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Grade 1's with unison low brass

Posted by James on 1/7/2021, 10:28 am

I made a move mid-year in order to be closer to home. The program here is going to need some serious rebuilding. Kids are accustomed to having the director put all note names on their parts for them, instrumentation is poor with an 80 piece band having 20 trumpets and 17 flutes but not a single baritone (yes I'm going to try and convince some trumpets to slide over), and a handful of students not wanting to be here but unable to change schedule at the moment. I don't know that I'm taking the band to contest yet, but if I do, I need things on the very easiest side of the grade 1 list in order to emphasize music reading and fundamentals. Any and all suggestions on music are welcome!

Re: Grade 1's with unison low brass

Posted by Flight of Beagles on 1/8/2021, 1:31 pm, in reply to "Grade 1's with unison low brass"

Email me at jsanchez @ tidehavenisd.com I have something that might help you out in that situation.

Re: Grade 1's with unison low brass

Posted by note teacher on 1/7/2021, 5:10 pm, in reply to "Grade 1's with unison low brass"

Start the students on music theory.net and have them complete note name exercises every day. They can get it done the first 5 minutes of the period. Every student has a chrome book issued to them and we use the note name exercises for our beginners at the start of the year.

I setup a link on our band website to each instrument's exercise with a custom range and number of questions to answer.

Re: Grade 1's with unison low brass

Posted by Start with on 1/7/2021, 2:36 pm, in reply to "Grade 1's with unison low brass"

Dorian Chant
Synergy March
Elizabethan Dance

Re: Grade 1's with unison low brass

Posted by Hoover on 1/7/2021, 5:00 pm, in reply to "Re: Grade 1's with unison low brass"

LOL. This is my exact UIL Program.

Re: Grade 1's with unison low brass

Posted by Start with on 1/7/2021, 8:53 pm, in reply to "Re: Grade 1's with unison low brass"

Because it's a great friggin program! lol. I strive for "band plays good!" from the judges

Re: Grade 1's with unison low brass

Posted by Verbatim on 1/8/2021, 7:36 am, in reply to "Re: Grade 1's with unison low brass"

This was my exact program for 2020 UIL!

Re: Grade 1's with unison low brass

Posted by Hmmm... on 1/7/2021, 12:11 pm, in reply to "Grade 1's with unison low brass"

I think Dorian Chant will do the trick. I'm 99% sure the trombone and baritone parts are unison. I can't remember if the tuba parts doubles down the octave, or is more independent. Oh, there's a flute solo about 2/3 into the piece...but it is doubled in the trumpet part.

As far as UIL is concerned, IMHO, I think the answer to this question is going to be "no" for this year. Even if you get your instrumentation improved, the fact that they are used to the crutch of having the note names written in the part will get you hammered in SR.

Re: Grade 1's with unison low brass

Posted by James on 1/7/2021, 6:12 pm, in reply to "Re: Grade 1's with unison low brass"

I agree about not doing UIL, but I don't need to make that call quite yet.

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