Canfield Bands

Welcome to the

 Canfield Middle School

5th Grade Band

May 12

CONGRATULATIONS ON AN OUTSTANDING CONCERT TUESDAY, MAY 6.  YOU SOUNDED GREAT!!  KEEP UP THE GOOD WORK THESE LAST 19 DAYS OF SCHOOL.

Dear Parent and Student,

 This letter is to provide you with much necessary information to end what has been a tremendous fifth grade year in band.  We hope your child has enjoyed themselves while learning to play an instrument and be part of such a large team.
  Tuesday, May 13 is a normal full band day and will be orientation day for CH Campbell.
 On Wednesday, May 14, we will have our inflatable balloon party, money machine, and rat race for those students who qualified from the magazine sale in the fall.  A permission slip with all details will be handed out at school.
 ALL students who play tuba, baritone, and French horn must return their instruments to school the week of May 19 - 23 between 7:00AM and 2:45PM.  If the instrument does not need to go to the repair shop for maintenance,  it will be returned to your child for summer practice the week of  May 27 - 30.  Pick up times are the same as drop off times.
 This group of fifth graders have progressed nicely this year.  They are playing with a nice clear tone,  which is most important.  They have learned a fair amount of notes and rhythms for us to build upon for sixth grade.  We will be sending home a letter at the end of the year with practice ideas for the summer time.  Sincerely,

Mr. Volenik

Mr. Pupino 

  Keep up the good practice habits at home and you will hear significant progress. 

 Each child should be practicing 15 - 20 minutes everyday.  They should all start each practice session with the mouthpiece only.  They should blow like they are blowing through a straw.  Work to blow a STEADY stream of air for at least 8 seconds. 

Parents you can help a great deal right now by establishing regular practice habits.  Try to practice at the same time each day.  This helps them get in the "groove" of practicing.  Practice should be in a quiet room with no distractions.  sit on a hard chair with good posture that we talk about in school.  Always use a folding wire music stand to practice so we encourage good posture.  Go over each exercise many many times just as a ball player goes over the same drills time and time again.  REMEMBER, you will only get out of it what you put into it when it comes to playing an instrument.  If something is not working on your child's instrument,  please do not try and fix it.  Bring it to school and one of the teachers will look at it.

 Every concept we teach in band is done orally.  Your child MUST LISTEN and PAY ATTENTION in class in order to know what to practice at home.  They must learn to play correctly now or it will be uphill to fix. 

Keep encouraging your budding musician to practice slowly and carefully every day.