Brooks Bands, Week of 9/27-10/1

Congratulations to all the 8th grade students that participated in the OPRF Marching Huskies recruitment night. The event was a huge success in large part to YOU!

IMEA Jr. Auditions (Band, Choir, Jazz, Orchestra)

are this Saturday, Oct. 2nd at Summit Hill Jr. High in Frankfort, IL. There is a bus scheduled to leave from Percy Julian Middle School @ 7:15 a.m. Details about IMEA Auditions will be available to those students who registered this week. All Brooks students are scheduled to audition in the morning and families are more than welcome to drive their child to and from the auditions with prior written notification.

Results should be available within a week of auditions.

HOMEWORK:

Practice Records: Week 5 is due on Monday 9/27 150 minutes is the goal for an A.

Music Theory:

6th Graders: Alfred Music Theory Bk 1: Lesson 5, Homework: Ledger Lines Supplement

7th/8th Graders: Tetrachord Supplement Packet

All music theory homework is due on Fridays.

Power School:

All grades are updated as of Sunday, September 26th. The grade book is updated weekly and families are encouraged to check at least once every week on their children's progress.

D97 Instrumental Music Festival is on Thursday, Oct. 28th @ OPRFHS, 7:00 p.m.

All band and orchestra students will be participating in the event along with our Julian counterparts. Preparation for the festival also includes rehearsals at OPRFHS with Julian students on Wed./Thurs. Oct 27th & 28th during the school day. Permission slips for these rehearsals will be sent home very soon with students.

The students are already working on musical selections for this highly anticipated event! There will be over 600 students representing our middle school instrumental music programs in D97.

Concert Dress Reminder

Students will need to have the following attire for all concerts.

Boys: White button down dress shirt, solid black necktie or bow tie, black slacks, black dress shoes and socks

Girls: White blouse top with sleeves, black slacks or skirt that is at least knee length when sitting down, black dress shoes

Jazz Program

Jazz Ensemble: Rehearsals Tuesday and Thursday @ 8 a.m.

Jazz Lab Band: Rehearsal Friday @ 8 a.m.

All students should meet Mr. Barnard at the main entrance doors at 7:50 a.m. in order to have rehearsals start on time.

Brooks Bands, Week of 9/20 - 9/24

OPRF Marching Huskies are hosting their annual 8th grade recruitment night this Friday at OPRFHS. All 8th grade band members are invited to participate in this event. Permission slips were given to all 8th graders and need to be turned in by this Thursday. The following activities will happen on Friday.

3:30 p.m. Meet in the band room to walk over to OPRFHS. Students will need to carry instruments, backpacks, etc. Students may meet us at the OPRF Band Room at 4:30 p.m. if they are getting a ride to the event. Please let Mr. Barnard know in writing if you plan on meeting us at OPRF.

4:30 p.m. Meet with Julian/Roosevelt 8th graders and section leaders from the Marching Huskies in the OPRF Band Room.

5:00 p.m. Rehearsal pre-game show with the Marching Huskies on the practice field.

6:00 p.m. Pizza Dinner provided by the OPRF Band Parents.

7:00 p.m. Pre-game show for the Huskies Varsity Football Game. Students will sit in the stands with the OPRF Marching Huskies to play pep band tunes during the 1st Half. 8th graders will stay in the stands to watch the Marching Huskies perform this year's half-time show.

9:00 p.m. Following the half-time show, students will go back to the OPRF band room to pack up instruments and get picked up by parents at the main Scoville entrance. Students may stay to watch the rest of the game but will not be supervised by OPRF or D97 music staff.

All students are asked to wear orange and blue to represent OPRF's school colors.

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

CONCERT REMINDER: The first band concert of the school year is on Thursday, Oct. 28th @ OPRF Auditorium. The event is the D97 Instrumental Music Festival featuring Band and Orchestra students from both Brooks and Julian Middle Schools. There will be rehearsals at OPRFHS on Wed., Thurs. Oct 27th/28th during the school day and permission slips will be available soon for students to bring home.

Concert performances are part of the middle school music curriculum in D97 and students are expected to participate. If there is a conflict please contact Mr. Barnard no later than two weeks prior to any performance event. An alternate assignment will be given to those students with an excused absence and must be completed before the end of the trimester.

HOMEWORK:

Practice Records: Week 4 is due this Monday, 9/20. All students are expected to practice 150 minutes this week for an A. Please remember that the practice records must be signed by a parent each week before it is turned in for credit.

Music Theory: (Wednesdays)

6th Graders: Alfred Book 1, Lessons 4-5, Homework: Activity Worksheet 1-1

7th/8th Graders: Alfred Book 2, Lesson 26-27, Homework: Activity Worksheet 7-1

All music theory assignments are due by Friday 9/24.

JAZZ PROGRAM:

Jazz Ensemble: 1st rehearsals this week, Tuesday & Thursday @ 8 a.m.
Jazz Lab Band: 1st rehearsal this Friday @ 8 a.m. Guitar & Bass players bring your patch chords.

All students are asked to meet Mr. Barnard at the main entrance at 7:50 a.m. in order to start rehearsals on time. All students must have a signed permission slip to participate.

Brooks Bands, Week of 9/13 - 9/17

Workshops and auditions for our 7th/8th Grade Jazz Ensemble are this week. The following is the schedule:

Monday, 9/13: 8:00 - 8:50 a.m. Saxes, Fl., Clar., Trumpet, Trombone, Vibraphone
3:30 - 4:30 p.m. Guitar, Piano, Bass, Drums

Wednesday, 9/15: 3:30 - 5:00 p.m. Rhythm Section Auditions (Guitar, Piano, Bass, Drums)
Each student must sign up for an individual time.

Thursday, 9/16: 8:00 - 8:50 a.m. & 3:30 - 5:00 p.m. Auditions (Saxes, Fl., Clar., Trumpet,
Trombone, Vibraphone) Each student must sign up for an individual time.

All students must have a signed permission slip before auditioning for Jazz Ensemble.

HOMEWORK:

Practice Records: Week 3 in due on Monday, Sep. 17th. Each practice record must be signed by a parent/guardian for credit. 6th graders (goal is 120 minutes for an A) 7th/8th graders (goal is the standard 150 minutes for an A). Practice records that are turned in late a penalized a letter grade for each day it is turned in late. Any practice record that is not turned in the week it is due will result in a 0. Practice records are 20% of the total band grade.

Music Theory: On Wednesday (9/15), students will have their first music theory lessons and homework assignments for the school year. Homework assignments are due by Friday (9/17).

6th Graders:
Alfred Book 1: Lessons 1-3, Homework: Treble/Bass Clef Supplement

7th/8th Graders:
Interval Review, Homework: Supplement Packet (Lessons 44-46)


7TH/8TH GRADE BAND SECTIONALS
The band sectionals start this week for all 7th/8th grade band students. Students come down from class once a week to work with similar instruments in a small group setting to work on instrument specific techniques and provide more individual help. The sectional time is also used for testing students' performance (playing) skills periodically which requires one on one assessment with the teacher. The sectional schedule does rotate so students should only miss the same class period every three weeks. Students are excused from a sectional if their class room teacher needs to have them take a test/quiz, lab, etc. If a student misses a sectional that requires a performance skills test, they must make it up within the week for credit (after school).

Students received a copy of the sectional schedule this past week. Students need to report to their classroom teacher first for attendance, turning in homework, etc. before coming down for their sectional lesson. The sectional schedule is also used as their pass so it is important to have it if their teacher asks for it.

We will be doing seating auditions this week in sectionals. Students will be auditioning on the following material that was given back in May.

Concert Band: IMEA Jr. Scale Sheet, March of the Roughnecks
Symphonic Band: IMEA Jr. Scale Sheet, Toccata for Band

Both bands have been working on this material since the beginning of the school year and should be prepared to play excerpts from these selections.

JAZZ PROGRAM
Workshops and auditions for Jazz Ensemble are this week. Please read above for detailed information. Students must have a signed permission slip by the time they audition.

Jazz Lab Band will have it's first rehearsal on Friday, Sep. 24th at 8:00 a.m. The Jazz Lab Band is open to students that play flute, clarinet, sax, trumpet, trombone (Euphonium), guitar, piano, bass, drums. There is no audition to participate in Jazz Lab Band and permission slips need to be turned in by the 1st rehearsal.