Check for announcements at least once a week |
Class Announcements
End of Year Dates
Hi Columbine Area Elementary Band/Orchestra guardians! It's time to start marking your calendars for end of year events!
May 2nd (Wednesday) – Advanced band/orchestra tour through elementary schools. On this day, the advanced band and orchestra will tour though all 5 Columbine elementary schools and play a concert for each one. Students will need to bring a sack lunch and arrange for transportation to Columbine Hills at 8:15 and from Leawood at 2:50. May 8th (Tuesday) - After school rehearsal at Columbine High School (band room) This will be the first time all of the kids get together to work on the music as a large ensemble. Please arrive 10 minutes early to get your instrument out. All you need is your instrument and music. Stands will be provided. Beginning orchestra 5:00 – 5:45 Beginning Band 5:45 – 6:30
May 14th (Monday) - Concert at Columbine High School (Gym) The concert will be from 5:30 – 6:30 in the gym at Columbine High School. Please be there by 5:00. This concert includes band AND orchestra! Attire is the same as the previous 2 concerts (black pants, black shirt, black shoes). Please come prepared with a music stand. |
Listening Links
All students find it easier to play music when they know what it's supposed to sound like. Here are some recordings of the music we are currently working on: Beginning Band: The Fat Enchilada <-You'll have to Youtube this one Beginning Orchestra: Advanced Band: Advanced Orchestra: |
Fall activities
Happy Halloween! I am writing this letter to keep you informed about things that are going on soon in band/orchestra land. Practice cards – For every month, there is a corresponding practice card. You can print them out from the practice card tab above and your child gets music money for turning them in. They are a great way to keep track of where we should be at throughout the year so we don’t fall behind. Playing tests – On the week of October 30th, there will be playing tests for everyone. Here is what your child is expected to know: You have a lot of time to prepare, please don’t wait until the last minute. Beginning Band - #27 Good King Wenceslas Beginning Orchestra – #43 Mozart Melody Advanced Band – #83. (Concert Bb Major) Scale, Arpeggio and Chords Advanced Orchestra – #92. Can-Can – A (melody) line Concerts – Our fall concert is just around the corner! Both band and orchestra will have a concert on the 7th of November at Columbine High School in the gym at 7:00PM. Concert schedule: Beginning students arrive at 6:15 in the band room – Leave cases and coats in the band room – bring instrument, stand, music to gym. Advanced students arrive at 6:30 in the back of the gym (behind curtain) – Leave cases and coats in back of gym, Bring instrument, stand, and music to the front of the gym. 6:45 – String tuning 7:00 – Concert
Item checklist for concert: __Instrument / Music __Music stand __Band/Orchestra t-shirt (or black shirt if you don’t have one) and black pants or skirt.
Extra rehearsal: On Wednesday November 1st, I’ll be holding an extra rehearsal in the Columbine High School band room to prepare for the concert the following week. Here is the schedule for that: 4:00 – 4:45 Beginning Band 4:45 – 5:30 Beginning Orchestra 5:30 – 6:15 Advanced Band 6:15 – 7:00 Advanced Orchestra |
Handbook added
The handbook with Expectations, Schedule, Calendar and Supply List has been added to the Downloads page. |
First day of class!
Advanced students just need to show up on the first day of band/orchestra class. Your start date is below. Click on the 2017-2018 Weekly schedule Link to see when your classes will be this year. 8/31 Dutch Creek and Columbine Hills 9/1 Governor's Ranch |
Welcome!
Welcome to the Band and Orchestra program in the Columbine Area! Your student has the opportunity to begin one of the most exciting and memorable experiences of their education so far – learning how to play a musical instrument! The Columbine Area instrumental music program includes the five elementary schools that feed into Columbine High School: Governor’s Ranch, Leawood, Normandy, Dutch Creek, and Columbine Hills. The classes are taught during the school day by Mr. Gates. Both Band and Orchestra meet twice a week for half an hour. These are a “Go-To Resource Class,” which means students will leave their regular classroom for instruction on their instruments. This different type of instruction enhances music students’ abilities to connect different skills and subjects together, and ultimately become better students. Additionally, students who participate in music often score higher than non-music classmates in reading, writing, and math standardized tests! Participating in band and orchestra requires very few out-of-school commitments. We have three concerts a year. Other than that, your student just needs to practice! You can see these dates here on this website (I'll have them up by August 29th) and they will be made available at the instrument rental night in our Band and Orchestra Handbook. We are very fortunate in the Columbine Area to have incredible support at our elementary schools for the music program. It is not uncommon for there to be 40-60% of a class involved in band and orchestra. We would love to have an entire class playing instruments! Every destination starts with a decision to embark on a journey, and now is the time to start your child in music and the Columbine Area Music Program is the place to do it! We can’t promise that every child will be a musical prodigy, but we can promise they will learn, laugh, and grow along the way. Getting an Instrument: Students will need to provide their own instruments and method books to participate in band and orchestra. We highly suggest rent-to-own programs from local music stores above purchasing an instrument. It is especially helpful in orchestra where instrument sizes vary and your student could need a new one after only a year of playing as they grow. Cost of instruments generally range from $18/mo for small instruments (flutes, clarinets, trumpets, trombones, percussion, violins and violas) to $38/mo (cellos, saxophones) to $54/mo for large instruments (horns, tubas, bass clarinets, tenor saxophones). Some of these larger band instruments can be rented from the school, and are only available to students as they gain playing experience on other instruments in band. More information here. Please do not let cost keep your student from participating! Contact Mr. Gates if you are in need of some assistance with procuring an instrument, as there are a limited number of instruments that the school can rent for families who qualify. It is our goal that every student is able to participate in band and orchestra – music isn’t about money, it’s about music! Instrument Rental Night: We have scheduled a rental night on Tuesday August 29th from 6:00 – 8:00pm at Ken Caryl Middle School. This evening you be able to talk with several music stores to discuss instrument rental options, meet Mr. Gates, and ask any questions you may have. The music stores will be available with instruments, books, and the other supplies that you will need to get started. Please plan on attending and meeting with Mr. Gates! We are excited to get started!
Instrument Rental Night – Wednesday August 30th Ken Caryl Middle School – 6509 W Ken Caryl Ave Time: 6:00 – 8:00 PM – This is open door: come when you can Location: Start in the cafeteria
Sincerely and Musically Yours,
Gregory Gates |
Advanced tour!
On Wednesday May 17th, I will be taking all of the advanced band and orchestra students on a tour to play a concert at all five of the elementary schools in the articulation area. The goals of the concerts are to give the students experience following a scheduled timeline and the chance to perform as a full ensemble in front of all of their peers. This is also a great way to show some of the younger students what band and orchestra is all about. ♫ Students will need to bring a sack lunch. ♫ Students will need to arrange to be dropped off at Dutch Creek at 8:15 and be picked up from Leawood at 2:50PM. ♫ Students should wear their black Columbine Area Music shirt and jeans. ♫ I need at least 4 parents to go with us. One driving separately and hauling percussion equipment. Download and turn this permission slip in by May 5th! |
Summer music camp!
Summer Instrumental Music Classes 2017
Classes begin on Tuesday June 6th--Friday June 9th, and continue Monday June 12th --Friday, June 16th. It’s just about time to break out the shorts and put the coats away! We are now filling classes for this summer’s music program. Classes will be held at Ken Caryl Middle School. Classes are open to all students who will be in grades 5th through 8th next fall. The last Friday June 13th will be a concert for all the members and their families! Registration will be at Music and Arts on Bowles just west of Pierce from 10:00 – 11:00 AM on Monday June 5th. If you have already turned in the registration form below and you already have all of your supplies, you do not need to attend the first Monday. The classes being offered and the times they will meet each day are as follows: Beginning Band 10:00 – 11:00 AM Intermediate/Advanced Band 11:00 – 12:00 Beginning Orchestra 10:00 – 11:00 Intermediate/Advanced Orchestra 11:00 – 12:00 |
Concert coming up!
An opportunity has presented itself to have a concert in February! It is late notice, so if you already have plans, please let me know so I can excuse your child. Place: Ken Caryl MS Date: Thursday, February 9th Band Concert Schedule: Beginners arrive at 5:00 Advanced students arrivea t 5:15 Concert starts at 5:30 Orchestra Concert Schedule: Beginners arrive at 6:30 Advanced students arrive at 6:45 Concert starts at 7:00 Attire: Black music shirt (or black shirt if you don't have one) Black pants (or as close as you can get) Black shoes (or as close as you can get) Bring: Instrument Music Folding music stand (If you have one) |
November news
Parents, October 24, 2016 Happy Halloween! I am writing this letter to keep you informed about things that are going on soon in band/orchestra land. Practice cards – For every month, there is a corresponding practice card. You can print them out from the practice cards tab and your child gets music money for turning them in. They are a great way to keep track of where we should be at throughout the year so you don’t fall behind. Playing tests – On the week of Nov 9, there will be playing tests for everyone. Here is what your child is expected to know: You have a lot of time to prepare, please don’t wait until the last minute. Beginning Band - #27 Good King Wenceslas Beginning Orchestra – #43 Mozart Melody Advanced Band – Already did their test Advanced Orchestra – #124 G major study Concerts – Our fall concerts are just around the corner! Both band and orchestra will have a concert on the 7th of November. If your child is in beginning or advanced band, your concert is at 5:30PM. If your child is in beginning or advanced orchestra, your concert is at 7:00PM. Both concerts are at Columbine High School in the gym. Band Concert schedule: Beginners arrive at 5:00 Advanced students arrive at 5:15 5:30 – Concert
Orchestra Concert schedule: Beginners arrive at 6:30 Advanced students arrive at 6:45 7:00 – Concert
Item checklist for concert: __Instrument / Music __Music stand __Band/Orchestra t-shirt (or black shirt if you don’t have one) and black pants or skirt.
I look forward to seeing you at the concert!
Gregory A Gates |
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