Bancroft Update, 6/5/14

Our concert is next week, and I am confident that we are prepared to the point where we can really enjoy playing for our peers in the morning, and for parents in the evening.

Details for next Wednesday, June 11:

I will meet the band kids at 9:00am to warm up before the 9:30 assembly just outside the music room.  They need to be in their concert black clothes.

We will then assemble at 6:30pm in the same place to get ready for a 7:00 evening concert.

On Thursday morning following the concert, we will have our final band class for the year.  In addition to reviewing the repertoire for the concert, they are to prepare page 3, which 6 has an easy little piece (different one for different instruments) with piano accompaniment.  We are going to play through those for each other, and I will be bringing in my tuba!

It has been a wonderful year.  Alan, Thomas, and Edward will all make a wonderful impact on the Doherty sixth grade band next year.  I am excited for them.  They will love Ms. Hofius! I hope Grace is ready to pick it up again!

As for Michael, Brandon, Catherine, and Garret, we are in for a cool adventure next year! The band has been scheduled for Wednesday mornings.  Experienced musicians (this years fourth graders, and any others we find) will begin at 7:30, 15 minutes earlier, and go to 8:10.  This gives us the opportunity to have a second separate band class from 8:10 to 8:50 for next years beginners, and thus not start everyone back at the beginning of Book 1, but rather continue to progress from where we left off!  Attached is a form for signing up for next year's band.

I'm glad I was able to hang out a little while and see Grace score a sweet late goal to bring Harvard to a tie with tenacious Michigan squad, 2-2, in before school gym hockey!

For those who are renting instruments, I strongly encourage you to keep that up over the summer.  There are opportunities for playing over the summer, via lessons and camps, and I will be sending out information about these soon, but at the very least, please encourage them to get it out now and then and keep it fresh, if even just for fun.  Also, turning in a rented instrument and starting new in the fall also means starting over with rent-to-own equity.  With Leonard's Music (and with most instrument retail rental companies), you are in a situation where everything you pay, less tax and insurance, goes toward the purchase of that instrument.  That is all lost if you turn it in.  I just wanted to make sure that was clear.

Looking forward to seeing you all at the concert.  They sounded great this morning, and you are in for a treat!

West Update, 6/5/14

We have one band class left!  Next week, June 11, with be the last meeting for this year of the West El. Band!

Page 36 has an easy little piece (different one for different instruments) with piano accompaniment.  We are going to play through those for each other, and I will be bringing in my tuba!

I am so pleased with everyone's work this year, and look very much forward to working with everyone again next year.  It will be great to have Jack and Alfonso at West Middle, and Sofia at Wood Hill!

As for the fourth graders: Next year's band has been scheduled for Thursday mornings, which will hopefully avoid conflicts with some of the other wonderful and popular before school activities, such as student council.  Experienced musicians (this years fourth graders, and any others we find) will begin at 7:30, 15 minutes earlier, and go to 8:10.  This gives us the opportunity to have a second separate band class from 8:10 to 8:50 for next years beginners, and thus not start everyone back at the beginning of Book 1, but rather continue to progress from where we left off!  Attached is a form for signing up for next year's band.

For those who are renting instruments, I strongly encourage you to keep that up over the summer.  There are opportunities for playing over the summer, via lessons and camps, and I will be sending out information about these soon, but at the very least, please encourage them to get it out now and then and keep it fresh, if even just for fun.  Also, turning in a rented instrument and starting new in the fall also means starting over with rent-to-own equity.  With Leonard's Music (and with most instrument retail rental companies), you are in a situation where everything you pay, less tax and insurance, goes toward the purchase of that instrument.  That is all lost if you turn it in.  I just wanted to make sure that was clear.

Please let me know if you have any questions.  It has been a privilege working with these kids!  I am excited for next year!

Sanborn Update, 6/5/14

I am so pleased with how the concerts went on Tuesday!

Sanborn has such a wonderful culture to it, and feels like such a family.  That was absolutely the feeling I had at both the morning and evening concerts.  Mrs. Waddell has always brought such a rich musical experience to the school, and I am so pleased to have been invited, along with Miss Kolodziej, to join this year and help cultivate that further.

The Sanborn band is small, and young.  With only 9 members, 7 of which are fourth graders, I am so pleased at how this group has consistently risen to the occasion, as was evident this week in particular.  I told them as we were preparing to go in to play on Tuesday night that I so looked forward to every Monday morning, because I knew they would be there, ready to work.  They are great kids, and will play a huge role in an exciting rebirth of Andover Bands.  It takes a special group of kids to get me genuinely excited about driving to work on Monday morning!

Our last band class will be this coming Monday.  I will bring in my tuba (as I have promised I would at some point), and we will play through some favorites, and talk about how to stay fresh over the summer.

I am looking forward to working with Lemuel at West Middle and Brigitte at Wood Hill next year!

As for the fourth graders, Sanborn's band will continue next year to be on Monday morning.  Experienced musicians (this years fourth graders, and any others we find) will begin at 7:30, 15 minutes earlier, and go to 8:10.  This gives us the opportunity to have a second separate band class from 8:10 to 8:50 for next years beginners, and thus not start everyone back at the beginning of Book 1, but rather continue to progress from where we left off!

For those who are renting instruments, I strongly encourage you to keep that up over the summer.  There are opportunities for playing over the summer, via lessons and camps, and I will be sending out information about these soon, but at the very least, please encourage them to get it out now and then and keep it fresh, if even just for fun.  Also, turning in a rented instrument and starting new in the fall also means starting over with rent-to-own equity.  With Leonard's Music (and with most instrument retail rental companies), you are in a situation where everything you pay, less tax and insurance, goes toward the purchase of that instrument.  That is all lost if you turn it in.  I just wanted to make sure that was clear.

Please let me know if you have any questions.  It has been a privilege working with these kids!  I am excited for next year!