Our next Swing Era song selection, Stompin’ at the Savoy, is ready for download. Please login to your Dashboard, click on Documents, click on Jazz and Swing Unit, find the part assignment chart, and print your part.
THANK YOU to our awesome upperclassmen for donating their time!
Monday 1/25 – JB Saxes with James, Bass Line with Ethan, JB Trumpets with Michael and Trevor
Tuesday 1/26 – JB Trombones with Colin
Thursday 1/28 – Saxophone with Alissa
Friday 1/29 – Drum Set with Mark and Robbie, Clarinet with Kayla, Flute with Chinmay
Our rehearsal this week will be Thursday 1/28 from 2-3pm in person, in the auditorium. For students who are more comfortable rehearsing from home, please join us via Zoom.
For those interested/comfortable, the Band Officers and Ms. Kluga will be at Bear Mountain on Sunday 1/31 for the 10:00am public skating session. Students must be accompanied by an adult chaperone. Everyone is responsible for paying for their own skating.
Parking is $10
Skate rentals are $5
Tickets for skaters and spectators are $5 each. All people entering the rink area need a ticket.
IMPORTANT DETAILS:
* We plan to meet at 9:30 – the rink has been very busy and there are no reservations allowed. Ms. Kluga is planning to get there extra early to get in line to purchase tickets for our group.
* If you plan to attend, please RSVP by filling out this Google Form https://forms.gle/wS6NpW89NsEUohRo8 so she knows how many tickets to purchase.
* All social distancing and masking rules are required – if you plan to attend, please review their COVID-19 protocols here: https://bearmountainicerink.org/
* The rink is outdoors. Be sure to dress appropriately.
If this is something that is comfortable for your family, we’d love to spend a few hours with you!
Each year the students and Ms. Kluga are proud to use part of our fundraising to benefit a local charity. This year we donated $200 our Citrus Sale profits to the Yorktown Community Help Food Pantry. We sincerely thank them for all the good they do in our community! And, we sincerely thank all who supported our Citrus Sale!
Congratulations to YHS Band senior saxophone student Swaroop Pujari for winning a spot in the All-National Symphonic Band. Swaroop competed against student musicians from across the country and represented Yorktown this past weekend at the national virtual convention. He attended workshops with college music professors, world class musical ensembles (the Canadian Brass led one workshop!), and will be part of a virtual concert performance. Congratulations to Swaroop and his family on achieving this impressive musical honor, we are so proud to have you serve as a musical ambassador for YCSD!
For those interested/comfortable, the Band Officers and Ms. Kluga will be at Bear Mountain on Sunday 1/31 for the 10:00am public skating session. Students must be accompanied by an adult chaperone. Everyone is responsible for paying for their own skating.
Parking is $10
Skate rentals are $5
Tickets for skaters and spectators are $5 each. All people entering the rink area need a ticket.
IMPORTANT DETAILS:
* We plan to meet at 9:30 – the rink has been very busy and there are no reservations allowed. I am planning to get there extra early to get in line to purchase tickets for our group.
* If you plan to attend, please RSVP by filling out this Google Form so Ms. Kluga knows how many tickets to purchase.
* All social distancing and masking rules are required – if you plan to attend, please review the Bear Mountain Ice Rink COVID-19 protocols here: https://bearmountainicerink.org/
* The rink is outdoors. Be sure to dress appropriately.
If this is something that is comfortable for your family, we’d love to spend a few hours with you!
The Band Officers will be hosting a hang-out session on the Band Discord this Friday, 1/22 at 8pm. We hope to see you there!
Students, Ms. Kluga made a few changes to two documents we will be using this week. She apologizes for the need to re-print them! These documents can be printed from Dashboard. Thanks!
o CB: please re-print “All of Me Lead Sheet with Chord Outlines”
o WE: please re-print “Don’t Get Around Much Anymore Lead Sheet with Chord Outlines”
Our rehearsal this week will be Thursday 1/21 from 2-3pm in person, in the auditorium. For students who are more comfortable rehearsing from home, please join us via Zoom.
HOMEWORK due at this rehearsal: Sing, Sing Sing measures 1-119. Be able to play all the correct notes and rhythms at a moderate tempo. Use A-ccompany to guide your practice. Attend your sectional (see below).
THANK YOU to our awesome upperclassmen for donating their time!
Tuesday 1/19 – JB Saxes with James and Swaroop, JB Trombones with Colin
Wednesday 1/20 – Bass Line with Ethan, Drum Set with Mark and Robbie
Thursday 1/21 – Horn with Alicia, Sax with Alissa
Friday 1/22 – JB Trumpet with Michael and Trevor
JANUARY LESSONS BEGIN THIS WEEK – The lesson calendar and new lesson groups were reviewed class and are available on Dashboard.
· CAMERAS ON, PLEASE – I’ve asked the students to please have their cameras on during our class time. Thanks!
· THE MUSIC OF THE SWING ERA – As mentioned in last week’s update, we have begun our study of music from the Swing Era. Students are learning how to interpret jazz rhythms, articulations and style, and we have been introduced to iconic composers Duke Ellington, Count Basie, and Benny Goodman.
At the end of the unit, we usually present our annual Swing Dance Concert – this would have been our 13th year. For those new to the program, the concert was held in the gym, in the form of a dance (in old-school prom style, where we decorate the gym and provide light refreshments). The entire community was invited, a professional dance lesson was offered at the beginning of the evening, and our YHS Band students played swing music for all to enjoy.
I am sad that we are not able to host our Swing Dance this year. This event has become the highlight of the band calendar, our most beloved tradition, which is a testament to the years of our collective work (students, alumni, community and faculty members, and SO many band parents!) to make it the professional and unique experience that it has become.
This year, like our winter concert, we will instead put together a virtual presentation for mid-February.
· THE SHIM SHAM – Swing music was, literally, made to be danced to. So, as part of our unit, students learn social dances from the period. Putting the rhythm in their feet, and feeling the “swing” of the beat, helps their ability to interpret the music. This year we are learning a line dance called the “Shim Sham” which was popular in the Harlem Swing venues of the 1930’s (most notably the Savoy Ballroom). The students learned the first steps this week in class!
· NEW APP – This week all students were given access to the A-ccompany app. I am so excited for them to use this awesome practice tool! A-ccompany includes professional recordings of our music, with the ability to isolate individual parts, change the tempo, focus on measures, and choose which instruments to play along with.
Our rehearsal this week will be Thursday 1/14 from 2-3pm via Zoom and A-ccompany.
HOMEWORK due at this rehearsal: Sing, Sing Sing measures 1-50. Be able to play all the correct notes and rhythms at a moderate tempo. Use A-ccompany to guide your practice. Attend your sectional (see below).