What Makes a Child Smarter?

Introduction This handbook is meant to serve as a reference for parents as well as students. Inside it includes expectations of the instrumental music program and some ideas which are helpful in the study of a musical instrument. It is important to a child's progress that his/her parents be interested and involved in the learning process. With this in mind, it is recommended that parents and students read and discuss this handbook together. If questions should arise at any time please feel free to contact Mr. Lotyczewski at either 839-6373 or [email protected].

Table of Contents Why Music? What Makes A Child Smarter? SV Beginning Band Description Concerts Rehearsals Lessons Band Folders Contest Instruments Other Expenses Practice Procedures Suggestions for Parents Facts Proving the Value of Instrumental Education Rental and purchasing info Band FAQ’s

Important Phone Numbers:

Mr. Lotyczewski 839-6373

e-mail: [email protected]

John Keal Music (518) 482-0355

Big Apple Music (315) 732-3502 Why Music? 1. Music helps a child grow socially. It takes cooperation, consideration, and teamwork. The child knows that the success of the group depends on group cooperation and that his mistake can affect the efforts of everyone else in the band. 2. Music develops the mind. It demands disciplined study and concentration. The student, while practicing, learns to work problems out for himself. National research has shown that students who participate in the school band program average higher grades in other subjects and develop faster academically than non-music students. 3. Music builds character. It develops initiative, self-discipline, leadership, responsibility, self-pride, sensitivity, and awareness. 4. Music requires coordination and develops extraordinary control of certain muscles. 5. Music is all of these things, but most of all, MUSIC IS ART. It allows a human being to create. That is the one thing science cannot duplicate - humanism, feeling and emotion.

What Makes A Child Smarter? Practicing an instrument doesn't always make "perfect music" but it does ALWAYS make learning better and easier in all phases of education.

Recent studies have definite proof that children achieve more because they are in band. The theory dwells on the bi-lateralism of the brain...the belief that the brain is divided into two halves: the analytic brain (math, science, etc.) and the subjective/artistic brain (music, art, etc.). When both halves of the brain are not fed equally the brain does NOT develop as a whole. Instrumental music is one of the few disciplines that makes use of both sides of the brain at the same time.

Therefore, practice on an instrument at home should be considered as homework just like all the other subjects. The practice is the food to keep the growth of the brain in balance.

Beginning Band Description The SV Beginning Band is comprised of instrumental music students at the elementary school during their first year of studying an instrument (5th Graders). The Elementary Band is not a club, it is a graded course. Therefore, students are expected to make a commitment to band for the entire school year. ALL members must take lessons on their instruments in school. This year the Beginning Band will perform in two concerts: Winter Concert and our Spring Concert. There are other activities we may be involved in for which you will be notified of as soon as possible. Two such activities are the NYSSMA Solo & Ensemble Festival and our annual 5th Grade Band Trip. Rehearsals Rehearsals next year will be every odd day (1,3,5) in their 6-Day Cycle. Every rehearsal is held in the band room. Instruments, music, notebooks and a pencil are required materials at every rehearsal and band lessons. Students should try to have these for the first day of school.

Concerts Attendance – The concert is a graded part of the band curriculum. Every effort should be made to contact the band director if absence from a concert is unavoidable. Any student who misses the concert will need to make it up for a grade.

Concert Dress - Dress for concerts will consist of the following: Boys - dress shirt tie & jacket OR sweater dress pants, dress shoes Girls - dress OR skirt & blouse, dress shoes

There are to be NO sneakers, workboots, jeans, or T-shirts if avoidable.

Concert Dates - ALL concerts will be held in the Middle School Gymnasium at 7:00 PM. Concert dates will be sent home at the beginning of the school year:

Please mark dates, when you receive them, in your calendar so we can avoid any conflicts.

Lessons Band is a graded course and lessons count for roughly 1/3 of their grade. Lessons are pull-out. That means that on every Day 1, 3 or 5 your child will be pulled out of class in order to come down to a lesson for a period. There is a rotation within the schedule so that the student does not miss the same class two weeks in a row.

Band Folders Every student will receive a band folder at the beginning of the year. This folder should hold ONLY band music, method books, and a pencil. Students are required to have this folder at ALL lessons and rehearsals. Contest Each student will receive an accomplishment chart. They will receive stickers for turned in and completed homework, coming to lessons prepared (with instrument, music, book, pencil) and for any quizzes performed during lesson times. Students will also have to practice at least 1-hour between lessons in order to receive a sticker. Practice information will be put down on the practice cards. The woodwind, brass and percussion students who have completed the most by the end of the year will receive prizes. Instruments It is important for a child to begin his musical training on a good quality instrument. Students are encouraged to provide their own instruments. All instruments must be approved by Mr. Lotyczewski. As an alternative, students may participate in the lease program with John Keal Music. (This music store is in no way connected to the school and you are under no obligation to do business with this company.)

Each student is personally responsible for his/her instrument whether it is a lease, rental, or privately owned instrument. It should NEVER be left unattended where it could get damaged or stolen. It is essential that the instrument be kept in good playing condition. Extreme care must be taken of the instrument. Procedures for care of instruments will be explained in the students’ lessons.

If a student will be playing on an instrument which has been laying around the house for a number of years, PLEASE send it in and let Mr. Lotyczewski make sure it is in acceptable playing condition. It is recommended that all privately owned instruments buy insurance from a music store to guarantee 100% replacement for loss or damage.

Other Expenses Aside from the instrument itself, other expenses are minimal. We will be working from the Essential Elements 2000 series and most students will be in Book I by November. Students will also need to supply the following:

Brass Players Woodwind Players -Valve Oil (trumpets, baritones, tubas) -3 playable reeds at ALL times -Rotary Oil (F Horns) (Rico 3 is recommended) -Cork Grease -Swab

These may also be purchased through Mr. Lotyczewski or any local music store. A book will be supplied to those renting instruments from John Keal Music. ALL players should have a clean handkerchief or cloth (swab) which will be kept in their instrument cases.

At times students may be asked to go on field trips, to festivals, or attend concerts with the band. An effort will be made to keep expenses for these events at a minimum.

Practice Tips These tips were taken from the Wynton Marsalis special about practicing. I have used his tips and specified, where necessary, my expectations.

Wynton's Ways to Practice -by Wynton Marsalis

1. Seek out private instruction. Don't be afraid to ask for help from teachers, older students who have been playing longer, or your peers. 2. Write out a practice schedule. There are two kinds of practice schedules: a. Weekly Practice Schedule - At the beginning of each week sit down an figure out what five days you're going to practice on, what time, and for how long. Then make sure you stick to it. (I ask that students practice five days a week for 35 minutes. The length of the session is not as important as its regularity. It is better to practice 35 minutes per week rather than two hours twice a week.) b. Practice Session Schedule - This should include: - fundamentals (5 minutes) - long tones / scales / breathing exercises / lip slurs (for brass) - time to work on the parts that are hard (15 minutes) - This should include things you need to work on like new lesson material and difficult passages in your band music. - time to work on sight-reading (5 minutes) - Sight-reading is playing music you haven't played before or haven't worked on. (Pick-a-Songs) - fun things (5 minutes) - This is when you can play the things you like to play and that you're comfortable with. It's good to play these as a refresher. - cool down (5 minutes) - A good cool down includes long tones, lip slurs, and scales. 3. Set realistic goals to chart your development. You should not expect to be perfect the first few times you try something. Some skills take months, and even years, to master. 4. Concentrate while practicing. DO NOT practice in a room where the television is on and where people are coming in and out. Find a quiet place where you will be undisturbed, or at least disturbed as little as possible. If you can't concentrate on what you're doing, do something else and come back to practicing later. 5. Relax. Practice slowly. It's better to practice a difficult exercise passage slowly before speeding it up. The sign of a good player is a player who can play slow as well as fast. 6. Practice longer on the harder parts. This is the trick to becoming a better player. Practice is a time to work on things you CAN'T play. Don't worry about not sounding good to others. (Perform the easier things for others AFTER you practice!) 7. Play everything as if you are singing. Make it sound musical. Always be conscious of your sound quality, dynamics, and articulation. ALWAYS play like you are performing in a concert as a soloist, even when working on the hard parts. 8. Don't be hard on yourself for mistakes. Learn from them. Practice time is when you are SUPPOSED to make mistakes. Each time you play something try to improve on a certain aspect of the piece and make mistakes less frequently. The goal is to make FEWER mistakes over time, not to be perfect all the time. 9. Don't show off. While you're practicing, you should use the time to work, not to show off for others. A GREAT player doesn't show off, but plays to the best of his/her abilities at ALL times. 10. Think for yourself. Don't wait for someone else to fix your mistakes. Do It yourself. Eventually, the task will become easier. 11. Be optimistic. ALWAYS be positive! EVERYONE has something to be proud of! 12. Look for connections to other things. Basic skills carry over into EVERYTHING you play. Suggestions for Parents 1. Set up a practice schedule with your child and enforce it. Most students, particularly younger ones, are not mature enough to do this on their own. Practicing is homework! Hopefully it will be fun homework. Practicing is one of the most important elements of being a musician! 2. Give your child plenty of praise and encouragement. 3. Encourage your child to participate in extra activities. 4. Provide your child with the proper equipment, method book, and accessories. Help keep the instrument in working order. 5. You should occasionally sit down with your son/daughter and listen to him/her play. Even if you know nothing about music, over a period of time you will be able to notice an improvement. Your child needs your interest and encouragement. 6. Take your child to musical events. 7. Borrow or buy recordings for your child - particularly recordings of his/her instrument. 8. Attend ALL of your child's performances. These performances are important to him/her and it is important to him/her that you are there.

Here are a few DON'TS: 1. Don't use practice as a punishment. 2. Don't expect rapid progress and development in the beginning. 3. Don't insist your child play for others if he/she doesn't want to. 4. Don't apologize for your child's mistakes during a performance. Mistakes are a natural part of learning. Remember how they learned to speak by using approximations. They will learn to play their instruments in much the same way. 5. Don’t approach Band as though it is a club or sport. Band is a curricular class. Students receive a grade and will be given homework on a daily basis (often in the form of practicing). Students will need to be prepared for class and work hard.

If you find your child's interest diminishing, discuss the situation with him/her and Mr. Lotyczewski. If they can make it through the first year, they'll be more likely to continue playing throughout school.

Facts Proving the Value of Music Education For decades educators have observed that in a large majority of cases, children in the instrumental music program are higher achievers than those who are not. Facts have come to light in the last 10 years that prove this point. 1. Tim Lautzenheiser, well-known speaker on many subjects and in many arenas, states, "Students who are in the school band and orchestra are traditionally in the top 25% of their class. On SAT tests for 1989, the national average scores were 427 on the verbal tests and 476 on math. At the same time, music students averaged 465 on verbals and 497 on math - 38 and 21 points higher, respectively. It's not just that the top students are in music. They become top students because they are in music." 2. The A.M.C. reports that music makers are more likely to go on to college and other higher education than non-music makers...52% more likely. 3. The A.M.C. also reports that music makers watch TV less and are more optimistic about their future than non-music makers. 4. A very successful attorney in Rochester, NY states that he attributes his success as an attorney to the skills/disciplines he acquired while learning a musical instrument. 5. Frank Wilson, a well known neurosurgeon from California, became interested in this when he found that his daughter's academic grades began to improve when she started taking piano lessons. Since that time he has done extensive research on the subject and feels that the basic reason lies in the fact that refining the muscle control in the hands and mouth stimulates the brain physically and actually causes it to function better. 6. A few years back, a comprehensive series of skills tests were run on 5,154 5th grade students in all 75 of the Albuquerque, NM elementary schools. IN EVERY SINGLE TEST AREA kids who were learning to play a musical instrument received higher marks than their classmates. Not only that, but the longer the school children had been in the instrumental programs, the higher they scored. 7. From the USA Today, January 19, 1987: "Musical training can be a big help in getting to the top of business and politics, according to most congressmen and Chief Executive Officers of Fortune 500 companies. 90% of more than 1,000 CEO's and congressmen interviewed by the McDonald's fast food chain said playing a musical instrument as a child helped them develop "character and leadership skills." 8. The theory of bi-lateralism of the brain has been around a long time, showing that the entire brain does not develop as well if the artistic/subjective side is not developed equally. 9. Recent studies done by the Texas Music Education Association show that participation in instrumental music programs improves aptitudes in the academic areas of education.

There are many more facets that support the positive influence of participating in music during an individual's school years.