8th Grade Band (Period 7) Assignments

All students who will be participating in 8th grade band for the 2016-17 school year should please see the file below to sign-up for Remind texting/email service.  It protects your private contact information but allows you to receive updates from Mrs. Kerr throughout the year to your cell phone and/or email addresses.   Parents are also encouraged to sign up as well.  

Students should be warming up daily with Long Tones, Pentascales, and the Concert B-flat, F, and E-flat Major Scales, Arpeggios and Chords exercises.

 

We are currently finishing on a unit with dotted quarter/eighth note rhythms.  Dotted Quarter Notes receive 1.5 beats/counts in 4/4 time and should be counted by subdividing 8th notes into each dotted quarter (3 eighth notes).  Students should work to count/clap rhythms and play music using dotted quarter notes on pages 26-30 of their books.

 

Any 8th grader who wishes to audition for competition marching band next year should see Mrs. Kerr to setup a time.

 

Practice records are due weekly, with a parent/guardian signature.  90 minutes of practice time is weekly goal.

 

 

Secaucus Memorial Day Parade Itinerary Below.  We will play Patriotic Parade Sequence.  8th graders are invited to attend and perform with the HS Band.

Students should currently be working on pages 24-26 in their packets, which incorporates a full octave of pitches (within the Concert B-flat and F Major scales) into their music while reviewing other concepts as well.  They should be playing the Concert B-flat and Concert F scales daily, reviewing key signatures and notes that are no longer sharp or flat.    They should be working on rhythms with dotted quarter notes as well on page 26.

 

Daily warm-ups include Long Tones 1-3, 5 and 8, Pentascales 1-6, and 9-10.  They should use these warm-ups before playing songs from their packet.  Percussionists should be working to incorporate snare technique and rudiments (flams, flam taps, paradiddles, multiple bounce strokes) as well as sixteenth note rhythms.  They can also practice sticking and notes for mallets using their mallet percussion chart, or the instruments are available in the music room at lunch and after school daily.

 

Students also have Regal March and The Flintstones Meet the Jetsons sheet music to work on for the May 19th District Music Concert.

 

Attire for May 19th Concert:  Dress black (all black dress shoes, black socks, black dress pants or long skirts, dress shirts/blouses.  

 

Upcoming Parades:  

 

-Saturday, 5/21 Secaucus Memorial Day Parade 9:30am-2:30pm

 -Monday, 5/30 Weehawken Memorial Day Parade, 8:30am-11:30am

 

 

 

 

 

Students are currently working on music with key signature, dynamic signs (f and p), eighth notes, and in 3/4 meter.

 

Quarterly assessment will be on Exercises 61, 63, and/or 66.

 

They should work on counting rhythms and fingering/sticking in their at-home practice.

 

Practice Records are due at the first class each week.

Students are currently working on music with slurs and eighth notes.  They have also begun page 16, learning Concert A-flat and songs with key signatures.

 

Practice Records are due on the first day of class each week.

Students are finishing up pages 13 and 14 in their packets which includes playing 8th notes.  We will start learning slurs on wind instruments this week and percussion are learning about playing multiple instruments.

 

Practice records are due every Monday (or first class of the week).  Students should practice at least 75-90 minutes per week.  Percussionists and bass players are welcome to use the instruments in the music room during lunch and after school.

Students will have a playing test on Theme from Symphony #1 on page 15 on Tuesday, January 12th..  This song includes pick up notes for everyone, and slurs for wind instruments.  Please see test rubric on right hand side of class page.

 

Later this week, students will finish Go For Excellence on page 15 and begin learning how to play Concert A-flat and a new key signature for their instrument.

 

Practice Records are due every Monday, with 90 minutes or more as a grade of 100.

Students are currently working on Warm-ups Long Tone 1, 2, 3, and 5.  They should be working on learning their part for Jingle Bells on page 12, and then on page 13 and 14, the eighth note songs.  It's best to practice in phrases and try to work on the areas that they find most challenging.

 

Practice Process:  1) Break Down Song into 2 or 4 measures at once, 2)Count rhythm, 3) Name notes in rhythm, 4) Name Notes or Count while practicing fingerings/stickings, 5) Try to play and repeat a couple of times before moving on or adding song together

 

Practice Records will be ready for pick-up by Tuesday, 12/15 and should be turned in on Monday, 12/21.

 

 

Students are currently working on warm-ups 1-5 and page 11 in their full band packets.  Students new to the class this marking period should be working on pages 8 and 9 as well.

 

Playing test on Mary Anne, page 11, will be assigned for Tuesday and Wednesday, 12/8 & 12/9.  Please see beginning band test rubric below to see how playing tests are graded.

 

Practice records are due at the beginning of each week--student's should set a goal of 90 minutes of practice per week.

Students who are new to class should be working at home on practicing their mouthpieces, articulating, and learning to read the first 3 notes on the first page of their music packet.   They should also review treble and bass clef notes in their music theory packet.  

 

 

Returning students should be continuing packet 2 this week, which includes reading music with key signatures and a new lower Concert A.  Students should practice one phrase at a time, and focus on more challenging parts of the music.  They are encouraged to circle notes affected by the key signature, rather than writing in flats and sharps.  

 

Practice records will be due every Monday for all students.  New students to class this marking period will not be required to complete a practice record for the week of 11/16-11/22.

Final Practice Record for Marking Period 1 will be due today.

 

--Students should be working on page 11, Concert G, Ties, and other songs on that page.  

 

School-owned instruments need to be in school daily and stored in the music room.

Quarterly assessment will be a music fundamentals written test on Treble & Bass Clef pitch, rhythms including quarter, half, whole notes/rests, and time signatures 4/4, 2/4.  Quarterly assessment will count as 2 test grades.

Students are currently finishing page 9, working on music that skips notes and includes whole, half, quarter notes and rests.  They will need to begin page 10, working on playing Concert G and the songs using this new note.  

 

Practice Records are due Monday, 11/9.  If you lose your practice record, you can print one from this site.

Any 8th grade band student joining the WHS marching band for our home football game tonight should report to the school no later than 5pm.  Please dress comfortably and try to wear attire that is Weehawken colors! We look forward to having you join us!

Permission slips for 8th grade band night due Thursday, 10/29!

 

All students should be working on page 9 in their packet to improve songs with skips.

 

Practice records are due Monday.

 

Check out Smart Music's website!  www.smartmusic.com

 

 

Students should be working on Concert E-flat and Concert F (new notes on page 8) in their at-home practice, including the songs on that page that include these notes.

 

Practice records are due every week on the first day of class.  Any student who has trouble taking their instrument home may practice in the music room during lunch period and/or after school most days.

 

 

Please review pages 6 & 7 and work on page 8.  Be careful with your new Note, Concert E-flat on page 8.  You can practice this note using your rhythm studies packet.  Tap your foot to keep a steady beat/tempo while you play and be careful to release the note at the right time.

 

****Individual Playing Test on Down by the Station, Page 8.  Test Rubric can be found below if you'd like to look over it to see how you will be graded.  The test will resume, Thursday 10/15.

 

--Work on Keeping time, Playing with Good Tone & Articulation (Tonguing for Winds, Sticking for Percussion)--you will be graded on all these areas

 

**Mallet instruments are available for practice during lunch, after school, and before school most days.  

 

 

Practice records are Due.  Please review pages 6 & 7 and work on page 8.  Be careful with your new Note, Concert E-flat on page 8.  You can practice this note using your rhythm studies packet.

 

****Individual Playing Test on Down by the Station, Page 8.  Test Rubric can be found below if you'd like to look over it to see how you will be graded.

 

--Work on Keeping time, Playing with Good Tone & Articulation (Tonguing for Winds, Sticking for Percussion)--you will be graded on all these areas

 

**Mallet instruments are available for practice during lunch, after school, and before school most days.  

 

 

Students should work on the following during at-practice time this week:

 

-Reading note names from pages 6 & 7 of their packets 

-Making the appropriate sound by setting embouchure/holding sticks properly and breathing/tonguing rhythms

-All Exercises on Pages 6 & 7 of packets--whole & half notes/rests

-Practice Records will be due on Monday, 10/5, with a parent signature (please refer to syllabus for grading information)