OMS Band Weekly Updates 9/12/16

Hello everyone,

Here are the announcements for this week.

Email Outage

If you have tried to get a hold of me via email the past couple of weeks, it may or may not have gone through. The week prior to Labor Day, teacher email accounts were inaccessible throughout the district. We have since been up and running. If you have sent me something and haven’t heard back from me, please resend the email.

Website

If you ever delete, lose, or do not get these updates, they will be posted on the Olympia Music Department Website.

8th Grade Band Lesson Books

Each instrument is required to get the following book.

o Flute – Rubank Supplementary Studies for Flute – RM Endersen

o Clarinet – Rubank Supplementary Studies for Clarinet – RM Endersen

o Saxophone – Second Book of Practical Studies for Sax – Hovey

o Trumpet – Rubank Supplementary Studies for Trumpet – RM Endersen

o French Horn – Second Book of Practical Studies for Horn – Gretchell

o Trombone/Baritone – First Book of Practical Studies for Bassoon – McDowells/ed. Hovey

o Tuba – First Book of Practical Studies for Tuba – Gretchell/ed. Hovey

o Percussion - Alfred’s Snare Drum Method Book 2 – Feldstein/Black

OMS 7th/8th Grade Bands Fall Concert

Our first concert is rapidly approaching. The 7th and 8th Grade Bands Concert will be at 7:00 PM on Monday, October 3 in the OHMS Auditorium. Both bands will be performing separately on this concert. 8th Grade Band members should be on stage and ready to play at 6:30 PM. 7th Grade Band members should be on stage and ready to play at 6:50 PM. The 8th Grade Band members will sit in the audience while the 7th Grade Band performs and vice versa. The 7th Grade Band's performance will begin at 7:00 PM and the 8th Grade Band’s performance will begin roughly around 7:20-7:30 PM. The concert should be finished by 7:50 PM. All students should dress nicely for this concert (no shorts, jeans, tennis shoes). Students are also expected to stay and help strike the stage after the concert. This concert will be streamed online and a link to the website will be made available within the next couple of weeks.

6th Grade Band Demonstration Concert

The 6th Grade Band Demonstration Concert is quickly approaching and will be held on Thursday, October 6 at 7:00 PM in the OMS Gym. This is unlike any concert held at OMS ever before. We are inviting parents/guardians to sit with their student within the ensemble so they can experience what their student does on a daily basis. We will give a presentation of all of our procedures, warm ups, and much more while explaining the purpose for each activity and how it affects your student’s abilities to play.

Due to performance space limitations, we are asking that the seats among the band to be saved specifically for parents/guardians. Those parents/guardians wishing to sit with their student within the ensemble should fill out the form by clicking this link. With that said, all family members and friends are welcomed to attend this event. Additional seating will be made available around the band.

Google Classroom

New to this year, we will be utilizing Google Classroom for 8th Grade Band. Students will need to sign up for the class through their school email account (it’s the only way that it will work). The code to join the class room is included in the Band Manual. Most students have signed up but a couple have not. Our first playing test submission via Google Classroom will be within the next week.

Essential Elements Interactive

Some parents have expressed some frustration and issues when trying to sign up for Essential Elements Interactive. I have created a slide show presentation that hopefully will work as a tutorial. Those students unable to sign up will be given some time during band lessons the next two weeks to work it out. The tutorial for signing up can be found by clicking here.

QotW

“Life is 10% of what happens to you and 90% how you react to it.” – Charles R. Swindoll

If you have any questions or concerns, please do not hesitate to email or call.

Thank you!

Kyle Brubaker

Director of Bands

Olympia Middle/High School