th Grade Jazz Band Starts The Lincoln Middle School 7th/8th grade jazz band will start on Tuesday, September 9th. The class will meet on Tuesdays and Thursdays and will begin at 7:30am and end at 8:15am. This year we have quite a few performances planned - some that are annual and some that will be new. Performances will include school concerts as well as performing at the WSU Jazz Festival and competing at the Lionel Hampton Jazz Festival. Check the concert schedule page and mark your calendars for this year s performances. You won t want to miss them! Also, check out the Lionel Hampton Jazz Festival web site - and WSU Jazz Festival web site - areainfo/jazz/festival.htm. Both sites can be accessed from the LMS Band website. Bailey Poitra Singing with LMS Jazz Band 1 LMS Band Web site - Check it out! The Lincoln Middle School Band web site has been up and running for many years now and is a wonderful source of information for students as well as parents. The site has weekly information pertaining to each band class at Lincoln. For instance, an 8th grader might want to see what the assignment was for the preceding day. She would click on the link 8th Grade Band and a page would load with the correct information. There is also a practice slip to print if you are in need of one. This website is a great way for me to get information to you fast. With this new format, I am able to update more easily and keep everyone informed with up to the day activities!!! Cool site - Check it out! Parents, Teachers, Students - A Partnership IMPORTANT: In order to ensure your child s success in playing a musical instrument, it is imperative that you as parents help your child to remember to bring his instrument and music to school on days he has band and then also to bring the instrument and music home in order to practice. As the teacher, I can help your child while he is in class to gain the necessary skills to play. However, your child will not become proficient at his instrument if the techniques learned in class are not practiced at home. Most children who lose interest in music are those who are not succeeding. Please help your child to succeed by setting up a practice time at home. It does not need to be a lengthy period of time: 0 to 30 minutes per day totaling 100 minutes per week. It is helpful if the practice time is the same from day to day. I believe that you as parents and I as teacher must be in partnership to help your child succeed. LMS Marching Band University of Idaho Homecoming Parade October, 07 Beautiful day for a parade! Page

3 Band Performance Dates at a Glance for Date Event LMS Group Location Time October 14 LMS Concert 7th/8th Concert Band LMS Gymnasium October 5 UI Homecoming Parade 7th/8th Marching Band Main Street Moscow TBA October 9 WSU Jazz Festival Kimbrough Music Hall School Day November TBA Veteran s Day Assemblies 7th/8th Concert Band Pullman Elementary Schools and LMS School Day December 16 Winter Concert 6th/7th/8th Concert Bands & 7th/8th Jazz LMS Gymnasium 7:30 pm January TBA Martin Luther King Assembly 7th/8th Concert Band LMS Gymnasium School Day February 7 District Solo/Ensemble Festival 7th & 8th graders are eligible! LMS TBA February 5 Lionel Hampton Jazz Festival University of Idaho Campus All Day March 19 SEWMEA Large Group Festival 7th/8th Concert Band & 7th/8th Full Orchestra LMS TBA March 6 LMS Concert 6th Concert Band & LMS Auditorium April TBA Earth Day Assembly LMS Gymnasium School Day May 1 Spring Concert 6th Concert Band & 6th/s LMS Auditorium May 8 Spring Concert 7th/8th Concert Band & 7th/8th Full Orchestra LMS Auditorium or Gymnasium These are the Jr. All State participants from the Fall 007 concert in Spokane! Page 3 This is a schedule of performances we have so far. There may be additions to this list which your child will be notified of well in advance. The 8th grade concert band performed for the annual Veteran s Day assemblies - this was our performance at Jefferson.

4 One Band - One Sound! Mr. Covill LMS Band Program 315 SE Crestview Pullman, WA Phone: Fax: jcovill@psd67.wednet.edu Participation in music has been proven to improve children s critical thinking and spatial relations skills. It is also a great way for students to improve fine motor coordination, to work in a team, and to learn the importance of self-discipline as it relates to achievement of goals and improving skills. We re on the WEB One Band - One Sound LMS In Need of New or Used Instruments The Lincoln Middle School Band and Orchestra programs are always in need of new and used instruments for their programs. If you have a new or used band or orchestra instrument in your home, please consider donating it to LMS. You may use it as a deduction for tax purposes as well. If you would like to donate an instrument, please contact Joe Covill (Band) or Katharine Covill (Orchestra) at Lincoln Middle School: Page 4

5 Grading criteria & course overview Welcome to the Lincoln Middle School Band Program! I am looking forward to this school year and to working with each of you. I have many fun ideas and am excited to start work on them. We will have many performance opportunities throughout the year, including concerts, festivals, and assemblies. As a student in band, not only will you learn how to play your instrument and to refine your playing, but you will also be studying music theory, rhythmic notation, and, if the school s budget will allow, some hands-on composition experience through computer-aided notation. Grading for band classes will consist of three parts: 40%: Weekly Practice Slips The practice expectation is 100 minutes per week. This is the homework portion of your band grade. Each student will be responsible for turning in a practice slip each Monday (Tuesday if Monday is a holiday.) Late practice slips will only be accepted for one week past the original due date for partial credit (maximum 50 pts). A parent signature is required on each practice slip. 30%: In-class tests We will have tests in class, both playing and written. Ample time will be given to prepare for tests. 30%: Attitude and Effort It is especially important in a music class such as band to have a positive attitude and to put forth the best effort possible. This contributes to both individual success as well as the success of the group. Students will begin each week with 100 points. It is up to you to decide how many points you keep throughout the week. Tardiness, poor attitude, being unprepared and other infractions of school rules will result in a deduction of points from this portion of the grade. EXTRA CREDIT: Extra credit may be earned by visiting our band web site, and completing the assignments under the heading Extra Credit. Each extra credit assignment is worth up to 100 points. If students handle practice slips responsibly, come to class prepared, and practice or study for tests, extra credit will not be necessary. Remember this? The Winter Concert of 07 was a blast!!! Santa, YOU ROCK! Members of the PSD Marching Band at the 007 Lentil Festival REMEMBER!!! The weekly practice slip is worth 40% of your grade. Make sure to get at least 100 minutes of practice turned in each week! Be sure to turn in the form attached to the Syllabus packet to ensure Mr. Covill has your correct addresses for all of the information sent home electronically over the school year!!! Page 5