Off topic - the weekend finally ended last night

Joan E. wrote:
On Jan 23, 8:05 am, Ericka Kammerer wrote:

Don't hold your breath ;-) Listening to elementary strings
or winds is a labor of love. Count yourself lucky if you can identify
the tune.

My kids went to a K-12 school who had a *wonderful* band teacher.
Almost all the school kids started in band in the 5th grade and nearly
all of them were still in it their senior year. It was tradition that
at the 5th graders' first concert they played the Mickey Mouse
song. At the spring concert all the different bands played (grade
school, middle school and concert bands, plus the side bands like the
jazz band, trios, etc.) and it was fun to hear the progression in
their abilities.

She had nearly 300 kids in band. Many of her students starred in the
state competition. She also had "the look" that silenced everyone if
she noticed someone fooling around. Sadly, she retired in 2004, the
year before DD graduated. They've had problems trying to find someone
to fill her shoes ever since. No one has been able to get the music
abilities out of the current crop of kids like she did, nor able to
control that many students. The size and quality has dropped
considerably. Treasure a good music teacher!!!!

We're breaking in a new one at the middle school level--
came in part way through the school year, a mere week or two
before a concert! She comes of good stock, though. I used to
play for her father on occasion. He was very good and is just
retiring this year. I suspect she'll rise to the challenge,
but it'll take a bit of time before she's well settled in.
The high school band director is very, very good. All in all,
a good program and I'm pleased, even if hearing the concerts
is still a bit torturous. After the new director gets her
bearings more, I'm going to go in and work with the flutes
a bit, even.

Best wishes,
Ericka

On 1/23/08 4:47 PM, in article
, "Joan E."
wrote:

On Jan 23, 8:05 am, Ericka Kammerer wrote:

Don't hold your breath ;-) Listening to elementary strings
or winds is a labor of love. Count yourself lucky if you can identify
the tune.

My kids went to a K-12 school who had a *wonderful* band teacher.
Almost all the school kids started in band in the 5th grade and nearly
all of them were still in it their senior year. It was tradition that
at the 5th graders' first concert they played the Mickey Mouse
song. At the spring concert all the different bands played (grade
school, middle school and concert bands, plus the side bands like the
jazz band, trios, etc.) and it was fun to hear the progression in
their abilities.

She had nearly 300 kids in band. Many of her students starred in the
state competition. She also had "the look" that silenced everyone if
she noticed someone fooling around. Sadly, she retired in 2004, the
year before DD graduated. They've had problems trying to find someone
to fill her shoes ever since. No one has been able to get the music
abilities out of the current crop of kids like she did, nor able to
control that many students. The size and quality has dropped
considerably. Treasure a good music teacher!!!!

Joan


Really good teachers are hard to find - no matter the subject. Too bad she
didn't hang in there one more year.

C

On 1/23/08 6:08 PM, in article ,
"Ericka Kammerer" wrote:

Cheryl Isaak wrote:
On 1/23/08 9:05 AM, in article ,
"Ericka Kammerer" wrote:

Cheryl Isaak wrote:

I do realize that for many of these kids, it is the very first time they
performed in public and at least it was adoring families and understanding
parents. I'm just really hoping that is loads of improvement before the
spring concert.
Don't hold your breath ;-) Listening to elementary strings
or winds is a labor of love. Count yourself lucky if you can identify
the tune! I don't think it gets palatable until late high school,
if then. We just all go and applaud to support the effort and
provide some encouragement until then, bless their fuzzy little
hearts.

I've heard the efforts of the middle schoolers, they are in "band" 5 days a
week, plus most are in private lessons and all are supposed to practice 3+
hours a week. You can tell what they are playing - usually. The Londonderry
music program is quite well known at multiple levels. The marching band is
headed Beijing this summer and they play at the Rose Parade, Macy's
Thanksgiving Day Parade and more. The jazz ensemble has quite a few awards
in state and national competitions....

Even so, it's still painful (at least for this musician).
They've got a lot more ability at the middle school level, but
even then the intonation is off (drives me nuts), the rhythms
are rarely as precise as they could be (also drives me nuts),
and there's always a person or two who really has some issues ;-)
That's all to be expected, even among the best players at that
level, but it still sets my teeth on edge. I come, I support,
I applaud, but inwardly I still cringe a bit!


I think Tuesday night would have sent you running home then.

And Friends of Londonderry Music has
their hands out all the time.

But of course ;-) Support your local band!

When they support Friends of Londonderry Hockey? Actually, they do; we buy
glow sticks from them and they buy hotdogs and water from us.

C

On Jan 23, 5:11 pm, Ericka Kammerer wrote:
After the new director gets her bearings more, I'm going to go in and
work with the flutes a bit, even.

Good for you, Ericka! I'm sure she'll appreciate the help.

Joan