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

Questions?

I'm hoping to be able to answer most of your questions during our parent meeting. If, for some reason, I miss one, please feel free to post your questions on here as comments or contact me via email at jenworthen3 at hotmail dot com (sorry, trying to avoid spam by typing it all out!).

Thanks!

Mrs. Worthen

Band Equipment List

Students should have the following equipment for band class (most of which can be stored in cases):

Flute – cleaning rod and cloth

Clarinet – at least 6 reeds (number 2 or medium soft), a cleaning swab, and cork grease

Saxophone – at least 6 reeds (number 2 or 2 ½ or medium soft), cork grease, a cleaning swab, and a neck strap

Trumpet – valve oil, mouthpiece brush, a soft cloth

Trombone – slide oil, mouthpiece brush, a soft cloth

Percussion – a bell/drum kit with drum pad and stand, 2B or 2S sticks, a 2 ½ octave set of bells with stand, and bell mallets

A folding music stand for home practice is strongly recommended.

Accent on Achievement Book 1 for Beginning Band.

Accent on Achievement Books 1 & 2 for Advanced Band.

Please have instruments and accessories by the first day of class.

Band Schedule

Since September is such a weird month schedule-wise, I thought I'd post a quick schedule so everyone can have easy access to this.

August 29 -- Parent Meeting at 7:30am. Please come so I can give you all the information regarding band! I'll try to post a lot of it on here, but I can answer any questions you may have that morning. I will also be able to accept payments that morning for tuition ($200 for the year or $100 for the semester) and for band camp ($20 for the two nights)

August 30-September 1 -- Woodwind Week. I need all flutes, clarinets, and alto saxes to come this week.

September 2 -- Percussion Day. Be sure to bring your bell kits!

September 6 - 8 -- Brass Week. This week, woodwinds will be practicing at home and I'll be working just with the trumpets and trombones.

September 9 -- Percussion Day

September 12 -- Combined class. Everyone from both bands and all instruments needs to come to class this day.

September 13 and 14 -- No morning class. We will be meeting from 5:30-7:30 pm at Jordan Ridge for a band camp. The cost for this camp is $20 and the students will have the opportunity to go work with a professional musician and a whole room of students playing their instrument. I cannot emphasize how important this band camp is! Advanced students are NOT required to come but are encouraged. Beginning students need to attend.

September 15 -- Combined class. Again, everyone needs to come. This is the best day because everyone comes and gets to show off everything they learned at Band Camp! It's so fun to see how far they've progressed in just two days.

September 16 -- Percussion Day

September 19 -- We begin splitting for normal class schedules. Monday/Wednesday for beginning. Tuesday/Thursday for advanced. Percussion students come to their band class and to percussion day every Friday.

Phew! Like I said, it's a crazy month. I promise it pays off in the end.

Thanks for everything and I can't wait to start working with your students!

Mrs. Worthen

Welcome to the Band at Jordan Ridge and the Orchestra at Elk Meadows!

I'm so excited to start another year off with the band program here at Jordan Ridge. I thought I'd try things out differently this year (along with the help from the Orchestra at Elk Meadows) and start a blog where you can access practice sheets, schedules, and any other kind of information we end up deciding to put up here.

For now, this will be an open blog. If in the future we decide to upload pictures or put student names on here, we will make it private. You'll know before we decide to do that so we can get your email address to grant you permission to log on.

In the meantime, feel free to check out some of the links to the right. For band, I will be requiring every student to turn in practice charts the first class of each week, so I'll make sure to have blank practice charts in class as well as a file you can print out here on the website so you can make copies as you need.

I look forward to a great year with your students!

Mrs. Worthen