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Sight reading question

Posted by Too much percussion on 3/25/2025, 11:22 am

The C&CR states that if a student plays on stage in the concert portion that they're expected to also play in the sight reading portion of the evaluation. I have a 1C middle school with 15 percussionists. The level 1 SR has parts for five (SD, BD, Timp, Bells, Crash Cym). The sight reading room only provides one set of bells, so doubling mallets isn't an option.

Directors, what do you do with surplus percussionists? Those who judge, what are you expecting to see in this situation? Or is it even a concern?

Thanks!

Re: Sight reading question

Posted by Perc on 3/28/2025, 10:35 am, in reply to "Sight reading question"

Why can't we accommodate all the players? It should be a minimum standard that all the players are playing the sight reading piece. Would you ever have a flute player sit in the back of the room during sight-reading? Why would it be OK for a percussionist.

Re: Sight reading question

Posted by Hmm on 3/28/2025, 6:32 pm, in reply to "Re: Sight reading question"

Sounds like you're ready to compose a solution!

What suggestions do you have?

Re: Sight reading question

Posted by My solution on 3/31/2025, 1:26 pm, in reply to "Re: Sight reading question"

Schools with more kids than parts should bring practice pads or double mallet parts.

Re: Sight reading question

Posted by OP on 4/1/2025, 10:27 am, in reply to "Re: Sight reading question"

Not a good solution if you had my numbers. Ten kids on practice pads? They'd better be playing ppp the entire time. Plus, you can't a double the mallet part when all they provide in the SR room is one set of bells.

Re: Sight reading question

Posted by My solution on 4/1/2025, 1:37 pm, in reply to "Re: Sight reading question"

Can you not communicate with the contest host and ask them to have a marimba, xylo, or vibes set up?

Do you not have access to the rubber RealFeel style practice pads that are virtually inaudible when being played?

Find solutions.

Re: Sight reading question

Posted by Easiest Solution on 4/2/2025, 9:09 am, in reply to "Re: Sight reading question"

Assign enough kids to cover the parts, then the rest will stand by and "help" or the sit back and observe. As long as they are in the room, and all parts are covered, your bases are covered. There is not a UIL rule preventing this and students are not "losing out on an educational opportunity." The education happens in the band hall in preparation.

Re: Sight reading question

Posted by Me on 3/27/2025, 1:35 pm, in reply to "Sight reading question"

In the past when I did have the plethora of percussion, they were instructed to help the others with counting rests and make sure they didnt miss their entrances.

Re: Sight reading question

Posted by Wait on 3/26/2025, 7:41 am, in reply to "Sight reading question"

1C ... with *fifteen* percussionists?

You have, at the highest possible enrollment (249) for your classification, 6% of your student body in percussion?

H...how? And why aren't more of them playing winds?

Or do you also bring sixth grade students to UIL?

Re: Sight reading question

Posted by OP on 3/26/2025, 8:37 am, in reply to "Re: Sight reading question"

65 winds & 15 percussionists total in 7th and 8th grade. We just had a super high retention rate for beginner percussion last year.

Re: Sight reading question

Posted by Wait on 3/26/2025, 3:36 pm, in reply to "Re: Sight reading question"

That's still a huge percentage of your campus population. How do you get that many kids in your program in such a small school?

Re: Sight reading question

Posted by Judge Ito on 3/28/2025, 11:10 am, in reply to "Re: Sight reading question"

I have seen this handled many ways judging through the years. The suggestion above is a good one, but if you have more players than needed, the others simply have to be in the room.

Re: Sight reading question

Posted by OP on 3/27/2025, 1:46 pm, in reply to "Re: Sight reading question"

We have mandatory 6th grade band. It helps a lot!

Re: Sight reading question

Posted by Brkt87 on 3/28/2025, 3:12 pm, in reply to "Re: Sight reading question"

Would you mind explaining how your mandatory 6th grade system is set up?

Re: Sight reading question

Posted by OP on 3/28/2025, 6:02 pm, in reply to "Re: Sight reading question"

Certainly. Our district decided 3 years ago to implement the change towards mandatory band. They then ponied up the money to ensure that all students 6th-8th can have a good school-owned instrument. We have very few who actually own their own. This makes it difficult with repairs having to go through us and the parents not being responsible unless there’s intentional damage (very rare, but has happened!)

We test them all in May of their 5th grade year and check out instruments around Labor Day after a steady diet of note naming, rhythm, etc (see Teaching Rhythm Logically). Our elementary music teacher has done amazing work turning 5th grade into “pre-band.” She introduces our counting system, note naming in both treble and bass clef, and works with embouchure formation. We try our best to accommodate their “top 3 choices,” but as I’ve explained to them and the parents, we put them where we think they will succeed the soonest. Very little pushback. Our district provides beginner books for every student, every year. Our classes are all homogeneous with the exception of low brass. With 2 directors, we have had to get pretty creative with the schedule to make that possible, but it works. Our 6th grade class averages about 75 kids total each year. So even though I’m extremely pleased to have 80 kids in my 7th/8th band, the retention could be better. For comparison, I had 28 7th and 8th graders in the 2021-22 school year, the year before we started required 6th grade band.

It can be challenging when band turns from elective to required, but we have kept so many kids in 7th and 8th grade that would’ve never tried band had it not been required of them in 6th. It also still gets to be the fun class with end of the year festivals, parent performances, etc. We are very blessed with lots of district support. Hope this helps!

Re: Sight reading question

Posted by Brkt87 on 3/31/2025, 12:12 pm, in reply to "Re: Sight reading question"

Thanks! Sounds like it works for you. What do you do with the kids that have no desire to be there, give no effort, and become a discipline/learning disruption issue? Is there an exit or alternative plan for them?

Re: Sight reading question

Posted by Brkt87 on 3/31/2025, 9:08 am, in reply to "Re: Sight reading question"

Is there an "exit" plan for those that absolutely don't want to be in band, or do they just have to tough it out until the end of the year? The kids that know it isn't for them, don't like it, and aren't planning on continuing in 7th grade can become behavior problems.

Re: Sight reading question

Posted by The rule says on 3/26/2025, 6:47 am, in reply to "Sight reading question"

Nothing about them playing, it just says they have to be in the room.

Re: Sight reading question

Posted by Me on 3/25/2025, 8:34 pm, in reply to "Sight reading question"

In 30+ years this is what I’ve done with zero questions asked. Every part gets covered and the extras are in the room, seated quietly in the back. They understand that there aren’t enough parts to go around and they get it. I’ve never had a judge or parent question it.

Re: Sight reading question

Posted by Tell ya what on 3/25/2025, 7:39 pm, in reply to "Sight reading question"

Just hear me out. 10 additional cymbal players.

Re: Sight reading question

Posted by Yes on 3/26/2025, 9:56 am, in reply to "Re: Sight reading question"

I second this suggestion.

Re: Sight reading question

Posted by pete on 3/26/2025, 12:06 pm, in reply to "Re: Sight reading question"

cowbell ad lib

Re: Sight reading question

Posted by Hodor on 3/25/2025, 6:59 pm, in reply to "Sight reading question"

Just have 5 percussionists play (maybe 6 if you want the snare doubled) and have the others stand behind them and mime/pretend to follow along. They don't expect all of your percussionists to play in the sight reading room, but keep up appearances by not letting them just stand around either.

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