UPCOMING DATES

COURSE OFFERINGS

· BEGINNING BAND – Our beginning band classes are divided into three sections: Beginning Woodwinds, Beginning Brass, and Beginning Percussion. Each course is a full year, and offers any student the opportunity to learn the fundamental techniques of performance on a band instrument.

· CONCERT BAND – Open to all grades by audition, this ensemble is geared toward any student with at least one year of instruction on their instrument. This is a year long course in which the students will begin working on more advanced performance techniques.

· SYMPHONIC BAND – Open to all grades by audition only, this year long course allows the students to focus on the highest level of achievement and technical mastery. Students will study a variety of music, and represent East Millbrook Magnet Middle School at community performances and NC Festivals.

· JAZZ ENSEMBLE – Open to all grades by audition, this semester course focuses on the fundamentals of jazz education and history. The curriculum focuses on aspects of solo improvisation, the language of jazz, and the history of the art form.

· MUSIC EXPLORATORY – This semester elective course offers any student the opportunity to explore the cultural, social, and performance aspects of music without actually being enrolled in band or orchestra. Students enrolled in this course will spend one nine weeks learning band instruments, and the second nine weeks with Mrs. Rogers learning strings.

OTHER ENSEMBLES

· SYMPHONY ORCHESTRA – (NEW 2004/05!!) A new ensemble offered at East Millbrook that will be team-taught by myself and our orchestra director, Mrs. Rogers. This extra-curricular ensemble is open to any Advanced Band member by audition. This ensemble will expose our students to a broad spectrum of literature, and allow selected band musicians to perform with the Advanced Strings students.

· PEP BAND - Our Cougar Claws pep band is comprised of selected members of the Advanced and Intermediate Bands. This extra-curricular group performs many popular and standard crowd favorites at student pep rallies and The Battle of the Brooks.

· CHAMBER ENSEMBLES – Open to any interested students and often student-led, these small ensembles allow our young musicians the opportunity to learn from each other and perform at various venues around the campus for such events as open house and Fall Festival. Groups this year have included a clarinet quartet, flute choir, trumpet trio, trombone trio, and various duets.

· AFRICAN DRUM ENSEMBLE – (NEW 2005/06!!) Open to any interested students by audition, this ensemble will have the wonderful opportunity to work with our artist in resident, Master Drummer Osei Appiagyei! The students will explore the music and rich cultural history of Africa, while combining their performances with cross-curriculum lessons from other East Millbrook subjects.