What's New?

Wed. 9.3.08

Band Review dates have been set on the calendar! Sept.27, Oct. 4, Oct. 11, Oct. 18, Oct. 25, Nov. 15 and Dec. 6th!

Thurs. 8.28.08

Back to School Night Performance on the 9/25/08 has been added to the calendar. Jazz Band and Marching Band will be performing so make sure you bring your uniforms!

ATTN DRUMLINE/PERCUSSION! Here is a message from drumline instructor Mr. Weems:

Bass Drums: Oregon Crusaders Bass Drum Ensemble Champions - DCI 2007
-Listen for silky smooth drum transitions, no hiccups and burning fast fours (remember, we're on twos right now)
Click here to view video!

Snare Drums: Percussion Break from SCV 1987
-Listen for metered and un-metered deccelerando and accelerando
-Heights, drum to drum stickings, and back stickings
Click here to view video!

Tenors: Blue Devils Tenor Section 2004
-Watch heights, sweeps, and stickings, (we haven't gotten to double stops and flams yet but check those out too)
Click here to view video!

Cymbals: Magic of Orlando Cymbal Line '05
-Listen, Battery is super dirty but cymbal line is hot. Hinge position is different than we do it. Notice sizzle crash moves from slope to vertical. Visuals Visuals Visuals!
Click here to view video!

Mallets: Blue Devils Front Ensemble 2007
-Unmetered Accelerando, stick heights all at six inches, no back fingers, its the only way to play fast. Use fulcrum pressure and relax eberything else. Release the tension from back fingers and the notes will happen faster.
Click here to view video!

Keep up the individual practice, just getting it down inrehearsal is not going to make it stellar. Metronome Metronome Metronome!!! - Slow Dilligent Practice

See you guys in a week.

Thurs. 8.28.08

Band kids, congratulations on having great drumline & band camps, and for almost completing your first week of school this year! We have new photos from drumline & band camp. Click here to see them.

Wed. 8.13.08

MEHS Orientation/ Schedule Pick-up info
August 18th Orientation/ID's for
Freshmen 9-12
Sophomores 1-3

August 19th Orientation/ID's for
Juniors 9-12
Seniors 1-3

August 20th Schedule Pickups
8-10:30 = Freshmen
10:30-12 = Sophomores
1-2 = Juniors
2-3 = Seniors

Sun. 8.10.08

Band Camp Itinerary
9:00-9:30 -leaders meet
9:30-10:15- practice march
10:20-10:50 marching basics
11:00-12:00 marching
12:05-12:45 activity
12:50-2:30 lunch
2:30-3:30 sectionals
3:30-4:15 music rehearsal(field show)
4:15-6:30 marching
6:30-7:00 clean up
7:00-7:30 leadership reflections

NEW RECYCLING "FUNDRAISER"
Please bring in any plastic bottles you have!
Please bring in laser/inkjet cartridges to be recycled!
Please bring old cell phones!!!

Thurs. 8.7.08

Important Dates & times:
*Leadership Camp: Sat. 8/9, 11:00-2:00
*Drumline: Aug. 11 thru 15, 10:00-1:00 then 2:30-6:00
*Band Camp: Aug. 18 thru 22
*Mandatory Parent Meeting: Aug 22 6 PM

Sun. 8.3.08

ANNOUNCEMENT 1
Check out Woodwind Instructor Ronnie Cato perform in "42nd Street" at Ohlone College in Fremont! August 1st - 16th!
http://www.starstrucktheatre.org/

ANNOUNCEMENT 2 - FREE instrument opportunity!
Are you an aspiring musician who needs a new band instrument? If you are still going to school and living in the San Francisco Bay Area we want to help. NextArts and Jupiter® Band Instruments have teamed up to create a new program: Just Play! Share your passion for music with us by submitting a one page letter on why you need a new instrument.All students under the age of 18 who are enrolled in school and live within the San Francisco Bay Area are eligible. In addition to your letter telling us why you need a new instrument, include a letter of support from your band director or music program leader, and a letter from your parent or guardian. Letters should not exceed one page each (3-pages total).We would also love to hear samples of your work in the form of a demo cassette, CD, or DVD, though this is not required. A professional recording is not necessary. Remember to just play! And, keep on playing. The submission deadline is August 13, 2008 and the lucky winners will be announced at our "Sock It To Me Concert."Please compile all application materials together and send to:

NextArts
P.O. Box 880418
San Francisco, California 94188

Winners will be selected based on aptitude, need, and dedication to the development of their musical proficiency. GOOD LUCK!

Fri. 6.27.08

Sectional Dates & Lesson Plans

Flutes Next flute sectional date: -July 7th, 2008

Here is the purposed lesson plan for July 7th:

Mini introduction (5-10 minutes)
-ice breaker game! get to know everyone in the section
-have everyone say something about themselves
-exchange emails and numbers

Warm-Ups (15 minutes):
-breathing exercises
-work on correct posture, embrochure, breathing, finger curvature
-long tones
-tonguing exercises + Articulate

Scales (15 minutes):
-test the following scales, two octaves:
-C, Bb, Eb Major
-a and g minor (natural) scales
-go over any incorrect notes
-go over Circle of Fifths (I passed this sheet out to all the flutes, so they have no excuse not to play the correct key signature)
-explain the difference in playing low notes vs. high notes on flute and go over any part of the scale that has difficulty being played
-give them the next scales to be played (F Major and G Major)

Bravura (total - 45 minutes):
-"test" them on where they are in the memorization of the march (up to letter D!)
-in order of importance, here is where I am going to be focusing:
1) tuning
2) rhythm/tempo
3) correct notes
4) articulation
5) dynamics
6) shaping

I understand that different flutes have difference levels of skill, so I will try my best to go over things as a section, but if needed I will split the group up into two (and possibly ask Azeem and Seini to take charge of the other group)

First part 25 minutes (work on 1, 2, 3) :

- work on difficult phrases, specifically the figures:
- 8 measures before A
- measure A
- 3 measures before B
- measure B
- explain how to play the grace note triplet figure in C
- work on hitting the high notes F, G, and A (although, if they have practiced their scales, they should have no problems hitting these notes)
- tuning individuals
- tuning as a section
- play through until D as an entire section

Second part 20 minutes (work on 4, 5, 6):
- accents, accents, accents! work on achieving the "bell" sound needed in the first 8 measures of the march
- have them write in dynamics and shaping to understand how our parts fit in with the rest of the band
- play the first 8 measures, completely memorized, with correct notes, articulation, and dynamics
- work on differences between staccatos and legatos
- understand the natural correlation between cres/dimin. and note phrases that go up/down and use that to our advantage
- TONGUING
- try to play sections in music using tonguing
- if section cannot (most likely), take passages very slow and have them tongue every note very clearly
- Finally, play through the whole march, with correct notes, in tune, correct rhythm, articulation, dynamics, etc.
- go over any rough spots that still need a lot of help
- work on individuals that still have difficulty with the march
- self- evaluation

Miscellaneous (5- 10 minutes):
- see where they are at with Abram's and Tocatta
- any difficult passages to go over?
- balance + blend as a section
- remind them of their next assignment, what to accomplish, what to practice, expectations
- ask if any need individual sectional time
- remind them to buy the things I asked them to have
- tell them they have more than a month until our next sectional... I will be expecting but the best when I return from my trip. It should be more than enough time to practice and get the stuff done.
- if any of them need further help, they should ask either Azeem or Seini for additional support if they cannot reach me.
- Finished! Pack up and go home

-Sikai

Clarinet's SUMMER ASSIGNMENTS CALENDAR!

Saxophones

Just a reminder make sure you have 1st half of the march memorized ( measures 1 - 48 )
Where? - Mt Eden Band room
When? - July 3rd 12:00 - depends on what we get accomplished, AT MOST 2 hours.
What to bring? - Bring Bravura, a pencil, your tuner, and your wind ensemble music (abrams and toccota).
-Tim Acorda.

Trumpets

next sectional - 7/1/08

-work on all shapes and articulations
-learn two more lines of march
-play through what we worked on in the last sectionals
-fix any problems with anything
-test on things assigned in previous sectional
-assign things to practice and work on

sectional - 7/7/08

-learn the rest of the march
-clean up the music
-give more shape and phrasing
-work on articulations and dynamics
-fix any problems
-test on things assigned in previous sectionals
-assign things to pratice and work on

sectional - 7/21/08

-test on remembering whole march
-work on all the dynamics, pharasing, and articulations in march
-run through march
-fix any problems
-assign things to work on and pratice

sectional - 7/28/08

-clean up all of march
-fix any problems
-test on whole march
-assign things to pratice and work on

Strings

July 21st 12-2pm

1)Warm ups (10-15min)
Articule

Goals

-Listen to intonation
-Watch bowing(whether everyone's bow pattern is the same or not)
-Listen to articulation
-Posture
-Fingering
Music Theory - Melodic Intervals (15-20min)

Go over what 2nd, 3rd, and 4th intervals mean

3)Major and Minor scales (30-45min)

-C scale two octaves
-Intonation
-Going to use different articulations
-bowing(staccato,legato,staccato)
-I'm going to be looking at posture
-Going to start them on D scale two octaves

4)Explain how to find notes in the major scale(20min)
whole ,whole, half, whole, whole,whole, half
After explaining the whole,whole half etc. I'll show them how it can be related to the fingering positions on they're instrument.

-Skky

French Horns

7/3/08(at Ochoa)
-help them find center
-work on c major, and c minor scale
-work on marching footwork
-work on first page of toccata
-articulation
-slurs
-breathing
-hand coordination inside bell

7/18/08
-see if they can find center
-hand coordination inside bell
-memorized c major and c minor
-first page of toccata good and first page of abrams partially good
-mouthpeice positions for tuning

7/31/08
-will know how to find the center
-know all hand coordinations inside bell
-second page of toccata work and rest of abrams good
-know mouthpeice tunning

8/14/08
-all of abrams and toccata sound good and articulate with shapes

Tue. 6/24/08

Summer Fundraising Updates

from your Treasurer/Head P.R., James Work

Hey guys. I hope you're all having a great summer, here's a few reminders about upcoming fundraisers:

Rootbeer Float Sales @ Foodmaxx; 10am-4pm.

Signed up: Sikai, Samantha, Dejon, James.

Carwash @ MEHS; 10am-4pm.

We need people to still sign up for this event; we also need soap, sponges, hoses, rags, squigees, Windex.

Also, a brand new feature is now up on this website! ALL BAND MEMBERS CAN VIEW THEIR STUDENT ACCOUNTS!