Grades 7 and 8 Symphonic Band

Symphonic Band is open to all District 36 students who can pass a basic audition on a band instrument.

We meet several different times each week. A full schedule includes three parts:

During the Class Day, Ensemble, twice per week

Tuesday Flex Period, 2:55pm - 3:30pm

Thursday Flex Period, 2:55pm - 3:30pm

and

Before School, Sections, once per week

one session before school per week,

WOODWINDS: Mondays, 7:30am - 8:20am

PERCUSSION: Tuesdays, 7:30am - 8:20am

BRASS: Wednesdays, 7:30am - 8:20am

And finally

During the Class Day, Pull-Out Small Group Lessons
one small group lesson/sectional placed on a rotating pull-out schedule.

Symphonic Band Monday Small Group Lessons 2011-2012 (PDF)

Symphonic Band Thursday Small Group Lessons 2011-2012 (PDF)

Message From Mr. Rzeszutko and Mr. Vowles

Dear Band Parents and Students,

Welcome! We are looking forward to working with all of our students and parents during the coming year and have put together this handbook to clearly define various aspects of our program. For those of you returning to the band program, much of this information will be familiar. However, this guide will prove a convenient resource throughout the year.
Please give special attention to the calendar. It is very important that you plan now to avoid any future conflicts with performance and other band events. Every student is vital to the success of our band and we must have each member present at all performances and rehearsals.

The band program continues to grow in quantity and more importantly in quality. We believe this is mainly due to the fine support and cooperation of our students, parents and staff. Thank you for your continued support of music education in Winnetka and as always, feel free to call us or email us at any time.

Sincerely,
Robert Rzeszutko
Stephen Vowles

Summer Music Camps

Summer camps provide an excellent opportunity for young musicians to develop their talents and work with accomplished music teachers and performers from around the country. Numerous camps are located throughout the Midwest. Scholarships are available for interested students. Please see us for more information.

Rentals

Students are expected to provide their own instruments. Percussionists must provide their own sticks, mallets, and stick bag. It is extremely important that all of our students play on quality instruments in order to ensure the highest degree of success as performers. Before you buy or rent an instrument, please call us. We would be happy to suggest a reputable retailer. Many of our students rent from www.qandf.com. In the case of larger instruments (tuba, percussion, bari sax, baritone, tenor sax, bass clarinet, etc.) the district can provide these for the student at a cost of $100.00 for the school year. Rental forms will be provided; please contact Mr. Rzeszutko or Mr. Vowles for more information.

IMEA DISTRICT BAND AND JAZZ BAND

Sixth, Seventh, and Eighth grade students are eligible to audition for the IMEA All District Bands. These are honors bands made up of outstanding middle school musicians from throughout northern Illinois. The events are not mandatory, but are a tremendous performance opportunity and we strongly recommend participation. (Participation in District Jazz Band is restricted to jazz ensemble instruments). The dates for this year’s IMEA District Band activities are listed in the calendar.

IGSMA DISTRICT/STATE FESTIVALS

The IGSMA Festival involves all members of the 7/8th grade band. This year’s festival gives students the chance to hear other groups from around the area as well as the opportunity to receive comments and suggestions. This is a required event. Please get this date on your home calendar.

CONCERT DRESS

The following list is considered the uniform for ALL CONCERTS:

• White Shirt/Blouse
• Black Pants/Skirt
• Black Socks
• Black Dress Shoes (NO GYM SHOES OF ANY KIND)
• Long Neck Ties (boys)

Attending a concert in inappropriate attire may result in the student not being allowed to perform with the group.

PRIVATE LESSONS

Private lessons are not required by the district; however they are strongly recommended and do provide students with invaluable one-to-one instruction. Currently, more than 50% of Washburne/Skokie students study privately. With the help of private lessons students will be able to increase their technique and appreciation of music. They will also improve the performance of the group through their individual efforts.

The district has a list of recommended instructors. Please contact Mr. Rzeszutko or Mr. Vowles for this list!

PLEASE MARK YOUR CALENDARS AND CHECK THE ONLINE CALENDAR REGULARLY. WE MAY ADD OTHER PERFORMANCES AS WE PROGRESS THROUGH THE YEAR. OUR SUCCESS DEPENDS ON HAVING EVERYONE AT EVERY PRACTICE AND EVERY PERFORMANCE!

GRADE 7 and 8 SECTIONALS

7th and 8th graders will continue to receive small group lessons (called sectionals ) as a part of their instruction. Sectionals will take place this year on Mondays, Thursdays, and Fridays (30 minutes) during the school day on a rotating schedule. Consideration is given to accommodate for tests, quizzes, and important material covered in class. A copy of the sectional schedule and its rules of operation will be given to each student and teacher at the end of September. Please ask for a copy if your child does not bring one home.

REQUIRED MATERIAL

SYMPHONIC BAND (7/8TH GRADE)

• Pencil
• Student instrument
• Ensemble music and folder

ALL ENSEMBLES

• Woodwinds: Three good reeds, cork grease, and a cleaning swab.
• Brass: Slide grease and valve oil
• Percussion: Drum sticks, mallets, stickbag, and a drum pad and mallet kit for home practice.

Supplies like reeds and oils are available at Washburne and Skokie at a very discounted rate.

TO PERFORM AT A HIGH LEVEL WE NEED ALL OF YOU PRESENT...ALL OF THE TIME!

Rehearsal time is very important to the success of the band.

We need to make full use of every minute.

Please remember that our before school rehearsal starts promptly at 7:30 a.m. This means that we expect you to be ready to play at 7:30 a.m.; you should arrange to get to school at least ten minutes prior to allow time for putting your instrument together and other pre-rehearsal preparation.

No one should be absent from band unless they are absent from school.

Please arrange for help sessions, etc. at times when we do not have band rehearsal.

If missed rehearsals become a problem we will call home to discuss the situation. Excess absence may result in suspension from future performances.

REHEARSALS

All group band rehearsals for 7th & 8th grade Symphonic Band members will take place in the Washburne Cafeteria.

SYMPHONIC BAND REHEARSES THREE MORNINGS A WEEK AT 7:30 am - 8:15 am in the WASHBURNE CAFETERIA.

Percussion meets Monday, Tuesday, and Wednesday at 7:30 am.

Band meets meets Monday, Wednesday, and Thursday at 7:30 am.

MUSIC EDUCATORS NATIONAL CONFERENCE
www.menc.org

NATIONAL STANDARDS FOR MUSIC EDUCATION
GRADES 5-8

The period represented by grades 5-8 is especially critical in students' musical development. The music they perform or study often becomes an integral part of their personal musical repertoire. Composing and improvising provide students with unique insight into the form and structure of music and at the same time help them to develop their creativity. Broad experience with a variety of music is necessary if students are to make informed musical judgments. Similarly, this breadth of background enables them to begin to understand the connections and relationships between music and other disciplines. By understanding the cultural and historical forces that shape social attitudes and behaviors, students are better prepared to live and work in communities that are increasingly multicultural. The role that music will play in students' lives depends in large measure on the level of skills they achieve in creating, performing, and listening to music.

Except as noted, the standards in this section describe the cumulative skills and knowledge expected of all students upon exiting grade 8. Students in grades 5-7 should engage in developmentally appropriate learning experiences to prepare them to achieve these standards at grade 8. These standards presume that the students have achieved the standards specified for grades K-4; they assume that the students will demonstrate higher levels of the expected skills and knowledge, will deal with increasingly complex music, and will provide more sophisticated responses to works of music. Every course in music, including performance courses, should provide instruction in creating, performing, listening to, and analyzing music, in addition to focusing on its specific subject matter. Determining the curriculum and the specific instructional activities necessary to achieve the standards is the responsibility of states, local school districts, and individual teachers.

1. Content Standard: Singing, alone and with others, a varied repertoire of music
Achievement Standard: Students
a. sing accurately and with good breath control throughout their singing ranges, alone and in small and large ensembles
b. sing with expression and technical accuracy a repertoire of vocal literature with a level of difficulty of 2, on a scale of 1 to 6, including some songs performed from memory
c. sing music representing diverse genres and cultures, with expression appropriate for the work being performed
d. sing music written in two and three parts Students who participate in a choral ensemble
e. sing with expression and technical accuracy a varied repertoire of vocal literature with a level of difficulty of 3, on a scale of 1 to 6, including some songs performed from memory

2. Content Standard: Performing on instruments, alone and with others, a varied repertoire of music
Achievement Standard: Students
a. perform on at least one instrument (e.g., band or orchestra instrument, keyboard instrument, fretted instrument, electronic instrument) accurately and independently, alone and in small and large ensembles, with good posture, good playing position, and good breath, bow, or stick control
b. perform with expression and technical accuracy on at least one string, wind, percussion, or classroom instrument a repertoire of instrumental literature with a level of difficulty of 2, on a scale of 1 to 6
c. perform music representing diverse genres and cultures, with expression appropriate for the work being performed
d. play by ear simple melodies on a melodic instrument and simple accompaniments on a harmonic instrument
Students who participate in an instrumental ensemble or class
e. perform with expression and technical accuracy a varied repertoire of instrumental literature with a level of difficulty of 3, on a scale of 1 to 6, including some solos performed from memory

3. Content Standard: Improvising melodies, variations, and accompaniments
Achievement Standard: Students
a. improvise simple harmonic accompaniments
b. improvise melodic embellishments and simple rhythmic and melodic variations on given pentatonic melodies and melodies in major keys
c. improvise short melodies, unaccompanied and over given rhythmic accompaniments, each in a consistent style, meter, and tonality

4. Content Standard: Composing and arranging music within specified guidelines
Achievement Standard: Students
a. compose short pieces within specified guidelines (e.g., a particular style, form, instrumentation, compositional technique) demonstrating how the elements of music are used to achieve unity and variety, tension and release, and balance
b. arrange simple pieces for voices or instruments other than those for which the pieces were written
c. use a variety of traditional and nontraditional sound sources and electronic media when composing and arranging

5. Content Standard: Reading and notating music
Achievement Standard: Students
a. read whole, half, quarter, eighth, sixteenth, and dotted notes and rests in 2/4 , 3/4 , 4/4 , 6/8, 3/8 , and alla breve meter signatures
b. read at sight simple melodies in both the treble and bass clefs
c. identify and define standard notation symbols for pitch, rhythm, dynamics, tempo, articulation, and expression
d. use standard notation to record their musical ideas and the musical ideas of others
Students who participate in a choral or instrumental ensemble or class
e. sightread, accurately and expressively, music with a level of difficulty of 2, on a scale of 1 to 6

6. Content Standard: Listening to, analyzing, and describing music
Achievement Standard: Students
a. describe specific music events (e.g., entry of oboe, change of meter, return of refrain) in a given aural example, using appropriate terminology
b. analyze the uses of elements of music in aural examples representing diverse genres and cultures
c. demonstrate knowledge of the basic principles of meter, rhythm, tonality, intervals, chords, and harmonic progressions in their analyses of music

7. Content Standard: Evaluating music and music performances
Achievement Standard: Students
a. develop criteria for evaluating the quality and effectiveness of music performances and compositions and apply the criteria in their personal listening and performing
b. evaluate the quality and effectiveness of their own and others' performances, compositions, arrangements, and improvisations by applying specific criteria appropriate for the style of the music and offer constructive suggestions for improvement

8. Content Standard: Understanding relationships between music, the other arts, and disciplines outside the arts
Achievement Standard: Students
a. compare in two or more arts how the characteristic materials of each art (sound in music, visual stimuli in visual arts, movement in dance, human interrelationships in theatre) can be used to transform similar events, scenes, emotions, or ideas into works of art
b. describe ways in which the principles and subject matter of other disciplines taught in the school are interrelated with those of music (e.g., language arts: issues to be considered in setting texts to music; mathematics: frequency ratios of intervals, sciences: the human hearing process and hazards to hearing; social studies: historical and social events and movements chronicled in or influenced by musical works)

9. Content Standard: Understanding music in relation to history and culture
Achievement Standard: Students
a. describe distinguishing characteristics of representative music genres and styles from a variety of cultures (e.g., jazz, mariachi, gamelan)
b. classify by genre and style (and, if applicable, by historical period, composer, and title) a varied body of exemplary (that is, high-quality and characteristic) musical works and explain the characteristics that cause each work to be considered exemplary
c. compare, in several cultures of the world, functions music serves, roles of musicians (e.g., lead guitarist in a rock band, composer of jingles for commercials, singer in Peking opera), and conditions under which music is typically performed