Excellent Performance on Progress Reports!

Although rather hectic, the past few weeks were spent listening to the band students perform individually during their lessons. If your child was absent this past week, I will listen to them during their lesson next time I see them!  Most of the students came very well-prepared and I am excited to begin working on our pieces for our Holiday Concert!  Many of the students are moving quite rapidly through their lesson books and making exceptional progress.  Ask your son/daughter to play some of their holiday tunes for you!  In a few weeks, I will also be handing out some holiday melodies that all of the kids can play for grandpa and grandma, holiday get-togethers, at church, etc.  Everyone has the melody on these pieces so all of the kids can play them regardless of what instrument they play!  Please continue to encourage their practice time at home as this is necessary to continue making progress on their instrument!  Until next time...

Instrumental Progress Resports Update!!

I am still hoping to complete as much testing of the 5th graders as possible during this week and next week.  I realize that a number of students have been out of school due to illness last week and this week.  If your child has missed a lesson due to illness, just have him/her practice whatever was assigned at their last lesson for their playing/testing pieces at their next lesson.  If they are absent for their lesson during the week of testing, I will listen to them the next time I see them.  I understand that many are quite concerned about this and we will all just have to be as flexible as possible during the next few weeks!  Hopefully all will return to normal soon! 

Instrumental Performance Quizzes

I will begin testing the band students during their lessons next week, Oct. 19-23.  Students will be given their assigned playing exercises this week during their lesson/band.  Most of the students will be performing exercises on pp. 13-14 in the Standard of Excellence book.  These selections will focus on counting and playing 8th notes correctly.  Other skills that I will be listening for include tone production, correct fingerings, correct posture/playing position, music reading skills, rhythmic precision and tonguing.  I will also be checking the students' written assignments and practice charts.   I will be sending the progress reports home with their report cards.  Please encourage your child to continue with his/her practicing as this is very necessary at the beginner level to master the concepts needed to be excellent musicians!

Conference Notes

Thank you to all of the parents who stopped  by to visit during conferences!  I enjoy meeting the parents of my new band students and appreciate your concern for your child's musical development.  If you were not able to meet with me during conferences, please feel free to drop me an email with any concerns or questions that you may have regarding the beginning instrumental program and your child's progress.  My email at school is:  Del.Hubers@k12.sd.us  Please do not hesitate to contact me throughout the year!

Reminders to the Band Students

PRACTICE, PRACTICE, PRACTICE and don't forget to record it in the front cover of your band book. YOUR GOAL IS 90 MINUTES A WEEK!

REMEMBER YOUR PENCILS AND FOLDERS FOR REHEARSAL from now on as we will begin working on sheet music for our holiday performance soon!

REMEMBER LESSON TIME!  Most of you are doing a super job of remembering when to come down for your lesson - keep up the good work and effort!

CHECK OUT THE WEB-SITES AT THE BOTTOM OF THE BLOG for some fun theory games!

Progress Reports for 5th Grade Band

Within the next few weeks, I will begin filling out progress reports for the 5th grade band students.  The band members will be playing assigned exercises during their small group lesson time.  I will let them know next week which pages/exercises they will be playing for me.  I will give them a 'rating' on a variety of different aspects of playing their instrument.  The rating is as follows: 

 1 - 'does this well'

 2 - 'is working to achieve this'

 3 - 'needs improvement'

4 - 'needs immediate attention'.

  I will be giving them a rating in the following categories:  posture, tone production, music reading skills, rhythm skills and lesson preparation, as well as giving written comments.  These progress reports will be sent home with their report cards.  These reports should help give you an accurate assessment of your what your child is doing really well at and which aspects need attention.