Band
"The Arts teach self-discipline, reinforce self-esteem, and foster the thinking skills and creativity so valued in the workplace today. They teach the importance of teamwork and cooperation. They demonstrate the direct connection between study, hard work, and high levels of achievement.'"
National Standard for Arts Education
It is the goal of the St. Gabriel Band program to instill these qualities in our students. The Band program is open to students from the 4th grade through the 8th grade. All of the standard band instruments are offered and taught. All band students perform in the Winter and Spring Concerts, and the Concert Band students participate in the Archdiocesan Band Festival, Metro District 8 activities and other honor bands. All band students have the opportunity to perform at a Cardinal Baseball game in the summer.
Year at a Glance
1st Trimester
| August | September | October | November | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Beginner Woodwind & Brass Mallets | Assemble instrument; Produce good tone using whole notes, Concert pitches of D, Eb, F. | Whole notes/rest, Half notes/rest, quarter notes/rest; eighth notes/rest. Duets; rounds. 4/4; 2/4 time. Add concert pitches of C, Bb, A. | 1st & 2nd endings; Internal repeats; moving 8th notes. Dotted half notes. Slurs, ties. ¾ time. Begin to work on Winter Concert music. | Forte/piano; Key signature Concert pitches of G & E. |
| Beginning Drums (drums & mallets are taught together) | Assemble instrument; Correct sticking on drums & mallets. Use of quarter notes for correct stroke. | 4/4; duets; Alternating Sticking. Bass drum; Half notes; Accents; Paradiddles. | Flams & paradiddles, Flam-taps. 8th notes & rests. Winter concert Music. | Internal repeats; 1st & 2nd endings. ¾ time. |
| Cadet Woodwind Brass Mallets | Review of previous concepts. Cut time. Sixteenth notes. | 8th & 16th note rhythmic patterns. | Key of C scale. Winter Concert music | Enharmonic notes/chromatic scale with chromatic fingerings. |
| Cadet Percussion | Review of previous concepts. Cut time. | Single Paradiddles. | Double and triple paradiddle s. Winter Concert music. | Buzz rolls/Counted rolls. |
| Concert Woodwinds & Brass Mallets | Major & minor scales, using the Circle of 4th. Articulation techniques: basic (6th grade); Advanced (7th grade); Mastery (8th grade). Etudes. Melodies. Winter Concert. | Small ensemble/solo Festival. Archdiocesan Band Festival Spring Concert Picnic parade marching. | ||
| Drums (must also play mallets) | All drumrudiments played at appropriate level. Ability to play various percussion instruments. Winter Concert. | Small Ensemble/solo Festival Archdiocesan Band Festival Spring Concert Picnic parade marching |
2nd Trimester
| November | December | January | February | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Beginner Woodwind & Brass Mallets | Pick-up notes; Fermata Ritardando; Natural sign; Concert Ab. | Recognize a scale a& scale pattern/Bb concert scale. Concert Performance. Christmas music. | 8th note/8th rest. Concert A, Bb, G, F. Accidentals. Multiple measure rests. Staccato. Start Small ensemble. | Dotted quarter note. Concert D. Upper register in mallets. Spring Concert music. |
| Beginning Drums (drums & mallets are taught together) | Pick-up notes; Flam taps; Tambourine. | Forte & piano. Concert performance. Christmas music. | 8th note/8th rest. Flam accent. 16th notes/rest. Multiple measure rests. Start small ensemble. | Single measure repeat; Dotted quarter note. Spring concert music. |
| Cadet Woodwind Brass Mallets | Continue work on chromatic scale. Winter Concert music. | 3/8 & 6/8 time. Fun Christmas music. | Eb & F major scale. Small ensembles. | Dotted 8th & 16th note patterns. Spring Concert music. |
| Cadet Percussion | Continue work on rolls. Winter concert music | 3/8 & 6/8 time, with rolls. | Introduction to timpani. Bass clef. Small ensembles. | Dotted 8th and 16th note patterns. |
3rd Trimester
| February | March | April | May | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Beginner Woodwind & Brass Mallets | Dotted quarter note. Concert D. Upper register in mallets. Spring Concert music. | Small ensemble Festival. DS al Fine. DC al Fine. Crossing the break with clarinets. | Syncopated Rhythms. Syncopated Rhythms | More syncopation. Spring Concert. |
| Beginning Drums (drums & mallets are taught together) | Single measure repeat; Dotted quarter note. Spring concert music. | Small Ensemble Festival. DS al Fine. DC al Fine. 16th notes. 5 & 9 stroke rolls. | Syncopated Rhythms. Syncopated Rhythms. | 13 stroke rolls. Long rolls. More syncopation. |
| Cadet Woodwind Brass Mallets | Dotted 8th & 16th note patterns. Spring Concert music. | Small Ensemble festival. Key signatures Triplets. | Concert Ab, C major scale. | Introduce jazz idioms & "vocabulary of jazz". Spring Concert. |
| Cadet Percussion | Dotted 8th & 16th note patterns. | Small Ensemble festival. Triplets. | Drum cadence, marching percussion. 7 stroke roll. | Drags/ruffs. Spring concert. |