BAND COURSES

Sixth grade: Beginner Band (flute, oboe, bassoon, clarinet, cornet, french horn, trombone, euphonium, tuba, percussion)

Seventh grade: Beginner band, Cadet Band, Concert Band, Symphonic Band, Wind Symphony ("Ensemble")

Eighth grade: Cadet Band, Concert Band, Symphonic Band, Wind Symphony ("Ensemble")

DESCRIPTIONS

Seventh and eighth grade band members are placed in one of three bands. The bands are Wind Symphony, Symphonic Band, Concert Band. In special cases a seventh grade student may be enrolled in a beginner level course. Eighth grade students may not enroll as a beginner.

Each band or beginner class meets everyday during its own class period and may be team-taught.

The beginner classes are divided into like-instrument groups. For example, a class period may have beginner cornets, clarinets, and percussion. Each instrument will be taught by a separate teacher in one of the band rooms.

The Wind Symphony, Symphonic, and Concert Bands consists of students who have played a minimum of one year. The members of the bands are placed due to several criteria: 1) recorded audition, 2) progress and work ethic, 3) instrumentation of each band, 4) behavior, 5) attendance at performances/rehearsals, 6) recommendation of their previous band director, 7) eligibility (the student must pass all classes to make wind symphony), and 8) for wind symphony only, a written application.

Some sections of the band can have too many members or too few. It is important for each group to be able to stand alone during a performance and it is at this point individual decisions are made by the directors about the placement of students, both to their benefit and the benefit of the bands.

In the fall, seventh and eighth grade band members may play as one large group when performing at football games or pep rallies. After Nov. 1, the groups prepare different music and perform as separate organizations.

Mr. Black and Mrs. Parks team-teach every class. Mr. Black is the head director of the Wind Symphony and Mrs. Parks is the head director of Symphonic Band. Mr. Black and Mrs. Parks share responsibilities with the Concert and Beginner Bands.

We receive help from band directors at Newman Smith and Creekview High Schools. Dr. Parks (NSHS) teaches beginner percussion and the advanced percussion class (part of the wind symphony period).