Rotolo MS-6 th Grade Band Teacher Rob Buckley 6 th Grade Band Teacher Phone: 630.937.8727 Email: robert.buckley@bps101.net Rotolo MS Band Band Website: www.rotoloband.com Sign-up for text reminders: Text @RotoloBand6 to 23559 Course Objective The course objective of the Sixth Grade Band is to reinforce and build upon the music fundamentals learned in fifth grade. This includes expanding the range of notes, expanding rhythm/counting concepts, and learning new music vocabulary and concepts. This will be accomplished both in full band rehearsals and small group lessons with additional practice completed by the student. Supplies & Class Materials Bring These to Class Every Day: o Three-ring Binder with CLEAR Cover on front o Essential Elements Book (Brass/Woodwinds) o Percussion Book (new) (Percussion Students) o Winning Rhythms Book o All music handed out in class (keep in binder) o Instrument & Mouthpiece o Pencil/Hi-lighter Instrument Supplies (should be kept in instrument case) Instrument Required Required Required Required Recommended Flute Cleaning Rod Handkerchief Oboe 3 Working Reeds (Med. Soft) Silk Cleaning Swab Cork Grease Clarinet/Sax Box of Reeds Silk Cleaning Cork Grease Reed Guard 2.5 Strength Vandoren Swab Mouthpiece Brush (WW) Trumpet, Horn, Baritone, Tuba Valve oil Tuning Slide Grease Cleaning Snake Mouthpiece Brush (Brass) Trombone Slide Cream Tuning Slide Grease Cleaning Snake Mouthpiece Brush Percussion I.P. Intermediate FP-2 Stickbag Package *ordered through PM Music Drum Key
Student Rules/Expectations YOU ARE A MEMBER OF THE TEAM EVERYBODY IS A STARTER! (NOBODY RIDES THE BENCH). TO BE AT OUR BEST, WE MUST FOLLOW THESE SIMPLE RULES/EXPECTATIONS TO MAKE EACH DAY A SUCCESSFUL DAY FOR ALL! RULES: 1. No talking or playing instruments when the teacher is teaching 2. Everyone stops playing instruments when the teacher cuts off 3. No Food or Gum in the band room Water is okay 4. Be in your seat ready to play instrument by three minutes after the bell rings CONSEQUENCE: 30 minute detention before or after school EXPECTATIONS: Act Respectful to everybody. Maintain a positive attitude Do your personal best EVERY DAY Student Responsibilities/Instrument Care Instruments will be stored in Room 016 at Rotolo Middle School. Shelving units are available for instruments. Students should drop off instruments before school each day and neatly place the case on the assigned shelving unit. After band rehearsal, students will have time to return their instruments to the shelving units. Instruments should go home for personal practice nearly every day. The only way to improve is to practice what has been learned. All instrument cases should have a nametag with the student s name, phone number clearly visible. Percussion students must label each drumstick/mallet with his/her name. Stick bags must also have a nametag clearly visible on the handle. Please see a band teacher for a nametag if you need one. Instruments which are owned by students should be listed on parents homeowners/renters insurance. Each student must take very good care of his/her instrument. In doing so, he/she will ensure that the instrument is always in good working order. Woodwind instruments need to be swabbed after each rehearsal and practice segment at home. Brass instruments should be emptied of extra saliva before being stored away. Brass instruments should be cleaned with a cleaning snake about one time per week at home. Brass instruments valves should be oiled at least one time per week at home. Mouthpiece for all instruments should be cleaned with a mouthpiece brush one time per week at home.
Instrument Security The RMS staff and administration make every effort to provide safety and security for personal musical instruments. However, the school is not responsible for lost or stolen instruments. Parents should have the model, make, and serial number registered at home and make certain that the instrument is covered by their homeowner s insurance policy. School-Owned Instruments Students that play bassoon, tenor saxophone, baritone saxophone, trombone, baritone, tuba, and French horn have the option of using a school-owned instrument to avoid having to carry these large instruments to and from school. There is a $50 maintenance/repair fee that is paid at the end of the year. Students that play percussion pay a $50 maintenance/repair fee to maintain the large and extensive amount of percussion instruments. The School-Owned Instrument Contract is attached to this handbook and can also be found on the band website: http://rotoloband.com Parents can pay the fee via powerschool or send a check made out to RMS. Rehearsals and Lessons Band Rehearsals Band rehearsals will take place each day. During band rehearsals, students will focus primarily on developing a quality ensemble sound (sound of a full band), techniques, and band music. Band music will be performed at concerts. In addition, very short playing assessments on the band music and scales will be given during rehearsals (see grading/assessments). Band rehearsals take place during the Sixth Grade Exploratory block. Each student will be assigned a band class period. The three band classes will combine to create one large concert band for concerts. Daily rehearsals last approximately 40 minutes. Students are expected to be on time to all rehearsals. Before concerts, a mandatory after-school rehearsal will take place to put all three groups together. See Band Calendar for dates. Band Lessons Students will have a pull-out band lesson once per week. Students will be pulled out of their band class and will not miss any other classes due to band lessons. Lessons will focus primarily on technical mastery of the student s instrument. There will be three different types of lessons: Technique Classes, Band Music Sectionals, and GLE Pass-offs.
Technique Classes: The focus of these lessons will be both the review of basic fundamentals and the introduction of more advanced instrument-specific concepts. Technique classes will take place about six-seven times during the year. Band Sectionals: The focus of sectionals will be the mastering of the most challenging parts of the band music. Sectionals will take place about four-five times during the year. GLE Pass-offs: GLE s (see next section for explanation of GLE s) will be due every six weeks. GLE s are similar to GLE s from fifth grade. GLE Pass-offs will give the students the opportunity to pass off songs for the teacher. GLE Pass-off lessons will take place about threefour times during each GLE Unit. Grade Level Expectations (GLE s) The songs in the Essential Elements 2000 books are sequential from easiest to most challenging. The new percussion books are also sequential. Each middle school grade level has six units. Each unit has eight songs. Students will need to pass off all of the songs from the unit by the GLE Due Date (approx. every six weeks). Students can work ahead, but must keep up with their personal GLE benchmark. In order to pass off a song, students must perform the song with accurate rhythms and notes while tapping their foot at the marked tempo. In addition, students are expected to play the accurate articulations (tonguing/slurring) and dynamics (volume). Students must play with a characteristic tone (sound) and sit with excellent posture. Students are encouraged to practice songs with Smart Music. Because Smart Music does not assess articulations, dynamics, posture, foot-tapping, it will not be used to pass off songs. Students must pass off songs WITH AN RMS BAND TEACHER. Grading and Assessments Large Group Rehearsal Grades Assessment Grade: Made up of playing and written assessments o Possible Assessments could include Scale Quizzes Individual Scale Quizzes: 10 points each Comprehensive Scale Quiz: 60 points (SPRING) Band Music Quizzes: (10-15 points) Six-second quizzes on music being prepared for a performance Theory/Aural Skills Assessments (written): Points vary Lesson Grades Assessment Grade: Completion of GLE Unit o 50 Points possible per unit 50 points given if entire unit is completed by due date Points taken off for each song that was not passed off
Practice Grade: o 5 points: ONLINE PRACTICE TRACKER completed each week 5 Points (completed by Monday (or first day of the week) by noon and student used complete sentences. -1 point for each day it is late (or student did not use complete sentences) ACCESSING ONLINE PRACTICE TRACKER o Go to Band Website (http://rotoloband.com) o Click on the Student Page Tab A dropdown menu will drop with the link to the Practice Tracker o Fill-out the form online (one time per week) click submit. STUDENTS CAN USE CHROMEBOOKS TO FILL OUT THE SHORT ONLINE PRACTICE JOURNALS EACH WEEK. Performance Grades Concert & Performance Self-Reflection 100 Points o Completed after every performance and students must be present at performance to receive full credit. Practicing Practicing is essential to the progress of the individual student and how the individual positively contributes to the whole band. Emphasis is placed on the quality of practice, rather than the quantity of practice time. In other words, Practice it until you know it! Students are expected to complete their GLE Units on time and be prepared on their band music. Students should make practicing a routine. Students should practice around the same time each day. Students should find a quiet place in the house away from distractions to practice. Students should not only practice on the weekends. Practicing a smaller amount of time each day is much more beneficial than practicing a long amount of time on the weekends. Band Uniform The band uniform consists of the RED BAND POLO SHIRT, black pants, black socks, and black shoes (no gym shoes). Occasionally, band members will be allowed to wear the RMS BAND T-SHIRT for a performance with jeans. Both the Polo Shirt and the T-Shirt were purchased with your band fee. The black pants, socks, and shoes are provided by the student (contact Mr. Buckley with any questions).
Jazz at RMS RMS has two Jazz Bands. The Jazz Ensemble is an audition-required band that has traditional jazz instrumentation (saxophones, trumpets, trombones, rhythm section-piano, bass, drumset). RMS Jazz Band (formally Jazz Lab Band) is open to sixth-eighth grade students. It has openenrollment and accepts all instruments. There is no audition except drumset*. Mr. Ozsvath and Mr. Buckley will hold helpful reading sessions during the month of September. Auditions for Jazz Ensemble will take place in mid October. Both Jazz Ensemble and Jazz Band will start in late-october and rehearse until early May. Special Jazz-only concerts will take place throughout the winter/spring. Jazz Bands meet one day per week from 7:00am-7:40am: Dates TBA Jazz Bands carry the RMS Music Activity fee ($120.00) Band Students who play piano, bass, and guitar (as long as they can read chords) are also welcome in the groups. Please fill out the jazz interest part of the forms if you are interested in being in jazz band. *Because keeping a steady tempo on drumset is critical, there is a drumset audition for both Jazz Ensemble and RMS Jazz Band. Batavia Public Schools Essential Learnings: Music Our curriculum follows the Batavia Music Essential Learnings and is aligned with the Illinois State and National Standards. To accurately perform music from notation and/or by ear To recognize and identify elements of music from sound and/or notation To critically analyze music To positively contribute to a musical ensemble State & National Standards Our curriculum is aligned with the state and national standards. Illinois State Fine Arts Standards STATE GOAL 25: Know the language of the arts. STATE GOAL 26: Through creating and performing, understand how works of art are produced. STATE GOAL 27: Understand the role of the arts in civilizations, past and present.
National Standards for Music Education Singing, alone and with others, a varied repertoire of music. Performing on instruments, alone and with others, a varied repertoire of music. Improvising melodies, variations, and accompaniments. Composing and arranging music within specified guidelines. Reading and notating music. Listening to, analyzing, and describing music. Evaluating music and music performances. Understanding relationships between music, the other arts, and disciplines outside the arts. Understanding music in relation to history and culture.