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We are getting to the next round of performances: For marching band on Memorial Day, May 29, we will wear black pants/shorts/skirt, white shirt, sneakers, sunblock, and if you have a patriotic accessory (hair tie, bandanna, etc) feel free to wear it! If you have been invited to march with another group (Boy Scouts, Girl Scouts, Baseball, etc) you can also add an article of clothing/hat from that group to show your allegiance while marching with the band. We will meet at the Gazebo at the harbor at 10:30 and the parade begins at 11:00. Please leave your instrument case with your parents or at home. The band provides water to those participating in the parade, I will be sending home more info about that soon. The parade ends at the Wells Fargo Bank. Your parents should meet you there at about 11:30. Following the parade there is an excellent service of appreciation and memory for our veterans and then free hot dogs and soda at the firehouse. Our theme for the Spring Concert on Monday, June 5 is EMOJI! We will change our concert outfit to black pants/skirt & a YELLOW shirt! Mrs. Wolff will be handing out a template for you to create your own emoji that we will hang up by the stage. There will be a school concert, so bring concert clothes/instrument to school that day. We will meet in the gym for the concert at 6:30 and the concert begins at 7:00. Our tentative date for the Solo Soiree is Thursday, June 8 at 7:00-8:00 in the band room.
Posted by Guest  On May 10, 2017 at 9:49 AM 143 Comments
  
Hi All! We are now on the final countdown to the concert! So here's the info in case you lost it elsewhere: Concert in AHES gym Tuesday, December 6. During school & at 7 pm Wear black pants, white shirt, black shoes if possible. Concert will be held during the school day - this means that you either have to wear your concert clothes to school (I recommend this option, helps you to not forget!) or bring them with you (they get kinda wrinkly in the backpack!) The morning of the concert, you will be asked to come down to the gym. At this time, you will unpack your instrument IN YOUR CLASSROOM leaving the case and other accessories there. Bring your instrument & music to the gym. Brass, bring some oil. Woodwinds bring reeds. Percussionists, you may be asked to help load the instruments up to the gym before the concert, get your muscles out! We will NOT play our instruments willy-nilly in the gym. Instead we will wait for our warm-ups. Flutes sit to Mrs. Talmage's right, clarinets to the left, trumpets in the middle. Trombones center back, FH & alto sax behind flutes, tenor sax & baritone horn left of the trombones. Fourth graders will sit in the chairs to Mrs. Talmage's right, fifth & sixth graders to Mrs. Talmage's left. After our part of the concert is over, you will sit and be a GREAT AUDIENCE for the chorus.   At night, please leave your instrument case at home or in the car. We will meet in the gym at 6:30. We will not play our instruments like crazy band people until the warm-ups as a group. After our part of the concert is over YOU ARE NOT DISMISSED! It is rude to walk out! Instead you will be a GREAT AUDIENCE for the chorus. Our concert should take about 75 minutes. After the entire concert is over, you are free to go home with your family members.  If you have any other questions, please contact me! Thanks, Sam Talmage
Posted by Guest  On Nov 15, 2016 at 8:51 PM 152 Comments
  
Hi All! Today we had our first beginning band rehearsal. It was loud and not very pretty, but I promise we will sound pretty good by the winter concert on Dec. 6!  Because the memo didn't get sent home with everybody, we were missing a few students. It is important that I have the correct email address for all of you, as this is the best way for me to communicate with you! I will send home notes, but because I am only in district two days, email just works better! If you are not receiving emails from me, please contact me at [email protected] or [email protected] I check both of the addresses and will add you to the list!
Posted by Guest  On Oct 12, 2016 at 2:00 PM 119 Comments
  
Hi All! All AHES-owned instruments should now be handed out! If you are renting an instrument, please try to get it ASAP.  All students need to bring their instrument, any music they may have for their instrument and a pencil to band this week.   This week in fourth grade lessons, we are working on the first 5 notes and how to create them.  If your child plays the flute, this week we will continue working on making a clear sound.  Please be patient with these beginning sounds - I know very well how hard it can be to listen to! This week in fifth & 6th grade lessons, we are going to begin working on our band music if your child has played the same instrument as last year.  We are doing two pieces right now - Tango Bells & All Through the Night.  We will be getting a third piece in soon.  If your child is interested in percussion, we will be running percussion auditions Wednesday during the school day.  For 5th graders this will take place from 10:50-11:20, for 6th graders from 2:16-2:46.  At this audition, we are trying to get down to the 5 percussionists in each grade that can read rhythms the best. We only have spots for 10 total percussionists in the AHES band. If your child does not get one of these coveted spots, please encourage them to choose a different instrument and be in the band! Music reading is a skill that takes time and practice to master. Our Winter Concert is Tuesday Dec. 6 both during the school day and at night. Please mark your calendar! Hope this answers some questions! Mrs. Talmage
Posted by Guest  On Sep 27, 2016 at 10:59 AM 337 Comments
  
Hi All! Today we discussed the different instruments the students can choose from in each grade. I sent home some paperwork which they should look at with their family to choose an instrument to play this year and to let me know how they intend to get the instrument.  The students were so excited to hear the different instruments! They had wonderful questions! One that I hear a lot is: How do I know which instrument to choose?  The answer to that question is, choose the one you like the sound of the best! Any instrument will require a LOT of practice, and if they like the sound of it, that helps! Also, I think families should consider how far the student will have to carry the instrument - if you live a long way from school and your child is a walker, a lighter instrument is a good idea! However, if your child adores the trombone and feels comfortable hoisting it to school and back, that is fine! Fourth grade choices: Flute, Clarinet, Alto Saxophone, Trumpet, Trombone, Bell Kit Fifth and Sixth grade choices: All of the above, plus Tenor Saxophone, French Horn, Baritone, Percussion How to get an instrument:  1) Own it! Yes, I put that out there! It is a wonderful investment to buy an instrument! 2) Rent it! Music & Arts, Russo music and local music stores all provide instruments to AHES students. 3) Borrow from AHES: we have a limited number of instruments, but this is the cheapest option!   All clarinet & saxophone students are responsible for getting their own reeds. Instrument assignments will be made next week, the schedule will be created. I will let you know when lessons are starting. After students have 2 lessons, we will begin before school band.
Posted by Guest  On Sep 09, 2016 at 1:55 PM 168 Comments