Greetings! Hard to believe that August is coming on FRIDAY! And registration, too...
I've decided to try a new attack to the old marching camp this year... We're going to do one evening with a music rehearsal and follow it with frozen treats! On Tuesday, August 12 at 6:30 p.m. the HJH 2008 Marching Band will meet for the first time in the HJH Band Room and sight read through and rehearse on the music for this fall's highly anticipated marching season. We'll follow that up with frozen treats around 7:30 p.m. for anyone who wants to stick around and socialize. We'll wrap things up around 8:00 p.m. This is a non-required event, however, it is highly recommended and there will be BONUS POINTS given out to all in attendance (not to mention the frozen goodies). I can't wait to see everyone there!
Further information about this event will also be given out during school registration on Friday and Monday, available in the HJH office after registration finishes, or you can email me for more information starting Friday.
Wednesday, July 30, 2008
Monday, July 28, 2008
Monday Posting AGAIN!
Guess another week's gone by... Where is the summer going? I've looked under my bed, but summer's not there, there's just a big old dust bunny that's about big enough I should name it.
We're one week away from the beginning of flag team! I just put together a mailing for the flag team members that will be sent out with a little more information. If it doesn't get to you or you have questions or ideas, please contact me, email me (melinda.philipsen@gpaea.k12.ia.us) or call my cell phone (if you don't have the number, email me for that).
Junior High Banders we will have a music rehearsal/social event before school starts, information will be at school registration for you. If you have any questions or ideas, please email me (see above email address) or call my cell phone.
We're one week away from the beginning of flag team! I just put together a mailing for the flag team members that will be sent out with a little more information. If it doesn't get to you or you have questions or ideas, please contact me, email me (melinda.philipsen@gpaea.k12.ia.us) or call my cell phone (if you don't have the number, email me for that).
Junior High Banders we will have a music rehearsal/social event before school starts, information will be at school registration for you. If you have any questions or ideas, please email me (see above email address) or call my cell phone.
Monday, July 21, 2008
Back at it!
Greetings! Guess it's been a few days since my last blog... I took some time off to relax and revamp. This included a trip to Des Moines and a viewing of the newest movie musical to hit the big screen, Mamma Mia! Excellent way to spend a summer day!
I'm back at things at a relaxed pace. I walked up to school this morning listening to my I-Pod where I have put the demos of this season's marching music and the ideas have started to flow, so I'm about to grab my flag and see if I can get any of these ideas to make it into reality. Depending on my jury duty status, I'll be in and out this week working on the choreography and some general cleaning and organization. Otherwise, I am planning on getting out to the fair at least a couple of times this week, I've already purchased my pass, so I might bump into a few of you there. For everyone showing something this week, good luck, and I'm keeping my fingers crossed that you'll have good weather this week. Hopefully everyone is able to have some fun this week!
I'm back at things at a relaxed pace. I walked up to school this morning listening to my I-Pod where I have put the demos of this season's marching music and the ideas have started to flow, so I'm about to grab my flag and see if I can get any of these ideas to make it into reality. Depending on my jury duty status, I'll be in and out this week working on the choreography and some general cleaning and organization. Otherwise, I am planning on getting out to the fair at least a couple of times this week, I've already purchased my pass, so I might bump into a few of you there. For everyone showing something this week, good luck, and I'm keeping my fingers crossed that you'll have good weather this week. Hopefully everyone is able to have some fun this week!
Monday, July 14, 2008
Looking forward to or seen any good movies?
Well, with summer officially at it's peak, I've started to think about some of the movies that came out and I missed seeing in the theater and wondering if they'll be good DVD picks this fall/winter as well as some that are out now and will be coming out soon. Mamma Mia! is coming out this weekend and I'm rather looking forward to seeing it. Anybody seen any good movies this summer or looking forward to ones that are about to come out? Reply to this posting and give us your two-cents!
Friday, July 11, 2008
Successful end to the summer program!
Congratulations and thank you to anyone and everyone involved in the marathon concerts yesterday afternoon/evening. What an event! I was impressed with many aspects of yesterday.
First, thanks to everyone who helped load the truck and clear chairs and stands from the junior high band room after Junior Band yesterday afternoon, to those who unloaded the truck and helped set up at the concert site, and to everyone who has helped load the truck following the muni band concerts this season including last night. Only one more unload of the summer! Without your help things would not have gone so smoothly!
Second thanks to our adoring audiences. I was impressed each time I got the chance to look out over the crowd yesterday. What a turn out! It was a great day for such a concert and I'm glad to see the community turn out for this unique summer performance.
Finally, thank to everyone who performed yesterday. The jazz band sounded great and I am looking even more forward to starting jazz band at Howar in October after hearing how great the group sounded yesterday with only five rehearsals and the maturity of the soloists even before our season begins! Wow! I was impressed with the turn out for the Junior Band. As I was helping with your set up, I was starting to get nervous about fitting all of you into the band shell and the possibility of running out of chairs. If this summer is any indication, the sixth grade band will be especially strong this next year. Way to go! I've had a blast the past five weeks working with the Youth Band. I enjoy working with the group and seeing how quickly we can get a program together during the summer. In five one-hour rehearsals we were able to pull together some neat selections. You sounded great last night! And finally, I have has such a great time this year playing with the muni band. What a great evening to finish off the 2008 season.
Now I'm ready to start looking forward to the 2008/2009 school year. HJH Band members will be receiving some information about a pre-school year marching musical rehearsal and social event in the not too distant future. I'll blog about it once details are ironed out and information will be handed out at school registration. I'm also looking forward to the 2008 Flag Team getting organized. Now that summer lessons have concluded, I'm going to be able to put a little more energy into working up routines and getting details organized for the best year yet! It looks like in addition to our rehearsals we will be trying to add a few social opportunities. I'm going to try to get a phone and email list together, so if you're reading this blog and are on the 2008 Flag Team, please take a moment and email me with your email address and phone number and pass this link onto your friends on the team so they can do the same. (Email address: melinda.philipsen@gpaea.k12.ia.us)
Have a great summer!!!!
First, thanks to everyone who helped load the truck and clear chairs and stands from the junior high band room after Junior Band yesterday afternoon, to those who unloaded the truck and helped set up at the concert site, and to everyone who has helped load the truck following the muni band concerts this season including last night. Only one more unload of the summer! Without your help things would not have gone so smoothly!
Second thanks to our adoring audiences. I was impressed each time I got the chance to look out over the crowd yesterday. What a turn out! It was a great day for such a concert and I'm glad to see the community turn out for this unique summer performance.
Finally, thank to everyone who performed yesterday. The jazz band sounded great and I am looking even more forward to starting jazz band at Howar in October after hearing how great the group sounded yesterday with only five rehearsals and the maturity of the soloists even before our season begins! Wow! I was impressed with the turn out for the Junior Band. As I was helping with your set up, I was starting to get nervous about fitting all of you into the band shell and the possibility of running out of chairs. If this summer is any indication, the sixth grade band will be especially strong this next year. Way to go! I've had a blast the past five weeks working with the Youth Band. I enjoy working with the group and seeing how quickly we can get a program together during the summer. In five one-hour rehearsals we were able to pull together some neat selections. You sounded great last night! And finally, I have has such a great time this year playing with the muni band. What a great evening to finish off the 2008 season.
Now I'm ready to start looking forward to the 2008/2009 school year. HJH Band members will be receiving some information about a pre-school year marching musical rehearsal and social event in the not too distant future. I'll blog about it once details are ironed out and information will be handed out at school registration. I'm also looking forward to the 2008 Flag Team getting organized. Now that summer lessons have concluded, I'm going to be able to put a little more energy into working up routines and getting details organized for the best year yet! It looks like in addition to our rehearsals we will be trying to add a few social opportunities. I'm going to try to get a phone and email list together, so if you're reading this blog and are on the 2008 Flag Team, please take a moment and email me with your email address and phone number and pass this link onto your friends on the team so they can do the same. (Email address: melinda.philipsen@gpaea.k12.ia.us)
Have a great summer!!!!
Monday, July 7, 2008
Checking in After the Fourth
Well, the Fourth of July has come and gone again... This signals high summer, heat and humidity, and the last week of summer band lessons and rehearsals, the summer ensemble performances and the final municipal band concert! I suppose like all good things, these must come to an end. What a summer it has been, though. I've had some amazing lessons with some excellent students and have started to look forward even more to the 2008/2009 school year. If this summer's lessons are any indication, we're going to have some pretty powerful sections in our band and jazz band come fall at Howar.
Just a few reminders for this week... First, remember that this is the last week of summer lessons. Mr. Taylor and I won't be back next week to teach lessons (I might be in taking care of some cleaning and filing, maybe working on some new flag moves...). Don't forget to have a little fun as this summer progresses...but also don't forget to grab your horn when you get a little bored and play a little...pick out your favorite lesson lines or work ahead a little. Eighth graders auditioning for honor band in the fall will want to work on those scales (C, F, Bb, Eb, Ab, G, D, A and Chromatic). Everyone is welcome to work on scales, arpeggios, rudiments, etc. for the scale club. I'm going to get Mr. Taylor to post PDFs of my scale sheets for you in case you loose yours, your hamster used it for toilet paper, or you're working into the next level.
Last week's municipal band concert was pretty outstanding. The band played well, there was an excellent audience, the band boosters had a spectacular turn out for their ice cream social, and the weather completely cooperated for us (which hasn't happened much this summer). I'm looking forward to this week's concerts, starting with Summer Jazz at 5:30, Junior Band (going into 6th) at 6:00, Youth Band (going into 7th and 8th) at 6:30, and the Centerville Municipal Band at it's regular 8:00 p.m. time on Thursday. Feel free to pack a picnic dinner, grab a few bucks to buy dessert, and enjoy an evening of fine performances.
Just a few reminders for this week... First, remember that this is the last week of summer lessons. Mr. Taylor and I won't be back next week to teach lessons (I might be in taking care of some cleaning and filing, maybe working on some new flag moves...). Don't forget to have a little fun as this summer progresses...but also don't forget to grab your horn when you get a little bored and play a little...pick out your favorite lesson lines or work ahead a little. Eighth graders auditioning for honor band in the fall will want to work on those scales (C, F, Bb, Eb, Ab, G, D, A and Chromatic). Everyone is welcome to work on scales, arpeggios, rudiments, etc. for the scale club. I'm going to get Mr. Taylor to post PDFs of my scale sheets for you in case you loose yours, your hamster used it for toilet paper, or you're working into the next level.
Last week's municipal band concert was pretty outstanding. The band played well, there was an excellent audience, the band boosters had a spectacular turn out for their ice cream social, and the weather completely cooperated for us (which hasn't happened much this summer). I'm looking forward to this week's concerts, starting with Summer Jazz at 5:30, Junior Band (going into 6th) at 6:00, Youth Band (going into 7th and 8th) at 6:30, and the Centerville Municipal Band at it's regular 8:00 p.m. time on Thursday. Feel free to pack a picnic dinner, grab a few bucks to buy dessert, and enjoy an evening of fine performances.
Thursday, July 3, 2008
The Final Summer Challenge
Challenge #5
Figure out how to play "Twinkle Twinkle Little Star" on your instrument using no music. Play it for me at the beginning of your lesson for a sweet treat!
Figure out how to play "Twinkle Twinkle Little Star" on your instrument using no music. Play it for me at the beginning of your lesson for a sweet treat!
Wednesday, July 2, 2008
Top Five Things Overheard Last Week During Summer Band Activities
5. I practiced like 500 minutes...I'm getting pretty bored with summer!
4. "Cheese-cut the-cheese"...that must be Mr. D.'s influence...
3. I really like your feet, I wish I had them!
2. No one wants my feet!
1. Summer Band is GREAT...what am I going to do with myself when it's over?
4. "Cheese-cut the-cheese"...that must be Mr. D.'s influence...
3. I really like your feet, I wish I had them!
2. No one wants my feet!
1. Summer Band is GREAT...what am I going to do with myself when it's over?
Summer Performances, End of Lessons
Well, the end is near! The end of summer lessons, that is... Next week (July 7, 9, and 10) will be the last days for lessons and the rehearsals. Our final performance will be held in conjunction with the final Centerville Municipal Band performance on Thursday, July 10th. This will be held in the band shell on the Centerville square. The Summer Jazz Ensemble will perform at 5:30 p.m, Junior Band at 6:00 p.m., and Youth Band at 6:30 p.m. Performers are asked to be at the band shell at least 10 minutes prior to their ensemble's performance. Attire for the evening will be clean school appropriate clothing (doesn't have to be anything special). Everyone is encouraged to stick around for the 8:00 p.m. Municipal Band concert. You might think about bringing a picnic dinner and enjoying an evening of good music outside on the scenic Centerville square...and don't forget the ice cream social with the Municipal Band's concert!
And while on the topic of Municipal Band performances, just a friendly reminder that this week's concert is featuring American Music in honor of the Fourth of July... And this week's ice cream social is to benefit the Centerville Band Boosters, an organization that aids our program in a number of ways, so be sure to bring your appetite and a few dollars!
And while on the topic of Municipal Band performances, just a friendly reminder that this week's concert is featuring American Music in honor of the Fourth of July... And this week's ice cream social is to benefit the Centerville Band Boosters, an organization that aids our program in a number of ways, so be sure to bring your appetite and a few dollars!
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