Brooks Bands, Week of Sep. 7th-10th

Hello Band Families,

The band kids are getting back into the swing of things by bringing their instruments, books and binders to class every day. Hopefully you are noticing those lovely sounds through your homes as our students are starting to practice again. Families should be on the lookout for a yellow cardstock chart which is our Practice Records students use to keep track of their practice times at home.

HOMEWORK/WHAT'S DUE?

Practice Records:
Students are to keep track of Week 3 practice times and turn them into Mr. Barnard on Monday 9/13. Normally practice records are collected on every Monday. Students must have a parent/guardian signature on the practice records to verify their child's practice minutes. Practice records that are turned in without a parent signature will not receive credit.

6th Graders: The goal this week is 120 minutes for A.

7th/8th Graders: 150 minutes for A.

Music Theory:

Music Theory will start next week on Wednesday, 9/15. Music theory lessons are usually done on Wednesdays and all music theory assignments are due by each Friday. All students should have the following books for music theory:

6th Gr. Alfred Essentials of Music Theory, Bk 1

7th/8th Gr. Alfred Essentials of Music Theory, Bk 2

Jazz Program:

Students interested in auditioning for our 7th/8th grade Jazz Ensemble or participate in our Jazz Lab Band must pick up a permission slip and have it turned in prior to auditioning/participating.

Jazz Ensemble workshops an auditions are next week, 9/13-9/16. Please see our previous post or the jazz permission slip for more details. Results will be posted no later than 9/20 and our first rehearsal is 9/21.

Jazz Lab Band rehearsals start on Friday 9/24.

Brooks Bands, Week of 8/30 - 9/3

Hello Band Families,

It has been a little slow start so far with our PBIS Activities and the ISAT Practice test the first week of school. We look forward to getting things really started this week since we will be on our regular daily class schedules. Students will need to bring their instruments to school starting this Monday, Aug. 30th. Percussion and other students that rely on our larger school instruments need to make sure that they bring their stick/mallet bags (percussion) and mouthpieces with reeds, etc (all other students). Students also should have their books that are required for their band classes. Please refer the the band supply list or scroll down to previous postings for more information.

6th Grade Students:
We will be reviewing out of the Standards of Excellence Bk 3 to cover some foundational concepts as well as help me get to know where each student is in their playing abilities.

7th/8th Grade Students:
We will be working on the IMEA Jr. Division Scale Sheet as well as working/reviewing out of the Standards of Excellence, Bk 3. These students also have Toccata for Band and March of the Roughnecks that was passed out at the end of last school year as well as again this past week. In a couple of weeks will we start up our sectional lessons and this material will be used for our seating test and first performance skills test for the Fall trimester.

HOMEWORK:
We will not start up Music Theory lessons right away to help students that still need to order/purchase their books. Practice records will be distributed sometime this week and expectations about practicing will be covered in class. More details about practice expectations will be posted this upcoming week. Parents should be on the lookout for a yellow cardstock sheet that has a grid chart on it titled "Instrumental Music Practice Record".

Students will need to record their at home practice times and a parent/guardian will need to sign the practice record for that particular week. Practice records are collected every Monday and are 20% of each student's band grade.

JAZZ PROGRAM
7th/8th grade students are invited to audition for our Jazz Ensemble. The Jazz Ensemble is our premiere jazz group at Brooks Middle School and performs several concerts and community events throughout the school year. The Jazz Ensemble rehearses every Tuesday and Thursday morning from 8:00-8:50 a.m. Students interested in auditioning for the Jazz Ensemble must pick up a Jazz Program Flyer and have the permission slip in before auditioning. The following is a list of workshop and audition dates.

Monday, Sep. 13th: Workshop (Saxes, Trombones, Trumpets) 8:00 - 8:50 a.m.

Rhythm Section Workshop (piano, guitar, bass, drum set, percussion)
3:30-4:30 p.m.
Wednesday, Sep. 15th: Rhythm Section Auditions @ 3:30 - 5:00 p.m.
Thursday, Sep. 16th: Auditions for Saxes, Trombones and Trumpets at 8:00 a.m. or 3:30 - 5:00
p.m. These students will need to sign up for an audition time.

Results will be posted no later than Monday, Sep. 20th and the first rehearsal starts on Tuesday, Sep. 21st.

6th Graders may participate in our Jazz Lab Band that meets on Friday mornings from 8:00 - 8:50 a.m. The first rehearsal for Jazz Lab Band is Sep. 24th. Students interested in participating in Jazz Lab Band need to pick up a Jazz Program Flyer and have a signed permission slip turned in before our first rehearsal. Students the play flute, clarinet and Euphonium may also participate in Jazz Lab Band. We are always looking for students with a solid background in piano, guitar and bass.

If anyone has any questions about the jazz program or other aspects of the band program please contact Mr. Barnard at jbarnard@op97.org.

2010-2011 Brooks Band Events

Please mark these events down in your family calendars!

Fri. Sep. 24^th: OPRF Marching Huskies 8^th Grade Recruitment Night, all 8^th graders

invited to perform with the Marching Huskies for a night football game!

Sat. Oct. 2^nd: IMEA District I Jr. High Auditions, Summit Hill Jr. H.S., Frankfort,

select 7^th & 8^th grade students

Thurs. Oct. 28^th: Oak Park D97 Middle School Instrumental Music Festival, 7:00 p.m., OPRFHS Auditorium, Cadet, Intermediate, Concert and Symphonic Bands

Sat. Nov. 6^th: IMEA District I Jr. High Band, Choir and Orchestra Festival, Lincoln Way-North

H.S., Frankfort, select 7^th & 8^th grade students selected from auditions

Sat. Nov. 13^th: IMEA District I Jr./Sr. High Jazz Festival, Fenton H.S., Bensenville,

Select 7^th & 8^th grade students selected from auditions

Sun. Nov. 21st: Jazz Ensemble performance with The Chicago Grandstand Big Band,

5:00 p.m. Fitzgerald’s Nightclub 6615 W. Roosevelt Rd., Berwyn

Tues. Dec. 14^th: BRAVO! Holiday Concert, 7:00 p.m., GBMS Auditorium,

Jazz Lab Band, Jazz Ensemble & select small ensembles from Symphonic Band

Sat. Feb. 26th: BRAVO! Pasta Night and Music Showcase, 4-9 p.m. GBMS Auditorium & Commons, Jazz Ensemble, Cadet, Intermediate, Concert & Symphonic Bands

Wed. Mar. 9^th: D97 Art Show, 6:00 p.m. OPRFHS Student Center, Jazz Ensemble

Tues. Mar. 15th: BRAVO! Preview for 5^th graders. During the school day.

Jazz Ensemble, Cadet & Intermediate

Thurs. Apr. 7^th: “Brooks Jazz Night” featuring Jazz Lab Band, Jazz Ensemble and

Guest Artist, TBA. 7 p.m. GBMS Auditorium. Tickets $8 adults and $5 students

16 yrs/under.

Tues. May 17^th: 7^th & 8^th Grade Awards & Scholarship Concert, 7 p.m. GBMS

Auditorium, Concert, Symphonic, Jazz Ensemble

Thurs. May 19^th: 6^th Grade Awards & Scholarship Concert, 7 p.m. GBMS Auditorium

Cadet, Intermediate and Jazz Lab. This performance will start concluding the

elementary bands performances.

Thurs. June 2nd: 8^th Grade Graduation Ceremony, OPRFHS Auditorium

Select 6^th & 7^th Grade band students, time TBA.

Additional dates may be added for select students and ensembles. Please check the PTO listserve’s “What’s Happening”or www.brooksbands.blogspot.com for weekly event information.

Brooks Bands, Week of Aug. 24th - 27th

Hello Band Families,

Welcome new students to Brooks Middle School and welcome back returning members to another great year of learning and making great music! Since the first week of school we will be working with our PBIS Initiatives and our ISAT Practice tests this week, no one will need to bring their instrument for band until Monday, Aug. 3oth. Depending on your class period, I will only be seeing you once or twice this week and we will be covering various housekeeping duties and items.

For more information on instrument and band supply needs please read our previous post! We look forward to seeing everybody!!!

Back to School Essential Band Books

Welcome to the the beginning of school year 2010-2011!  We are looking forward to working again with our returning band students as well as greeting our new students, whether you are a 6th grader or a new student to Brooks Middle School.  Students will not need to bring their instruments the first day of school and will be instructed when to bring them.

The following are required books for all of the bands in the Brooks Band Program.

6th Grade Bands (Cadet & Intermediate)

Standards of Excellence Bk 1 (for review)  Students should already have this book (Red Cover).

Standards of Excellence Bk 2 (Blue Cover)

Alfred Essentials of Music Theory, Bk 1

7th & 8th Grade Bands (Concert & Symphonic)

Standards of Excellence Bk 3 (Green Cover)

Alfred Essentials of Music Theory, Bk 2

Jazz Program (Jazz Lab Band & Jazz Ensemble)

Essential Elements for Jazz Ensemble (Red Cover)

All students need to have a one inch 3-ring binder to use for sheet music, music theory assignments and handouts.  The binders are used for portfolio assessment at least once a trimester to help students be organized.  Students also need to have a pencil everyday along with binder, required books and music everyday.

Instruments:

Students are required to have an instrument for school and at home practice in order to participate in band.  Students must have their own accessories such as reeds, neck straps, valve oil, percussion sticks/mallets, etc.  Percussion students need to have a percussion kit that comes with a bell set and practice pad/snare drum for at home practice.  Percussion students only need to bring their stick/mallet bag along with required sticks and mallets to school.

Students that play larger instruments such as Euphoniums, Tubas, Baritone Sax, etc.  may use a school instrument since it is very hard to carry them on buses or walk to school with them.  These students need to have an instrument at home to practice and must provide their own mouthpiece, reeds, valve oil, neck straps, etc. for the school instrument.  These items are not to be left in the school instrument cases, since multiple students play on these instruments.

FOR MORE INFORMATION REGARDING SUPPLIES AND LOCAL MUSIC VENDORS, PLEASE REFER TO THE SUMMER MAILING THAT WAS SENT OUT IN EARLY AUGUST.

If you have any questions please contact Mr. Barnard at jbarnard@op97.org.

We look forward to seeing students in one week!