5th Grade Band to Appear with the BVHS Marching Lynx!!

Every season, the 5th grade band is invited to appear with the BVHS Marching Lynx at a home football game.  We are excited to march with the High School Band this Friday, Sept. 16!  The band students are asked to assemble in the High School Commons at 6:00pm on Friday night.  We will line up with the band at 6:15 and step off at 6:30.  The 5th graders will be finished by 7:00pm.  They are invited to stay for the game or they are free to leave.  The high school band has requested that the 5th graders wear "Lynx' colors!
See you on Friday!!
Mr. Hubers

Great First Week of Band!!

Congratulations to the 5th graders on a great first week of band!  The boys and girls are really getting in the routine of coming to full band rehearsals, sectional rehearsals and small group lessons!  I have been very happy with their enthusiasm and willingness to work on developing their skills on their instruments.

Please keep encouraging them to practice on their instruments at home so we can continue making great progress during our rehearsal time together!

Until next time, keep practicing....
Mr. Hubers

5th Grade Band Off to an Awesome Start!
What an exciting week!  We welcomed over 150 new beginning band students to our program this week!  We are off to an awesome start!  We will begin all lessons, sectional rehearsals and full band rehearsals this coming Monday!  Please have all of your materials with you for your lessons and rehearsals.  Please refer to your individual schedules that you received this week for your lesson times! 

I am looking forward to getting started this season.  It is going to be an awesome year!
Until next time....Keep practicing!
Mr. Hubers

5th Grade Progress!

The 5th graders have been working very hard this week on mastering eighth notes on pages 14 and 15 in their 'Tradition of Excellence' book.  The percussionists are also working on eighth rests and 16th notes in their 'Performing Percussionist' book. 

All of the 5th grade band students received their packet of music for our first concert, which will be Tuesday, Dec. 8, at 7:00pm in the Performing Arts Center.  The students will be performing a variety of popular and familiar holiday tunes as well as some new ones for the season.  Please make sure to let grandpa and grandma and all of your friends know about our first concert!

The students will be receiving their progress report for the first quarter during their small group lessons this coming week.  They will also be filling out a fingering chart based on their first five notes on their instruments.  Please ask to see their progress report as it will give you an indication of what they are doing really well and an idea of what we will be working on to improve during our second quarter.  Please continue to encourage their practice time at home!

Until next week, keep practicing....
Mr. Hubers

5th Grade Band Making Awesome Progress!

I am so pleased and excited with the progress of our 5th grade band students this week!  We have moved on to page 9 in our 'Tradition of Excellence' book.  Many of the students have mastered their first 5 notes and are having fun playing the new melodies on their own!  If you have not had a chance to hear your son/daughter play these tunes, take a moment to let them demonstrate them for you - I am sure that you will be pleased with their progress!

Please continue to monitor their practice routine at home.  We have discussed this numerous times in the full group rehearsals as well.  Their goal is to have 90 minutes of practice time each week outside of the regular school rehearsals.  This is so crucial for their success as beginning instrumentalists.  Next week, we will be moving on to page 10 and will introduce their 6th note and the 'slur', along with more melodies.  Our percussionists are busy working on their mallets and have begun playing 16th note rhythms on their snare drums.  Their rhythmic skills are really improving.

The students have also been very good at remembering their lesson times, sectional times and regular band rehearsals this week.  Please help them remember their music and instruments on the appropriate rehearsal days.  They miss out on so much, even if it is just one rehearsal!

Thanks for your support of these fine young musicians as they continue to master their instruments.  They cannot do it without your support at home!

Until next week, keep practicing...
Mr. Hubers 

5th Grade Band Making Huge Strides this Week!!

As we finish up our second full week of lessons, the 5th grade band has made huge strides this week in their progress!  Many of the students are very solid on their first five notes, are playing whole notes, half notes and quarter notes correctly and are continuing to excel in their tapping/counting of rhythms.  Please encourage them to continue to practice at home - this is the single most important thing they can do as beginners to insure their success on their instruments!  Many of the wind players have moved on to page 8 and 9 in their 'Tradition of Excellence' Books.

Our 5th grade percussionists are beginning to work on their bell sets and have assignments on the bells and the snare drums.  They are doing an excellent job at keeping a steady beat and playing their quarter note and eighth note rhythm patterns correctly!

All of the band students should be recording their home practice time in the back cover of their method book.  Their individual assignments are also listed on the chart in the back cover.  They are expected/encouraged to practice 90 minutes each week outside of school. 

One of my favorite quotes (the students hear me repeat this quite often...) is this:  If it is important to you, you will find a way, if not, you will find an excuse!"  I often refer to this when they tell me they were 'too busy' to practice each week. 

Until next week, keep practicing....
Mr. Hubers

5th grade band is off and running!!

Our 5th grade bands are off and running!  We have had a great start together these past few weeks as we have gotten to know each other, figured out our rehearsal schedules, lesson times, etc.  I am really excited about the progress we have made in such a short time! 

The most important thing for our young instrumentalists now is to establish a consistent practice routine at home.  This will aid them in the memorization of all of their new notes, build up their embouchure (lip, cheek, chin) muscles, reinforce rhythms, tapping and counting; and get them on their way to becoming outstanding young musicians.

All of the band students have been assigned to work on page 7 and 8 in their Tradition  of Excellence Book.  (The percussionists have pages assigned in their Performing Percussionist Book).  Their practice goal is 90 minutes each week from one lesson to their next lesson. 

Please encourage your child to practice at home and help them set up a regular routine - this will help guarantee their progress and set them up for success!  Both you and your child will be amazed at how quickly they will improve through their weekly practice!

As always, do not hesitate to contact me if you have any questions or concerns regarding your child's progress!  (Del.Hubers@k12.sd.us)

Mr. Hubers