Anthony Hernandez

Dear band parents,

We are pleased to report the healthy progress and steady growth of our music program and more importantly of the students who are dedicated to quality music making.

In our music program we provide an opportunity for artistic expression that a student could not experience on their own. But our program goes beyond the development of basic skills and artistic talent. We are dedicated to developing the following values:

*   Individual responsibility

*   Group and individual respect

*   Personal trust

*   Genuine caring

*   Commitment to our musical family

The implementation, reinforcement and integration of these disciplines serve as the foundation for our program.

Our mission is to develop a musical community. Before we can attain harmony, balance and blend within the music, we must establish it with one another. To build and strengthen our musical performances, we have to build and strengthen our personal relationships within the group. We must create a safe atmosphere that encourages risk, growth, failure, persistence and a focus on excellence. In our musical family everyone counts. Our winning combination is:

Parental Support + Student Desire + Teacher Guidance =

CERTAIN SUCCESS

Success creates success. Success in music translates to success in life. Our students experience being a part of this successful musical community by:

*   CARING for other students who share a similar dream

*   RESPECTING self and fellow musicians

*   Demonstrating RESPONSIBILITY on and off the performance stage

*   Manifesting TRUST by being dependable and honest

*   Role modeling the standards of our musical FAMILY

We thank you for your support, and remind you that YOU are a key ingredient in our success recipe.

Mr. Hernandez

Recital Date & Accompanist fee

 Recital is scheduled for Sat., February 25th at the high school. Students performing will include 6-12th graders. If your child is playing a solo and/or ensemble, you won’t want to miss this event! Parents, family, and friends are encouraged to attend!  The students performing solos need to have met with their accompanist a minimum of 3 times before the recital. The fee to be paid directly to the accompanist at their first practice is $15.  Students should have already contacted their accompanist to arrange the 3 rehearsal times. ***(percussionists performing a solo have the piano accompanist playing with them on their mallet solo ONLY.  The student should plan to take their home bells set with them so they have something to rehearse with unless the rehearsal will be at the high school or middle school.)  Students should have already contacted their accompanist to arrange practice time.

 Recital Details

 Several classrooms at the high school will be set up for recitals. Each student has approximately 6-8 minutes to perform their solo and/or ensemble for a judge and audience. Students need only stay for their performance(s), but are encouraged to listen to as many other solo and ensemble performances as they would like. Exact performance times and room locations to be announced around Feb 10^th.  Students should plan to arrive at the high school to warm up in the gymnasium 40 minutes before their performance so they have time to find their room and warm up. They should report to their performance site 15 minutes before their scheduled time and either sit in and listen to the person before them or wait in the hallway.  Ensembles do not need an accompanist. Dress is concert dress (black & white) or other nice clothes (no jeans or tennis shoes).

Dear band parents and students,

Welcome to the New Year! We are excited about the full slate of opportunities ahead of us and we are eager to convey good news about the value of music education for your child.

Often a single concert or presentation measures the success of a music program. While it is true that a performance demonstrates the students’ mastery of skills, it is only one aspect of our comprehensive music curriculum. Music classes in our program are designed to prepare students to be responsible citizens in tomorrow’s society. What is it about music learning that offers young musicians a head start?

*   Music develops interpersonal skills such as teamwork, leadership, communication, negotiation and working with others; the basic personal attributes required for problem-solving in our modern day workplace.

*   Music stimulates the creative, curious, and imaginative mind – the mental building blocks for critical thinking and self-motivation.

*   Since much of music is active learning, it links the creative thought process to reality. The following quote is an excerpt from The Value of the Arts, created by the President’s Committee on the Arts and Humanities – 1993:

“Some skills taught only in the arts are as important to science as they are to art. Among these tools are playing, abstracting, building models and recognizing patterns. Non-verbal skills allow people to imagine and visualize new realities before they can be proven by logic or scientific experiment”.

When children are in the act of making decisions based on present moment choices, they replicate the same thought processes used in expressing music. This is a human quality that must be developed; it is the foundation for all problem-solving skills.

When we take a holistic view of music learning, we develop a new perspective and appreciation for music’s influence on children. Music is important in the life of children.

Mr. Hernandez

Hello,

I thought I would shed some light about the band assessments, practice records, and private lessons for 6th grade band students and parents.

Band Assessments

Band assessments happen once per week for 15 minutes for all band students grades 6-12.  The assessments are the way we grade their actual playing by having a playing test on selected music each week.  The students receive a grade on these tests.  I assign them several pieces to do for the next assessment, which they should be practicing every day.  On Tuesday, the students were given their exact times for their weekly assessment.  I have attached (below) the schedule to this e-mail in the form of a .pdf file.

Practice Records

I will be checking their practice records each week in their assessments.  I have or will tape this page in the inside cover of their book, and will no longer be having them keep track of minutes, but they will keep tack each day of which pieces they practiced and what practice methods they used to practice them.  I have attached (below) this form as well for your information.  The first day they will fill out is this Sunday the 28th.  The students will be graded on 6 days of practice per week.

Private Lessons

If any student has not turned in a private lessons form, and still wants to, they may this week.  If your child did turn one in, they should be hearing from a teacher by next week.

Let me know if you have any questions!

Practice Records

6th Band Assessments 2011-12

Click below to listen to the GMS Beginning Band’s performance from IGSMA State contest:

Traffic Jam

Early One Morning

Chant and Tribal Dance