Winter Concert Schedule:

Tuesday, December 13 - DES at 9:30am
Thursday, December 15 - CGS at 10:00am
Tuesday, December 20 - SES at 1:30pm
Wednesday, December 21 - WES at 1:30pm

* Students are encouraged but not required to dress 'classy' in a way that respects the music they are working hard to play, i.e. no t-shirts or sweatpants if possible.

Practice Assignments

Beginner Band students should be working out of the book and should focus on 'songs'   9, 10, 11, 12, 13, and 14. If your child is confident on those pieces, they are permitted to look ahead to page 8, which includes the first song, "Hot Cross Buns."

Advanced Band students should be working on
 * Concert Bb scale and Concert Eb scale in "Basic Band Warm-ups"
 * Hallelujah  - all of the piece
 * A Little Bit of Latin - measure 45 to the end

ALL Students must have their instrument, music, folder, practice log, and a pencil to earn a sticker towards a semester reward.

Listening Link: for 5th grade and 6th grade

The entire recording of "Hallelujah Chorus" by Timothy Loest is available here:
http://www.jwpepper.com/Hallelujah-Chorus/10070380.item

Students should listen to this while following along with their music.

Practice Journals are going home this week

All students are receiving their first monthly Practice Journal. This is a home resource to point students in the right direction for quality practice sessions. The front tells the student what to practice and the back tells the student how and when to practice.  I do not require parent/guardian signatures. The aim is for students to be independent in their quest to be a better musician. Journals can be turned in for rewards at the end of each month.

Instrument Rental Night TONIGHT

New band and strings students are invited to our annual Instrument Rental Night this evening, September 15th at 6:30 in the DES cafeteria. Questions? email Mrs. Carr! megan.carr@frsu38.org

Tanglewood FREE on June 24

Happy summer vacation, band! Looking for something to do? Next Friday, June 24th, from 1-5pm you can visit Tanglewood for free thanks to the Highland Street Foundation. There is an instrument playground, craft, and performance by fellows of the Tangelwood Music Center.

BRAVO students!
It was an excellent year for FRSU38 Elementary Bands. You all make me proud with your hard work and dedication. Good luck to the 6th graders moving on to further studies. 

Summer Band Clinic

Students entering grades 5-8 are invited to participate in this year's Summer Band Clinic. Please email Mrs. Carr at megan.carr@frsu38.org for a registration form. Dates for the Summer Band Clinic are as follows:
Monday, August 22: 9am-noon
Tuesday, August 23: 9am-noon
Wednesday, August 24: 9am-noon
Thursday, August 25: 9am-noon
Friday, August 26: 11am concert

Jr. Western District Auditions!

Any serious band students entering grade 6 and up are eligible to audition for the Jr. Western District Music Festival in March. Students must prepare a solo (listed below) in addition to playing two major scales, the chromatic scale, and a sight reading excerpt. Auditions are the first Saturday of December.

Flute - Rondo #20 - Solos for the Flute Player - Moyse

Oboe - Song of India - Classic Festival Solos - Lamb

Bb Clarinet - Allegretto - Belwin Master Solos Intermediate Level

Bass Clarinet - Addagio and Allegro (from beg. to mm. 58) - Concert and Contest Collection - Voxman

Bassoon - Pg. 15, #5 AND Pg. 11, #6 - Rubank Intermediate Method - Voxman

Alto Sax - Sicilienne and Allegro - Solos for the Alto Saxophone Player - Teal

Tenor Sax - Piece in G Minor - Concert and Contest Collection - Voxman

Baritone Sax - #78 and #93 - Second Book of Practical Studies - Hovey

Trumpet - Sarabanda and Gavatta - Concert and Contest Collection - Voxman

French Horn - Rondo - Concert and Contest Collection - Voxman

Trombone - Nocturne - Belwin Master Solos Intermediate Level

Euphonium - #35 and #42 - Supplementary Studies for Trombone - Endresen

Tuba - #31 and #42 - Supplementary Studies for Tuba - Endresen

Percussion - #7 from 8 (+4) Three Minute Audition Solos - Tanner

For a community band experience (musician parents should consider this too!!), the Shelburne Falls Military Band is conducted by newly retired Frontier Band Director, Karen Atherton. All ages and abilities are welcome. This is definitely a must-do summer music activity! Rehearsals are Wednesdays at 7pm in Shelburne Falls...May 25, June 1, and June 8. The performances are June 15th, 22, 29, July 6, 13, 20, 27 August 3, 10, and 17. You can still attend the concerts even if you didn't go to the rehearsals (most community bands are like this.) The rehearsals are at the Band Hall in Shelburne Falls near the bowling alley. For more information, email Karen Atherton at dahliaitalia@gmail.com

Final Concert Dates and Times

Conway Grammar School: Thursday, May 19th at 2pm

Whately Elementary School: Wednesday, May 25th at 2:00 pm for the school student body and guests
                                               Wednesday, May 25th at 6:00 (art show is at 5:30pm)

Sunderland Elementary School: Tuesday, May 31st at 1:45 pm for the student body and guests

Deerfield Elementary School: Thursday, June 2 at 9:30 am for the student body and guests

The sweet sound of Spring Concerts!

Our students are preparing for their upcoming Spring concerts!

Our all-schools concert is May 5, 2016 at 7:00pm at Frontier Regional School auditorium.
Every child should return the permission slip for this concert (and dress rehearsal) and return it ASAP

Our learning focus has temporarily shifted solely to preparing our performance songs. We are discussing how to blend with each other on stage. Please encourage your musician to practice diligently. Everyone makes a valuable contribution to our music making.

Listening excerpts are found on jwpepper.com