Upper School Band 

Division:  Upper School

Department: Fine and Performing Arts:  Instrumental Music

Course Title/Code:  Band       Art  323 

Course Description:  This class is composed of woodwind, brass, and percussion players and will provide students with the experience of playing a variety of concert band music.  Two or three concerts per year will be performed at school.  The band may also participate in a local festival sponsored by the NC Bandmasters Association as well as a trip to a competition.  To audition for All-District or All-State Band, a student must be enrolled in band or receive permission from the band director.  May be repeated for credit.
Prerequisite:  Three years of experience on a band instrument is recommended.
Note:  With permission of the instructor and department chair, a student may add or drop this course until the end of the 2^nd trimester drop-add period. 

Goal

• Students will develop skills on an intermediate or advanced level for practicing and performing on a wind or percussion instrument.

Skills

• Tone production (playing with a characteristic and beautiful sound)
• Tempo (keeping a steady beat)
• Rhythm reading (counting, clapping, and playing rhythm patterns)
• Pitch reading (naming notes and associating fingerings with notes)
• Technique (finger/hand dexterity, embouchure [lips] control, tonguing, range)
• Interpretation (phrasing, dynamics, expressiveness)
• Balance (matching volume within the section and the entire ensemble)
• Blend (matching sound within the section)
• Intonation (playing in tune with oneself, the section, and the entire ensemble)
• Listening (identifying structure and form of the overall piece of music, as well as the function of the part a student is playing)

Activities

• Practice outside of class at least one and one half hours per week
• Rehearsals during class
• Two or three evening performances at school
• Various performances for the school during the school day
• One or two performances off campus during the school day
• Possibly one or two performances outside of school during an evening or weekend.

Assessment

• Playing Quizzes in class (short excerpts assigned from the music studied)
• Practice Assignments recorded at home (longer excerpts assigned from the music in class or assignments relating to individual student needs)
• Participation in rehearsal (being on time with instrument, supplies, and music and being prepared to play the assigned music in rehearsal)
• Performances (some evening/weekend performances may be required)

Each student is expected to furnish her/his own instrument, supplies, and the designated performance outfit.

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