Description and Objectives

The Upper School Wind Ensemble meets daily during seventh period. A performer has the opportunity to study the content during each of his four years in the upper school, advancing his technical and musical achievement during each subsequent year of study. As he advances, he is given more responsibility in the ensemble as section leader, moving from third to second to first parts, and/or solo performances.

Our English classes read great and classic writers, and likewise, our Wind Ensemble musicians engage with great American Band composers. Composers like Percy Grainger, Frank Tichelli, Gustav Holst and Claude T. Smith have a full command of the timbres specific to Symphonic Band Music and their beautiful and original melodies wrestle with and imitate a whole host of emotions, stories, ideas and concepts. Training in technique, articulation, scales, tone production, intonation, style, interpretation, dynamic contrast, melodic contour, harmonic content and music theory are also provided.

Textbooks

We will perform a variety of grade three, four, and five music that will be kept in a black folder.  Each student should have a copy of Technique and Musicianship from which he will study scales and etudes.

Course Requirements

The following performances are a mandatory and graded part of the curriculum. The dates for each concert are posted on the website calendar.

• Fall Band Concert:  8:00 pm; Cultural Arts Center at Silver Spring, MC, Tacoma Park / Silver Spring Campus.  7995 Georgia Avenue, Silver Spring, MD.  Last week of October check the calendar for exact date.
• Christmas Concert: 8:00 pm; Cultural Arts Center at Silver Spring, MC, Tacoma Park / Silver Spring Campus.  7995 Georgia Avenue, Silver Spring, MD.  Beginning of December check the calendar for exact date.
• Spring Band Concert:  8:00 pm; Cultural Arts Center at Silver Spring, MC, Tacoma Park / Silver Spring Campus.  7995 Georgia Avenue, Silver Spring, MD.  Last week of April or first week of May.  check the calendar for exact date.
• Other Performances: TBD

Home Routine (25 minutes individual practice each day required)

• Warm-up
• Scale Studies
• Etudes:  Essential Techniques, book 3
• Repertoire:  Band pieces for particular concert

Successful Students

• Practice efficiently
• Practice consistently
• Work on difficult parts first and longest
• Listen well in class not only to his instructor but also to his musical colleagues