Summer School at Taylor Prairie

This summer, excited band students learned to assemble (and disassemble) their instruments and how to care for them. Next they learned how to hold the instruments correctly and how to blow into them the right way in order to make their first sounds on a band instrument.

Students reviewed the basics of reading music, and we learned about whole notes, half notes and quarter notes and rests. In just four weeks they all learned how to play 5 notes on their instruments, and are able to play songs out of both books. Some student favorites included "Hot Cross Buns," "Merrily We Roll Along," and "Good King Wenceslas." Hopefully you've heard some of these songs at home!

I took the following photos of the Taylor Prairie band students playing their instruments during the last couple of weeks of summer school. (Only students who returned the blog permission form are shown.) We had a lot of fun this summer and I'm looking forward to having band with them in September!

Flutes







Oboes

Clarinets

Alto Saxophones

Trumpets

Trombones & Bassoons

Tubas

Percussionists

6th-Grade Summer Band - June & July

For four weeks in June and July, most 6th-grade band students began learning their instruments by taking band in summer school. Students had small-group instruction daily for 2o minutes. They began by learning to assemble, disassemble, and care for their instruments. Students also learned to play with good tone, first on their mouthpieces and then on their instruments. Throughout summer school the students learned to read music notation as well. By the end of four weeks, they were able to play short songs from their band book. Some of their favorites were Hot Cross Buns, Au Claire De La Lune, and Merrily We Roll Along.

Mr. Dorn and Mr. Terhune taught the students at Taylor Prairie School and Mrs. Stone taught at Nichols School.