The Patriots
West Suburban Home School Band
The PatriotsWest Suburban Home School Band
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Recent Additions Dress Code for Performances: If you haven’t obtained your concert dress wear yet, now is the time to begin. It is specified in the West Suburban Home School Band Handbook. This includes a white, button-down dress shirt (with a collar) and black, conservative-styled pants (see handbook for more details) or skirts (for girls). A large quantity of black uniform pants were donated to our band during last concert season. Those interested may either borrow them or purchase a pair for $5 by arranging a fitting appointment with Mrs. Borow before November 25th. Cadets: Cadets should have received three pieces of music: Christmas Fun and Name That Carol (both, hopefully, for Yorktown) and Handclappers on Parade (Winter Concert). Concentrate on the Christmas music. We will play both this week to determine their potential. There will be one (1) more Essential Elements book assignment, made at the Nov. 6th practice. After that, no more book assignments will be given as we work on these new piece and determine what will be performed for sure. Concert and Cadet Bands: Next set of CD’s needed: The CD included with the
book ends at exercise 58. Parents will need to obtain the next set of CD’s for your
student to play along with. The CD’s with some Essential Element books contain the
entire set of exercises on MP-3 format. Check your CD. For those who prefer internet
access instead of CD's, it is possible to get the remainder of the Essential Element book
exercises from the following Hal Leonard website: Parade and Yorktown: Just a reminder that the response sheets for the Parade and Yorktown at posted at the front desk at band. Most families have not responded yet for either of these events. Please let us know your decision about participating either way.
Bike Horn: Symphonic Band is in need of a large bike horn for one small passage in one song. If anyone is willing to lend one to the band, please call Mrs. Borow and bring it to band next week. We will take good care of it and return it to you after the Winter Concert on Jan. 31st. Practice / Attendance Sheets: Please fill these out completely, including name and parent’s signature in order to gain credit. It is best to fill these out on a daily basis at home, to ensure accuracy. The Craft Fair is coming up soon - November 8th. Mrs. Cassity and Mrs. Blunt are organizing this event and should be contacted for crafter/distributor information. All band members are urged to help publicize this event. Fliers will be available at the front desk. Please plan on attending, if at all possible. Those band members interested in performing at the fund raiser should contact Mrs. Cassity. Time slots are still available for ensembles. Friday, November 28th is the Wheaton Light-Up Parade (line-up time: approx. 5 p.m.; step-off: approx. 6). We still need member’s decisions regarding this parade. Please indicate, either yes or no, regarding your participation for this event. We are especially interested in determining the participation of the percussion line. All Cadets are invited to march along with the band. You may bring jingle bells along to play as you march. The dress code for this event is warm clothing (winter coat included, assuming it is necessary) and a Santa hat. Those Cadets who have carried flags or banners with the Patriots Marching Band, please indicate if you are willing to help in this capacity as guards are needed. Saturday, December 6th, 4 p.m. is the Yorktown Christmas Performance. While this is not mandatory, the band has always enjoyed a huge turn out for this event. There will be a sheet at the front table to sign up. Please indicate whether or not you will be participating. Saturday, January 31st, 7-9 p.m., is our formal Winter Concert, held at the Holmstad Center. Yamaha Books Available – Mrs. Pfauth will have copies of Yamaha Christmas Ensembles for anyone needing to purchase a copy. This book is required, per the Supply List, for every Concert and Symphonic Band member. It is instrument specific. The cost is $6.00, including tax. Cash or checks , payable to J.W. Pepper, are acceptable. Please bring your payment, in an envelope, marked on the outside with the following information: Student Name (first and last); Band(Concert or Symphonic); Instrument and Amount Enclosed Band T-shirts - Mrs. Pfauth has volunteered to organize this year’s Band t-shirt order/sale. The t-shirts will be similar to those we ordered last year, with the band’s name in larger letters on the back and a much smaller name on the left front. Wearing them is an excellent means of "spreading the word" about the band. The cost for these shirts should be under $10. However, before she can begin, she would like to survey all the band families to know what kind of interest there is (or is not) for purchasing these shirts. She would like to hear from every family. Please e-mail her at KDZMOM6@earthlink.net no later than Thursday, October 30th. Include your family name and tell her: "Not interested in t-shirts" or "Interested in t-shirts" along with the total number of shirts you’d be likely to order. Once she has heard from each family she can determine whether there are sufficient numbers to begin taking orders. A special thanks go out all who set up Cornelius Hall, in the absence of the directors. Also, thanks to all who helped transport the Borow family to and from band this week after their car trouble.
Cadet Evaluations – Mrs. Borow plans on finishing the remaining evaluations this week. She plans on being at band early to complete them. The evaluation is on the Five Notes in Review and Jingle Bells. Help to brass players experiencing difficulties matching notes: Go back to the exercises that introduce each new note. Expect this to take some time. Expect to not progress on any new material. Realize that you are laying down a critical foundation for your musical progress. It is imperative that you do this WITH the CD. If you need help determining if you are matching the notes, get a family member to listen in on your practice time with you. Note: This is a step that can not be skipped. If the note you are playing on your horn is too low, you need to tighten and pull back the corners of your mouth more until the note you are playing matches. Another tip is to reduce the opening allowed between your lips. If your note is too high, loosen your lips until the note you are playing matches. If you need help, call Mrs. Borow. Try to get to band early to get some help. There are many present who can assist. Tonguing reminder: All notes should be attacked and separated with the tip of the tongue. All band members, please check posture and instrument position in a mirror at home. Flutes: Check your posture and flute position in a mirror as you play.
Cadet Assignments: Reminder – a lot of new music was distributed. More is to arrive. Do not be anxious about this new music. We will work on it diligently each week and it will progress, just as our book exercises have. Just remember to do your part and continue to practice daily. Winning Rhythms: page 3. ex. A-E Essential Elements Assignment: p. 14 and 15, ex. 59-71 Continue working on Performance Spotlight Songs, p.12, 13 Practice new songs, Christmas Fun and Name That Carol (Note: These songs can be found on the JW Pepper website. It is very helpful, after the student has worked on all the notes alone and is able to keep up with the tempo, to play along with the recording of these songs on the following website: http://www.jwpepper.com/catalog/welcome.jsp ) How to find the song: Under "search" type in the word "Band"; under "keyword" type in the title of the song and click go. Click on Real Audio and you will hear the song performed as it should sound. All students are urged to use this feature daily, once they can keep up with the pace. It helps to compensate for us getting together only once weekly. Those who are ahead and comfortable on the notes covered thus far should work on the new notes covered on pages 16 and 17 in order to play songs # 78 (Up on a Housetop) and 79 (Jolly Old St. Nick) for Yorktown.
Please tune before band begins. Brahms: Clarinets – work on the opening passage. Check all key signatures. Practice the allegro passage (E), which includes the off-beat parts. Practice it first with clapping and counting, to strengthen the grasp and comfort of playing on the off beats. Trumpets – Check all the notes in the D soli section and practice playing your own part smoothly. Clarinets and Trumpets: Please help coordinate a short practice session in your section on the passages pointed out at practice and above for the Brahms piece before band begins. Holding short review/practice sessions before band begins is a good use of time and a mini sectional. Choucoune - All players except low brass, but including F horns, have a passage
that is to be played very staccato. This information is noted in the director’s
score. Winning Rhythms. We will start next week with Lesson page 6 of Winning Rhythms.
We will clap a through A-E. Concert Band Assignments: page 12,13, ex. 56-61. Do You Hear What I Hear Note: If your instrument is indicated to perform one of the following pieces, please work on and begin mastering your part, A, B, or C, so that it will be ready before Yorktown. Hark, The Herald Angels Sing – Trumpets Continue reviewing Part 2, Number 1 and reviewing (or working out) Rhythm Masters We will begin the practice by quickly working up a permanent seating arrangement. Hallelujah Chorus Panis Angelicus - clarinets and saxes, continue practicing daily with website, playing with sensitivity and restraint. Pay special attention to your intonation (measure of how in-tune you are) and your dynamic level. Remember that the eighth note pattern is barely perceivable on the recording. Navy Hymn
Musical Director: director@wshsb.com Webmaster: webmaster@wshsb.com
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