November 4, 2013

Grade 7 Goals: This week our goal is to build our reading and playing skills on our instrument.

ALL STUDENTS SHOULD HAVE A MOUTHPIECE OF THEIR OWN BY THIS POINT IN THE YEAR UNLESS THEY HAVE COME TO DISCUSS SPECIAL CIRCUMSTANCES.

During our first class of the week, students will learn how to maintain their instruments (brass valves and slides, woodwind corks and mouthpieces). Then students will review rhythm and pitch on the staff. They will recieve a scale sheet which they will use to record the notes they have learned and play a "fractured scale" warm up. They will use the 4 practise steps to review songs 1-3 on Staff Songs Sheet #1 and continue on to learn the rest. In each song, they will be looking for musical patterns which are similar or repeat.

During our second class of the week, we will begin by reviewing note reading using websites discussed last week (see last week's post).We will review some songs on Staff Songs Sheet 1 and go on to learn longer durations on Staff Songs Sheet 2. We will continue looking for patterns and identify the "Question and Answer" song form.

Homework: Students are expected to practise Staff Songs sheets 1 and 2 2 -5 times this week outside of class. This is practise week 1 on their practise record sheet.

Grade 8 Goals: This week our goal is to communicate our message/ideas about war as we complete our War Compositions using graphic notation.

During the first class of the week, students will have an opportunity to hear a selection of modern music examples which illustrate the use of unusual timbres and graphic scores. They will continue using the Creative Process to select and organize melodies and sound effects into a meaningful composition.

During the last class of the week, students will rehearse their compositions and begin a new band piece on the topic of war: "Liberty March". They will be asked to write the counting under the first 24 bars and practise this section for homework.

Homework: Practise their melodies and sound effects and measures 1-24 of Liberty March.