Mankato East Junior High Bands

Happy New Year!

2011-09-09T00:46:00.000-07:00

Happy New School Year! It is such a great time of year for me and hopefully for you as well. I love the excitement surrounding the beginning of a school year - everything seems so fresh and new. In the band world everyone is full of musical potential. I look out at the students from my conducting podium and see and hear where the students are now and I look forward knowing where we will take the songs by the time we get to our first concert in November! I look forward to a great school year!

Time to register!

2011-04-05T16:32:00.000-07:00

Tonight is an orientation/registration event at East Junior High for incoming 7th graders. I am hoping to see many of the current Franklin band members tonight. It is always an exciting time as we welcome a new grade with new energy to the building. Wow - to think that we are already on quarter 4 and are looking ahead to next September! I hope the summer goes slower than that!

If you know of a current 6th grader that didn't participate in band this year but is interested in joining for the fall, please have them contact me at jeichh1@isd77.k12.mn.us or by calling the school. I will be happy to speak with them!

Summer Music Opportunities

2011-03-21T17:21:00.000-07:00

And here we are!

2011-03-18T17:08:00.000-07:00

It seems hard to believe, but we have one week left in quarter THREE! Where did that time go? All three bands (concert and jazz) are off to a great start on their new music. It is hard stuff, but we have a while to rehearse between now and June 2. With the end of the quarter comes making sure that you have completed your quarter requirements - they would include 2 lessons and 6 practice logs. We will be running a make up lesson schedule all next week - come in and sign up for a time! Also 7th grade can come in and get extra credit for performing the G-flat and B concert scales. No appointment needed - just stop in!

Rehearse...Perform....Repeat

2011-03-10T16:42:00.000-08:00

Great concert! It is hard to believe that we just had our concert and are now working on music for our final concert of the school year AND that the concert is not until June 2! That is our cycle - rehearse music, try to perfect it, perform it, and start all over again. I am excited to be starting new music with you and by now you know that we have some awesome new songs! But, you also know that these songs are very challenging. We will have to work hard to be able to perform them the way they deserve to be played - but you are up to the task! You have done amazing work so far this year - keep it up. New practice links have been posted on the side of the blog.

Concert Wrap Up

2011-03-04T06:01:00.000-08:00

Great job last night, musicians! You had a lot of focus and concentration on stage which made your group performances really excellent! Way to go! Now today we start looking at some exciting music for our last concert of the year, June 2. Practice links and listening links are posted below. Have a great weekend -

Winter Concert on March 3!

2011-02-24T05:48:00.000-08:00

It seems hard to believe, but our next performance is right around the corner! Next week in fact. We have a great performance in store with the 7th grade concert band performing, the 8th grade concert band, and the jazz ensemble. A wide variety of styles of music will be performed by the groups. They have been working hard and look forward to sharing their music with you! Thursday, March 3rd, Mankato East auditorium, 7:30 p.m. No admission charge. Hope to see you there!

Afraid to perform in public? Read this...

2011-01-13T05:49:00.000-08:00

This is a great article on a former student and how he overcame his fear of performing in public and now is an opera singer. Check it out! http://www.stjamesnews.com/features/x1958452912/Conquering-fear-of-public-performance

Resolution

2011-01-06T06:11:00.000-08:00

Happy New Year! We had a wild time getting our December concert performance in, but we did it! Thank you everyone for your flexibility. Now we are on to a new year, with new music. One of my resolutions is to keep the blog more up to date! Please help me keep this resolution by making a comment if I don't update regularly.

Stay warm, start practicing the new music, and look forward to an exciting 2011!

One Quarter (1/4)

2010-11-11T05:49:00.000-08:00

It seems hard to believe, but today is the last day of the first quarter. It also means the school year is 1/4 done. There have been days that have flown by and days that have crawled, but that is the way it always is. It seems like most students have finally figured out the ways that band in junior high is different from band in elementary, and a bunch of students have been completing make up practice logs and lessons. Hopefully, now that they understand the system they will stay on task and not get behind in quarter two!

Our first performance of the year is next Tuesday, November 16th. This 7:30 p.m. performance will feature all the bands in grades 7-12 and the junior high jazz ensemble. It should be a great way to showcase the work the students have done so far. I hope you can make it!

Off and running

2010-09-17T06:05:00.000-07:00

We have successfully gotten the 2010-2011 school year off and running. We are doing a lot of procedural stuff in rehearsals right now as it takes a while for the students (and instructors) to adjust to the schedule and each other. It is a learning process for sure. The students have great enthusiasm and the 7th grade band sounds pretty good as we sightread music for our November concert. We will have our first jazz rehearsal next Friday morning and had over 40 interested students sign up! It will be interesting to see how many show up next Friday at 7:30!

Parents and students are invited to scroll though this blog and answer the poll question, check out the weekly schedule, and take advantage of the listening/practice links for each ensemble. There is a lot of info on this blog!

Have a great weekend and thank you for some super first days of the school year!

Waiting for music to happen

2010-09-03T17:29:00.000-07:00

That title phrase "waiting for music to happen" describes me right now! I am super excited to see everyone at school on Thursday and start a year of wonderful education and music making with you. We have a lot in store for you this year - this will be our first full year with the benefit of having a Smartboard in the rehearsal room. Over the summer the music commons was painted and it looks great! We are expecting new music stands to be delivered soon. All of you will have instrument storage cubbies waiting for you on Thursday. Inside each cubbie will be your new folder with color-coded fingering charts, warm ups and various other sheets. Also in the folder will be the junior high band handbook and goal form that will need to be taken home, read, filled out, signed, and returned.

It was great seeing so many of you at our orientation/open house night! I have never had so many parents ask about jazz band before school starts - that makes me think we are going to have another outstanding jazz band this year. I hope you will be involved!

I have wonder music selected for us. It will challenge you, teach you, move you, and hopefully inspire you. I will give you my very best, and I hope that you will give your very best back to me in all aspects of your playing, rehearsing, and actions as a member of our music performance groups!

Check us out and sign up to be a member of our groups through Facebook and Twitter: You can find us on Facebook by searching for "Mankato East Jr. High Jazz" and "Mankato East Junior High Bands." On Twitter we can be found at "KatoEastJHBands" In any case, we want you to stay informed!

Time to close this post out - it is getting too long. I look forward to an awesome year - see you next week!

Middle Level Bands in Concert

2010-05-13T06:38:00.000-07:00

The bands from East Junior High School and Franklin Elementary School will come together for a concert on Tuesday, May 18 at 7:30 p.m. in the East Auditorium. The concert will feature performances from the Franklin Sixth Grade Concert Band under the direction of Edwin Stock, the Seventh Grade Concert Band and Junior High Jazz Ensemble under the direction of Jay Eichhorst, and the Eighth Grade Concert Band under the direction of Craig Kopetzki. The concert is free and open to the public!

"Playing it Forward"

2010-04-16T17:27:00.000-07:00

Our KEYC-TV story on the "Playing it Forward" campaign sponsored by Minnesota Public Radio!
http://keyc.tv/node/36180

Trying to get "Smart"

2010-02-21T17:59:00.000-08:00

Recently the band rehearsal room received a significant technology update. In early February we received a SMARTboard! The board was mounted in the front of the room and has been in use daily since it was hooked up. Most people have heard of SMARTboards by now. But it is much more than the "interactive whiteboard" that it is often described as. In a large room with classes our size it is a wonderful tool to be able to project images, video clips, large copies of documents, etc. on a board large enough for all students to see. It would have been invaluable during general music classes as we would have used the board for many purposes. Currently I use the board at the beginning to each rehearsal to scroll a powerpoint of that day's rehearsal activities for the students to see as they assemble their instruments.

Perhaps the most exciting application we have so far is the addition of SMARTMusic. SMARTMusic is an incredible program that allows students to "see" their progress as they work on music. In our application, by using the SMARTboard with the SMARTMusic, students can play right from the board and this allows a number of students to use the system at a time. We will be using it for lessons as well as the students will be working on solos.

I am also in the process of teaching students how to use the board and the SMARTMusic program without our supervision. When they can work alone, then we have truly used the tool for its intended purpose. Students can even purchase the system at home for $30 a year. A great investment!

Time flies

2010-02-16T06:36:00.000-08:00

Wow! Time flies and then you don't realize how long it has been since the band blog was updated! There has been and is lot of stuff going on and I will fill you in very soon on some of the happenings of the band world at Mankato East. First though I have to concentrate my efforts as this Saturday is the South Central Minnesota Band Directors Association regional honor bands at Mankato West High School. And I am in charge of making it all come off without a hitch. So I have a lot to do - I will take the time to say this first: Congratulations to Katilyn H., Collin M., Carlee S., and Chandra B., for being named to the 6-8 honor band!

Have a great week everyone and I will update you more next week!

CONCERT TIME!

2009-12-17T15:42:00.000-08:00

Hey everyone, the concert is tomorrow! Quick reminders: jazz run-through tomorrow on stage during home room. Arrive quickly - we don't have a lot of time! 7th will rehearse on stage for the first portion of rehearsal, then back to the band room. Ensembles start tomorrow night at 5:50 - be early to run through your ensemble first - remind your members to get there on time. Concert order for the 6:30 show is 7th Grade Concert Band, choir - set #1, orchestra, choir - set #2, jazz band. Order for 8:00 show is jazz band, 8th Grade Concert Band, choir, orchestra.

Get a good night's sleep and be at your full concentration and effort level tomorrow! Let's make good music!

Happy Thanksgiving!

2009-11-25T15:22:00.000-08:00

It was nice to talk to so many parents and students at parent / teacher conferences. It is always nice to touch base and talk about the progress of the students and the bands. Once we come back next week will forge ahead with the music for the December concert. The magic number for 7th Grade Concert Band is "7" rehearsals left! Come prepared to make some great music. Jazz will be back to our regular day of Wednesday morning and we all have to come with with ways to practice our holiday ensembles...any thoughts? The secret word is gobble. Have a great Thanksgiving holiday weekend! Don't eat too much pie!

Job well done!

2009-11-19T17:24:00.000-08:00

Congratulations to the junior high band members on a job well done! We had our first concert on Tuesday and all of the groups did an excellent job. It is always difficult for students at the junior high age level to start a new year, in a new school, and with a new director. Even though our concert was early on the schedule the groups really worked hard and performed well. I would also like to congratulate the students on the exemplary behavior they displayed at the concert. I teach that the performance "begins when you walk on stage and continues until the concert is over." This can be a difficult concept for young minds, especially when the "musical" portion of the concert is over them and they are now sitting in a large group watching. But, they did great!

Now we are on to new music for our next concert in December!

New month, busy month

2009-11-01T11:03:00.000-08:00

We say goodbye to October and with it the rain (HOPEFULLY!) As I look ahead to November I see many things listed on my calendar. First and foremost, I see how quickly the end of the quarter will approach and I hope that I have explained the make-up log and lesson procedures carefully enough to the band students. I have gone over things repeatedly, but one never knows if they have been "heard" by everyone in the room! Experience has taught me that there are students with questions out there.

The quarter ends on Thursday, November 12th. All make-up lessons and practice logs must be completed and turned in by the end of the day. We will have 4 days of make-up lessons the last week of the quarter, but there are more students who need lessons than there are slots available! Make sure you schedule with me this week if you can to make sure you get a time. Make up practice logs can be done before or after school, or during homeroom or prime-time. Make sure you have your log signed by Mr, Kopetzki or me when you finish practicing each time in order for the log to be valid. A reminder that any student that has been participating in jazz band will automatically receive a free practice log in the grade book at the end of the quarter!

This week in lessons the seventh graders are being tested on the band music. Remember to prepare carefully ahead of time. Also, remember your lesson! We don't want to add any additional make-up lessons to the calendar!

On Wednesday, November 11th the 8th Grade Concert Band will perform in the annual Veteran's Day Program. You will need your black and white for this performance. Parents and other family members are invited to attend this program which will be held in the auditorium.

The following Tuesday (November 17) our first formal performance of the year will be held. The Fall Instrumental Concert will begin at 7:30 p.m. and will feature the 7th and 8th Grade Concert Bands, the Junior High Jazz Ensemble, and an "informance" from the band instruction students. All students will be in black bottoms and white tops. Please refer to your handbook for specifics.

As soon as that performance is over we will begin preparing for our December concert in earnest. It will be the shortest amount of time we have ever had between concerts!

As I close this post, I want to share that we had an exceptional week of rehearsals! I hope this continues! Students and parents, as we move forward, please contact me with any questions you may have. The word that will pay this week is "busy."

"Water Music?"

2009-10-23T16:26:00.000-07:00

The Water Music is a collection of orchestral movements composed by George Frideric Handel. It premiered on July 17,1717 when King George I requested a concert on the River Thames. The concert was performed by 50 musicians playing on a barge close to the royal barge where King George I was listening. It was said that the king loved it so much he ordered the exhausted musicians to play the suite three times on the trip.

This weather makes me think Handel's Water Music! This morning when I drove to Franklin Elementary to begin my day it was raining. When I left Franklin to go to East it was sleeting. After my 3rd period class some of the biggest snow flakes I have ever seen were coming down. The drive home found the wipers once again pushing the rain off the windshield. Enough already!

Regardless of the weather it has been a great week! General Music finished the 1950's decade and will move into the 60's on Monday. The 7th Grade Concert Band made HUGE progress this week on their selections for the November concert - WAY TO GO! We had an awesome jazz rehearsal Wednesday morning and will start working on our 3rd song next Wednesday. More 7th grade students remembered their lesson than the first lesson cycle and I have more 7th and 8th grade practice logs in the drawers this week than last! After school I looked at mostly empty instrument cubbies which means that a lot of horns went home this weekend to practice! I think most students are finally establishing a routine (an none too soon as the end of quarter one is rapidly approaching.) If you have questions on practice logs, lessons, music, etc. please ask! I want to make sure everyone understands what is expected of them - and these expectations are designed to make you and the bands successful!

I wish the 8th graders a good weekend of preparation as we head into 8th grade lessons and testing! I hope everyone finds a little time in their weekend to improve their individual playing - which in turn makes the groups better. We are changing the game this week - instead of a secret word, tell me the story of Handel's Water Music. Hopefully the rain will stop long before we need to start building barges to play from!

What we've learned this week:

2009-10-14T16:28:00.000-07:00

It has been a short, yet beneficial week for all. My post will be about what we've learned (or I hope we've learned) during school these three days.

1. Learning is so much easier when everyone is there! It appears that students must be starting to recover from the flu - I've had pretty good attendance this week. Good attendance means we don't have to back up to make sure everyone has the information we covered in their absence. It also means students aren't stressed about what they have missed. That being said:
2. Students always seem to recover in time to be gone on a field trip! Today was a field trip for half of the 7th grade class. It was the first time I have had full attendance in one of my classes for weeks. Of course half of those students were actually not in class; they were on the trip...Hmmm...
3. Students can tolerate (enjoy?!?) music from the "olden days." Music 7 spent the week learning about music from the 1940's. Today when they wrote essays about the period I had the 1940's playlist going in the background - it was super cool to see them enjoy the music as they created. Can't wait until we discuss the 1950's next week.
4. I love it when students put themselves out there and try new things. We had an additional 9 people for JH Jazz this morning. AWESOME!
5. Students will believe anything really early in the morning. To "reward" the jazz students for being "on time" (early) for rehearsal this morning I told them I had received permission from the school to allow them to sleep in the next two mornings. It took awhile (too long) for the majority of them to get that.
6. With responsibility comes rewards. It is amazing to observe what a make-up lesson can do for your grade. We had many students make up lessons this week.
7. It is difficult to successfully pull off a lock down drill when half of the students are coughing uncontrollably when we are trying to be "quiet."
8. I am completely "OK" with students taking their instruments to practice. (note: It's kind of expected/required...see "practice logs" in the handbook!)
9. We have a concert rapidly approaching and we have major work to do on our selections. (see #8 for a special message on how to help us deal with #9.
10. After this week, I am looking forward to Monday! The secret word this week is "learning." You know what to do with it. HAVE A GREAT WEEKEND (but find time to practice!)

If it's not one thing...

2009-10-09T16:26:00.000-07:00

There is a saying that goes "If it's not one thing, it's another." Sometimes it almost feels like we live that on a daily basis! Just when I thought that most people were getting healthy enough to be at school we had new issues to work around. It was 8th grade lesson week. On Wednesday all the 8th graders were gone for a scientific field exploration. The back-up that caused for students trying to cram lessons in before the mid-quarter reports were due was amazing. Luckily this first lesson was more a lesson to evaluate where students were at and for me to give them their initial playing assignments for the next lesson, so I was able to accommodate some rather bizarre instrument combinations during lessons Thursday and Friday!

Thursday is the only day each week where all of the 7th grade band members are in rehearsal. On Tuesday we have students that go to orchestra and choir, and on Fridays we split the period, so Thursdays are "our day" to really make progress. This Thursday we had a fire drill scheduled 15 minutes into rehearsal! Now a fire drill in a "regular classroom" is bad enough, but in a band room with 65 students, chairs, stands, cases and instruments it is another thing entirely. The good news is that it gave me time to inform the students where we go during drills and the expectation of how they are to get there. The best part - they totally exceeded my expectations! AWESOME JOB, BAND!!! The worst part - that left us with about 10 minutes of our "full rehearsal." Next week is a three-day week with a scheduled late start on Tuesday, so that will shorten our only rehearsal of the week - I hope everyone practices individually! Yikes.

We had our first junior high jazz rehearsal on Wednesday and it went really well. Thanks to all the parents who got their children there on time - impressive! I look forward to this Wednesday when we will hopefully be joined by the students who were sick last week. We also welcome other students - just let me know you are planning on being there so I have music for you.

Wow this has become a long post - time for the "secret word." If you are visiting the blog for the first time, read last week's post to learn about the secret word. The word this week is drill. Good luck. Have a great weekend - squeeze in a little time for individual practice!

Sniffles, coughs, and lessons

2009-10-02T17:39:00.000-07:00

So it was quite the week. Throughout the week we had various music teachers go down to the flu. It was a guessing game each day when I arrived at East after teaching at Franklin as to which cars I would see parked by the music rooms. Luckily, I had only had some of the mild symptoms and was able to keep going. I didn't want to miss this week - too much happening! Many, many students were gone though, and I'm afraid that has set our progress back a bit. I hope everyone is healthy soon.

It was finally time to begin 7th grade lessons. The best part for me was an that it was an opportunity to "meet" everyone and to hear them play individually. I believe we have some talented kids in this group! I'm excited about that. It is taking longer than I would like for them to adjust to the new routines and protocals of a junior high rehearsal. I hope that improves soon.

We had the jazz meeting on Wednesday and had many students show up. We will begin rehearsals this week.

Due to Mr. Kopetzki being sick I even had the opportunity to spend a little more time with the 8th grade. It has been a difficult adjust to make this year for all of us, and I hope that they will continue to work with us as we (and they) adjust. I am looking forward to 8th grade lessons this week! This is the part where I "reward" people who read the blog. If you are a student reading this, come up to me and tell me the secret word of the week...that word is "tempo." Extra credit goes to those who use it correctly in a musical sentence. Don't tell your friends - this is your extra-credit reward for following our blog! I hope to hear from you.

Time to begin

2009-09-24T17:01:00.000-07:00

Today I passed out the lesson passes for the quarter to the 7th grade - FINALLY! It feels like I have been spinning my wheels with the students as this week has been so fractured due to testing and homecoming schedules. Next week we should have rehearsals as well!

We are also going to have an informational meeting next Wednesday during homeroom for students interested in being in jazz ensemble. I have the posters finished, information sheets printed and even passes ready for that! I hope we have a lot of interest - it would be great to have a large group!

"Ready, Set, WAIT!"

2009-09-21T18:53:00.000-07:00

I feel like that is what I hear at school the past few days. It is always difficult to start a new school year, but just when I was starting to get into a routine we have the "tri-fecta" this week: NWEA testing (which alters every schedule), our first scheduled late-start for PLC work, and Homecoming activities. So, the lesson schedule that was ready to kick off this week has been delayed. We even lose a day of 7th grade rehearsal on Tuesday because we don't have "7th period" on that day!!!

I have been looking forward to starting lessons; it will help me to hear each new 7th grader and start to know them as individual people. I will also be able to reconnect with the 8th graders. Until then, if anyone would like a lesson or needs some help with anything please stop in an schedule time with me. There are new people in the bands that would really like to work with and get to know.

I look forward to next week when the phrase will change to "Ready, Set, GO!"

What?

2009-09-11T17:10:00.000-07:00

What was that? Where are we supposed to go? Do I need my instrument now? Am I in the correct classroom? Why are we sitting in the dark? If you are a member of the junior high bands at Mankato East Junior High School you are probably familiar with the questions above and most likely a few more. The first few days of a new school year are often confusing and rushed as students struggle to learn locker combos, where the classrooms are, etc. To make matters worse this year we are struggling with shifted schedules and classes which strain the music suite more than ever. The logistics of teaching four classes 8th period when we only have three rehearsal rooms seems a little mind boggling. Students, you need to know that Fridays are goofy. When all music students are there and "share" a period (band/choir for example) it will take a few weeks to get used to that. I can assure you of the following: 1. It will start to make more sense next week 2. Everyone will be calmer when routines start to set in 3. The power DOES NOT go out in the building on a regular basis! HANG IN THERE - trust me, your musical experience will be worth it!!!!!!

Ready or not...

2009-09-09T18:45:00.000-07:00

Ready or not...the first day is here! The excitement of a new year - I am ready to get started. It was great seeing a bunch of last years 8th graders as they have been in school the past two days now that they are in high school. It was also nice to meet so many parents and incoming students during conferences. I think it will be an awesome year!

Remember to bring your instrument and a pencil to rehearsal tomorrow. When you arrive in the music suite you can go into the junior high storage area and search for your cubbie. Let me know if you have any problems or questions! See you 7th and 8th hour....

Back to the future

2009-08-30T15:00:00.001-07:00

Hi Everyone! "Welcome to East" or "Welcome Back" depending on who you are! I am excited to start the music making process again on September 10th. I titled this "back to the future" because every September we start the educational process all over again - we have new school supplies, new clothes, new shoes, and hopefully new expectations for excellence in band and in your other classes. The "future" part is the anticipation of how much we can accomplish, how much we can learn, and how much we can grow as musicians throughout the year. Even though I start each school year with the same anticipation, I feel this year has awesome potential! I hope you do as well -

I hope that you will bring your parents to the music suite during orientation or conferences! I will have back-to-school information for you and you will be given your assigned cubby for your instrument. Make sure you have your instrument the first day of school!

Also - I am excited to announce that you can now follow us on Twitter! Just click on the link at the right side of the blog and wait for the "Easttweets" to come in!!!

Concert Wrap Up

2009-05-29T07:20:00.000-07:00

All of the band members did a great job at the concert on May 28th! Kudos also to the 6th Grade Band from Franklin Elementary who joined us on the stage. We look forward to having you join us at East next fall as 7th graders!

Students are reminded that summer forms are do - I hope you will consider signing up for one of our summer offerings.

Instruments should go home for the summer unless it is a school instrument or you have make up work to complete. If you have make up work to complete - get it done!!!

I want to thank everyone for a great year and I hope you have a wonderful and relaxing summer - I will see you in the fall (unless you sign up for summer lessons -hint, hint, hint!)

Spring Concert

2009-05-21T19:26:00.000-07:00

We will present our spring concert on Thursday, May 28th at 7:30 p.m. in the East Auditorium. Featured on the program will be the Franklin 6th Grade Band under the direction of Mr. Stock, Jazz Seven, Jazz Eight, and the 7th Grade and 8th Grade Concert Bands. We will combine all the concert bands together at the end for a grand finale performing the main theme from "Star Wars." It should be a great show and a wonderful way to end the year! I hope you can all make it. The word is concert.

Combined Song Link

2009-05-11T10:00:00.000-07:00

The bands of Mankato East Junior High School and Franklin Elementary will combine in concert on Thursday, May 28th. The grand finale to the concert will be a performance of the main theme from "Star Wars" performed by the combined musicians in grades 6-8. A practice / listening link for musicians is located on the right side of the screen under "combined bands."

Busy Time

2009-04-27T07:26:00.001-07:00

It's a busy time! We have so many days of interrupted time due to taking "the tests." This week our schedule is altered four out of the five days! I am doing testing of my own this week - helping Mr. Stock test 5th grade students on different band instruments. So between my schedule and yours...we will not get a whole lot accomplished as far as lessons are concerned!

Good luck with your testing! Check the band bulletin board for an altered schedule of lessons for this week.

Spring Fever

2009-04-15T17:43:00.000-07:00

It's at this time of the year when the weather outside tends to have an impact on the environment inside. Hopefully we will be able to retain our focus during rehearsals! The bands are working on exciting, fun pieces for the May concert and we are enjoying learning to play them. The students in 8th grade are trying to master the concept of 12/8 time as two songs we are doing use that time signature. The students in 7th Grade are working on a band version of "Viva la Vida" made popular by Coldplay. So are you suffering from "spring fever?" That is the phrase...

Post Concert Wrap

2009-03-20T14:23:00.001-07:00

Last night the junior high bands shared the stage with the junior high choirs at our March Concert. All of the groups did an outstanding job and played to an overflow audience where the custodians even had to set up folding chairs! I can't comment too much on the concert as students will need to complete a post-concert evaluation next week and I don't want my opinions to influence theirs. For now, I will say that I think everything went really well and I hope they felt good about our efforts. I hope their parents, grandparents, and siblings enjoyed it as well! The word is concert.

BAND CONCERT

2009-03-13T08:13:00.001-07:00

The junior high bands will share the stage with the junior high choirs on Thursday, March 19th at 7:30 p.m. in the East Auditorium. Students will be presenting a wide variety of musical styles throughout the concert.

The band students have been working hard to put the final touches on their pieces and it should be a great concert! We hope to see you there. The word is concert.

Great Performances

2009-03-04T06:50:00.000-08:00

It has been a busy few weeks. On Saturday, February 21st students from Mankato East Jr. High participated in the 2nd annual South Central Minnesota Band Directors Association regional honor band festival held at Mankato West High School. As the honor band chairperson for the region it was a super busy time for me, but I was able to watch our students combine with the other students and do focused rehearsals and present an outstanding concert! Students from East who participated were Nhi Nguyen, flute; Katie Karkoska, oboe; Ryan Kotthoff, trumpet; Sam Iverson, trombone; and Michael Zellar, tuba. Great job!

This past Monday our department hosted the region Large Group Band Contest. Bands from East, West, Waseca and New Ulm performed on stage and then received a clinic on their performance in the band room. It was great to see a few junior high students there listening. Congratulations to the East Cougar and Concert Bands on their outstanding performances! The word this time is outstanding.

Job Well Done!

2009-02-18T07:52:00.000-08:00

Congratulations to the Mankato East High School Concert Choir and their director, Robin Hughes on an OUTSTANDING performance at the Minnesota Music Educators Association Mid Winter Conference!

Goal: 100%

2009-02-02T07:04:00.000-08:00

I must be on a theme of percentages lately! The last post made me think about how we have to always strive for a goal of 100% in music - we need 100% attendance at rehearsals and performances to be successful giving 100% effort in order to achieve as close to a 100% accuracy on our music as possible!

Will we achieve 100% accuracy? Probably not. But we need to push ourselves to do our very best each rehearsal which will translate into an excellent performance. Here is the equation you need to know: Concert Performance = average of performance during rehearsals. How scary is that?

Think of how 100% is applied to other things. How many pro basketball players or teams shoot 100%? If a team shoots 65% from the floor they are said to be having a "great game." If we settled for 65% accuracy on notes and rhythms we wouldn't sound very good!

Thank you for striving to give your best everyday. The word that pays this week is 100%.

50% There

2009-01-27T07:54:00.000-08:00

We are 50% there. Some of us see the glass as half empty, while others see the glass as half full. It depends on your outlook - I'm a glass half full type of guy. For those of you not thinking in musical terms that would probably mean we are officially half way through the school year. If you are thinking musically we are halfway between performances and we have many more days of music making to experience. The good news is that in most cases we are making excellent progress on the music and we are more than 50% prepared on the music for the next concert. I encourage you to keep referring to the reference recordings when you practice. They are an excellent resource when it comes to tempo, style, rhythms, etc.

As we start a new lesson schedule you will see that most of you will now be having individual lessons for the remainder of the year. This will be an excellent opportunity to focus on your individual playing issues and strengths. In keeping with the last post, the magic phrase is "glass half full." If you don't know what is meant by the magic phrase...well, read the last post!

New Year, same quarter

2009-01-04T15:42:00.000-08:00

Happy New Year! I hope you all had a wonderful break! Even though it seems like a "new start" we arrive at school and find ourselves pushing toward the end of the quarter. Since it is too cold to do anything outside snuggle up, stay warm, and work on those new band pieces, lesson assignments, and practice logs! (Oh, okay...you can spend time doing other things too!) We are also starting a new feature to the blog...on occasion I will mention a special word or phrase in one of my posts. Mention that word or phrase in a comment on the blog or in person and receive a little extra credit bump. For example: the phrase this time is "Gee, it's cold." I'm not going to mention this in school - we will see how many people read the blog and discover it on their own!

Giving "thanks to our space"

2008-11-30T18:55:00.001-08:00

(above: students giving "thanks to our space."
On the last day of school before Thanksgiving vacation, the 7th grade band instruction classes gave "thanks to our space." In an effort to learn to appreciate and take care of the facility that we have to learn and rehearse in, the students gave the practice rooms a good going over, including moving the pianos and checking for items that might have slipped behind them, picking up any trash, cleaning the walls, pianos, and windows, and even tightening the stands! In the junior high instrument storage area the cubbies were straightened, uniforms were rehung, large case storage was organized, and the carpet was even vacuumed under those large cases! The students left signs in each practice room reminding everyone to turn off the lights and ventilation and pick up the trash each time they used the room. This will hopefully not only keep the rooms in tip-top shape for all to use, but will save energy at the same time! GREAT JOB EVERYONE!

Time to "step up?"

2008-11-23T17:36:00.000-08:00

On Friday, November 21 representatives from The Music Mart in Mankato gave "step up" presentations to all four bands. Students were given a brief introduction to what step-up horns were and then were sent to the music commons in sections to look at the instruments. Students were able to play the instruments and compare them to their own instruments. It was amazing to watch the faces as they played these instruments that allowed them show their talents so easily!

So what is a step-up? Most students in the junior high are currently playing on "student line" horns. These horns are an inexpensive way for beginners to obtain an instrument and start learning how to play. As students mature in both intellect and talent it is a great time to consider an "intermediate" or "pro-line" horn. These are often made of higher quality materials, have additional keys or features and usually blow easier and more in tune than student models. An intermediate or pro-line horn also improves the tone quality of the student as well.

Thanks to the Music Mart for taking the time to share their instruments with us! Parents and students, please contact me if you have additonal questions regarding the purchase of a step-up horn.

Fall Festival of Bands

2008-11-18T08:30:00.001-08:00

The Music Department at Mankato East will present the annual Fall Festival of Bands Concert on Thursday, November 20th, beginning at 7:30 P.M. in the East auditorium. The concert will feature all four concert bands at the school; the Seventh Grade Concert Band, Eighth Grade Concert Band, Cougar Band and Concert Band. A wide range of musical styles and genres will be featured. There is no admission charge for this event.

Paying Tribute

2008-11-11T16:29:00.000-08:00

The 8th Grade Concert Band performed today at the annual Veteran's Day Program. Held in the auditorium the band performed This is My Country, The Star Spangled Banner, America the Beautiful, and closed by performing My Country 'Tis of Thee along with the choir and orchestra.

The band did a great job of playing in front of a packed gymnasium and I know the Veteran's appreciated their efforts!

Honoring our veterans

2008-11-09T16:12:00.001-08:00

On Tuesday, November 11th we will take time in our busy lives to honor and pay tribute to our Veterans. At Mankato East Junior High that means a 2:20 program in the gym where we will have speakers, a moving Powerpoint presentation and music from the 8th Grade Concert Choir, 8th Grade Concert Band, and Junior High Orchestra.

I invite you to attend our program. I also invite you to take a moment on Tuesday and say "thank you" to a USA Veteran either in person or during a quiet personal reflective moment.

I encourage you to create a login and leave comments for this post. Please respond to this prompt: "Why Veteran's Day is important to me."

"A" Work

2008-10-28T17:09:00.001-07:00

It seems hard to believe that we are almost at the end of the first quarter! The first quarter is always the most difficult, as teacher and students are getting used to each other and adjusting to new music, new procedures, and new grading expectations. The grade book usually looks pretty awful at this point as well, as I fill in missing work with "zeros" in order to show students what their final grade will be if the missing work is not turned in.

In classes today I went over procedures for make-up practice logs. Please see me if you have questions on how to complete them. The logs are located on the bulletin board and must be completed at school. This is also the perfect time to do make up those missing lessons! Don't procrastinate and wait until the end!

Remember, in ALL of your classes your teachers want to help you SUCCEED. We want to give you the grade that you deserve and earn and I know that everyone in the bands are capable of "A" work! I hope you work up to your potential!

Strolling Along

2008-10-12T18:00:00.000-07:00

We stroll through time like fall leaves making their way to the ground courtesy of the wind. It often feels like "time flies." It is hard to believe that mid-quarter was last week. It seems even harder to believe that we have our second late start this week and our first long weekend thanks to MEA. It is important that we keep our focus as our time "continues to fly" as each passing day brings performances closer! Even though we have a short week we will make the most of our rehearsals - please come to rehearsal ready to "stroll" through the music!

All that JAZZ!

2008-10-08T14:50:00.000-07:00

Mankato East junior high band students are now in the process of signing up for jazz ensembles. We will have one ensemble for sure, but if interest warrants we will have two! I welcome and encourage all band students to consider trying out for one of our ensembles. Rehearsals will start October 22nd.

Outstanding!

2008-10-05T15:10:00.000-07:00

We started a new program this week. Each Friday I will announce the section in the bands that has shown the most excellence during the week. My criteria includes musical performance, focus, and spirit. The sections will receive their picture on the bulletin board by the band room and various other perks throughout the week. While all sections did well overall, this first week the flute sections in each band outdid themselves - congratulations!

With the conclusion of seating auditions I must take the time to say how impressed I was with many of the performances. Perhaps the best part of the process for me was the opportunity to get to know each student as a individual person first, and musician second. Regardless of your placement in the section, please know that every band member plays an important role in ensemble. Without you, our team is diminished! The section principals from both bands met with me during homeroom and we discussed what roles they can assume to help make our bands outstanding!

This was also the week for practice logs. 7th grade had their first log due, and 8th grade received their first log to complete. Practice outside of rehearsal is an extremely important part of the development of young musicians. All musicians young and old need to practice. Some of the best musicians in the world are the ones that practice the most! Remember, I am more concerned with the quality of your practice first - then focus on quantity.

Team Building

2008-09-26T14:22:00.000-07:00

Junior high band members took advantage of an empty rehearsal room (due to Homecoming Coronation) to do a little team building. 7th Grade started outside trying to accomplish a "sitting circle" which takes the cooperation of all team members to complete. As you can see, there was some success!

Both 7th and 8th grade bands created a "band spider web" using string. This exercise proved that everyone's participation is necessary for group success. Great job teammates!

Class Instruction Brass and Percussion

2008-09-19T18:30:00.000-07:00

Every morning 32 eager young musicians bound into the music suite to develop their instrumental skills. Period one finds the trumpets learning how to do mouthpiece buzzing and lip slurs to strengthen the embouchure. The section has been assigned to six collaborative groups to work on ensembles. In the second picture you see "Group A" performing for the class. During low brass / percussion class time is spent working together as one group and seperately as sections. Students are working on solos and ensembles, as well as mallet and stick technique for the percussionists and embouchure and range building for the brass.

It's a great way to start each day!

Adjustment Period

2008-09-09T18:59:00.000-07:00

As I said today in rehearsals, it takes a while for a new director to adjust to new students and also a while for students to get used to a new director. That is true whether you are in junior high or in an adult ensemble.

The best way to get through that adjustment period is to ask questions if you aren't sure, listen carefully to directions, and give 100% effort! I am pleased with the initial sounds both bands have been achieving and I know that once we get used to each other the rehearsals will have a "musical flow" that will make it a great musical environment.

Again, my door is open to you and I would be happy to answer any questions you may have. Stop by any time!

Welcome!

2008-08-22T19:48:00.000-07:00

Welcome all junior high musicians and parents! I am very excited to be at Mankato East Junior High School and I look forward to meeting you soon. I look forward to working together to discover and create great music this school year.

I have high expectations for all musicians and know that with hard work and dedication our bands will sound amazing! Please take the time prior to the first rehearsal to make sure your instrument is in good working condition, that you have new reads and supplies and that you are practicing to get back in shape.

Again, I look forward to meeting you all. Enjoy the last week of summer!

Test

2008-05-11T15:44:00.000-07:00