November 2023 5th Grade Band Family Update
It was wonderful to see many of you at conferences recently! Thanks for stopping by or reaching out online. I love this class of 5th graders!
I wanted to touch base with you about three things:
Now that our musicians feel secure assembling, holding and creating supported sounds out of their instruments, they need to master reading their first 6-8 notes on a staff. There are a number of ways they can work on this:
-
Page 8 in their band binder–Practice the Bb Scale by saying the note names out loud while pointing to them, fingering the notes while saying the note names out loud and playing the notes while saying the note names silently in their heads.
-
Spending 5 minutes a day with the note naming flashcards from band class until they can identify a note name and fingering by sight. (Let me know if your child needs a new set! I encourage them to keep them in plastic on the cover of their band binder.)
-
Practicing note naming in their binder by writing in answers to the p. 29-33 in their band binder.
IMPORTANT:
-
ALL 5TH GRADE BAND STUDENTS NEED TO PRACTICE 80-90 MINUTES PER WEEK MINIMUM to improve. They should record the time on their yellow practice sheet and have it signed by a parent each week.
-
Please help your child create and keep a disciplined practice schedule, such as playing from 3:40-4:00 p.m. every Monday, Tuesday, Thursday and Sunday or from 4:30-5 p.m. every Friday, Saturday and Sunday.
-
Brass players (trumpets, horns, trombones, baritones and tubas) also need to buzz on a mouthpiece for 2 minutes EVERY DAY to build up their muscles!
Along with note naming/note fingering, students should be practicing songs in their band book (currently p. 9-11 or farther), playing tests (listed at the end of the practice sheet) and concert songs.
Please ask students to play their music for you so that you can hear the progress they are making! They should be playing more songs than Jaws, Hot Cross Buns and Power Rock at this point. Ask for a new song in the book and praise their efforts as they work through new notes and rhythms.
NOTE: Students can play along with our concert songs by signing into Canvas, opening the class “Band 5 ALL - Leist” and clicking on the Concert Song image. I will add new songs for each concert throughout the year. You can also click the links on the songs listed below!
December Concert Music
Power Rock
Jingle Bells
Merry Kisimusi
Mechanical Monsters
|