East Middle School
Concert Band
Handbook
2015-2016
Contents
What you need
Getting an instrument
Concert Band rehearsals/ Lessons / Stage Band
Home Practice
Grading
Concert / Event Schedule
Additional Music “Opportunities”
The End-of-the-Year trip / Fundraising
Band Contract
Getting an instrument
Buying a new/used instrument
Where to buy? Local music store that also does repairs is best.
HMS Music Supply: 27 Downs Ave., Binghamton, NY – Tele # 238-7416
McNeil Music: 4517 Old Vestal Road – Tele # 729-1548
What brands should we buy or avoid?
Non-music stores or websites will try to sell you cheap instrument
imitations that play poorly, break down easily and are virtually unrepairable.
Contact me if you are unsure of a brand.
School Instruments
A limited supply of school instruments are available for rental on a first come, first
served basis.
The rental fees are as follows: $15 – rental for full school year / $5 - Summer rental
Make checks payable to the “Binghamton City School District”
Send in money with the attached rental form (fill out the middle portion).
Note: If you are unable to pay at this time, please send in whatever portion of the rental
fee that you can with the rental form. No child will be denied an instrument
because of financial concerns.
What you need besides an instrument…..
Instrument (see next page)
Instrument supplies
Saxophone/Clarinet – three #2 ½ reeds (any brand, Rico is the cheapest and is fine)
Flute – a man’s handkerchief
Trumpet/Horn/Baritone/Tuba – valve oil
Trombone – slide cream
Musician supplies (recommended)
A music stand (wire foldable is the cheapest and is fine)
A metronome (with a chromatic tuner, if possible)
Student supplies - A band folder to hold your handbook, lesson book, sheet music.
Lunch-Hour rehearsals and lessons
Concert Band – for all experienced 6th grade band students.
The Concert Band meets in the Instrumental Music room (Room 101) during the
“lunch hour” every Monday and Wednesday. You will eat during the 3rd lunch
block on those days, not at the regular 6th grade lunch time.
Symphonic Band – for all experienced 7th and 8th grade band students
The Symphonic Band meets in the Instrumental Music room (Room 101) during
the “lunch hour” every Wednesday and Friday. You will eat during the 3rd lunch block
on those days.
Stage Band – for all students who know 3 major scales (winds), 3 types of barre chords
(guitar) and 3 different beats (drumset). Piano players should see Mr. Johnson to audition.
The Stage Band is a select group of musicians that rehearse on Tuesdays during
the lunch hour (1st and 2nd lunch blocks). There will be a meeting during the 2nd week
of school for those interested in joining.
Instrument Lessons
Every student gets one small group lesson every week in the band room.
Normally, it will be on the same day every week. (Exceptions will be posted on the
printed lesson schedule.) Every week it will rotate to the next period, so that you will
usually only miss a class once during a marking period.
Grading
Every band student receives a report card grade every marking period for participation
in the band program. The grade is based on attendance, assessments and extra credit.
Attendance grade
Every student receives 2 attendance grades – 1 for lunch hour rehearsals and 1 for
instrumental lessons.
The final attendance grade will be the average of those 2 grades.
Assessment grade
Lesson grade - Random lessons will be evaluated for what you were assigned to
practice at the previous lesson. Your lesson grade will be the average of your
weekly lesson grades.
Quiz grade - There may be quizzes (usually playing) each marking period focused on
concert music.
Extra Credit
Stage Band - 2 points
Smash – 2 points
Auditioning for All-County Band (5/6 or 7-9) – 2 points
Participating in All-County Band – 2 points
Performing at the annual NYSSMA solo/ensemble festival in Johnson City – 2 points
Final Grade
The report card grade will be the average of your attendance, lesson and quiz grade +
your extra credit points.
School Concerts
Concert Policy
Students are required to attend the 3 *** concerts listed in the Concert/Event
schedule. Excused absences are for medical emergencies only. Conflicts with sports
or other evening activities is NOT an acceptable excuse. Failure to provide an
acceptable excuse in a timely manner will result in failure for the marking period and
exclusion from the end of the year trip.
Concert Dress
No jeans or sneakers if at all possible.
Additional musical opportunities:
All-County Festivals
Every Spring the Broome County Music Educators’ Association (BCMEA)
holds a series of concerts at the Anderson Center of Binghamton University.
Performers include the best band, chorus and orchestra students of Broome County
from grades 5 – 12. Members of each ensemble are chosen by audition.
NYSSMA solo/ensemble festival
Every Spring the New York State School Music Association (NYSSMA) hosts a
music festival in Johnson City. The festival is a chance for students to prepare solos or
ensembles and to be judged by expert adjudicators on the level of their performance.
Private Lessons
Private lessons are a great opportunity for students to really raise the level of
their performance through expert, one-on-one guidance on a regular basis outside of
the school day. See Mr. Johnson if you want help in finding a private teacher.
Additional trips + Fundraising
Every year the East MS music department tries to provide additional musical/cultural
experiences for participating students. The trip is for all members in good standing.
Members in good standing have attended all required concerts (or provided legal excuses),
have a passing attendance grade and are approved to go by the assistant principal.
In order to defray that cost of certain trips, we may have some fundraisers during the
school year. Additional information will be provided once those are scheduled.
East MS Band
Concert/Event Schedule
Fri., Sept. 11
Mon., Sept. 14
Mon., Sept. 14
Wed., Sept. 16
Thurs., Sept. 17
3rd week of Sept.
2nd week of Nov.
Tues., Dec. 8
Sat., Dec. 12
Feb/March
March 2
March 4/5
March 11/12
@ March 17
April 15/16
April 28/ April 29
Thurs., May 19
Thurs., May 26
1st Fall Symphonic Band meeting – 7th/8th grade
1st Fall Concert Band meeting – 6th grade
Instrumental lessons start (schedule TBA)
1st rehearsal for Full Concert/Symphonic Bands
Stage Band meeting (information and sign-ups)
Fundraiser #1
Fundrasier #2
***Winter Concert*** (snow date Dec. 10)
BCMEA All-County auditions (snow date Dec. 19)
Fundraiser #3/#4
***Eastside Band Concert***(snowdate March 3)
BCMEA All-County – Festival II (7-9 band)
BCMEA All-County - Festival III (5-6 band)
Stage Band tour of the elementary schools
NYSSMA solo and ensemble festival at JCHS
East MS musical
***Spring Concert***
Unified Arts Night (includes music recital)
Special Music Department trips TBD
East MS Concert Band
Course Contract
I have read and understand the information provided in
the 2015 – 2016 Concert Band Handbook.
I understand that I will be expected to practice at home
(3-5 times a week for a minimum of 15 minutes) and attend
all lessons, lunch-hour rehearsals and performances
(schedule enclosed).
In addition, I agree to abide by the concert attendance
guidelines and understand that failure to follow them will
affect the student’s grade, participation in the extra music
department trips and possibly expulsion from the band
program.
Student name____________ Grade___
Instrument(s)______________________
Do you need a school instrument?________
Student signature_______________________
Parent signature________________________
Note: If you need a school instrument, please fill out the middle
portion of the enclosed rental form and return it by Friday, Sept.
11 to Mr. Johnson. The rental fee is due at your earliest
convenience.