Welcome To The

Elkins High School Band

It’s a great day to be a Knight!

Spring Tryout Information

You’ve made one of the best and most important decisions of your school career –

to continue with band in high school!

Here are some things to keep in mind about high school band:

Being in band is FUN!!! Improving and achieving success is FUN!!! Working hard with your friends toward a common goal is FUN!!! Band is a class! You earn a grade as well as Fine Arts and PE credit for

participation. Practice is your homework, so make time each day like you would for Math or English.

Band is an academic and artistic sport! You can earn your Varsity Letter Jacket in band just like athletics.

No person can learn to play an instrument well overnight. It’s a learned skill that takes time and consistent effort. The older you get, the more you’ll want to do and the more will be expected of you. Like any other skill, it takes PRATICE, PRACTICE, PRACTICE, PRACTICE, and still more PRACTICE!

Everyone in the Elkins Band is expected to give their best effort during every rehearsal. Anything less than 100% is never accepted.

There is a place for EVERYONE in the Elkins Band who is cooperative and willing to work!

Band is a full year commitment—marching band in the fall & concert band in the spring.

Here are some things to keep in mind as you get ready for your tryout:

To make Symphonic or Concert Band, you only have to play 7 major scales plus your chromatic scale (ranges and scales names given later in this packet) plus learn the tryout etude (given later in this packet).

To qualify for Honors Band you must play all 12 major scales and the chromatic scale (all by memory), plus the tryout etude.

EVERYONE CAN LEARN SCALES! (Just like everyone can learn multiplication tables, computer keyboard skills, even a foreign language!) It may seem frustrating sometimes, but if you won’t give up, you’ll get your scales learned and then just watch how much more fun playing your instrument becomes!

Learning scales takes discipline and “stick-to-it-iveness”. It shows you are capable of completing a task on your own.

The marching band is made of up students who qualify for one of our three bands (Honors, Symphonic, & Concert Band).

Most 8th graders will make Symphonic or Concert Band at the May audition. There will be many opportunities to advance!

Band in high school is like having one big

family! You’ll instantly have new friends

and a place to belong. You’ll meet kids

who have already taken the classes and had

the teachers you’re about to have. You’re

never far from someone eager to help make

your transition to high school fun!

Everyone who makes Honors, Symphonic, & Concert Bands is automatically a member of the marching band and will be considered for a marching spot in

next year’s show!

Symphonic/Concert Band

“All I have to do is play 7 major scales correctly plus my chromatic scale and I’M IN! I’m eligible to earn a spot in the Marching Band, and I’ll earn my PE and Fine Arts credit, plus I’ll begin earning points toward my Varsity Letter Jacket!

Honors Band

“I’ll play all 12 major scales plus my chromatic scale, by memory if I can, and I’ll work up the tryout etude. I know that very few eighth graders will make Honors Band in May, so if I’m not selected right now, I’ll still have the chance to advance at the semester. And since I’ve learned my scales, I’m eligible for a spot in the Marching Band. I’ll earn my PE and Fine Arts credit, plus I’ll begin earning points toward my Varsity Letter jacket!”

“I’m about to be a new member of the Elkins Band! I’ve decided I’m trying out for…..”

QUESTIONS? & ANSWERS!

Q: What if I try out for Honors Band and I don’t make it? Will I still be eligible for Symphonic Band? A: YES! As long as you played 7 scales plus your chromatic scale correctly, you’re in! Q: Suppose I try out for Symphonic Band and I don’t get all my scales learned. Can I still be in band? A: Sure! You will be put in Concert Band and we’ll help you with your skills so that you’ll have the chance to advance at the semester. Q: What exactly are the scale requirements? A: These scales are the minimum expectation. These pitches are concert pitch!

F, Bb, Eb, Ab, C, G, D, Chromatic You should try to play each scale at least two octaves if possible, if not, then just one octave.

Q: What are the scale requirements for Honors Band? A: If you’re trying out for Honors Band, you’ll play all 12 major scales plus your chromatic. Here are the ranges for your scales on your instrument (the number indicated is how many octaves that are required—you may do more if you choose).

Honors Band Scale Ranges

C Db D Eb E F Gb G Ab A Bb B Chromatic

Flute 2 2 2 2 2 2 2 2 2 1 1 1 Low C-Hi Ab

Oboe 2 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 2 2 Low C-Hi C

Bassoon 2 2 2 2 2 2 2 2 2 2 2 2 Low Bb-Hi F

Clarinet 2 2 2 2 3 3 2 2 2 2 2 2 Low E-Hi E

Bass Clarinet 2 1 1 2 2 2 2 2 2 2 2 2 Low E-Hi C

Saxophone 2 2 2 2 2 2 1 1 1 1 2 2 Low Bb-Hi F

Trumpet 1 1 1 1 1 1 2 2 1 1 1 1 Low F#-Hi G

French horn 1 1 1 1 1 2 2 2 1 1 1 1 Low F-Hi F

Trombone 1 1 1 1 2 2 2 2 1 1 1 1 Low E – Hi G

Euphonium 1 1 1 1 2 2 2 2 1 1 1 1 Low E – Hi G

Tuba 1 1 1 1 2 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 Low E- Hi G

Percussion 2 2 2 2 2 2 2 2 2 2 2 2 2 octaves

Q: When and where are the tryouts? A: The Elkins directors will come to your middle school during your regular band class starting May 15. Q: Do I only get once chance to try out? A: Since there are only 3 directors and so many students to hear, it gets pretty difficult to hear people more than once. We can hear you again during Summer Band if feel you didn’t play your best. REMEMBER: We ALWAYS look for the good things you do! Q: What else do I need to know to get started? A: There are a few really important dates coming up…. Friday, May 12, 2017 – 5:30pm to 8:00pm Saturday, May 13, 2017 – 9:00am to 2:00pm (lunch provided) Wear shorts & tennis shoes and REMEMBER TO BRING YOUR INSTRUMENT! Wear sunscreen, a hat, and sun glasses. Bring a water bottle filled with ice and water ONLY!

Saturday, May 13, 2017 – 2:00 pm: Parent meeting for ALL Elkins Band & Color Guard students. Information concerning the fall semester will be distributed and discussed at this meeting, including a schedule of activities. Monday, July 31 – Friday, August 4, 2017: Summer Band! 8:00 am to 4:00pm Daily (Monday – Friday) We will begin putting the music to the marching drill during these days. Once school starts, we will practice daily after school. Our first performance will be the 1st week of school! Monday, August 7 – Friday, August 11, 2017: Summer Band 1:00 pm to 8:30 pm Monday, August 14 – Friday, August 18, 2017: Summer Band (during teacher inservice) 5:00pm to 8:30pm Q: What if I blew it and didn’t sign up for band? Can I still sign up? A: ABSOLUTELY! Contact Mr. Collins or Mr. Bhuyan and let us know! Then show up for the May camp. We will make a schedule change into band for you. Q: I really would like to be involved in many activities in high school. Can I do these activities and still be in band? A: It is possible to participate in other school organizations & activities in addition to band. It will work with some, but not all athletic organizations. Elkins offers numerous clubs for students to participate in. It is the responsibility of the student to choose activities that will have minimal conflicts with attendance requirements for band. Communicating ahead of time with the band director is key to making this work. Please let us know if you are planning on being involved in a sport. Q: When will I find out my band placement? A: Audition results should be finalized and posted after Memorial Day weekend. Information will be sent to all Middle schools.

Anything you do that’s worthwhile – working to make good grades, being a trustworthy friend, becoming a good player on your instrument – requires dedication and effort. The fun of being in band is sometimes like the fun of a day at the beach or the fun of a ride on a roller coaster. But sometimes the fun of band comes just from being good at what you do; through realizing the results of the effort you put forth to accomplish something all for yourself. The fun of the beach only lasts while you’re there (well, maybe for a little while longer when you talk with your friends about how much fun you had!). And the fun of the roller coaster only lasts until your stomach says “ENOUGH ALREADY!” But the fun of band lasts FOREVER because band is MUSIC! Band is EMOTION! BAND is TEAMWORK! Band is FAMILY! BAND is FUN! Band requires EFFORT to produce RESULTS and that’s what makes it FUN!!!!

EFFORT Effort is spending time and energy for something worthwhile. Because you make sacrifices to become good, your effort means something – it’s valuable!

RESULTS Results happen when you refuse to quit. Your effort sometimes takes a while to show its benefit (kind of like planting a garden and waiting for seeds to sprout – sometimes you just got to do the right things and wait for stuff to happen.

FUN Fun is being good at what you do. The price you pay for this kind of fun is effort and patience! And since you’re going to be in band in high school, YOU’VE ALREADY FIGURED THAT OUT! Pretty smart!

Effort

Results Fun

BAND!

Your audition/placement in the Elkins Band will be based on participation& attendance at a few percussion camps in April/May. Our school year starts with marching band. Percussionists perform in one of two sections during marching season: Battery or Front Ensemble. The battery is made up of the drums (snare, tenor, bass). The front ensemble is made up of the keyboard, electronic, and auxiliary instruments. The purpose of the April/May percussion camps is to thoroughly test out each person on various percussion instruments to see where you will be the most successful. In the spring, students will audition and be placed in the appropriate ensemble based on their skill level. Placement will be based on not only playing ability, but attendance, work ethic, and academic eligibility. Percussionist, please plan on attending these days in the Elkins Band Hall. Bring your sticks, mallets, and a pad: April 4 – 5pm-7pm April 11 – 5pm-7pm April 18 – 5pm-7pm April 25 – 5pm-7pm May 16 – 5pm-7pm May 23 – 5pm-7pm You also need to attend the May Marching Camp on May 12 & 13. Questions can be directed to Mr. Bhuyan – areef.bhuyan@fortbendisd.com