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WHEN: Exams begin Tuesday,
January 6, 2009. Sign up for a study
hall, before school or after school time. If you sign up for
a class time, the teacher may not let you come you have
reserved and not used a time that someone else might have
wanted AND you will lose points for missing your exam. If
you have not signed up for a time before vacation, I will
sign you up for the earliest possible study hall.
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WHAT: Your exam
consists of the following:
I. Scales or Rudiments (3 points)
THESE MUST BE MEMORIZED! (You may use scales & rudiments that you have already played for me, they do not need to be new.)
Concert band:
- Winds: chromatic
scale 1 octave, Plus 2 major or minor scales - know
the key signatures & memorize the scales.
- Drums: even single strokes; alternating single
stroke sixteenth notes and quarter note roll (Cadencing
rolls exercise); a sustained long roll; chromatic scale
on xylophone (say note names); 2 rudiments from memory
(know their names, be careful of accents and
counting).
Symphonic band:
- Winds: chromatic
scale 1 octave, plus 3 major or minor scales - know
the key signatures & memorize the scales. Advanced students should push
themselves to perform up to the Junior
District standards.
- Drums: even single strokes; a sustained long
roll; a long roll - crescendo, decrescendo (8 beats
cresc. & 8 beats decresc. at metronome marking of
80); chromatic scale on xylophone (say note names); 4
rudiments from memory (know their names, be careful of
accents, counting and upstrokes).
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II. Music (3 points)
>Concert Band: Check our goals
sheets! (to be created in rehearsal Dec. 18)
Winds: Snakebite! - prepare from 49 to the end (I will ask you to clap and count out loud the rhythm at 55-61). Also, prepare 29 to the first note of 33 (count your long notes carefully!).
>>Count carefully, watch for accents, slurs, dynamics and all those details. I will be asking you to count out loud through any long rests. Work on DETAILS! I want to hear a pretty tone and great dynamics - there are lots of dynamic changes; be careful! Work hard and show off how great you can play!
Percussion: Snackbite! - prepare 41 to the end. I will be looking for dynamics, counting (rests and where you play) and accurate playing technique.
Count out loud! Watch dynamics, accents &
all of the details! All Percussion - you will not get
an A if you don't count out loud!!!!!
>Symphonic Band -- Check our goals sheets!
(to be created in rehearsal Dec. 19)
Winds: Ashford Celebration - Prepare 92 to the end. Get the details!! It is the articulations and dynamics that make this piece interesting and fun! Also, prepare any 8 or so measures between 60 & 80 to show off how smoothly and beautifully you can play the legato parts (pick a section that makes sense musically - don't stop or start in the middle of an idea - trumpets, play all 6 of yours!). Be sure you get all of the dynamics, slurs and other markings.
>>Watch for accurate rhythms, (especially in the 5/4), dynamics, slurs, accents, staccatos, etc. I will ask you to count the long rests & I will be listening for awesome, incredible dynamic contrasts and correct style and to see if you can play with beautiful tone, good dynamics and count accurately on the long notes without rushing! Again, count carefully & watch the details.
Percussion: Prepare the Junior
District auxiliary percussion part. Practice the
rhythms at home, but come in at lunch, during your study,
before school or after school and work on playing it on
the appropriate instruments. Percussionists must count
out loud, get details, count rests correctly, change
tempos and use correct technique for each instrument.
III. Sight Reading: (2 or 3 points)
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IV. Overall Performance: (1 point) (see
the assessment
charts for exact requirement for
one full point)
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GRADING: See the exam
self-assessment sheet to check the criteria for a well
played exam! You can earn a maximum of 10 points for your
exam. The grade will be your quiz and test grade for this
term. (Notice, you can earn 2 extra points for a well played
exam, because the test and quizzes category is only 8 points
and you can earn up to ten points for the exam. These extra
points can be enrichment.)
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WHAT IF THE MUSIC IS TOO
HARD???: See me. We will come up with an
alternative assignment.
HINTS:
- Don't wait until the last minute to sign up.
- Don't wait until the last minute to start
practicing!
- Sign up for an early time and get it over with
(besides, I'm stricter on mistakes for those who have
later times and longer to practice!)
- See me (or your private teacher) if you need help --
you don't have to prepare alone!
- Watch details! Dynamics, slurs, accents, length of
note, accurate rhythms, style are all necessary for a
good grade!
- Remember to check your goals and see if you are
meeting them in the exam!
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YOU MUST BRING TO THE EXAM:
(check them off when you have everything ready)
[ ] The goals you set for yourself (the
sticker we filled out in band)
[ ] The exam self-assessment
sheet -- not filled out! (download pdf or there are
some on stage)
[ ] The band progress chart we did in
rehearsal -- filled out! (there are some on stage)
[ ] Your music
[ ] Your brain and nerves of steel. (But
you're not nervous, right? Of course not, 'cuz you've
practiced!)
(If you have practiced, I will be able
to tell -- even if you aren't the best player in the
band. I've listened to kids play for 30 years, and I
recognize who has practiced and who hasn't! Work hard and
I will be proud of you no matter how well you play
compared to everyone else!)
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WISDOM...
Practice hard, and you'll find
this exam easy and good for your self-esteem!
--It is fun to
show off what you can do!
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