Fall 2017 Dear Parents and Guardians: I am so excited that your student has decided to re-enroll in band this year! Included in this packet you will find information about: Concert dates, Instrument rental/purchasing information Band supplies, Grading policy, and Scheduling Students will have their first rehearsal on Wednesday September 13 th. Instruments are required for the first rehearsal. The full lesson schedule will begin the week of September 18 th. REQUIRED CONCERT DATES FOR ADVANCED BAND: Winter Concert December 4 th, 2017 at 7 PM at Howard High School o In-school concert on December 4 th at WoES Spring Concert May 9 th, 2018 at 7 PM at Howard High School o In-school concert on May 8 th at WoES Please fill out the section below, cut along dotted line, and return to Mr. Henley during your first lesson the week of September 18 th. Please contact me if you have ANY questions. I cannot wait to work with your child this year! Cut along dotted line ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Return to Mr. Henley By signing below you are acknowledging that you have read and understood all of the information in this packet, including Concert Dates, Rental/Purchasing Information, Grading Policy, Band Supplies, and Scheduling. By signing below you are also committing to one full year in the instrumental music program. Student Name Parent/Guardian Signature Date I would like a list of recommended private teachers for my student s instrument: (Circle one) Yes No Return this form to Mr. Henley during your first lesson the week of September 18 th.
Instrument Rental and Purchasing Information Students are required to have their instruments by September 13 th Finding the right instrument for your student is extremely important. I urge you to purchase or rent your instrument from the stores I have listed below, or any other reputable music stores and/or companies. Finding a music store that can also service or repair your instrument is highly recommended (and convenient!). As a general rule of thumb, do not buy instruments from stores where you can also buy bulk potato chips and laundry detergent! These instruments may be cheap; however, they will be more expensive to repair in the long run and are of very poor quality. Also, be cautious of online deals that seem too good to be true. These instruments often do not stay in tune and malfunction frequently. This makes it very difficult for students to practice/develop their musical ear. Many stores have reasonable rental plans. I encourage you to take advantage of these plans if you are concerned about purchasing an instrument for the first time. Be sure to ask a representative at any music store to assist you in picking out an instrument. They usually have experience working with student/beginning instrumentalists. Below you will find a list of reputable music stores throughout the area. Music and Arts Center Ellicott City 410-461-1844 Mike s Music Ellicott City 410-465-0700 Baltimore Brass Company Catonsville 410-744-1723 Bill s Music Baltimore 410-788-8900 Chuck Levin s Washington Music Center Wheaton 301-946-8808 Stu s Music Shop Westminster 410-876-7585 Wood Bridge Music Shop Clarksville 443-535-9677 Washington Music Wheaton 301-946-2300 In addition to reasonable rental plans, many music stores supply a start-up kit that may include many of the additional accessories listed on the supply list. *PLEASE do not hesitate to contact me should you have any questions or need any recommendations concerning instrument rental and/or purchase. FOR PERCUSSIONISTS: Your student only needs a BELL KIT for percussion. There is no need to purchase an actual snare drum. This should come with bells, a drum pad, sticks, and mallets. Please let me know if you have any questions! INSTRUMENT LOANS FROM SCHOOL: If you are interested in an instrument loan from school, please contact Mr. Henley at Brandon_henley@hcpss.org
Supply List All Supplies Required by September 13 th Instruments: See Instrument Rental and Purchasing Information (included in packet) General Supplies: Band Folder (will be distributed to students during first rehearsal) Two pencils Stand for at home practice Band and Orchestra Program Method Book: Advanced Band Woodwinds and Brass: Measures of Sucess Book 1 (for appropriate instrument) Advanced Band Percussion: Alfred s Beginning Drum Method AND A Fresh Approach to Mallets (by Mark Wessels) Other Accessories: For Clarinet: Box of Vandoren #2 ½ reeds for B-flat clarinet, cork grease, clarinet swab, mouthpiece cushion for clarinet For Saxophone: Box of Vandoren #2 ½ reeds for alto saxophone, cork grease, saxophone swab, mouthpiece cushion for alto saxophone For Flute: Flute cleaning rod and handkerchief (or bandana) For Horn: 1 bottle of ROTORY valve oil, slide grease For Trumpet/Euphonium/Baritone/Tuba: 1 bottle of PISTON valve oil, slide grease For Trombone: Slide cream (Slide-O-Mix) and a spray bottle ( bone bottle ) For Percussion: Mallet Bag (recommended, but not required) **For ALL: Metronome Korg Brand **The metronome is a new requirement for this year. *Please let me know if you have ANY questions about supplies. All of the music related supplies can be found at the stores/companies listed on the Instrument Rental and Purchasing Information sheet.
WoES Instrumental Music Grading Policy Report cards for band are sent home quarterly. The four grading categories, their relative weights, and a description of each are listed below. Performance Assessments 40% Students will complete four to six Stickers Tests (playing tests) per quarter. Students will be given two opportunities to pass each Sticker Test. Sticker tests are pass/fail. Additionally, students will complete at least one graded Performance Assessment per quarter. Concert performances are also considered and graded as Performance Assessments. Participation/Preparation 30% Participation and preparation refer to the consistency with which students attend class prepared with instruments and music, and the amount of effort students exhibit during sectionals and rehearsals. Students will lose credit in this category if they are late to class, attend lessons without all required materials, do not actively participate, or forget to attend their lesson. Students will not lose credit if they are absent from school. Parents will be notified via email each time a student forgets to attend their lesson. If a student forgets to attend their lesson three times in one quarter, then a phone or parent-teacher conference will be scheduled to discuss the student s future in the instrumental music program. Concert Attendance 20% Concerts are required for all students in the instrumental music program. They are graded school events and are required by the HCPSS instrumental music curriculum. Each member s presence is vital to the success of the group as a whole. As there is typically only one concert during a grading period, unexcused concert absences result in a drop of at least one full letter grade. Please note that students will lose points in both Concert Attendance AND Performance Assessments as a result of an unexcused concert absence. Excused absences include severe illness, family emergencies, and/or religious functions. Vacations are not considered excused absences. Practice Habits/Written Homework 10% Practice habits refer to the quantity and quality of a student s home practice. Signed practice charts are due monthly. While practicing is limited to only 10% of a student s grade, it has an enormous impact on a student s performance assessments and participation. This portion also includes any written assignments/worksheets given to students as homework.
Scheduling When will students receive their schedules? Students will receive their schedules during their first rehearsal on September 13 th. Students will be expected to follow their schedules and attend band without a reminder from Mr. Henley. Remember, instruments/supplies are required beginning on September 13 th. How does the schedule work? Students will meet for band twice a week. One will be an instrument specific sectional (flutes only, clarinets only, etc.). These sectionals are pulled from class, and will rotate through instructional time and recess so that students do not miss the same subject repeatedly. The second meeting will be a full ensemble rehearsal. These ensemble rehearsals do not rotate. Does my student need to make-up class work missed for Band? Yes, it is the student s responsibility to make-up any work that they miss while attending band. Students should designate a buddy to take notes/collect handouts for them so that they can easily transition back into the classroom lesson upon returning from band. Can my student choose to skip band in order to catch-up in another class, or attend another class? If students are enrolled in band, then they are required to attend every band lesson if they are in school. The schedule is agreed upon at the beginning of the year with classroom teachers. If there is something that a student cannot miss, I will coordinate with classroom teachers and plan the schedule around that event. Otherwise, students are required to attend all lessons, no matter when they are pulled during the day. Help! Please help your student remember his/her band schedule. Each lesson and/or rehearsal is extremely important. I would hate for your student to miss one just because they forgot! Thank you for your help. Should my student still attend the lesson or rehearsal if they forgot their instrument or music? Yes! Students should ALWAYS attend lessons and rehearsals, even if they do not have all of their required supplies. Students can still receive credit for partial participation if they do not have their instruments.