KLO BAND 7 HANDBOOK



WELCOME TO KLO INTRO BAND!I am excited that you decided to join the band program at KLO! My name is Mrs. Samaddar. I'm your grade seven band director and will be starting my fifth year at KLO. This will also be my 34th year teaching, my 25th in Kelowna. I am fortunate to be able to partner with Mr. Klassen, our full-time KLO music director and I teach English and Social Studies 7, serve as a Curriculum, Instruction and Assessment Team and CMOS leader. I taught grade seven many years at Dorothea Walker as well as Band and Classroom at Raymer and Lakeview Heights. I've also held music specialist positions in Delta and was a full-time secondary band teacher in North Vancouver. A mother of four - Nathan (27), Devin (24), Liam (21) and Maya (16), I recently celebrated my 28th wedding anniversary with Sam Samaddar, YLW's Airport Director.Your first assignment is to review this handbook, locate my webpage with your parent/s, copy concert dates to your home calendar, and sign and return the participation agreement located on the last page of this handbook on or before Wednesday, September 14th. It’s wonderful that you have decided to make music a part of your education! Be sure to take full advantage of the opportunities offered during your time at KLO! Music can be a truly rewarding and memorable school experience, and I look forward to helping you begin this journey with a great year of learning and making music together. At the time I wrote this handbook we had about 90 students enrolled in our Grade Seven Band Program! Fantastic!OUR GOALSIf you signed up for band because you want to learn to play an instrument well, and to be among friends who all want to make great music, then your goals fit together nicely with mine. Music has always been an integral component of every society – in times of celebration, mourning, relaxation, or any other emotion, people have always turned to music as the medium to help express their thoughts and sentiments, whether individually or collectively. I want to teach you how to play your instrument, read music, and work together in a friendly and respectful atmosphere so we may perform music to the best of our ability. There will be plenty of opportunities for you to develop cooperative and collaborative skills, and self-discipline through rehearsals and home practice.Not all band students become great musicians, but certainly all become more mature, cooperative, self-disciplined, hardworking members of society with an appreciation of the arts. The life-lessons picked up in band are significant and can translate to success in other areas of your life! Band connects amazingly well with The Attributes of a Learner!BAND ROOM GUIDELINESWe will go over routines more in-depth during class. These are some to keep in mind: Be attentive and respectful.Avoid playing any instrument other than your ownBe ready to play on time with all materials (method book, pencil, agenda, instrument and black binder) WHAT WE EXPECT FROM YOUWe want you to be courteous and willing to work toward our common goals. You need to accept guidance and constructive criticism in a positive way. Your classmates and I need you to be prepared for all rehearsals and performances. This means paying attention to detail and practicing at home as well at school, to improve and develop consistency in your playing. We also expect you to perform whatever "duties" are assigned to you or to yoursection (E.g., taking care of the rehearsal room, equipment, storage areas, and sheet music). Each member of the band is vital. We all come to depend on one other. You are important to us!CONCERTSThere are activities throughout the year which, in order to do well, I could use some help from band parents. Mr. Klassen and I have scheduled two evening concerts, Tuesday, December 13th (Winter Concert) and Wednesday, June 14th (Spring Concert). During KLO's 3rd Annual Show & Share, on Monday, February 22nd, grade 7 band students will showcase and celebrate their progress! I will be in touch as we schedule our annual band parent meeting and as we approach each event and reporting period. If you’re available to volunteer, thank you, as parent involvement is key to the success of our program!COMMUNICATIONIn order to have a successful program good communication between parents and teachers is essential. The good source for information is my website: , Freshgrade portfolios and our new MYEDBC system. Please check regularly as I will update both as needed and will have information as to upcoming events, calendars, contact information, templates, assignments, tests/quizzes, etc. I want to be available to you to answer your questions about band and/or your child’s musical progress. If you have ANY questions or concerns please contact me directly or through your child's agenda, MYEDBC, Freshgrade, my website CONTACT form, email -pamela.samaddar@sd23.bc.ca or by KLO phone at (250) 870-5106. As Freshgrade is relatively new to me, your patience is appreciated.Rationale – Why Take Band?Music education…Enables all learners to explore, create, perceive, and communicate thoughts, images, and feelings through music. Plays a significant role in students’ lifelong development, Contributes to the development of a healthier society and a culturally literate citizenry that respects and reflects the diversity of human relationships.Enables students to interact with sound — simultaneously engaging mind, body, and spirit — through creating, performing, listening to, and responding to music. Offers one of the most effective ways of connecting thinking and feelingProvides a way of learning that effectively integrates the cognitive, psychomotor, and affective domains. our learning targets – the big ideas!Through music making, one’s sense of identity and community continually evolves.Experiencing music challenges our point of view and expands our understanding of others.Music, as with dance, drama and visual arts, is a unique language for creating and communicating.Engaging in music develops people’s ability to understand and express complex ideas.?INSTRUMENT SELECTION PROCESS & RENTAL/FIRST LESSONS' EVENINGDuring our first band period, students will experience the following:Welcome & Intro to BandA review of this Band 7 Handbook and most important Music 7 Instrument Selection Form to be returned the very next class. (Also posted on website)Students' instrumental selection form must be returned during the next band class or by the end of the band class day. This is a quick turnaround time. I am available prior to school tomorrow (8:00 a.m. – 8:45 a.m.) and after school to answer student/parent questions or concerns. If this does not work please email me immediately at pamela.samaddar@sd23.bc.ca. My goal is to let students know their assigned instrument during this next class so that parents/families can acquire an instrument for their child on or before the rental/ first lesson evening, September 15th.To acquire an instrument for your son/daughter, please see suggestions written in the "Frequently Asked Questions" segment towards the end of this handbook. Few instruments are available to rent at KLO, however, we have some larger instruments. Also, know band is an expensive undertaking and we want you to feel comfortable speaking to us regarding any financial concerns. Anything shared will be kept in confidence with our principal and music department directors. Bottom line, we want students in band enjoying music!The INSTRUMENT RENTAL & FIRST LESSON EVENINGPlease attend this important event scheduled for:THURSDAY, SEPTEMBER 15THFor your convenience, local music store representatives will be available at 6:15 p.m. and first lessons with guest clinicians will start at 7:00 p.m. We ask that all Band 7 students attend his/her "first lesson on the 15TH of September. Instruments are not mandatory, but if you have one, bring it along. Students will learn important tips about putting their instrument together, preparing to play and for caring for the instrument. If your child is unable to attend, please email me (pamela.samaddar@sd23.bc.ca) I will make other arrangements for the first lesson to occur prior to our first "whole-class" session with instruments September 19th or 20th.Instruments are assigned based on a variety of factors:Your child's top three preferencesYour child's history with musicThe need to have a balanced blend of instruments in band; andThe qualities they possess that make certain instruments more appropriate (E.g., physical suitability – embouchure, braces, arm length, size of hands, etc.)Please know that I will do my best to balance all factors mentioned above and at the same time recognize students' feelings/emotions during the process. INSTRUMENT ACCESSORIES - Please ensure your child has what they needFlute? Cleaning rod? Swab (purchased from a store or homemade out of 3×10 inch strip of old tee-shirt)? Polishing cloth? Optional: pad saverClarinet & Saxophone? Reeds – strength 2 Rico Reeds (Keep 3 on hand at all times in reed guards)? Cleaning swab*? Cleaning cloth? Cork grease*? Pad savers (optional)*A cleaning kit (purchased at music stores) will contain these items.Some reeds are on hand for minimal cost (emergency only)Oboe & Bassoon? Two medium-soft cane reeds. (Your private teacher should help select reeds for you. If you are not taking lessons, please see me fora list of good sources.? a small container of water (a film canister with snug lid works great)? Reed case? Cleaning swabs? Cleaning cloth? Seat strapPercussion ? Stick bag with a pair of drum sticksYou will need a snare drum (or practice pad) and a bell kit for home practice. Depending on the size of the percussion section, beginners may have to bring their bell kits to / from school.Brass Instruments (trumpet,trombone, tuba, etc.)? Valve oil (horns use rotor oil, trombones use slide oil, or better yet, slide cream and a very small spray-bottle of water. Palm sized spritzer bottles can be purchased at local drug stores.)? Cleaning brushes and snake? Slide grease? Polishing clothCleaning kits usually contain all that stuff listed above.You should have all materials, including your instrument, for your first band class of the week of September 19th!16706856762754000020000Make sure your instrument case is clearly marked near the handle with your first and last name and class initials. Band 7 Block ____ Blue/Green painter’s tape works great because it’s easy to spot and doesn’t leave sticky marks when you remove it later. neatly store in assigned storage area.SUPPLIES Students require the following items at their seat each day:Sharpened pencil with eraser on tip. No pens. Not even erasable pen. Make a habit of keeping a few sharp pencils in your instrument case or folder, and always set one on your music stand at the beginning of class.1" Black Binder (e.g., Staples "Better Binder")Tabbed Dividers labelled – CHART, THEORY, JOURNAL, ASSIGNMENTS. You have to be able to remove or store pages quickly without losing them. Quality instrument in excellent working condition. Method book, Standard of Excellence, Book 1 by Bruce Pearson (red cover). This book can be purchased at local music stores or signed out at KLO library. Note: KLO copies are looking weathered. SMARTMUSIC – Please register online for this amazing opportunity. For a small yearly fee (about $40), your child has access to computer software that accompanies, records, shows errors, tutors and makes playing at home effective and fun. Worth every penny! Watch for a separate flyer!Wire music stand for home practice; inexpensive, electronic metronome (comes with SmartMusic)Instrument accessories and cleaning supplies as listed earlier.TIMELINE OverviewTerm One sept. 6th – nov.29, 2016Term Two nov.30, 2016 – March 1st, 2017Term Three march 2nd – June 22, 2017SHEET MUSIC / STANDARD OF EXCELLENCE METHOD BOOKSheet music and method books are expensive. Please keep them neat. It’s okay to write on your parts. Good musicians are expected to write on their music, however, marks you make must be erased before the music is collected. Write lightly and always use a pencil. Music is to be returned in the similar condition it was handed out.FOLDERSCardboard folders are available and will be distributed early in September.INSTRUMENT STORAGE AT SCHOOLGr. 7 and 8 students use the "upper" storage room. Gr. 9s use the room next to my office. We ask flute and clarinet players to keep instruments in lockers. At the end of the day, remember to stop by the band room to pick up your instrument. Your instrument is valuable and it is important to take care of it. SECTIONAL REHEARSALS Section rehearsals help address special challenges presented on each individual instrument. We will review exercises especially designed for your instrument. Students will often attend from the "For…Only" exercises positioned in green on the left-hand pages of the Standard of Excellence Book. Sectionals are scheduled at lunch. Watch for your schedule – brass and woodwinds .Sectionals will be short and focused during lunch, however, mornings and most after school times are not options due to busing and other rehearsals. Note: On occasion, sectionals will be cancelled as I attend meetings and have supervision responsibilities. PRACTICE TIPS FOR PARENTSYour child's success in band will depend a great deal on what is achieved during daily home practice sessions. Learning takes place in school, but proficiency is gained at home. You can use the following guidelines to help your youngster at home.TIME SCHEDULE20-30 minutes is the minimum amount of practice time recommended for the average student. Practicing at the same time every day is good, but some flexibility should be built into this schedule. Don't bring the world to a halt at 6:30 pm every evening because it's practice time - kids need time for fun and relaxation just as adults do. If the situation merits, reschedule the practice session to an earlier or later time. Note: Beginners ONLY need to practice 15 minutes per day the first month of school and then start 20-30 min. per day after that. This is because their facial muscles have not matured enough the first month to handle 30 minutes of a practice routine without forming bad habits.ENVIRONMENTPracticing should be done in an area that is free of distractions away from the TV, radio, stereo, and family traffic. Good lighting, a straight-backed chair, mirror, and a music stand are definite assets. Reed players should have several reeds available during the practice session.ENCOURAGEMENTSpend some time listening to your child practice. Offer constructive criticisms. You do not need to be a former band member or musician to be able to hear improvement. Encourage them to play assignments and tests for you. Each time the student plays for a friend or relative, it helps them to feel more comfortable with a performance or competitive event.IS YOUR CHILD PROGRESSING?For the beginning band student, the field of instrumental music is new. Students are learning to use facial and finger muscles in a different way and their breathing apparatus for a different purpose. There is a new language of symbols (notes) that require the use of their mind and body to translate this into musical sounds. All this takes time! Even parents who have former instrumental training have probably forgotten the "struggle" of producing those first few notes and songs.Parents can evaluate practice sessions by asking:What is your assignment for today?Am I hearing the same daily warm up each day? It is important to play the same daily warm up and drill before beginning the assigned material.Am I hearing music that they can already play, or am I hearing attempts at new material?Is the tone quality becoming more characteristic of the instrument, or is the tone harsh, unmusical, and unpleasant?Does the familiar tune or exercise move along steadily with some sort of fluent rhythm, or is it halting and jerky with no steady rhythm?Learning how to practice is an important part of playing an instrument!WEEKLY PRACTICE REFLECTIONA student's practice reflection is designed to help students establish an organized routine for daily practice and to communicate how they are doing/feeling. The practice portion of this reflection is not needed to be able to tell whether a student has practiced or not. How you improve from day to day and week-to-week reveals that fact. Honesty is the best policy concerning practice time. Students and I will develop criteria for a quality weekly reflection to share with classmates and online with myself.PRACTICE TIPS for Students - IT'S HOW YOU PRACTICE THAT COUNTS!Incorrect habits are sometimes more easily developed than correct habits, and a habit is hard to change so THINK when you practice. Avoid simply going through the motions! Remember, the playing of your instrument comes through development of coordination, just like any athlete. Patience is a virtue for the ambitious player. Individual practice is the homework that must be done to meet the responsibilities that go with being a part of a team. The idea is to have a fun, engaging musical experience. We can only do that if we have good skills on the instrument and a good understanding of the music. Skills and understanding come only with daily practice. At times you will be called upon to play your parts alone, and should be prepared to do so. Don't worry. I will make it fun and your classmates will support you!Warm up correctly. Each instrument should have a separate warm up for home practice that differs from the band warm up. Use a mirror and concentrate on tone quality and embouchure during long tone warm ups.Set a goal for the practice session. Don't try to do too much at one sitting.Isolate a problem or a section in a piece of music. It may be a rhythm, a measure, or a line of music. Repeat it over and over many times - just like shooting baskets in the basketball goal. Practice it slowly at first, and then gradually build up the speed using a metronome. Try to end each practice session with something that is fun to play and that has already been mastered! Practice involves learning and reinforcing areas that are difficult therefore it is not always fun. Structure your practice session to get the most benefit out of your time!EXAMPLE OF A STRUCTURED PRACTICE SESSION (AFTER FIRST MONTH).MATERIAL PRACTICEDTIME (minutes)GOALWarm up and daily drill: 5 Fundamentals: tone, breath control,(long tones, scales, lip slurs) embouchure, technique, tonguing, air supportNew material and assignments 10 Develop new technique, increase range, expand capability of studentPrevious and continuing material10 Improvement of finger dexterity,tonguing, tone, musicality, etc.Personal music choices5 Enjoyment!The practice session will vary depending on assignments and time constraints. The more consistent you are the better your results will be. Efficient use of time is important in your busy schedule.PERFORMANCES One of the real joys of being in band is getting to perform and the beginner band is intended as a training ground to prepare each student to participate in performing bands. Students will learn a vast amount of musical and instrumental concepts the first year and will perform scales, music and band literature throughout the year. Basic music concepts such as rhythm notation, music note identification, instrumental fingerings and tone production will be covered in our Band 7 class.At KLO, we schedule two Grade 7-9 public performances and one Grade 7 Showcase & Celebration. See scheduled dates earlier in this handbook. Please mark the performances on your calendar and know concerts will be located at KLO.ATTENDANCE IMPORTANT: It is essential that all members of our band be present at all performances and sectional rehearsals. We work together as a team. When even one person is absent, the entire ensemble is effected and virtually incomplete.A phone call or email to Mrs. Samaddar before a performance or sectional rehearsal is required for an absence to be excused. While excused absences should be a serious illness or family emergency, we recognize individual circumstances. Absences are to be made up through special arrangements with Mrs. Samaddar. One example is a playing test. CONCERT PERFORMANCE ATTIREBLACK top, BLACK bottom, BLACK socks, BLACK shoesASSESSMENTAssessments will be conducted both formally and informally. Formal assessments are recorded after which students receive written and verbal feedback. Informal assessments are taken from brief solo performances during class, or through teacher observation as the ensemble plays. Together, students and I will review rubrics to assess skills and help students better understand their targets, progress and set goals for improvement. Rubrics will categorize skills into four levels: Beginning (Not Yet Meeting, Advancing (Minimally Meeting), Meeting, and Exceeding. Students are welcome to stop by for extra help. Other than sectionals, I will try and make myself available most days after school. Prior to school each morning, I can be located in my band office or English classroom by the Cougar Den. Frequently Asked QuestionsQ: I've never played an instrument before – is that problem?A: Teaching music is what we do! For first year students, we'll teach you everything, including how to read music, figure out rhythms, and move your fingers at the right times. With your good work, you'll be able to play great tunes within a month or two.Q: Why didn't I get my first choice?A: We tried our best. Most of what you learn on your 2nd or 3rd choice will be easy to transfer to your first choice instrument, if you still want to switch later or next year.Q: What kind of music do you play?A: Everyone has their own preferences, so we try to include a huge variety – rock, pop, jazz, swing, classical, big band, disco, concert marches!Q: Can I switch instruments in Grade 8?A: The second year of music is often a great time to switch. All of the basics you will have learned will transfer to a new instrument. There are so many reasons that students might have for switching – for each student, we'll talk about the reasons, and make sure that it's the right decision before moving forward with the switch.Q: Can I play the drums?It depends. A percussionist is one of the most important people in the band. They also have the toughest job in reading rhythms, and they don't get a lot of attention in rehearsals, because we're trying to sort out the songs before we need the drums. Owning a drum set, renting a mallet set for home and private lessons are highly recommended. Interested percussionists should attend a special meeting at lunch, Friday, Sept. 9th.Q: Can I play piano or electric guitar in band?A: Not really. Our program won't start you on these instruments. In Jazz Band we do have jazz piano or guitar, but a student would need about 5 years of private instruction before they can handle the Jazz band music. There is bass guitar in Concert Band. Once in a while we'll have horn players play their own guitars for certain songs. The usual instruments are flute, oboe, clarinet, alto sax, tenor sax, baritone sax, trumpet, French horn, trombone, baritone, tuba, bass guitar, and percussion (drums).Q: Do you do band trips?A: We have in the past for Grade 8 and Grade 9 students, but not in our beginning band year. The trip to Edmonton last year was excellent!Q: Do we have to practice?A: Of course! The course requirement is 100-150 minutes per week, above and beyond our school rehearsals (after the first month).Q: How do I get an instrument?A: Options are to rent, rent-to-own or purchase. You might want to look into buying a good used instrument by checking the newspapers or contact our local music stores (Wentworth, Valley Wind and Reed). Brochures available in Music Dept. KLO does have limited instruments available ($100 payable in September). Students are asked to attend their First Lesson Evening September 15th, 7:00 p.m. If needed, music store reps are on hand at 6:15 p.m. near the gym entrance.Q: Is music fun?A: Yes! Most students thoroughly enjoy the band experience and look forward to days when they have Band. The first few weeks will be full of squeaks, squawks, and sore muscles, but even this is kind of fun! If you practice, you'll be playing with confidence in only a short time. Talk to our grade 8 students and they will tell you how well they did last year!Q: Do students need to take private lessons?A: No However, the opportunity to study privately with a professional musician can be an important factor in an individual's success if a student is struggling or wishes to progress more quickly.Note: Percussion, bassoon and oboe players are recommended to have private tutorials.PARTICIPATION AGREEMENT Please complete and return this section indicating you reviewed the KLO Band 7 Handbook with your child on or before Wednesday, September 14th. This counts toward your WORK HABIT mark.This form lets me know you received information that will help get the band year off to a good start. I appreciate your patience with the amount of information coming from school this week! Know that this handbook is also posted on my website at and/or KLO website under Programs / Music Dept.Thank you and I look forward to meeting you at the Music Program Instrument Rental / First Lesson Night and working with your child this year._____________________________ _____________________________Parent/Guardian Name (please print) Parent signatureEasiest way to contact you?Email ____________________________________________________________Phone _________________________________ (Circle: AM / PM)_____________________________ _____________________________Student Name (please print) Student signatureYour Child's Band Block: ___________Other:MYEDBC & FRESHGRADEPlease watch for information about our new information systems.INDIVIDUAL NEEDS?Are there any Medical / Learning Needs for which I should be aware of (i.e., diabetes, asthma, allergies, eyesight, hearing, epilepsy, lesson adaptations/modifications, behavior, self-esteem, peer relationship concerns, etc.)? If needed, please attach separate note in sealed envelope. ................
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