Monday, November 7, 2016

Welcome to the Harrison Band's Concert Program!

All classes: 
CCSD has closed schools starting Monday, March 16th. 
Please check here for daily updates and assignment information. 
-All students will be assessed on their Etude and major scales on April 13th. Scales can be found at under All-State tabs. 

NEW ASSIGNMENT for Monday, March 23
    Find 3 pieces of music that you find to be inspirational and/or uplifting. Post recordings or links to the recordings and then explain what in the music makes it inspirational and/or uplifting. Go beyond just 'the lyrics' or 'it sounds happy'. Talk as someone who is educated in music, which you all are. Think about the key, the chords, the instrumentation and timbres, etc. Of course, if there are lyrics, those can be a major component, but I encourage you to dive deeper. I look forward to hearing your submissions. I also encourage you to go to places in music you've never explored. Don't just pick things you know. Try to stay out of the top popular music. Dig deep and explore. You may find something new that you really love. Allow this to be educational and motivational. We need both during times like these. Have fun!

Concert Band Assignments
Music from Titanic
Captain Marvel
Tuesday, March 17
Measures 32-42, bpm= 120
Measures 14-17, bpm= 120
Wednesday, March 18
Measures 43-58, bpm= 120 
Measures 18-27, bpm= 120
Thursday, March 19
Measures 59-73, bpm= 120
Measures 28-33, bpm= 120
March 20
Measures 74-95, bpm= 120
Measures 34-37, bpm= 120
Monday, March 23
Measures 96-113 bpm= 92
Measures 38-45, bpm= 120
Tuesday, March 24
Measures 114-124, bpm=100
Measures 46-53, bpm= 120
Wednesday, March 25
Measures 125-end, bpm= 120
Measures 54-57, bpm= 120
Thursday, March 26
C and F
Measures 39-66, bpm= 120 
Measures 58-63, bpm= 120
March 27
B-flat and
Measures 96-115, bpm= 92
Measures 64-end, bpm= 120
You will have three separate recording assignments each day (all assignments should be played with a metronome): 

1.     Scales: Quarter Note = 90, and must match the GMEA sheet (
2.     Music from Titanic excerpt
3.     Captain Marvel excerpt

Please email me at if you have any questions or need any assistance. 

Symphonic Band Assignments

Mon, March 16
Ab Major 

Measures 1 - 14
Measures 1 - 15
Tues, March 17
Db Major 
Measures 15 - 30
Measures 16 - 29
Wed, March 18
Gb Major
Measures 31 - 48
Measures 30 - 48
Thurs, March 19
B Major

Measures 49 - 64
Measures 49 - 69
Fri, March 20
E Major
Measures 65 - 83
Measures 70 - 85
Mon, March 23
A Major
Measures 84 - 99
Measures 86 - 101
Tues, March 24
D Major
Measures 100 - END
Measures 102 - 117
Wed, March 25
G Major
Measures 1 - 46
Measures 118 - 133
Thurs, March 26
C & F Major
Measures 47 - 75
Measures 134 - 149
Fri, March 27
Bb & Eb Major
Measures 90 - 117
Measures 1 - 48
Scales should be recorded at QUARTER NOTE = 100 and must match the GMEA sheet.
Music excerpts should be recorded at the marked tempo. 

Wind Ensemble Assignments

Mary Poppins
Blues Brothers
Day 1 (Monday)

GMEA Scale: 
Day 2

GMEA Scale: 
Day 3

GMEA Scale: Gb(F#)
Day 4

GMEA Scale: 
Day 5
GMEA Scale: 
Day 6 (Monday)

GMEA Scale: 
Day 7

GMEA Scale: 
Day 8

Student Choice
GMEA Scale: 
Day 9

Student choice
Student Choice
GMEA Scale: 
Day 10
Student choice
Student Choice 
GMEA Scale: 

-You will have 3 separate recordings each day. 
1.     Mary Poppins excerpt 
2.     Blues Brothers Excerpt 
3.     One Major Scale(record these as close to tempo as you can. Play them as they are on the GMEA sheet)

-You may listen to the recordings of the pieces at

-Try to record the excerpts as close to the written tempo as possible. If there is not a tempo  marking in the music, use the recording as a reference. 

-Student choice recordings should be of any previously recorded section that you can improve. 

-Please email me at or if you have any questions or need any assistance. 

*******Fall 2020 Ensemble Placements *******
-Practice all music and fundamentals at home. Be prepared on your individual parts as we are always evaluating and assessing your readiness to move up in ensembles. 

-Your preparedness and development throughout the semester, as well as behavior and maturity shown, will go toward your evaluation for ensemble placements. 

-All students should be preparing their etude each month and Major Scales for their assessment in April. Scales can be printed out at
*Visit the Website for HandBook and Syllabus. 
EQ: What do you hear within your trio, section, ensemble?

Matching pitch and tone
Develop articulation technique and air stream flow
Establishing dynamics
Tuning and balancing of major chords
Shaping and phrasing 

Students placed in chair order and are assigned parts based on their current ability level.
Student warm-up with their exercise packet at the beginning of class. They work on the exercises at their own tempo.  
Parts are modified to be less challenging or more challenging based off each student's current ability level.
Small groups are utilized to provide more individualized instruction.
Lessons are taught by teacher explanation, visual aids, modeling, listening to recordings, and guided questioning. 
Modify articulation based on ability level
Use slower tempos 

Listen to smaller groups or individuals
Guided questions
Student recordings
Use visual to determine if students are playing correctly.
Students may come in before or after school for additional assistance. 
Benchmark assignments assigned and must be passed off with a band director before or after school. 

MHSMB: Skills and Techniques/Performance
    a. Sing to reinforce fundamentals of breathing
    b. Sing to match intervalic and chordal tuning

    a. Perform with a characteristic tone quality utilizing proper embouchure, playing position, posture,       breathing techniques, enunciation, vibrato.
    b. Demonstrate proper warm-up techniques through the use of long-tones, lip slurs, chorales, and technical exercises.
     c. Demonstrate the following ensemble skills through performance of music literatrue: rehearsal etiquette, dynamic expression, style, blend and balance, steady tempo, rhythmic accuracy, and intonation.

3. Reading and notating music
     a. Demonstrate a clear understanding of counting systems, vocabulary, theory, and the conventions necessary to read and notate music at the mastery level. 

4. Improvising melodies, variations, and accompaniments
    a. Distinguishes chord structure through improvisation of a melody over a given accompaniment using diatonic, modal, or blues scales.
     b.Demonstrates a rhythmic ostinato to be performed with a melody.

5. Composing and arranging music within specified guidelines
    a. Creates music incorporating expressive elements.

6. Listening to, analyzing, and describing music.
     a. Relate the use of compositional devices, techniques, meter, tempo, tonality, intervals, and chords to interpret music.
     b. Distinguish characteristics of a specific work based on genre and culture.

7. Evaluating music and music performances
    a. Identify music literature and band performances of both superior and poor quality and distinguish the factors which are used to classify them as such.
     b. Analyze the interpretations of a band performance and its effectiveness in relation to the intent of the composer.
     c. Distinguish what constitutes proper concert performance etiquette and proper audience etiquette. 

    a. Describe similarities and differences in the terminology of the subject matter between and other subject areas including: color, movement, expression, style, symmetry, form, interpretation, texture, harmony, patterns and sequences, repetition, texts and lyrics, meter, wave and sound production, timbre, frequency of pitch, volume, acoustics, physiology and anatomy, technology, history, and culture, etc.
     b. Compare similarities and differences in the contextual meaning of common terms used in music, art, dance, and drama.
     c. Develop knowledge through performances of repertoire representing diverse cultures, historical periods, and styles at the highest level of music performance.

9. Understanding music in relation to history and culture
    a. Formulate and understanding of the historical and musical context of the performance literature.
    b. Critique and discuss the context of the historical timeline relating to the literature being performed.