Some Notes for my Students and Families

Greetings, FAC winds/brass/percussion students and families. (Pictured: Percussion I student Laura Hill)

1. On Monday my students will visit and observe other arts areas offered at the Fine Arts Center as part of our first “student exchange day.” Students will be visiting two areas of their choosing, corresponding with the two 55-minute periods offered in the morning or afternoon session. Last-minute additions include:

Hunter Goldsmith (2nd session only) to Teri Parker -Lewis

Lindsay Quackenbush (2nd session only) to Donna Shank Major


 Jacob Lawler (1st Session Only) Teri Parker Lewis

Robert Mullis 1sr session Teri Parker -Lewis and 2nd session Jim Campbell

2. Schedule for the remainder of the week:

Monday, 12/17
• Percussion I: STUDENT EXCHANGE DAY: visit selected classes
• Winds & Brass Chamber Music: STUDENT EXCHANGE DAY: visit selected classes
• Advanced Percussion: STUDENT EXCHANGE DAY: visit selected classes
• Percussion II: STUDENT EXCHANGE DAY: visit selected classes

Tuesday, 12/18
• Percussion I: STUDENT EXCHANGE DAY: Cycle all materials as a demonstration
• Winds & Brass Chamber Music: STUDENT EXCHANGE DAY: Mini performance of Debussy (Fiona), flute trio (Ants and Peonies), Beethoven quintet and, time permitting, Grier quartet
• Advanced Percussion: STUDENT EXCHANGE DAY: Mini performance of Bach (DiLeo), Stout (Caprell), Opener, and Side Winder; other performances possible as time permits
• Percussion II: STUDENT EXCHANGE DAY: Cycle all materials as a demonstration

Wednesday, 12/19
• Percussion I: Graded performance of current materials
• Winds & Brass Chamber Music: Graded performance of current materials
• Advanced Percussion: Graded performance of current materials
• Percussion II: Graded performance of current materials

3. FAC Winds/brass/percussion students have several high-exposure, high-stakes events coming up directly following the break, and they must not lose momentum in their ongoing preparation. Our second recital is one Wednesday, January 16; Region Honor Band auditions are on Saturday, January 12th and County Honor Band auditions follow on Thursday, January 17th. In that there is not enough time in our 55-minute classes to broach all aspects of their playing activities, I must rely on my students to be conscientious about their practicing.

(Advanced Percussion student Peter DiLeo) For musicians, long weekends and vacations are not times to take a break from one’s studies, but opportunities to make headway not possible during the busy school week. All of my students are busy with individual and group performance projects, and should be looking at no less than an hour of practice each day in order to prepare adequately. Percussion players needing to do so should count on signing out instruments from my studio to use over the break.

A good practice session for upcoming honor band auditions should cover the following areas:

Required major scales
Required rudiments
Solo work
Sight-reading
Terms

These areas, as well as ensemble music for the recital, should keep Winds & Brass Chamber Music students busy about an hour each daily session. At our recital on the 16th, students from Percussion I and Percussion II students will each present two works for snare drum and a larger, more significant presentation of drum set techniques. The combination of practice pad and drum set studies should average about 60 minutes daily. Advanced Percussion students have multiple solo and ensemble projects, requiring daily practice of at least two hours.