New Year!

The band and orchestra year is just getting started soon. We're doing our first recruitment tomorrow night (July 23rd) at Elk Meadows. We'll do the first recruitment July 28th at Jordan Ridge during the back to school night meeting.

First day of Band will be Monday August 25th at the parent meeting at 7:30 am in the Jordan Ridge gym. Bring your parents and come try out the instruments if you haven't already chosen one (or if you just really want a chance to check out the other instruments -- it's your only chance to play one other than your own in band class).

Hope to see you there!

Welcome Back!

Welcome back to band and orchestra!

I guess we've been back for a while now, but in the band program, we're finally back into our normal schedule again.

Thank you again for working with me that first month. It's always better to split the students out into their individual instruments when we're first starting out. And thank you for sending your students to band camp! It was a HUGE success! I taught the percussion room and we had 18 students from throughout the district the second night. I don't think I've ever had that many kids in percussion! It's making me excited for Monster Concert later on in the year.

I just wanted to send out a quick reminder that tuition is now due. It's $200 for the year, or $100 per semester. I was just totaling things up and it looks like I only have about 1/3 of the tuition so far. I'd rather have that number closer to the 1/2 range for this time of year. If you've already paid, great and thank you! If you haven't, please pay as soon as possible. If you're not sure, send me an email (jenworthen3 at hotmail dot com), or give me a call (ask the school for my number just because I prefer to not put it online), or even come visit me for a minute in class (preferably at the end so I can start my class on time -- we get out at 8:10).

Thank you for everything you do as parents to help support this amazing program. Keep up the great work!

Mrs. Worthen

Holiday Performance/Audition Information

Dear Parents,

I hate to think it, but it’s that time already! Time to send out information regarding our Holiday Concert. So, here are the details.

Date: December 14^th – there will be a 2 pm assembly and a 7 pm performance. Call time is 1:30 for the assembly and 6:30 for the performance.

Concert Dress: Everyone needs to be in white tops and black bottoms (this includes black shoes and black socks/tights). I prefer that the students be dressed a little nicer (think Sunday pants), but black jeans work well, too. If the girls choose to wear skirts, please be sure that they’re longer skirts (below the knee).

Following the concert, we just have two extra days of class. December 15^th will be our Christmas party in the morning. I will be providing donuts and milk. If you would like to send in anything else, it would be greatly appreciated (I’m thinking orange juice, fruit, etc – something so I don’t feel quite so much guilt just giving them pure sugar for breakfast).

December 16^th will be Audition Day. Any beginning band student interested in auditioning for Advanced band (which meets Tuesdays and Thursdays) is welcome to do so. The audition requirements are to play a scale (prepare the first four scales listed in the back of Book 1 – I will choose one for the students to play during the audition) and to choose one prepared piece (the choices are I Saw Three Ships, Nutcracker Suite, and O Tannenbaum – all are available in Book 2). If I still can’t decide by the end of those two, I will have the students sight read something for me from Book 2. They will need to have Book 2 in order to audition.

My basic expectations for auditions are: flutes, get the pieces practically perfect. Clarinets, starting playing high notes (above A – ask me if you have questions, I’m more than willing to help). Altos, get a smooth sound – no honking and no rushing. Trumpets, lip slurs and play lots of high notes. Trombone, lip slurs and be able to play strong on your rhythms since you’re usually playing alone. Percussion, know your rudiments and be able to do double stops confidently.

I am more than willing to help anyone that has questions. But I can’t help if I don’t know that you have questions! Come to me if you need help! I strongly encourage everyone to audition.

Following auditions, we will be on break until January 9^th.

Thanks! Mrs. Worthen

Christmas is approaching!

It's hard to believe -- especially considering we still have Halloween and Thanksgiving -- but you should be hearing the sounds of Christmas at your home already!

Beginning band is currently working on Jingle Bells, Good King Wenceslas, Dreydl, Dreydl, and Holiday Sampler along with the first 12 pages from the book. If you're not hearing Christmas, encourage your students to practice!

Advanced band is also working on some Christmas songs. Theirs are Deck the Halls, Up On the Housetop, and Holiday Fantasy. Clarinets are also working on their upper register. If they keep working hard, they should be pretty confident on those higher notes in a couple of weeks. I'm also planning on introducing Beethoven's Fifth Symphony to the advanced band this week. I haven't decided yet if I'm going to give it to beginning band or not, but we'll see just how far they progress over the next few weeks.

Thank you for all you do to help this program succeed! Don't forget to pay tuition if you haven't yet. It's $200 for the year or $100 per semester.

Thanks! Mrs. Worthen

And we're split!

I finished the first day with Beginning Band today and I'm excited to have Advanced students come in tomorrow morning. Here's hoping they believed me and practiced book 2! I plan on hitting hard tomorrow so we can get some wonderful music in by Christmas.

Don't forget that you can print off practice charts from here on the website! And students need to show them to me the beginning of every week.

Thanks for everything you do!

Mrs. Worthen

Brass Week

We made it through Brass Week. I'm so excited we picked up a trombone player and four trumpets. We're starting to have the makings of a great band.

Today we are combining all players for the first time. It'll be great to see just how we line up instrumentation-wise.

We're also on the last week of the weird schedule. Please remember to bring your students to class according to the following schedule:

Monday -- combined band

Tuesday -- no AM band class -- 5:30-7:30 Band Camp at Jordan Ridge (don't forget to pay your $20 at the registration desk)

Wednesday -- no AM band class -- 5:30-7:30 Band Camp at Jordan Ridge

Thursday -- combined band

Friday -- Percussion Day

Next week we'll split off into Beginning and Advanced bands (Mon/Wed Beginning, Tues/Thurs Advanced, Fri Percussion).

Don't forget to turn in practice charts for the week!

Thanks!

Mrs. Worthen

Woodwind Week Recap

We've finished our first week of band! Last week was Woodwind Week where I met with all the flutes, clarinets, and saxes. We had a great first week and covered through page 9 in class. I hope all the students are practicing, practicing, practicing this week. I want everyone up to page 10 by next Monday.

We also had our first percussion class last Friday. It was a great day. Everyone started working on drum rolls. Be sure they're getting a good bounce on each hand individually, then combine the hands in a circular motion to get a good drum roll. On bells, percussion students should also be up to page 10.

We are currently on our Brass Week. So far, I have nothing but trumpets. If anyone knows anyone else interested in joining the band and playing trombone, send them my way! Today, we made it through page 7, but I'm hoping everyone gets to page 10 by the end of the week.

Don't forget to turn in practice charts!

Next week, we'll combine classes on Monday and Thursday mornings. Band Camp is Tuesday and Wednesday nights next week. Be sure to bring your beginning students to the camp! It is so incredibly beneficial for them!

Thanks! And remember, if you have any questions, feel free to email me or leave a comment on the blog.

Mrs. Worthen -- band