!!DCIS Beginning Band Instrument Fair !

February 28, 2014 !!Dear 5th Grade Parents: !As a 6th Grader, your child finally has the opportunity to do what so many successful students have done before them: Be Part of the Band! !We know that for many of you, this will be your first exposure to instrumental music education and I wanted to take a brief minute to share some information with you. !Attached to this letter is information regarding our program and an upcoming instrument selection event. This is a time where your child can explore the different instruments and get help choosing the instrument that will give them the best chance of success. If your child is unable to attend, you can contact me for further help! !Music education is more than just playing an instrument, it is immersing your child in a culture of successful students and teachers who care about education. It challenges each child to use the creative side of his or her brain while, at the same time, learning a foreign language…MUSIC! !All of the current data clearly states that students involved in music education academically out perform their non-musical counterparts. But, more importantly, studies are showing that music students are less likely to engage in risky behaviors. !Every destination starts with a decision to embark on a journey. Now is the time to start your child in music and the Deer Creek Beginning Band is the place to do it! We can’t promise that every child will be a musical prodigy, but we can promise they will learn, laugh, and grow along the way. !Should you have any questions about band or your child’s participation, please feel free to contact me using the information listed below. !Sincerely, !Mr. Darby Cassaday, Mrs. Shannon Lockwood, & Mr. Roger Gregory Band Directors Deer Creek Intermediate School cassadayd@deercreek.k12.ok.us !p.s. If you would like to know more about the individual instruments or band in general, please visit: http://www.deercreekms.org/staff/mr__cassaday !!!

FAQ’S What if I am not sure if I want my child to do band? Remember when your children wouldn’t eat the food you made for them? You always said, “Try it before you decide you don’t like it.” Band is the same way. Your child should sign up for band even if you or they are unsure. If at some point you decide that band is not for you, drop the class. It is much easier to drop something after trying it, than to join late when everyone else has already started. Also, this is the only opportunity they will have to start in the band program at Deer Creek! !What if I don’t know anything about music? That’s ok! We will teach your child everything they need to know, step by step. From how to assemble and care for the instrument to reading notes and rhythms, we will guide your child through the process. All that is needed from you is an enthusiastic attitude and patient ears when your child comes home and makes their first sound. !How much out of school time is required? Band is no different than any other curricular area. We ask that your child spend some time with their instrument each and every week. Think of it as musical homework, but much more fun. We will have 1 required evening performance each semester: a Winter Concert in December and a Spring Concert in May. !What instrument should my child play? The answer depends on a variety of things, but in the end, it is most important that the play something that they enjoy. We will help guide your child based on his/her musical interests, physical make-up, and instrument availability at our Instrument Fair. Your child knows what she wants, you know your child, and I know music. Together we will find the instrument that she will not only enjoy but will give her the best chance of musical success. !You only offer 5 instruments; What about the other instruments? We only start beginners on the basic 5 instruments in 6th grade. At the end of the 6th grade year, students will have the opportunity to audition to play a “color” instrument. Students interested in French Horn, Euphonium, or Tuba will want to start on Trumpet or Trombone. Students interested in Bass Clarinet, Saxophone, Oboe, or Bassoon will want to start on Clarinet or Flute. These spots are limited as they are the smaller sections of the concert band and these expensive instruments are provided by the school district. !What are the costs? The costs associated with band depend on which instrument your child chooses and if you already own an instrument. We wish funds were available for us to provide every child with an instrument, however, this is simply not possible. We recommend that you rent a quality instrument from a local music store at a very reasonable price. We have already set up a rental meeting with Palen Music Co. to be held at DCIS right after school begins in August 2014. If financial constraints prevent you from being able to do this, please contact me and allow me to help. We do not want financial constraints to keep your child from participating. More information regarding instrument rentals will be available soon! !My child is busy in other activities? How will he/she have time for band? Band is part of the school curriculum, meaning that it is a class that meets during the school day. It will not conflict with athletics or other after-school programs. There are only two required evening performances, one each semester, that are formal concert performances to showcase the bands’ achievements! A major component of the curriculum is to develop healthy practice habits. Students are expected to practice at home on a regular basis. This will reinforce study skills in other classes, develop time management skills, and reinforce the music education they are receiving in band class. Studies show that music helps develop student’s emotional capacity to handle stressful life-related circumstances. It is a very worthwhile investment of your child’s time outside of school! !What if I have other questions? Please know that I am here to answer any and all questions that you may have. Due to the busy nature of our program and schools in general, it is sometimes difficult to contact me by phone. The best way for you to reach me is electronically at cassadayd@deercreek.k12.ok.us. This will allow me to respond to your query, whether you are available by phone or not. You may also contact me via our school website at http://www.deercreekms.org/staff/mr__cassaday . !

About the DCIS Beginning Band… !Beginning Band is a full year elective choice for current 5th graders enrolling in 6th grade for 2014-2015. The primary focus is on learning the fundamentals of playing an instrument, reading music, developing good practice habits, and performing in a large music ensemble. We will also study music history and music from other cultures. There are 2 required performances outside of the school day: Winter Concert and Spring Concert. Enrollment is open to all students. Information on Private Lessons is available upon request. !

******IMPORTANT - PLEASE NOTE****** 6th Grade is the only year beginning instruction is offered for band. Students may not sign up for band as a beginner after 6th grade. Exceptions are made for students who move into the district, but participated in their previous schools’ band program. In other words, this is the year to try it out and then decide if instrumental music is for you! !How do I join? Every 5th Grader at DCIS will get to participate in our Instrument Fair during their regular music class from March 7-13. During this time, we will give a brief demonstration of all the available instruments. Each child will then get to play on every instrument and will be asked to select and rank their top 3 choices. Instructors will also be evaluating each child’s potential for success on each instrument. Items taken into consideration are primarily physical characteristics in regards to embouchure formation and hand position when holding the instrument. The Beginning Band at Deer Creek consists of 5 instruments: flute, clarinet, trumpet, trombone, and percussion. More is below about each of these instruments. Once all the data has been collected, the band staff will sort through all the results and send home a letter notifying you on what instrument the student has been placed, how to obtain a quality instrument, and the next steps in securing your child’s place in the proper band class when you enroll! !What instruments are available? We offer beginning instruction on the following 5 instruments: !1) Flute - The flute is the smallest and highest pitched beginning band instrument. It is a member of the woodwind family even though it is made of metal and doesn’t use a reed to create the sound. In order to produce a tone on the flute, the player blows across the tone hole of the mouthpiece, allowing the air to split at the far edge of the hole. This can be a bit challenging at first but it gets much easier with time and practice. !

2) Clarinet - Clarinets are one of the most important instruments in the band. They often have the melody and play the really fast parts. The clarinet is a member of the woodwind family. Sound is produced by a vibrating single reed. Students will want to start on clarinet if they are interested in other woodwinds instruments, such as bass clarinet, saxophone, oboe, or bassoon. Placement on these instruments is by audition at the end of the 6th grade year.

3) Trumpet - The trumpet is the smallest and highest member of the

brass family. As with all brass instruments, the sound is produced by buzzing the lips into a mouthpiece. It is stored in the case in just two pieces. The only regular maintenance required is to oil the valves now and then and grease the slides as needed. Trumpets produce a powerful sound and are a very popular instrument since they are used in bands, orchestra, and jazz bands.

4) Trombone - The trombone is a member of the brass family. The sound is produced by buzzing the lips into a mouthpiece. A unique feature of the trombone is the slide. While other brass instrument change pitches by pressing valves to change the length of the air flow, the trombone player simply moves the slide in and out to the change the length of the instrument. Students who play the trombone should have a good ear and be able to sing in tune. Students who have an ability to match pitches will know when the slide is slightly too far in or out. But other than that, it’s a relatively easy instrument to start with. The trombone is used in bands, orchestras, and jazz bands.

5) Percussion - The percussion class has a limited enrollment and it meets capacity very quickly. Only students specifically interested in the percussion class will have a coordination audition with Mrs. Lockwood. Please visit her right after school in the Band Room on Friday (March 7) or Wednesday (March 12) or Thursday (March 13).

Beginning Percussion will focus on two instruments: the Bells and the Snare Drum. Young percussionists frequently assume that they will just play the snare drum and move on to a drum set but all instruments have to be learned at some point. Since each of the percussion instrument is different, we start students out on the bells for several weeks and then teach the other instruments later in the year. Eventually, each percussionist will be responsible for learning all the percussion instruments. The students who tend to succeed in the percussion section are those who are self disciplined. A regular expense will be drum sticks and bell mallets since they tend to wear or get lost.

The Bells are a percussion instrument. Sound is created by striking pieces of metal with a plastic or wood mallet. The notes are configured like a piano keyboard. !The Snare Drum is the smallest drum in the percussion section. This is the most popular drum and is used in nearly all styles of music. For beginners, practice pads are used to dampen the loud sound.

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