Band PARENT GUIDE

BAND PARENT GUIDE Welcome to the Bellingham Memorial Middle School Band Program! The following parent guide will provide you with information regarding the band program. It will also outline ways in which you can help support your student musician. I wish you and your child the best of luck this year!

Nicholas Marcotte, BMMS Band Director (508) 883-2330 [email protected]

PARENT INVOLVEMENT

AT HOME 1. Ensure that your child is getting the proper amount of practice time in each session (20 minutes). 2. Arrange a regular time when your child will practice. 3. Show interest in what your child is playing. Listen to him/her whenever possible. 4. Talk to your child about what they like and dislike about their instrument. Celebrate their successes and be sensitive to their frustrations. 5. Post rehearsals and concerts on the family calendar. 6. Be sure the instrument is in its case when it is not in use. 7. Repairs should only be made by a qualified repair person. 8. Write your instrument’s serial number in a safe place. 9. Help keep the instrument in good repair with reeds, valve oil, etc. in the case. 10.Encourage your child to borrow musical recordings from the library or internet, go to symphony concerts, musicals, open-air concerts, parades, ethnic music performances, and high school or middle school concerts. Ask the band director for more listening examples, and check our website (www.BellinghamMusic.org).

AT SCHOOL

1. Notify the teacher if your child is to be absent or tardy to a rehearsal that takes place outside of the school day at least one week in advance. 2. Visit rehearsals and lessons occasionally. 3. Share any information that will help the band director understand and better educate your child. 4. Attend parent/teacher conferences when possible. 5. Help chaperone music festivals. 6. Become an active member of Bellingham Friends of Music. TIPS FOR MOTIVATING YOUR STUDENT 1. Assist your student in his/her playing at home. Don’t worry if you do not have a musical back ground. What your child needs from you is not musical expertise, but patience, encouragement, a nd support. 2. Listen to him/her play! 3. Be very generous with your interest and praise. Celebrate each success and help your child whenever possible. 4. Encourage your child to play 20 minutes per day. This should be done in intervals of around 5-7 minutes with short breaks in between. This should total to about 30 minutes per practice session. 5. Do not make playing an instrument a chore. It is supposed to be fun!

ADDITIONAL INFORMATION

CONCERT ATTIRE In order to produce a professional appearance, all students must wear the following to all concerts: • Girls: White blouse, black pants/skirt (below the knees when sitting), black shoes • Boys: White collared dress shirt, black pants, black shoes and socks

CONCERT PARTICIPATION Please review the concert schedule at the beginning of the year and mark the dates on their calendar to prevent conflicts in scheduling. Concerts are a crucial part learning process that takes place inside and outside classroom. Students will be asked to self-assess all of their concerts the next day in school in order to stimulate growth and self-awareness of their playing. Therefore, it is necessary that every student participate in the concerts with the exception of emergencies.

“ SMART MUSIC ” Smart Music is a computer program used to motivate students to practice their instrument. It provides them with useful tools to assist them in learning their music. The program does a number of things: ● Provides entertaining back-up music to the songs they are working on for class. ● Allows students to record themselves playing a song and offers them feedback on their performance. ● Allows students to email their recorded performances to family and friends. ● Allows students to upload information to me regarding their practice sessions with SmartMusic and their progress on particular songs. The use of this program at home is completely optional, but is HIGHLY RECOMENDED. There are computers in the band room available for student use to complete quizzes or for general practice. SmartMusic requires a $36 per year subscription fee. See their website at www.smartmusic.com for more information.

PRIVATE LESSONS Middle school musicians are encouraged to take private lessons. Parents are encouraged to contact their child’s band director when considering private instruction. Information is also available on the Music Department Website (www.BellinghamMusic.org).

CARE AND MAINTENANCE OF INSTRUMENTS Proper care and maintenance of the instrument will enhance your child’s performance and education, and prevent trips to the repair shop. Students should follow the guidelines below to help keep their instruments in good shape.

CARE AND MAINTENANCE CHECKLIST 1. Assemble/Disassemble the instrument following proper guidelines. 2. When possible, clean your hands and brush your teeth before playing. 3. Keep the mouthpiece clean! Wipe it dry of saliva and condensation after each use. 4. Keep the instrument in the case when it is not in use. 5. Do not store books or music inside the instrument case unless you have a compartment for these items. Extra items in the case will often damage delicate parts of the instrument. 6. Repairs should only be made by a qualified repair person. 7. Write the instrument’s serial number in a safe place. 8. Clearly label the instrument case with your child’s name, address, and telephone number.

STUDENT INSTRUMENT RESPONSIBILITY Your child’s musical instrument is an expensive item often costing hundreds of dollars to replace if lost or stolen. Although the school is a safe and secure environment, the instrument that your child is using to participate in band is their responsibility. The band room at the middle school is locked before and after school and an adult presence is maintained in the room throughout the school day. Even so, if your child decides to leave their instrument in a classroom, it is the student’s responsibility to ensure that the instrument is where it was left; the school and its staff cannot be responsible for any lost or stolen instruments. An instrument should never be left in a classroom if a teacher is absent or the room is obviously unattended.

If an instrument is lost or stolen, we will do everything in our power to ensure the instrument is found and returned. However, some situations are out of our control. In a case such as this, a police report should be filed, and it will be up to the police to investigate the situation.

Contact Information If ever you have any questions or concerns, fell free to call or email:

Nicholas Marcotte, BMMS Band Director (508) 883-2330 [email protected] PERFORMANCE CALENDAR 5Th Grade - please note reporting times and locations -

Tentative - BMMS “Window Into the Classroom” Concert (5th Grade) – Thursday, November 19, 2015. 5:30 PM. B MMS

BMMS 5th & 6th Grade Winter Concert: Thursday, January 21, 2016 at BHS Auditorium. Students report at 5:30 PM Concert begins at 6:30 PM Snow date: Thursday, January 28, 2016

All Town Band Concert: Tuesday, March 15th, 2016 (All band students in grade 5 through 12) Students report at 6:00 PM Concert begins at 7:00 PM in the BHS GYM

BMMS Spring Concert: Thursday, May 19, 2016 (All middle school ensembles) Students report at 5:30 PM Concert begins at 6:30 PM at BHS Auditorium

Please consult our website www.BellinghamMusic.org for the most up-to-date information.