Beginning Bands Handbook
5th & 6th Grade Bands

General Handbook Index | 5th Grade Objectives | 6th Grade Objectives | National Standards | How to help your Student | 

Welcome

Dear Beginning Band Member and Parents,

Welcome to the beginning of a new and exciting school year.  The instrumental music program at Farwell Middle School is an important part of our school.  As a band member, you help promote school spirit and pride.  You have the opportunity to share in the common experience of making music.  Your involvement, responsibility, independent thinking, and leadership are valuable assets of our band program.

 

You have chosen an instrument you wish to learn to play.  The goal of our band program is to teach you how to play this instrument, as well as give you the basic foundations of music appreciation and performance.  To achieve this goal, there are several areas of responsibility to be followed:

 

* Regular class attendance and participation.

* Bring your instrument and music book to class on band days.

* Proper care and handling of your instrument.

* Follow classroom policies and rules.

* Respect for other students and the teacher.

* Attendance at all performances.

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Educational Objectives for Fifth Grade Band Students

The student learns how to produce a clear sound appropriate to their instrument.  Necessary skills include:

• Formation of the mouth. (embouchure)
• Firmness of facial muscles.
• Development of the breathing apparatus. (breath support)
• Correct position for holding and playing the instrument including posture, hand, arm, and shoulder position.

  The student learns how the sound is used to play lines of music which are specifically designed for step-by-step development of technical proficiency on the instrument (called technique).  Necessary skills include:

• Learning to read music.  At first the notes printed on the staff are just a series of spots to the eye of the student.  The student works toward instantaneous recognition of each note to include:  Amount of time given, (duration). Correct fingering and name of note.
• Playing written music smoothly and with continuity as a complete musical thought.
• Developing a working knowledge of the counting system to include rest values and note values. (rhythm)
• Using the tongue to separate one note from the other within the counting system. (articulation) 

  The student is encouraged to do those things which help to build strength and endurance until good habits are formed.

  The student is shown exercises that develop quick, crisp finger coordination.

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  Educational Objectives for Sixth Grade Band Students
  
  All the objectives listed above in the fifth grade continue to be addressed and improved upon in the sixth grade, but at a higher level of difficulty.

   

  Areas expanded include: 

• Student learns more complex rhythms.
• Student learns about the use of flat and sharp notes. (accidentals)
• Student learns about major and chromatic scales.
• Student learns the range from soft to loud. (dynamics)
• Student learns to read sheet music.
• Student learns to play different notes at the same time. (harmony)

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  The National Standards for Music Education
  
  Along with the above educational objectives for both the fifth and sixth grade, I will also implement the Nine Performance Standards for Music set up by the Music Educators National Conference.  These National Standards include the following:

   

  Standard 1 - Singing, alone and with others, a varied repertoire of music.

  Standard 2 - Performing on instruments, alone and with others, a varied repertoire of music.

  Standard 3 - Improvising melodies, variations, and accompaniments.

  Standard 4 - Composing and arranging music within specified guidelines.

  Standard 5 - Reading and notating music.

  Standard 6 - Listening to, analyzing, and describing music.

  Standard 7 - Evaluating music and music performance.

  Standard 8 - Understanding relationships between music, the other arts, and disciplines outside the arts.

  Standard 9 - Understanding music in relation to history and culture.

   

   

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