It was a beautiful morning for a parade on Memorial Day.  The 5th gr. band and the middle school band marched in the parade with about 200 players strong!   The band played "Armed Forces Parade" while marching through the center of Grafton then to the high school. After the ceremony, all three schools (elementary, middle school, and high school) performed "The Star Spangled Banner."  It was nice to see so many people watching the parade and remembering the veterns and soldiers. Great job everyone.  Sounded great!  You guys practiced hard and I hope you had a fun time yesterday.

Today, both beginner band groups A and B combined to make one HUGE band of 105 students on stage!!  Despite being a little crowded on stage, and a few snags in the beginning of the rehearsal with some students not having a chair or stand (I apologize), it went really well.  The sound of the band was loud but a strong sound.  It was suprising to hear "Midnite Madness" for the first time with everyone playing all the way through the song without stopping.  The biggest group in the band? --FLUTES!  The beginner band students are working really hard and I am looking forward to performing with them at the spring concert.  keep on playing!

Many of you have visited the band website and signed the guestbook and wrote many nice comments.  I'm glad to see that students are really enjoying band and love to play their instrument.  I enjoy having you as students :) Some of you had questions for me in the guest book as well as questions students sometimes ask me.  So I am going to answer them as well as telling you a little about myself.  Here it goes...

 

I've been teaching music for 10 years.  I've taught music, theater, and computers at the middle school level and band at the elementary level.  Most of the years (6 years) have been here at GES.  I really enjoy teaching here.  Outside of teaching in school, I perform with a community band every Monday in Northboro, I teach private clarinet/sax lessons, and occassionally, I play in the orchestra pit for high school musicals (no, not the Disney movie).  I also assist with organizing a yearly music festival at the junior high/middle school level in the Worcester county area. 

 

What is my favorite instrument??  CLARINET!!  I started playing the clarinet when I was in 7th grade.  Then in high school, I taught myself how to play the sax.  So I guess my second favorite instrument is the saxophone.  I don't have an actual favorite song I like to play on the clarinet.  I like to play all types of songs from standard concert band music, to jazz music to classical music.  Even scales!

 

Did I have to learn all the musical instruments to teach?  YES.  In college, I had to learn the basic knowledge of each instrument family and learn how to play the instrument and the notes.  Since I am a woodwind player, learning how to play the flute, oboe, and bassoon was easy.  The brass instruments was easy to learn also, but the violin and cello was hard. 

 

When is our concert and what do we have to wear?  To find out about the scheduled events for the rest of the year, click on the "Performance Calender" .  The final performance for 4th and 5th grade is the spring concert on June 12th.  It is an evening concert.  The concert uniform for everyone is white top, dark pants or skirt, and shoes.  A letter will be sent home with more detailed information. 

 

Why are there two stuffed animals in two of the band lockers?  Students and parents always comment when they visit my room for the first time that the instrument lockers looks like "dog cages."  So as a joke a couple of years ago, I put several stuffed animals in the large locker with them looking out through the lockers and I posted a sign that said "DON'T FEED THE ANIMALS"  so it made like they were in a zoo.