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Goal

The objective of this grant is to improve the sight-reading skills of middle school band students. Sight-reading is the ability to perform new music with fluency and few technical errors and requires students to “read the notes” instead of labeling the “letter names” on their music. Just as reading new books can help develop a student’s vocabulary, reading new music daily will help develop the music literacy and performance ability of a young band student. In his book, “The Sight Reading Book for Band,” Jerry West offers 100 sight reading examples that gradually increase in difficulty. These exercises can be incorporated into the band classroom’s daily warm up routine while meeting the following state standards:
1. MU.68.S.3 – Through purposeful practice, artists learn to manage, master, and refine simple, then complex, skills and techniques.
2. MU. 68.S.3.3 – Sight-read standard exercises and simple repertoire.
Each year, school bands across the state attend their District Music Performance Assessments and are required to perform before adjudicators (certified by the Florida Bandmasters Association) who critique and score them on their ability to perform music. 25% of their total score is based on sight-reading two pieces of music that they have never before seen. The director and students are given 5 minutes to discuss each piece before performing. In order for students to be successful in the sight reading session, a strong foundation in performance fundamentals, performance technique, and musical concepts must be established in each member of the group.
 

 

Category

Class Furniture - Carpets, choral risers, transitional seating/desks, etc. 

 

What will be done with my students

With “The Sight Reading Book for Band,” the 57 members of the Advanced Concert Band will practice the process of sight-reading 2 to 3 times a week as part of their warm up routine. After using the books for some time, students will be asked to practice sight-reading with other sheet music in order to prepare them for the music they will see at their Music Performance Assessments in March. These books will also become and permanent part of the music library and will be used every year throughout the entire school year. Eighth graders will be able to pick up with the exercises where they left off in their seventh grade year. An estimate of 55 – 80 students will be using this resource each year.
To measure individual progress, students will be asked to sight read short musical examples in small groups every two weeks. Students will be graded on their technical accuracy of the musical elements that are found on the Florida Bandmasters Association Adjudicator’s Sight Reading Sheet: Key Signatures, Note accuracy, Meter, Rhythm, Technique, Dynamics, etc… These performance quizzes will help monitor which musical elements need more attention. In March, students will attend the Music Performance Assessment and sight reading two pieces of music for a score and evaluation.  

 

Benefits to my students

The expected outcome is that the 57 advanced band students will have a strong foundation of music sight reading and will receive a score** of "Superior or Excellent" at the District Music Performance Assessment.

**Florida Bandmaster Association scores bands with ratings one through five with the following meanings:
1 - Superior
2 - Excellent
3 - Good
4 - Fair
5 - Poor 

 

Budget Narrative

The Sight Reading Book for Band by Jerry West
Published by Wingert-Jones Publications
64 students books (variety of instruments) at $9.95 each plus the conductor/teacher's score at $38.00.
Instruments needed include: Flute, Oboe, Clarinet 1, Clarinet 2, Bass Clarinet, Alto Sax 1, Alto Sax 2, Tenor Sax, Baritone Saxophone, Trumpet 1, Trumpet 2, French Horn 1, French Horn 2, Trombone 1, Trombone 2, Baritone B.C., Baritone T.C., Tuba, Snare Drum, Bass Drum, Aux. Percussion, Mallet Percussion, Timpani
The books are available at www.jwpepper.com 

 

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