ECN 5th Grade Band Sign Ups are on Monday August 26, 2024. Please submit the survey above to secure an appointment. I will text you to confirm your time.
We have a 6th/7th/8th Grade Band and a 5th Grade Band. Every band student will have lessons one day per week (30 minutes) as well as a full band rehearsal twice per week. These lessons and rehearsals are ALL during school hours.
5th graders will have the chance to start playing an instrument - be looking for information emailed out and in the Bulldog Barker Newsletter right away at the beginning of the year.
We are modifying instruction to minimize risk of virus transmission. We will be following guidelines from the Illinois State Board of Education (ISBE), and the National Association for Music Education (NAfME).
At this time, our 6/7/8 Band is planning on marching in the Homecoming Parade and also with the RFHS Marching Rockets at a football game. Both 5th and 6/7/8 Bands are planning on performing a Winter Concert in December.
Looking forward to seeing you all very soon!
Julie McCord
INFORMATION FOR NEW PARENTS - OVERVIEW OF OUR PROGRAM
2024 Orientation Packet
Why join band?
The first reason, of course, would be to learn how to play a musical instrument… but there is so much more! When in band, students learn to work individually as well as in a team, gain discipline, and feel a sense of accomplishment. Many students gain lifelong friends with other band members, as they enjoy the camaraderie of belonging to a group with a common purpose. Band students also gain a sense of responsibility, along with developing their creativity and self-expression. The data shows, time and time again, that students who play a musical instrument are less likely to drop out of school, show higher grade point averages, and earn higher ACT/SAT scores. A survey of American colleges shows that 70% look for achievement in the arts when considering entrance applications. Playing a band instrument is also a lifelong skill. Let’s not forget all of those trips and wonderful experiences that band students have later in middle school, high school, and beyond!
Goals of the Program
The Band Program strives to provide each student with the opportunity for musical success. These opportunities also deliver the tools that students need to succeed in life. Specifically, the topics covered include:
The ECN BAND Program
There are two bands in the school, the Beginning Band (5th Grade) and the Middle School Band (6th, 7th, and 8th Grade).
ALL Lessons and Full Band Rehearsals take place during school hours.
Beginning Band
To get started, all 5th graders are shown a demonstration of all the instruments. A band is a team, and it needs to have a balanced instrumentation to be able to play the music correctly. Just like a baseball team needs to cover all the positions on the field, a band must have all the instruments covered in order to be successful. Parents and students will be asked to come to an evening meeting at school in August to pick out their instrument. Visit www.jmccordband.weebly.com and click on the ECN page to sign up for an appointment.
Should we rent or buy an instrument? Good question! That is totally up to you. There are great rent-to-own plans if you want to ease into it. On the other hand, you may save money by purchasing the instrument outright. The Instrument Barn in Huntley, Il (owned by a former military band member and repairman) and West Music in the Quad Cities have rent to own plans available and their rep is in contact with me for any needs you have. There are other music stores in the Quad Cities, Peoria, Clinton IA, Rockford, Chicago, and their instruments are all excellent as well. The Instrument Barn also has older instruments for purchase that are very reasonable.
If a family has an older instrument that they would like their student to play on, that is fine if it is in good shape and good playing condition. You will want it to get looked at by a professional repairperson. Instruments can also be purchased on websites such as Ebay and Amazon, but that would not be the first choice. With many brands it’s just hard to tell what kind of quality you will get. I would advise you to stay away from cheap horns on Amazon. They tend to break easily and they sometimes have strange parts that a music store cannot get to fix it. If you are looking to buy from any online marketplaces, send me the info at 815-499-8100 before you buy and I’ll give you my professional opinion on it.
BAND STARTS MONDAY SEPT 16TH, 2024!
If renting from The Instrument Barn or West Music, they will deliver your instrument and supplies to our school and Mrs. McCord will give it to your student at their first lesson on the 16th. Otherwise, bring your instrument and lesson book from home to school that day.
Students need the following in order to participate in the Band:
To start, all Beginning Band Students need to bring their instruments and lesson books with them to school on MONDAYS. Each 5th grade student will have a 30 minute group lesson per week on Monday, and after a few weeks will start Full Band Rehearsal on Monday and Wednesday. Don’t worry – I will let everyone know when they need to start bringing their instruments to school on both days. Students are pulled out of class for lessons on a rotating schedule so that nobody misses the same time every week.
Performances for Beginning Band
Our 5th grade band has two performances, Winter and Spring. They also may perform at select events as the opportunity arises. Select students may perform at our Solo/Ensemble Recital in the Spring.
Middle School Band
All Middle School Band Students need to bring their instruments, lesson books, and band music with them to school on Monday, Wednesday, and Friday. Each 6th, 7th, and 8th grade student will have their 30 minute group lesson once per week. Students are pulled out of class on a rotating schedule so that nobody misses the same time every week. Full Band Rehearsal is during Study Skills on Monday and Friday.
Performances for Middle School Band
The performance schedule for Middle School Band will include marching performances in the fall, Winter and Spring Concerts, Morrison Concert Band Contest, and a Solo/Ensemble Recital in February. Select students also have the opportunity to audition for the IMEA Band Festival held in DeKalb Il.
More Information for both Beginning and Middle School Bands
Grading
Students are graded using an evaluation rubric. Attendance, Preparation for lessons/rehearsals, Performance assessment, and General participation attitude are all parts of the rubric. Because band is a class, ending participation is only done at the conclusion of the year.
Home Practice
Students learn by daily repetition. All students need to practice 10 minutes per day or more. Students will be filling out a practice chart in an effort to start good habits right off the bat. Home practice is part of their evaluation rubric, and parents are asked to sign their practice chart each week.
Hope to see your student in band! If you have any questions, you can email Mrs. Julie McCord at [email protected].
Why join band?
The first reason, of course, would be to learn how to play a musical instrument… but there is so much more! When in band, students learn to work individually as well as in a team, gain discipline, and feel a sense of accomplishment. Many students gain lifelong friends with other band members, as they enjoy the camaraderie of belonging to a group with a common purpose. Band students also gain a sense of responsibility, along with developing their creativity and self-expression. The data shows, time and time again, that students who play a musical instrument are less likely to drop out of school, show higher grade point averages, and earn higher ACT/SAT scores. A survey of American colleges shows that 70% look for achievement in the arts when considering entrance applications. Playing a band instrument is also a lifelong skill. Let’s not forget all of those trips and wonderful experiences that band students have later in middle school, high school, and beyond!
Goals of the Program
The Band Program strives to provide each student with the opportunity for musical success. These opportunities also deliver the tools that students need to succeed in life. Specifically, the topics covered include:
- Proper posture and playing position
- Good Tone Quality
- Technical Accuracy
- Note Reading
- Good Breath and Stick Control
- Expressive Playing
The ECN BAND Program
There are two bands in the school, the Beginning Band (5th Grade) and the Middle School Band (6th, 7th, and 8th Grade).
ALL Lessons and Full Band Rehearsals take place during school hours.
Beginning Band
To get started, all 5th graders are shown a demonstration of all the instruments. A band is a team, and it needs to have a balanced instrumentation to be able to play the music correctly. Just like a baseball team needs to cover all the positions on the field, a band must have all the instruments covered in order to be successful. Parents and students will be asked to come to an evening meeting at school in August to pick out their instrument. Visit www.jmccordband.weebly.com and click on the ECN page to sign up for an appointment.
Should we rent or buy an instrument? Good question! That is totally up to you. There are great rent-to-own plans if you want to ease into it. On the other hand, you may save money by purchasing the instrument outright. The Instrument Barn in Huntley, Il (owned by a former military band member and repairman) and West Music in the Quad Cities have rent to own plans available and their rep is in contact with me for any needs you have. There are other music stores in the Quad Cities, Peoria, Clinton IA, Rockford, Chicago, and their instruments are all excellent as well. The Instrument Barn also has older instruments for purchase that are very reasonable.
If a family has an older instrument that they would like their student to play on, that is fine if it is in good shape and good playing condition. You will want it to get looked at by a professional repairperson. Instruments can also be purchased on websites such as Ebay and Amazon, but that would not be the first choice. With many brands it’s just hard to tell what kind of quality you will get. I would advise you to stay away from cheap horns on Amazon. They tend to break easily and they sometimes have strange parts that a music store cannot get to fix it. If you are looking to buy from any online marketplaces, send me the info at 815-499-8100 before you buy and I’ll give you my professional opinion on it.
BAND STARTS MONDAY SEPT 16TH, 2024!
If renting from The Instrument Barn or West Music, they will deliver your instrument and supplies to our school and Mrs. McCord will give it to your student at their first lesson on the 16th. Otherwise, bring your instrument and lesson book from home to school that day.
Students need the following in order to participate in the Band:
- Instrument in good working order
- Lesson Book (Essential Elements 2000 – Hal Leonard)
- $25 Fee paid to the main office
- Music stand for at-home practice
- Reeds (Woodwinds), Valve/Slide Oil (Brass), Drumsticks/Mallets (percussion)
To start, all Beginning Band Students need to bring their instruments and lesson books with them to school on MONDAYS. Each 5th grade student will have a 30 minute group lesson per week on Monday, and after a few weeks will start Full Band Rehearsal on Monday and Wednesday. Don’t worry – I will let everyone know when they need to start bringing their instruments to school on both days. Students are pulled out of class for lessons on a rotating schedule so that nobody misses the same time every week.
Performances for Beginning Band
Our 5th grade band has two performances, Winter and Spring. They also may perform at select events as the opportunity arises. Select students may perform at our Solo/Ensemble Recital in the Spring.
Middle School Band
All Middle School Band Students need to bring their instruments, lesson books, and band music with them to school on Monday, Wednesday, and Friday. Each 6th, 7th, and 8th grade student will have their 30 minute group lesson once per week. Students are pulled out of class on a rotating schedule so that nobody misses the same time every week. Full Band Rehearsal is during Study Skills on Monday and Friday.
Performances for Middle School Band
The performance schedule for Middle School Band will include marching performances in the fall, Winter and Spring Concerts, Morrison Concert Band Contest, and a Solo/Ensemble Recital in February. Select students also have the opportunity to audition for the IMEA Band Festival held in DeKalb Il.
More Information for both Beginning and Middle School Bands
Grading
Students are graded using an evaluation rubric. Attendance, Preparation for lessons/rehearsals, Performance assessment, and General participation attitude are all parts of the rubric. Because band is a class, ending participation is only done at the conclusion of the year.
Home Practice
Students learn by daily repetition. All students need to practice 10 minutes per day or more. Students will be filling out a practice chart in an effort to start good habits right off the bat. Home practice is part of their evaluation rubric, and parents are asked to sign their practice chart each week.
Hope to see your student in band! If you have any questions, you can email Mrs. Julie McCord at [email protected].
EC-N BAND HANDBOOK
Click on the link below to see our band evaluation rubric:
band_evaluations.docx | |
File Size: | 16 kb |
File Type: | docx |
Announcements
Reeds, valve oil, and other supplies can be purchased online or at any music store. I recommend Van Doren 2 1/2 reeds (for clarinets and saxophones), and Al Cass Valve Oil (for trumpets, trombones, and baritones), for all our beginning students.
More practice= more success! Don't forget to fill out the practice chart in the front of the lesson book and have a parent initial in the box the night before lessons.
Helpful Videos
|
|
|
|