Mrs. Cancino’s Fifth Grade Band Newsletter September 11 - 15, 2017 Dear Band Parents:

We are getting off to a great start in Band this year! If your child doesn’t yet have an instrument or our method book (Standard of Excellence, 1), please rent one this weekend. We will be playing from here on out, and I would hate for your child to have a lot of material to catch up with. Our local music stores are:  Island Music: 403 Charles Street, La Plata 301-392-3960  Bullock’s Piano Salon: 4429 Crain Hwy, White Plains 301-705-7900  Allegro Music: 22741 Three Notch Rd, California 301-862-5222  Hot Licks/Music & Arts: 3250 Old Washington Rd, Waldorf 301-843-2799 Please let me know if you will have any difficulty renting an instrument. You should have received a lengthy packet from your child on the first day of Band. In it was a welcome letter, the rules in band, a supply list, a list of area music stores and repair technicians, a breakdown of grading in band, a little reminder tag of when your child has band, and an extra credit parent survey to complete and return to school. If you didn’t receive this, please check with your band member! Band Homework: At home this week, your child should be working on the following skills…  Putting together his/her instrument correctly (they received a how-to packet, should be in the folder)  Making sounds on the mouthpiece/Holding mallets correctly (there’s a video on my website for each instrument)  Tonguing (“too many tubas” or tip of tongue to tip of reed) and Alternating mallets (right, left, right…)  Remembering when to bring pencil, band book & folder, instrument to school Once we can do all these tasks, we can get started with where learning our first three notes. These are the baby steps, please make sure your child is mastering each skill as it is taught. The students who are overwhelmed are the ones who decide sometime around Thanksgiving to start practicing. A little bit each night will go a very long way. I will not be able to attend Open House this year, but you should have received all of the information I would be covering at that time. If you have any questions at all, email is the fastest way to reach me. My website also has numerous links, games, and several informational videos and articles. Please check it out. Concerts haven’t been scheduled yet, but as soon as they’re definite, I’ll notify you so that everyone can come and hear all the kids have learned! Uniforms are white shirt (button-down) and black pants/shoes/socks. Have a terrific weekend, and I will talk to you again next week!

Mrs. Cancino Band Director: Matula, Mitchell, Barnhart, Parks [email protected] http://www.ccboe.com/departments/music/