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              Paiges SmartMusic Pepper Finale National Indiana
     
                                              Indiana Bandmasters Audacity  ISSMA
     
    August, 2019: 

    Welcome back to school!  The following items are due Monday, August 19th for all band members:  band handbook slip, band binder & plastic sleeves, book 2 or book 2 payment, the first practice journal (see prompt below).

    Week 1 Journal Prompt for 7th and 8th-grade: 

    The journal prompt for this week is to copy precisely what is written below in pencil in your neatest handwriting.  Be sure the bottom of each letter touches the line; do not allow letters to extend outside of any lines except for descenders (the letters g, j, k, p, q, and y, which descend below the writing line).

    Copy this:     When responding to a journal prompt, I must print in pencil and erase any mistakes.  I must also use complete sentences, proper grammar, and accurate spelling.

    In example C you'll see sloppy handwriting that does not follow the lines, and it is in pen.  In example B you'll see mistakes that were not erased.  Example C and B are not acceptable --a journal turned in with a similar lack of precision will be returned to you ungraded.  Example A demonstrates the proper precision necessary to count as "neat handwriting" each week on your journal.

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    Band School Supply List for 2019-2020: 

    Please read the supply list carefully; it is very specific and the details for each item are very important to insuring that you enjoy success and contribute positively to each rehearsal.

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    (1) Band instrument (percussionists need a full bell/pad kit, not just a practice pad or snare drum).  Every instrument case must have a name tag attached at all times.  We have tags (free) here in the band room.
    (2) Essential Elements Interactive Book 2 (for your instrument) --we will have these for you to purchase at Northside ($9.99 for winds; $17.99 for percussion; no tax).
    (3) A half-inch  (1/2") hard-cover 3-ring binder and 20 plastic sleeves to go in the binder --this is how you will organize your music.  The one-inch binders are far more common, but binders wider than 1/2" do not fit in the students' binder storage shelves without breaking the shelves!  The binder can be any color with or without a clear plastic front cover.
    (4) Three No. 2 pencils --not mechanical pencils because they do not write well on our stands.  Put one pencil in your binder, one in your case, and one in your binder shelf.  Pencils must have erasers and must be sharpened prior to class.
    (5) All  clarinets and saxophones need four #2.5 strength reeds.  Our bookstore sells the recommended brand, which is Vandoren --other brands are acceptable, as long as the strength is #2.5.
     
    Students, Check itslearning and Your Grades and Your Mailbox Each School Day: 

    I'll send information to you to help you become a better musician and student.  In addition, you should log in to PowerSchool each day at some point to double-check your grades for each class.  Teachers sometimes make errors in recording grades, and if you see an error, please let the teacher know so that we can make the appropriate adjustment.  In addition, this is the place where you can see your upcoming assignments for all of your classes.  Be sure to check your mailbox every school day for communication or new music that you may be receiving.

    The Northside Bookstore:
    Many of the items you need for band, including plastic sleeves (10-cents each), are available right here at Northside.  In addition, you can purchase clarinet and saxophone reeds, brass lubricants, and drumsticks all here at the bookstore, which is open from 7:30 to noon each school day.  The price list will be updated at the start of each school year.
     
    www.bcscbands.org 
    The website www.bcscbands.org which will be used for information pertaining to all band members in BCSC.  Links to all BCSC directors and each high school can also be found there.
     
    Online Musical Dictionary:

     

    The following link will take you off the BCSC website.  This links to an excellent online resource for researching musical terms:  www.music.vt.edu/musicdictionary/
     
    Suggested Tools for Successful Practice at Home:
     
    When practicing at home, the most essential ingredient is a music stand.  Most students received one of these with their starter packs last year.  If you need a music stand, a student-model can be ordered from Paige's Music (1-800-382-1099); Paige's delivers items to our school every Tuesday.  A tuner & metronome combination (Korg TM-40; about $33) for wind players, and a metronome (Matrix MR500; about $24) for percussionists are also important tools to help students refine their sense of pitch and pulse.  If you need these items, you can order them through Paige's Music, but before you do, please read about SmartMusic, which is software that includes both of these items.  Another excellent tool is Notepad by Finale, which is FREE software that allows students to notate, hear, and print their own musical compositions (you can read more about this software below).
     
    Free Music Notation Software:
     
    The Finale Notepad software allows you to notate, hear, and print out your own compositions.  The software is free from Finale.  Just go to www.finalemusic.com/notepad  to download.  Be sure to get parental permission first.

    Notepad
     
      
    What Would Beethoven Say?
     
    What could be better than heading to the symphony for an evening of Beethoven?  Possibly this stirring rendition done in flash-mob style!  Click the picture to follow the external link.
     
     Beethoven
     
     
    B Left B Right

     
Last Modified on August 14, 2019