Saxophone Audition Results

The following 6th grade students have been selected to play Saxophone in band:

Sarah Harkins

Jessica Medina

Peyton Thomas

Thank you to all who auditioned for your patience and your hard work.  Students were chosen based on how they adapted to the instrument, the tone they could produce, practice commitment at home, and musical independence.  We strive to find the BEST fit for each student and for the band program as a whole.  Those students who were selected, please stop by tomorrow morning for further information from Ms. Speight!

NOTE TO PARENTS OF 7th & 8th GRADE BRASS STUDENTS!

Saturday, December 8th, the world-renown Canadian Brass will be presenting a Brass Symposium from 9-3 at Wingate University.  The events that day will include full master classes on musicianship basics, breakout sessions with the individual instruments on auditions, and a brass quintet master class.  Music and Arts will also be here displaying a number of step-up instruments and have mouthpieces and accessories for sale.  For a detailed schedule of the day's events and more information, follow this link:  http://www.wingate.edu/campus-life/event-calendar/brass-symposium.  Registration for this event is $10/student, which includes the official Brass Symposium t-shirt(!), and the registration deadline is Monday, November 19.  Registered participants of the Brass Symposium are also eligible for discounted Canadian Brass concert tickets.  I HIGHLY recommend this for all Brass Students auditioning for All District Band!

Meet the 6th Graders!

6th Grade Night:

• Thursday, November 8th
• In the Parkwood Middle School Gymnasium
• Students arrive by 6:30, Concert starts at 7:00
• Wear khakis & Polos, Dark shoes

Good Luck!

Chamber Music Day!

Members of the Quintessence Wind Quintet will host the first annual Chamber Day for middle school students in North Carolina.  The event will give young students the opportunity to experience playing and performing simple chamber music in an informal educational setting.  In addition, the members of Quintessence will include a master class demonstration on how a professional chamber ensemble rehearses and performs music.
This opportunity is available to interested 8th Grade Brass and Woodwind musicians!  Download Information Packet.

It all begins with the first sounds!

6th Graders have made our first sounds the last few days!  Just like walking, we must slowly take the first steps towards becoming wonderful musicians--and it starts with building new muscles.  This weekend, we ask each student to spend a few minutes EACH DAY playing long sounds with mouthpieces ONLY (and reed, for clarinets) and practicing assembling and dis-assembling the instrument until it feels very easy!

I am VERY excited about getting started!  Now is a great time to start setting aside a specific time and place to help your child build great practice habits.  A note to all parents of clarinetists--the mouthpiece has a very HIGH pitch, but I promise it will get much better once the muscles are formed and we are able to put the instrument together!

P.S.  Thank you for all of your support and patience with the great amount of information transferred at the beginning of the 6th Grade.  Our Invest-a-Kid fundraiser is already halfway to our goal!!!  THANK YOU!  I look forward to teaching and getting to know your child in the coming weeks, months, and years!

P.S.  If your child has not turned in his or her Handbook (indicates photo permission as well as contact information) or Supply Envelope  (polos must be ordered soon!) please send them to school ASAP!

Happy Practicing!

Invest-in-a-Musician!

September 4 marks the jumpstart of our annual Invest-in-a-Musician Fundraiser!  Here is our chance to invite neighbors, friends, and nearby family members to invest in your child's music program!  In this fundraiser, we ask for a small $5 investment into our program and, in return, they can see the progress your child makes throughout the school year by attending performances and events!

Further information will be sent home with your child this week; thank you for supporting Music Education--every little bit helps!

Jazz Band Auditions

Auditions for the Parkwood Middle School Jazz Band will be held the week of September 10-14.  Only 7th and 8th graders are eligible to audition.  The Jazz Band typically consists of 25 members; rehearsals take place Wednesdays and Fridays at 7:30am.  Student responsibility is HIGH and students must remain in good standing in their regular band class to remain in Jazz Band.  

Auditions will consist of a prepared piece ("Thriller") as well as Sightreading components.  CLICK HERE to listen to a recording of the audition material.

*Returning Jazz Members do not need to audition, but PLEASE sign up on Ms. Speight's door!*