Wonderful Concert

Thanks for a wonderful concert last night. I thought all the students did a wonderful job and the turnout was great. I really appreciate the help moving the equipment back to the band room! Because of this, I was able to get home about 10 instead of midnight!

Along with the large turnout come some other problems, such as noise. Look back here in the next week or two about some information concerning concert etiquette, or behavior.

I hope everyone has a great break, a happy holiday season and safe travels wherever they may be going!

Snow Days Make Scheduling Messes!

Well, after it took me an hour and a half to shovel, I suppose it is a good thing there is no school. However, this does have an effect on our rehearsals! I figured I would post some logistical info today to help everyone for Monday.

7-8 choir should be in the choir room by 6:30 for warm up on Monday
6-8 band students are meeting in Mr. Ruden's room by 6:40 on Monday
5th grade band students will be meeting in the lunchroom

All rehearsals will be in the gym on Monday, regardless of what period class happens. JAZZ BAND WILL NOT MEET BEFORE SCHOOL MONDAY. We will rehearse during RAPP.

Hopefully everyone has a good and safe weekend and is ready for a great concert on Monday!

Fine High School Concert

I went to a fine holiday concert tonight at the high school. It's always nice to hear group in which you are not involved perform. It is also a good opportunity for students to hear other groups and form opinions about performances and the student's own work.

There has been a change in Wednesday's plan for caroling. Due to the cold weather, the event has been cancelled.

Choir and Carols

I apologize for the sporadic posting lately, but the holidays get really busy sometimes!

This coming Wednesday, the 7th-8th grade choir is going to be traveling to sing for some of the Mingo senior citizens! We will be singing a couple of our pieces for the winter concert, as well as some traditional holiday carols. It should be a good chance for us to practice for an audience, as well as spread some holiday cheer!

Rieman Music

I have added a link on the middle school website (http://cmmiddle.colfax-mingo.iowapages.org/) to Rieman Music. Jim Dunn stops by the school weekly to help make sure we have everything we need. If you get a chance, their website has been recently upgraded and looks much improved. Definately worth a look!

End of the Quarter Projects

With the end of the quarter approaching, I wanted to take a minute and remind about the projects that are due each quarter. In the handbook, there are a list of options or suggestions for projects. In order to receive an "A," 6th grade students need to do one project per quarter--7/8 students need to do two.

There is a high school concert on Monday the 15th and that would be a great opportunity to get a project done. Get a review sheet from Mr. Wipperman or download it on the Band and Choir page of the website!

Solos--and a PIANO PLAYER NEEDED

7-8 band students have been receiving solos this week. The students have to options whether to do a solo or be a part of a small group, but students must do something. Solos and small ensembles give students a chance to develop other skills that aren't focused on throughout the year, such as independence of parts, confidence, presentation skills and other skills not necessarily first thought of relating to music. Many of the skills that go along with these groups translate very well to skills students will need to be successful in other areas of life!

In addition to students playing, solos are accompanied by a piano player. Ask any one of the students and they will tell you that my piano skills are NOT at a level where I can accompany them for a performance. This leads me to say:

I AM IN NEED OF A PIANO PLAYER OR 2 TO HELP ME ACCOMPANY STUDENTS FOR THEIR SOLOS!

If you are interested, give me an email or phone call at school and I'll be glad to put you to work!

Morning Jazz Band and Information

Just thought I would make a quick note, since the weather is getting a little more winter-like. On days where there is a late start, there will be NO jazz rehearsal. This just makes my life a little easier if my drive to school is going to be rough. Hopefully it does the same for you.

On the Band/Choir page of the school website, there is a note about the concert on Dec. 22. So far, it has just gone out to choir students, but the information is pretty much the same. This will be the first concert where I am kind of doing everything, so I am still working out the logistics of that night. Hopefully, I'll get everything figured out in the next week or so.

The word of the week this week is QUINTET.

Practicing

Getting students to practice is one of the most frustrating parts of my job. It's not always fun to do, students have to make time to do it and it must become a habit. Sometimes middle school students just don't want to do it. Plain and simple. The fact of the matter is, sometimes they just need to be told to do it--even if it means setting the timer for 15 or 20 minutes. The way I look at it, practicing an instrument is their band homework. Just as it is important to do math and English homework, the same is true for playing an instrument. Students aren't going to get better at skills that they don't practice.

I understand that there are a lot of things that take time in today's world, but homework is important. The following link is an article about some research done showing the relationship between practicing and increased test scores. It's really interesting because more areas appear to be impacted than previously thought! More evidence of the importance of music in schools and practicing at home!

http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2008/11/081104132916.htm

Have a great Thanksgiving!

Solo/Ensemble, Butterbraids, Word of the Week

7-8 band students are to sign up this week for solo/ensemble options. Every 7-8 student is required to participate in some way, but students may choose whether to work on a solo or in a small group. The group must get approved by me, mainly for music selection reasons. I am hoping to have students with copies of music during the first week in December. The festival will be at the beginning of February and will again be at PCM. This year, however, it will be on a weekday night.

ButterBraids will be delivered to the school on Friday. Hopefully they will be packed up, ready to go right at the end of the day--I probably won't be getting back to the middle school with them until about 3, so it may be a tight squeeze. Students should stop by the band room during RAPP to have them picked up.

This week's Word of the Week is SOLI.

Des Moines Register Column

I encourage everyone to read the column at the following link. Diane Franken is the Executive Director for the Iowa Alliance for Arts Education. The article is well written and a great example of the roll that the arts play in the education of our students! It ran in the Des Moines Register today, November 17th.

http://www.desmoinesregister.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=2008811170313

Play along online

I had intended to write more this weekend, but have not been feeling well.

In my searching for interesting things online, I discovered a website called www.mrgolding.com. This site has some fun basic songs for brass instruments, but what is neat is that the songs have accompaniment that plays along online. Just be sure to select the correct instrument! Christmas songs have just been posted! It may take some time to load, but it is worth exploring!

Karl Killinger

I was going to post something else this evening, but as I was reading the Des Moines Register today, I noticed the passing of an important individual.

Karl Killinger was a band director in the central part of the state for many, many years. He grew up being around one of the most famous Iowa composers--Karl King. He was quite a musician in his own right, winning competitions on several different instruments.

As I was reading his obituary in the Register, I noticed something particularly interesting--Mr. Killinger was a one-time band director at Mingo High School! While I never met Mr. Killinger, he was well known in his profession and good at what he did. It is a loss for the music education community, as well as for Mingo, Iowa.

Details for the week

Sorry it has been a week since I have posted! Many things taking up my time.

Due to a Veteran's Day assembly at the high school on Tuesday, there will be no jazz band at Mingo on Tuesday morning. Transportation issues won't allow for rehearsal to happen.

This coming Wednesday is an early out. If you remember, the last early out day had students with lessons the first half of each period having their lessons. This time it is those who usually have lessons the second half of each period with lessons. Those sutents should come to the band room right away at the beginning of the period. Students who usually have lessons at the beginning of the period will not have lessons this week.

Look for some interesting postings later in the week!

Miscellaneous Items

A couple reminders--

Fundraiser forms are due back for band students on Monday, November. 3rd

There will be no jazz band on Wednesday, November 5th. There WILL be jazz band tomorrow, November, 3rd.

Jazz and Reminder

There was a great article in the Des Moines Register on Tuesday about the "First Family of Jazz" in Iowa--the Oatts'. Definatly worth reading.

http://www.desmoinesregister.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=200881029012

Notice that in the picture, all the students are sitting up straight and have great posture!

A reminder that if students are selling butter braids, the order forms and money are due on Monday, Nov. 3rd!

Fundraiser

Every year, the middle school band students have the opportunity to participate in one of the high school music department's fundraisers. Participation is totally optional. Students will receive approximately 50% of their total sales in an individual account that can be used to purchase items such as reeds, valve oil, lesson books, metronomes, etc. These accounts will follow students through high school.

The high school started selling frozen butter braids on Friday and we will begin tomorrow, Oct. 28th. The turn in date for order forms in Monday, November 3rd. This gives the high school students an opportunity to sell first, as the middle school students use the funds for smaller items and not trips. We expect delivery shortly before Thanksgiving, so please plan on taking home what is sold and deliver it--otherwise I will have a lot of butter braids to haul home to my freezer!

As I said, this is a completely optional fundraiser--it is not required. Proceeds go to individual accounts for use for individual purchases for supplies.

Here is a link to their website: http://www.butterbraid.com/

Links and other things

I found a couple of links that are really interesting. The first is an article for this past Sunday Register about Des Moines Symphony Conductor Joseph Giunta. A nice look at some of the world of conducting.

http://www.desmoinesregister.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=2008810190304

The second is a story, also from the Des Moines Register about the Adair-Casey band program. Kind of an interesting look on the small school perspective about marching contest.

http://www.desmoinesregister.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=2008810190338

It is nice to see music featured so nicely in the paper!

In addition, the word of the week is ADAGIO.

End of the Quarter

The end of the quarter is fast approaching. I thought I would take this opportunity to remind students and parents about the "extra items" that are due at the end of the semester. In the band handbook, which can be found at the CM Middle School website, there is a page explaining the quarter project policy. My intent is to get students involved in some other aspect of music that may interest them that we would not otherwise have time to discuss. With lessons/practice calendars/concerts/etc., the point total each quarter is about 120/150. In order to achieve the full 150, students need to choose up to 2 projects to be completed each quarter.

There is a list of suggested items in the handbook on the middle school website, but this list is by no means a be-all-end-all. If students have other suggestions, they should run them by me--more than likely, I will say that it is ok. Again, my goal is to encourage students to get involved or interested in some other aspect of music that we would not have time to delve into during class time.

Wassail

The 7-8 choir is working on the song "Here We Come A Wassailing." Last week we discussed the origin of the word wassail and on Monday I brought wassail for the students. The wassail is an apple based beverage, heated to keep carolers warm during their trek outside. Several students really enjoyed it, so I am posting the recipe below. Incorporating other experiences is a great way for students to make connections to the history and other aspects of the song.

2 quarts of apple cider
1 cup lemon juice
1 cup orange juice
1 cup pineapple juice
2 tsp whole cloves
2/3 cup of sugar
3 cinnamon sticks

Heat for an hour, stirring occasionally! Enjoy!

Word of the Week for Oct. 13th

The word of the week this week is Tutti.

More Jazz Info

Sorry it took me so long to get the rest of the info up!

Students should enter the elementary through the doors between the gym and the lunch room. Most of the time, I'll be there about 10 minutes before 7, so the doors will be unlocked in plenty of time. I am more than willing to take big instruments in my car (bass, bari sax, etc.) so they don't have to be transported on the bus. Students should be responsible for their own smaller instruments (trumpets, saxes, trombones). Rehearsals will last about half an hour, so it is important to arrive and be ready to play at 7:15. I understand how early in the morning this is, but there really is no other good time for rehearsals.

As far as adverse weather, on days when school is delayed or cancelled, there will NOT be jazz band. Setting this policy makes life easier for everyone involved--including me. Should there be some other need to cancel, I will try to announce it the day before in school and put something on the website and this blog. If I don't have a chance to announce it in school, I have a list of phone numbers so I can call students and let them know!

I am really excited about the number of students signed up this year!!! I think we are in for a good time with some good music!

Wednesday Early Outs

Wednesday early outs for teacher inservice can really put a wrench in the lesson schedule. Since the periods are only 20 minutes long, it is really difficult to get the usual lesson schedule to roll smoothly. What I end up doing is breaking with our usual schedule to use the following policy.

The first early out of the year (today) people who have lessons the first half of each period come for their lessons. Those with lessons the second half of each period are excused. For the early out in November, we will switch, with those having lessons the second half of each hour having lessons, while those with lessons the first half are excused. Eventually this will work its way out through the year.

While I understand it can be confusing at times, especially since students need to remember what period they usually have band as opposed to what time, it really gives the best possibilities for student learning.

Word of the Week

I had a request to put the Word of the Week on the blog, so I will do my best to start doing that!

This week's word is: Largo

The word of the weeks is something that I started this year to help students remember musical terminology. Below are the rules I handed out to students at the beginning of the year.

Word of the Week Rules:

Every Monday, a new word will appear on the board. Follow these steps:

Write the word down
Find the definition on your own time
Write that definition next to the word
Put your name and grade on the paper
Deposit the paper in the word box before Friday of that week

During rehearsals on Friday, Mr. Wipperman will select one correct answer at random per band (one from 6th grade band, one from 7/8 band) from all the correct answers and the winner will receive a prize. If the person can recite the definition from memory on Friday, they can do one of the following things:

Take another prize
Trade their 2 prizes for a bigger prize
Keep their initial prize and receive extra credit toward their lessons

If the student can’t remember the definition, he/she still keeps their prize for having their answer drawn. Must be present to win. All decisions of the director are final.

Jazz Band

It has finally come to that time of year where we start jazz band. I have tried to put off starting rehearsals until the fall athletic seasons are winding down. Especially at the beginning of the year, a lot of things get thrown at students. My hope is that not starting until mid-October will allow students a chance to get settled in and comfortable in the school year.

I put a sign-up sheet on the closet door in the band room today. Jazz band will start next week, Oct. 13th, at 7:15 at the elem. in Colfax. We will rehearse there on Monday and Wednesday mornings at 7:15. We will finish by 7:45 so that students can get on the buses in Colfax for their trip to Mingo. Mingo rehearsals will start at 7:30 since there are no transportation considerations. My hope is that having 3 rehearsals available, students will be able to attend 2 per week--that is, there is no need to get up 3 mornings per week!

We are going to learn about several different styles of music and will perform at concerts in December and May for sure, as well as the possibility of March. Later this week I'll post more information concerning details because this has become longer than I originally intended! On a final note, a special thanks to Mr. Summy and the elementary for letting us use the music room in the mornings!

7-8 Choir Music

Here are links to some of the songs the 7-8 choir is working on this sememster. If you can't play these, go to jwpepper.com and search for the song titles (sometimes you have to search a little to find the correct one! Everything we are performing is 2 part music.)

Snow is Falling Still
www.jwpepper.com/ram/3286390.ram

The Polar Express: A Choral Medley (This recording is 4 voice parts--we are only performing 2 voice parts, but there is no recording of that. Sorry!)
www.jwpepper.com/ram/3302568.ram

Antiphonal Gloria--I haven't found a recording of this piece as of yet.

My hope is to add one more piece to the 7-8 choir, so we will have 4 songs at the concert, but I have yet to narrow it down. Hopefully soon.

Homecoming

This coming week is homecoming week, and that always provides for some interesting experiences. I have to admit that I am glad school picture day is not the same as "bad hair day." Providing that everything goes as usual, the middle school band will play the school song for a pep assembly on Friday when the seniors come back to the middle school. This is our first "performance" of the year and I am always excited to see how things will fit together.

On Thursday, October 2nd, come to the high school between 5 and 7 and support the Music Boosters by eating at their Beefburger Supper!

Another big thank you to those who came out to conferences! Teacher/parent communication is really important in the education of students! Again, if you have suggestions for improving the experience, please contact the staff or administration at the middle school.

Conferences

The first night of conferences has come and gone and it was good to see some of you there! I know that not everyone likes the way conferences get formatted, but it is hard to find a solution that is good for everyone all the time. If you have any suggestions on what would make them better, please let me or another faculty member at the middle school know. We all would love for parents to come talk to us. We all play a big role in the educational process. Communication is one of the most important steps!

I look forward to visiting with many of you tomorrow, as well. Most of the time, I will be out in the band room. If I am not there, I have probably run inside to use the restroom, grab some food or peeked in to see how the volleyball game is going. I'll try to make myself obvious!

Choir

I'm sorry, but I haven't posted much about choir yet. It isn't that I don't have things to say--time just sort of gets in the way sometimes. I am really pleased with the effort that the students in 7-8 choir. I went into this year not knowing what was really going to happen, but the students have really stepped up and make most days very enjoyably. :) We have only 3 guys in a group of about 30, but it's great to have them in there. I would love for more guys to be a part of the choir! Right now we are working on music for our winter concert on Dec. 22nd.

As an aside, I am sorry I have not posted any grades for the 7-8 choir on ParentOnline. I am still trying to figure out the best way to put the grades into the system, as choir doesn't necessarily fit the "conventional" grading system. If there is a question or concern, please give me a call or email and I'd be glad to talk to you. I am really looking for the best way to put those up and as soon as I do, I'll get them posted! Thanks for your patience.

I'll try to get links to the songs we are singing in case you would like to listen.

Music in our lives

Before I jump in on the importance of music, I thought I would share a reminder about conferences. Next Monday and Tuesday, please take time to come in a talk during conferences. 7th and 8th grade teachers have some scheduled times and some open times to come in and talk. I'll be out in the band room, and I'll have open time between 4-5 and 6-7 both nights.

As I mentioned in the last post, it was great to have Ms. Lau play along on the fight song the other day at our assembly. I know that she really enjoyed it. Music--whether it is singing or playing--is one of those things that you can do and enjoy throughout life. Not that you have to haul out you trumpet after it has been sitting in the attic for 30 years (not that it would be a bad thing), but even the appreciation for the work and skill it takes to produce something that surrounds nearly every aspect of our lives is important.

I understand that very few people go on and have a career in music, but everyone encounters music on a daily basis. Whether radio, TV, movies, iPods, an elevator or so many more situations, music is all around us. It brings joy, recalls important events, reminds us of those gone before and is a great way to relax. While I don't have a list of Presidents who were singers, the list of those who played instruments is quite interesting:

Thomas Jefferson played violin, Woodrow Wilson played violin, Harry Truman and Richard Nixon were pianists, Bill Clinton plays the sax and it has been rumored that Warren Harding sat in on rehearsals with "The President's Own."

Perhaps the most important thing music does is span country language and culture barriers. Trips by orchestras to countries have opened the way for dialogue and other interactions with countries with whom we would otherwise never talk to. The New York Philharmonic relatively recently performed in North Korea to standing ovations--not necessarily the response Americans would typically receive.

Music is all around. It is a part of every life, whether it is our profession, our passion, our hobby or our fun. Educating our students about it is even more important, whether they become teachers or Presidents of the US or anything in between.

www.playpiano.com/Articles/presidents-music.htm

Iowa/I-State Friday

The last day of school before the game is always interesting. It is really fun to see all the students decked out in cardinal and gold and old gold and black. It really is fun, but sometimes it is hard to keep the focus on learning. For me, one of the highlights is playing each school song at the pep assembly in the afternoon. This year, for my first time at CM, I had students come down and play with me! It was great that even though the Cyclones had considerably fewer representatives in the students body, there were several who wanted to play the fight song with me. I commend them on their effort and enthusiasm! It takes courage to come in front of your peers and perform a song that you haven't spent much time practicing. The same goes for the 3 that came down to join me for the Hawkeye song. That song is much more difficult, especially since in is written in 6/8 time--something we don't talk a whole lot about at the middle school level.

On a side note, it was great to have Ms. Lau, a former Cyclone Marching Band member, join us for their song. Music really can follow you through your life. This brings me to an interesting point which I will write more about in the next couple of days. I am glad we have reached the weekend, and GO HAWKS!

Wednesday Surprise

By now most of you have probably discovered about the additive leak that caused the early dismissal from the middle school. The odor was quite strong, and as of Wednesday afternoon, is still present--although less obvious. Hopefully tomorrow everything will be back to normal. I am using this time to update some information on peoples' computers, as well as cleaning up and organizing the band and choir rooms. It is amazing how quickly things become messy. But then again, with chairs, instruments, stands, music and other assorted items, there is a lot that can be put in the wrong place.

7th and 8th grade parents, we are scheduling conferences again this year, but we hope that allowing you to schedule the time will encourage you to come and talk about your student. All the details are on the middle school website. We would really like to see a large turnout as this is a great way for parents to talk to teachers and vice versa.

I hope the students enjoyed their suprise time off. I am ready to get back at things tomorrow!

Website

If you like the new colors and design of the website, say a big "THANK YOU" to Mr. Ruden. He did an awesome job with it!

Fight Songs

The 7-8 band always starts the year working on the school fight song "Onward Tigerhawks" (On, Wisconsin), but as the time of the Iowa-Iowa St. game rolls around, I have some other fight songs available to all the band students. In case you aren't familiar, the Big Game gets played up a lot at the middle school. Everyone dresses in their favorite team's gear on the Friday prior to the game. The day concludes with a tug-of-war at each grade level between Cyclone and Hawkeye fans. After all the grades have gone, it's the faculty's turn. I am proud to say that they Hawks have won that one several years running.

I'll let the students know today, but I do have copies of each of the fight songs for Iowa and Iowa State available for each instrument. Just a fun way to cheer on your favorite!

Grades

As of this afternoon, most of the grades for classes I teach have been updated! Keep in mind that it is early in the quarter and one item can significantly alter the grade. As more things get entered, this will certainly change. If there are questions, please contact me, either through the comment function, email (bwipperman@mail.colfax-mingo.k12.ia.us) or phone (641-363-4282).

If you are reading this blog, you have probably found the middle school website. The site is consuming more of my time, as of late, trying to update, improve and make it more user friendly. If there are any requests or suggestions, please let me know. I'll see what I can do!

Handbook Forms

Just a reminder that Band Handbook forms were due today. I was pleased that several did come in--we have about 60% in. The real reason I ask that these be returned is that I want students and parents to know that all the grading requirements--including "extra" items and concert attendence--have been laid out ahead of time so there should be no suprises.

Hopefully the only suprise in band should be the winner of "Wipperman's Word of the Week," or "WOW," as I like to call it. It is an opportunity for students to learn (or maybe relearn) some of the important musical terminology in a fun sort of way. There is a new word each week. Students find the definition on their own time and deposit in a box. On Friday, we have a drawing. If the student whose name is drawn has the correct definition, they receive a small prize. Being able to recite the definition from memory can up their prize level! Each ensemble has one, but the 6th grade hasn't taken to it quite yet. 7-8 band averages between 10 and 15 entries in the first two weeks, with Tessa and Elissa winning the first two words (Allegro and poco a poco). It's something the students are enjoying and I am looking forward to seeing the results of this new knowledge in their performances!

Recordings of 7-8 Band music

If you would like to hear what the 7-8 band has been working on, here are links to audio recordings in RealAudio format. If you would like other options, just go to www.jwpepper.com and search for the titles of the songs!

A Childhood Hymn
www.jwpepper.com/ram/2252948.ram

A Redmond Legacy
www.jwpepper.com/ram/2475437.ram

The Great Locomotive Chase
www.jwpepper.com/ram/2439396.ram

Finally Up and Running

Well, it took considerably longer to get this blog up and running than I really wanted to, but I finally had a chance to sit down and get it done. The plan is, throughout the year as regularly as possible, to update about what is going on in the CMMS music dept. 7-8 Band has become a daily class this year, as opposed to every other. I am really excited about the possibilities that will be available through this change. We are working on several songs and I will link audio recordings of the pieces when I get a chance.

6th grade band is up and running too, and we have now had 2 days of actual playing. The group is a little smaller this year, but I am hoping to encourage some of those who didn't continue from 5th grade to rejoin us!

This year I have also taken on the challenge of directing the middle school choirs. 6th grade choir is a required class and students attend once per week. They 6th graders will perform at 2 concerts, one in December and the other in May.

I am excited about the possibilities of the 7-8 choir. There are about 30 energetic students who are willing and excited to learn.

As the year goes, be sure to check the CM website for updates about upcoming events, and I will also try to highlight those here. Right now, band students need to return their band handbook forms by this Friday!

I look to add pictures and maybe recordings of rehearsals as we go through the year! Check back often for updates!