Band has taught me so much, both musical and non musical. It shows you how to take responsibility If you never did, you wouldn't be able to reach your full potential. If you never practiced for your lesson, you just better not expect to get it done well. You also have to take responsibility because your band leans on you. Someone might ask how to do a fingering or at a concert you might end up off track leading your band mates off track.
Band also teaches you friendship. You can meet friends that there might have been no chance of you meeting. They stick with you through the whole year, and you have to learn to get along or you'll just dread going to band to see the person you abominate. Friends come and go, but band mates are forever. When you feel you're not getting a beat or note right, they can help you out.
It may even change how you act. You could think you're the worst, but the moment you're in band, you feel like you're weightless and nothing can bring you down. Or if you're bombastic about yourself, you can learn that you're not the best of anybody. I've learned that you can't be the person standing out all of the time.
In many ways, I've learned how to help out. Somebody might be gone, and I help out with what we learned last time. It helps in my other classes, because I don't help out just my friends. I help out all of my peers that ask me if I am able to answer their questions. If I can't, then I point out somebody that will be able to answer their question.
Many ways it can also help you stay organized. If you don't have any activities, you can think to yourself, "Oh, I'll do this in an hour." Then just keep repeating yourself. With more activities, you must have a mental schedule and manage to get everything you need to be organized. I've been able to memorize my schedule of everyday each week with it constantly changing.
Band has not only taught me, but many others that there are condquences with slacking off. You could play 50%, but you'll be drowned out by the others. You have to play to your full potential, and you'll get rewarded. Whether it's an A in the class or in the far, far future a standing ovation.
It has also shown me that you must be determined. You can't just join because your family forced you to. Join because your love is music and you want your knowledge of music to grow.
I am sure that in the future, I will learn more.
8th grade band students have been compiling a portfolio which reflects their learning throughout their four years of instrumental music. One option for students to demonstrate a connection between the musical and non-musical worlds was to write a one page essay talking about what extra-musical things they have learned from their time in band at DMIS. I will post a number of these as they come in. Today's example of excellence comes from Jennifer. The following excerpt is posted with permission.
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The 8th grade jazz band has been composing and recording melodies too. We hop you enjoy our work! First up today we have "Do Dop Dweep Dop" by Nick, Kevin, Cory, and Derek. Our second recording of the day was "Durango" by Dominick, Tim, and Nathan. Jazz band students have been writing original melodies. Today we performed the completed melodies along with some improvised solos. There are some very talented composers in this group! First up is "Slur Century" written by Elizabeth, Emily, Sam, Madeline, and Chase. Solos were performed by Sam, Elizabeth, and Emily. Next, we have "Jazzettes" by McKenna, Kim, Kelly, Nicole, and Mina. Solows were performed by Kim and Nicole. The 7th grade band did a little recording as well. Here we have the finale of Overture Espanol. We hope you enjoy and that we will see you on May 6 for our full concert!
Here is a sample performance of the first movement of the Howard Hanson Suite performed by the DMIS 8th grade band. We will see you at the concert on May 6 at 7:30 pm for the rest of it! The first movement is entitled "Enchantment." Not to be outdone, the 8th grade band wrote a few tweets of their own. Their only guidelines were that it had to relate to our concert and contain less than 140 characters. Here is what they wrote.
Today in class I asked 7th graders to come up tweets to say something about our next concert (which is only 2 weeks away!). All of their comments had to be 140 characters or less. Here are a few!
Have a happy weekend everybody! In honor of our few days off and our cold and wet weather, I wanted to post a fitting video to warm you all up. The United States Navy Band has recorded a fantastic performance of a piece by Eric Whitacre. This music, "October," is stunningly beautiful . It has also been rewritten for choir under the title "Alleluia." The bands of the United States Armed Services are some of the best in the world. They promote morale and culture throughout the world. Through their work an excellent service is provided to the public at home and service members abroad. Alan Gilbert is the conductor of the New York Philharmonic Orchestra, one of the best musical groups in the world. His position is one of the most prestigious that a conductor could ever earn. Maestro (which is sometimes what great conductors are called) Gilbert has a great sense of humor and is always happy to talk about music. Last week, he paid a visit to Sesame Street to explain what a conductor does. What other things can a conductor do with his or her baton? Do you think you might like to be a conductor someday? Why? Post your thoughts in the comments section! Equinox, a song being performed by the 8th grade band in May is written by Eric Osterling. Osterling was born in Hartford, Connecticut. He taught in the public schools there for 34 years. His music has been performed by musicians from elementary students to professionals. You can read and find links to his music on his biography. One of Mr. Osterling's most famous marches is Bandology. Here you can hear it performed by the CHMS band from 2009. What similarities do you hear between Bandology and Equinox? Post your thoughts in the comments below! |
AuthorMs. Maher teaches 7th and 8th grade music at Drexler Middle & Intermediate School in the Western Dubuque Community School District. Also check out...Archives
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