Congratulations!!!!

All of our Brooks Band students did a FANTASTIC job at IMEA auditions this past Saturday, Sept. 29th. Our students did a great job of preparing for the event and had great composure during auditions. We are happy to announce that the following students have been accepted to participate in the IMEA District I Festival:
Ovya G.--IMEA Concert Band, November 3rd at Riverside-Brookfield
Jonathan B.--IMEA Jazz Band, November 10th at Lincoln-Way Central

Congratulations to all!!

Instrumental Music Festival!!!

Our D97 Instrumental Music Festival is right around the corner! It's so exciting to see the students progress towards their first performance of the year. All band and orchestra students from both Brooks and Julian Middle Schools will be performing together on Tuesday, October 16th at OPRF. In order to prepare, students will be rehearsing at OPRF on Monday, October 15th and Tuesday, October 16th. Please sign the online Permission Slip allowing your student to attend these essential rehearsals. In addition, we are in need of parent volunteers to assist with riding the buses and supervision to and from rehearsals. If you are able to help us out, please indicate it on the permission slip and I will contact you regarding specific times. Your support is greatly appreciated!

Getting Rolling...

All of our band students are settling into their routines, and it is great to see the music taking shape and progress being made. Please take a moment to talk with your student and make sure that they have everything they need for band class, including books, music, instrument accessories, reeds, and a 3 ring binder with 5 section dividers. It is important that students learn to organize the many components we have going on on band on a daily basis. You should also see and/or hear students practicing everyday, and asking you to sign their practice records each week. The sixth grade practice record is pink, and the 7/8th grade one is purple. Next week we will be starting our practice journal entries as well.

Every Wednesday is also a music theory day. Students should be bringing their Alfred Theory books to class on Wednesdays, and will have homework to turn in on Fridays.

Don't forget about the 8th grade performance with the OPRF Marching Band this Friday, Sept. 14!! Students will walk from Brooks to OPRF at 3:30 p.m. and will be dismissed after halftime. Wear your blue and orange to support our team!!

Student/Parent Information Sheet

All Band Parents:
Please make sure to click on the link to fill out your Student/Parent Information Sheet!!!

Greetings to our new and returning Brooks Band students and families! My name is Ms. Friedrich and I will be working with you throughout the school year. I am very excited to be a part of the Oak Park music program, and we have many exciting things lined up for this year! Please make sure you have checked out the supply list for the year (a few blogs down) so that you can be prepared for a great start. Working with middle school band students is truly a passion of mine and I cannot wait to meet all of you and get the music flowing! If you ever have any questions please feel free to email me at sfriedrich@op97.org. 

A little about me: I grew up in Joliet, IL in a strong and competitive instrumental program.  My primary instrument is clarinet but I also played alto saxophone in jazz band starting in 6th grade. In my freshman year of high school I also started learning flute and often performed with jazz band and in the pit orchestra for musicals. Throughout my high school experience I performed in the wind ensemble, orchestra, pit orchestra, marching band, and the Suburban Youth Symphony Orchestra. I did my undergraduate work at Illinois State University with a double major in music performance on clarinet and music education. At ISU I performed as principal clarinet for the wind ensemble and marching band, and also performed in various chamber groups as well as orchestra. Most recently I completed a master's degree in music education from the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign. I have taught middle school band for 7 years, in public and private schools. My last position included many of the components that are also present here in Oak Park, including concert bands, jazz band, marching band, and preparation for organizational contests. It continues to be my goal to provide students with a well-rounded music curriculum that includes a variety of opportunities with high expectations for learning and musical growth. I am pleased to have the opportunity to do so here at Gwendolyn Brooks Middle School and I look forward to a wonderful and  successful year!

Welcome Ms. Sally Friedrich/IMEA Audition Material

We welcome, Ms. Sally Friedrich, who will be taking over for Mr. Barnard during the 2012-2013 school school year as Director of Bands.  Ms. Friedrich has taught several years in the Crete-Monee school district and has recently finished a maternity leave position at Homewood-Flossmoor High School.  Ms. Friedrich as an excellent teacher that has several years experience teaching band and jazz at the middle school level and we look forward to having her on board!

Audition Material for IMEA Jr. Band can be found on the right side for all students to download and print off for practicing.  7th & 8th graders should prepare both the scale sheet and audition material for their instrument for seating placements for the fall.

All students interested in auditioning for jazz ensemble will need to download the audition material on the right side of the blog.  6th graders interested in participating in Jazz Lab Band do not audition. Information about audition dates and the rehearsal start dates will be available soon through Ms. Friedrich.

I look forward to hearing great things about the band program while I am off taking care of baby Lily and I look forward to seeing you at some of our concerts this school year!

Mr. Barnard

Band Supply List 2012-2013 School Year

BAND EQUIPMENT & SUPPLY LIST

Parents are responsible in providing their student with an instrument, books and accessories needed in order to participate in the instrumental music program in District 97.  Students that qualify for the federally reduced lunch program may receive assistance through one of our community organizations, PING (Providing Instruments for the Next Generation), for a nominal fee.  For more information about the PING organization go to www.pingoprf.org.

6^th Grade Required Books:

            Standards of Excellence Book I (for review)

            Standard of Excellence Book 2

            Alfred Music Theory – Book 1

7^th & 8th Grade Required Books:

            Standards of Excellence Book 3

            Alfred Music Theory – Book 2

Refer to music vendors on the last page for book purchases.  BRAVO! does not pre-order books.

 All band students are required to have a 3-ring binder, 1” with side pockets, for securing music and books.  All students are also required to have a pencil in class for marking music, taking notes and working on music theory assignments.

Flutes: A cleaning/tuning rod with a small handkerchief.  Polishing cloth for outside

finish.  Optical size screw driver for adjusting loose screws.

Oboes/Bassoons:  An oboe swab, oboe reeds; medium-soft or medium (6^th graders),

medium or medium hard (7^th/8^th graders).  Optical size screw driver for adjusting  

loose screws. Small pipe cleaner for cleaning ½ hole vents (optional). A good 

quality store bought reed is Jones reeds; if you are studying privately, talk with

your private instructor for suggestions.

Clarinets:  A clarinet swab, reeds: 2 ½ (6^th graders) 2 ½ or 3 (7^th/8^th graders).  I

recommend Rico Royals, Mitchell Lurie or Vandoren Reeds.  If purchasing Vandorens please be aware that you might want a lower number reed because they are much denser than other brands. A reed holder/protector that holds 4 reeds for proper storage.  All students should have 4 playable reeds at all times.  An optical size screw driver for adjusting loose screws.  Bass clarinet students must purchase their own mouthpiece with ligature and cap. (Recommend Yamaha Stock)

Saxophones:  A neckstrap, a saxophone swab, reeds:  2 ½ (6^th graders) 2 ½ or 3 (7^th/8^th

graders).  I recommend Rico Royals or Vandoren Reeds.  If purchasing

Vandorens please be aware that you might want a lower number reed because they are much denser than other brands.  A reed holder/protector that holds 4 reeds for proper storage. All students are required to have 4 playable reeds at all times.  An optical size screw driver for adjusting loose screws. Tenor and baritone saxophones must purchase their own mouthpiece with ligature and cap. (Recommend Yamaha 4C or Selmer C-star)

Trumpets:  Valve oil (Alcass), slide grease, trumpet snakes for periodic cleaning,

mouthpiece brush. A straight mute (stone-line brand most affordable) to be used

periodically in performance.

French Horn:  Rotary Valve Oil, slide grease, French horn snakes for periodic cleaning,

mouthpiece brush.

Trombone:  Superslick or trombotine slide grease, tuning slide grease, trombone snake,

mouthpiece brush. A straight mute (stone-line brand most affordable)

Baritone/Euphonium:  Valve Oil (Alcass), slide grease, baritone snakes for periodic

cleaning, mouthpiece brush.  All students must have their own mouthpiece

with a mouthpiece pouch to protect it. Each student should have a euphonium at home as a practice instrument.  Recommend Bach 6 ½ AL for mouthpieces.

Tubas:  Valve oil, slide grease, mouthpiece brush.  All students must have their own

mouthpiece with a mouthpiece pouch to protect it. Each student should have

a euphonium or tuba at home as a practice instrument.  Recommend Bach 12

for mouthpieces.

Percussion:  Stick bag, snare drum sticks (Vic Firth SD1 or standard 2B), Bell Mallets

(plastic heads), Timpani Mallets (Vic Firth Generals) and medium yarn mallets.  Some companies do sell a complete percussion bag full of these items at a reasonable price.

All percussionists are required to have a percussion kit with bells and practice pad for at home practice.

Optional Accessories for everyone!

Electronic Metronome:  Used for providing a steady rhythmic pulse and is good for

developing accurate technique.

Tuner:  Important tool to help students play in tune and develop good intonation skills. 

This is highly recommended for double reed students.

Jazz Program

All students are required to have a copy of Essential Elements for Jazz Ensemble, by Mike Steinel.  This book is the primary book for 6^th graders and will be used continually for improvisation study throughout the jazz program.

Guitar/Bass:  patch chords ( 2 recommended ), extra set of strings, electronic tuner.

Drumset:  a pair of 5A or 7A sticks, a set of wire brushes.

Instrument Rentals & Purchases

It is extremely important when you make a decision to purchase an instrument that you speak to either your child’s band director or private instructor.  We want you to invest in a high quality instrument that will perform well for your child and will stand the test of time.  We recommend that you do not purchase instruments from internet sites, at garage sales or at non-music retail outlets such as warehouse clubs, without speaking to a band director first.  What may look like a good instrument and a good deal can really be an instrument with many flaws.  Please consider the following recommendations when renting or purchasing a quality student instrument.

Flute/Piccolo:  Gemeinhardt, Armstrong, Yamaha

Oboe:  Selmer, Yamaha, Buffet

Clarinet:  Vito, Selmer, LeBlanc, Buffet, Yamaha

Saxophone:  Conn, Vito, Selmer, Yamaha, Cannonball, Jupiter

Trumpet:  Bach, Holton, Yamaha, Getzen, Jupiter

French Horn:  Holton, Conn or Yamaha

Trombone:  Bach, Yamaha or King, Conn, Jupiter

Euphonium/Tuba:  King, Bach, Holton, Jupiter, Yamaha

Percussion:  Ludwig, Yamaha Percussion Kits, Drumset:  Ludwig, Pearl, Yamaha

Please contact your band director or private instructor when deciding to purchase a step up or professional level instrument for further recommendations.

Local Music Vendors

 Austin Music Center                             Band So
 6815 North Ave.                                  2309 Maple Ave.
Oak Park, IL  60302                            Downers Grove, IL  60515
708/ 383-1961                                     630/447-0426
www.austinmusiccenter.net                   www.bandsourcecompany.com

Kagan & Gaines Music                        Music & Arts Center                         
7655 Roosevelt Rd.                            907 W. Irving Park Rd.

Forest Park, IL  60130                        Itasca, IL  60143

708/771-2152                                      630/258-1485
 www.kaganandgaines.com                    www.musicarts.

Quinlin & Fabish Music                        Woodwind & Brasswind (online)
166 Shore Dr.                                      4004 Technology Drive
Burr Ridge, IL  60527                          South Bend, IN  46628
630/654-4111                                      800/348-5003
www.qandf.com                                   www.wwbw.com

                     ONLINE SHEET MUSIC/BOOKS

J.W. Pepper Music Company

www.jwpepper.com

Prima Music Company

www.primamusic.com

GBMS does not carry accessories such as valve oil, slide grease, reeds, sticks, etc. and it is the responsibility of the student and their parents to purchase these items.

INSTRUMENT REPAIRS & MAINTENANCE

Students and their families are responsible for the maintenance and repairs of their instruments and should have any repairs taken care of in a timely manner.  In the case that an instrument may have some problems it is the responsibility of the student to inform the band director and he/she will take a look at it and if possible fix the problem. 

If the repair requires taking it to a certified repair shop (music store), the band director will write a repair slip describing what the problem may be and what he/she tried to do in order to try to fix the problem.  This will help both parents and the repair technician know what to look for and will help speed up the repair process.

Parents are responsible for taking the instrument in for repairs.  If a student is renting an instrument from our district’s main supplier (Music & Arts Center) a phone call to the Itasca store can schedule a pick up at our school on Friday mornings.  If any family is still renting an instrument from a local music store it is recommended to ask if you can check out a loaner instrument while your child’s instrument is being repaired.  Most instrument rental agreements offer a loaner instrument for repair situations.