September 3, 2012

Welcome back everyone!  I hope that you've had a fabulous summer and that you will have a great time learning lots of new things at Willowdale this year. I am looking forward to helping you to reach your musical goals and expand your musical horizons.  Break a leg!

Grade 6: This week's goals are to get to know each other and begin working together to solve musical challenges. We will explore vocal sounds, compose patterns and create performances incorporating our names, and begin a survey which may be completed for homework.

Grade 7: This week's goals are to get to know each other and become familiar with the instrumental program at Willowodale. After a brief name activity, students will receive a copy of the Willowdale Instrumental Music Handbook  to read and share with parents, an interest survey and a name card which should be brought to their next class.
Homework: Students need to bring a 1" binder to class with all handouts inside.

Grade 8: This week's goal is to re-acquaint ourselves with our instruments and reading/playing from musical notation. After a short youtube video, students will review assembly/care information included in the new method book, warm up using notes from the concert Bb scale, and select a song to learn alone or with their instrument team mates.  After a practise period, students will play for each other and reflect on their performances and the performances of others.
Homework: Students should bring their mouthpieces/reeds and music binder from last year including fingering charts, scale sheets, glossaries and elements sheets. Students should return their instrument assignment forms handed out today.