Central Band: How to Practice Effectively Over the 4-Day Weekend

1. Warm-up slowing.  Use your warm-up packet and take each excerpt at a steady, cautious tempo paying attention to breath and airspeed (winds) or consistency of technique and stick height (percussion).  This is the single most important step.  Approaching the instrument cold will cause you to be come fatigued and discouraged early.
2. Listen to the piece you are practicing with your part in front of you.  Count beats ("Yaleo" and "SSB") or eighth notes ("She's Not There" and "Smooth") with the recording.
3. Sizzle or sing along while fingering your part as you listen to the recording.
4. Go away from the recording.  Winds: Perform rhythms on a neutral syllable ("doo"), beat numbers (1&,2&,etc), or sizzle.  Percussion: Focus just on the rhythm (take out rim shots, etc).  Long notes will often be more challenging than you think.  Put slashes over the bar to show how many beats are in each note.
5. Then, attempt to play through the piece on your own, focusing on rhythm and air usage/stick strokes.
6. On further runs of the piece, attempt to achieve a wide spectrum of dynamics (let the fortes be full and the pianos soft, yet supported) and articulations (using the syllables that were discussed in band this past Thursday)
7. When difficulty occurs go back to an earlier step that takes you away from the instrument and focus on the element with which you are struggling.

Central Band and Chorus Schedule, Week of 2-Sept

Central Band

• M: No School (Labor Day), sectional time available if needed/scheduled ahead of time
• T: PF; Instruments, music, and drill (focus on half-time)
• W:
• Classtime: PF; Instruments, SSB, fight song (focus on pre-game)
• Evening Rehearsal (6-8pm): First 1/2 hour, indoor sectional time with guest instructors; Rest of rehearsal on Game Field (GF), focus on half-time, run-through of pre-game at end
• R: PF; half-time rehearsals and run-through
• F:
• Classtime: GF; "dress rehearsal"
• Evening Performance: Band reports at 5:20 to resort hats
• 6:20: Band is dressed and in rehearsal block in the East Gym for warm-up
• 6:45: Band is set on field for pre-game performance

Central Chorus

• M: No School (Labor Day)
• T&W: Fundamentals, Solfege Games, Boyce: "Alleluia"
• R: Fundamentals, Introduction of Minor Mode, Traditional: "Didn't my Lord Deliver Daniel"
• F: Fundamentals, Boyce: "Alleluia," Traditional: "Didn't my Lord Deliver Daniel"

Central Band Rehearsal Schedule

Week of 26-Aug

• M: PF, Yaleo (drill and music)
• T: PF, Yaleo (drill and music)
• W: C5, She’s Not There and SSB
• R: PF, Yaleo (drill and music) and Fight Song
• F: C5, Smooth (11:30 dismissal schedule)

Central Chorus Rehearsal Schedule

Week of 26-Aug

• M-F: Foundations of Posture, Breathing, Singing, and Musical Literacy

Band and Choir Schedules: 16-23 August

Central Band Rehearsal Schedule

Week of August 12:

• F: C5; Syllabus and Classroom Orientation, No instruments
• Sat: 3pm Rehearsal (Fight Song); 5pm Departure for Parade

Week of August 19:

• M: C5 (Band Room); warm-up packet, Fight Song, SSB, Yaleo
• T: Practice field (PF); no instruments; drill charts for Yaleo
• W: PF; warm-ups (assumed from here on out), Yaleo, drill charts (assumed for all outdoor rehearsals from here on out)
• R: C5; Field show music, SSB
• F: PF; Field show music

Central Choir Rehearsal Schedule

Week of August 12:

• F: Syllabus and Classroom Orientation

Week of August 19:

• M-F: Foundations of Posture, Breathing, Singing, and Musical Literacy