Holiday Concert Details

The 5th grade band members are hard at work preparing their selections for the Holiday Band/Orchestra Concert!  The concert will be held on Monday, December 16, at the Performing Arts Center.  The band will perform at 6:45 and the orchestra will perform at 7:30. 

The band members are to meet in the high school band room at 6:15 that evening and are to dress up for this performance.  All band members are expected to attend this performance and all parents/guardians/grandparents and friends are invited to hear our concert!

Please let me know if you have any questions regarding the concert (Del.Hubers@k12.sd.us)

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

Conference Time

Conference time is here already!  Here is my schedule for Monday, Oct. 7:

Brandon Elementary: 1:30-3:15

Robert Bennis Elementary: 3:30-5:30

Fred Assam Elementary: 6:30-9:00

Please feel free to stop in at any of the buildings to visit with me regarding the progress of your child in our 5th grade band program.  If you are unable to stop by during conferences, please do not hesitate to contact me via email (Del.Hubers@k12.sd.us) and I can address any concerns that you may have regarding band!

Until next week, keep practicing....

Mr. Hubers

Reminder for the week!

Parents will ask me what is the most important thing they can do to help their child succeed on their instrument and my response is always an emphatic reminder to 'help their child establish a consistent practice routine at home!'   Their practice time at home helps reinforce everything that we work on in lessons and full group rehearsals!  This is the most important thing that parents can do to ensure that their child will succeed on their instrument and love playing at the same time.  If they sound good, they will want to practice more, if they practice more, they will sound even better and the cycle continues!!

Just as an athlete practices and works out to become better at his/her craft, so a musician must work out and practice his/her instrument to become better at his/her craft!  So, in order for your child to see immediate results on his/her instrument, encourage them with their practice time at home and praise them for a job well done!

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

2nd Week of Lessons!

Our second week of lessons is completed already!  Now that the Labor Day holiday is over it is imperative that the beginners develop a consistent practice routine at home.  I am expecting the 5th graders to work for a goal of 90 minutes of practice each week.  This is so important for the beginning instrumentalist to develop their embouchures, memorizes fingerings/note names and to reinforce proper playing techniques that are worked on in the band rehearsals and lessons.  PLEASE help your child to develop their practice routine and encourage them to do their practicing!  You will be amazed at the results and what your child is able to accomplish!

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

5th Grade Band Off to an Awesome Start!

The 5th grade bands are off to an awesome start!  We have had rehearsals at all of our buildings and the 5th graders are so excited to begin the journey of learning a musical instrument!  There is so much enthusuiasm during the rehearsals and I am looking forward to all that we will be able to accomplish together this school year. 

Here are a few reminders as we begin the school year:

• Our weekly practice goal is 90 minutes of practice each week.  This is necessary for the students to develop their lip muscles, memorize fingerings and notes, practice counting rhythms and to reinforce all of the musical concepts introduced during the band rehearsals and lessons.  Please encourage your child's practice time as this is vital in order to make progress on their instruments.
• Help your child to have their music and instruments on the appropriate rehearsal days.  We rehearse at Brandon Elementary on Monday and Tuesday, Robert Bennis Elementary on Wednesday and Thursday, and at Fred Assam Elementary on Thursday and Friday.
• Ask your child to share what they have learned in their band rehearsals and lessons with you.  They are so proud of what they are accomplishing and want to share that with you!

Please do not hesitate to contact me if you have any questions regarding our band program, your child's progress, etc.  You can email me at Del.Hubers@k12.sd.us

I am looking forward to working with your children this year and am excited about all we will be able to accomplish together!

Until next week....
Mr. Hubers

End of the School Year Already!

It is hard to believe that another school year is drawing to a close already!  I am so pleased with the progress of most of the 5th grade band members this year.  Many of the students worked very diligently to develop their skills on their band instruments and I hope that they will all continue in our instrumental program into the Middle School.

Congratulations to the band members on an outstanding performance at their District Elementary Band Concert which was held on Friday, May 10.  The students played very well for their parents, guardians and grandparents and it was fun to direct them in their final performance of the school year.

All of the students are to be congratulated on fine performances of their solos last week for Mr. Miller.  Mr. Miller, the high school band director, had some very positive comments for our young performers.

Best wishes for a relaxing summer and keep on practicing.....

Mr. Hubers

Change in Beginning Band Open House!!

Due to the inclement weather last week, all of the recruitment process has been set a week behind!  Please note that the District Elementary Band Open House has been rescheduled to Monday, May 13, from 3:00-5:00pm at the Robert Bennis Elementary Band/Orchestra Room.  Thank you for your patience as we continue with the recruitment process for the 4th graders!

Mr. Hubers

Recruitment Season in Here!

It is time to begin planning for next school year already!  The current 4th graders will be given an opportunity to sign up to be part of our 5th grade band for next year.  During the month of April, the 4th graders will be learning about the different instruments of the band in music class.  They will also attend an assembly by our current 5th grade band in which the band members will demonstrate their different instruments and play them for the 4th graders.  The 4th graders will then receive an information sheet to fill out and list their top three choices for band instruments.  They will be given an opportunity to produce a good tone on their top choices and after visiting with each one, I will help them choose the instrument that they are best suited to play.  Those interested in being part of our percussion section will also be given an opportunity to perform a variety of rhythm patterns while maintaining a steady beat and will be given a written music theory quiz.  Please note that students interested in 'trying out' for the percussion section are expected to have a minimun of two years of piano lessons in order to be considered for that section.

There will be an informational open house for all perspective band members/parents on Monday, May 6, in the band/orchestra room at the Robert Bennis Campus.  The band directors and orchestra director will be on hand to answer any questions you may have regarding the beginning band or orchestra programs in our district.  More information will be sent home with your children as the date approaches.

Please consider giving your child the opportunity to become involved in one of the many fine musical organizations that our district offers!

Until next week.....
Mr. Hubers

Spring Concert Music and Solos!!

Spring Concert music has been handed out to all of the 5th grade band students.  We have a wide variety of musical selections planned for our final performance of the season.  The students are anxious to begin working on these pieces to play for you!

Students also received a solo to prepare for this spring season as well.  The 5th grade band members each get the opportunity to perform a solo for Mr. Miller, our high school band director.  He will listen to the band members perform in May and will write comments on their performance. He will focus on things that they are doing really well and also give the students suggestions on how to become better players on their instruments.  This is a wonderful learning opportunity for our beginners to get another band director's perspective on their progress.  I will accompany all of the students on the piano, so it will not be necessary to find a piano accompanist for your child.  When we get closer to the performance date, I will send home a schedule and all parents/guardians/grandparents are invited to come in and listen to their child's performance.  The solos will be performed in the band/orchestra room at each elementary campus.

There is still plenty to do before we wrap up this school year, so please continue to encourage your child's practice time at home as they have alot of music to prepare before the end of the year.  So until next week, keep practicing.......

Mr. Hubers

Time to start thinking about the Spring Concert!

The band students have been working very diligently in their 'Standard of Excellence' books since the Holiday break and I am very pleased with their progress.  Many of the band students have begun or will be starting their second level of the 'Standard of Excellence' - the 'blue book'!  It is exciting to see so many of the students work so hard at developing their talents and skills on their instruments.

Believe it or not - it is time to start looking at new music for our Spring Concert already!   I am looking at a wide variety of selections and styles of pieces for this concert.  The students will be receiving their music packets within the next week.

The students will also be receiving a solo that they will perform for one of the high school band directors in the beginning of May.  More information on this will be following!

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

Conference Time

The band students have been working very hard since we have come back from our holiday break!  I am so pleased with their progress in their Standard of Excellence book and First Performance book.  Many of them have memorized their B flat Concert Scale also.  We use this in our daily warmups, incorporating different rhythm patterns, articulations and dynamics in our scale work.

Our second semester conference times are rapidly approaching.  The elementary conferences will be held on Tuesday, Feb. 12.  My conference schedule between buildings is as follows:

Brandon Elementary:  1:30-3:30

Robert Bennis Elementary:  3:30-5:30

Fred Assam Elementary:  6:30-9:00

Please feel free to stop in at whichever campus is most convenient for you and your schedule!

Until next week, keep practicing.....

Mr. Hubers

Welcome Back!

Welcome back to our second semester of beginning band!  The students came back rested and ready to continue learning new things on their instruments.  Most of them were able to get in some quality practice time over the holiday break and just picked up where we left off last month.  We are going to continue working out of our Standard of Excellence book for the next few months before we begin looking at sheet music for our Spring Concert.  This will allow us time to work on some new rhythms, fingerings and playing techniques, as well as reinforce concepts worked on during our first semester.  We will also be using our 'First Performance' book. This collection features a wide variety of music styles which the students will enjoy playing during our rehearsals. 

Watch for upcoming announcements regarding our Spring Concert as we are looking at a few options to alleviate the crowded, 'standing room only' conditions at our Holiday Concert. 

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