Students who have limited or no experience in an ensemble are in our beginner band program. We learn the basics of band rehearsal, performance, sight-reading, and the fundamentals of music in general. Our curriculum is the Essential Elements for Band 2000. As the students progress through the music in the book, they come to a point where they can play polyrhythmic and polyphonic music, knowing how to play all the notes in the concert Bb major scale, accidentals, and whole, half, quarter, eighth, and sixteenth notes and rests with varying dynamics and articulations. We perform publicly each semester at least once. Weekly playing tests occur throughout the year where students are assessed on pitch, rhythm, articulation, dynamic (when applicable) accuracy, posture, and overall attention to the conductor's cues. 

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Weekly playing tests (some tests include excerpts from concert music): 

Week 1: Essential Elements (EE) 2

Week 2: EE 4

Week 3: EE 6

Week 4: EE 8

Week 5: EE 10

Week 6: EE 12

Week 7:EE 14

Week 8: EE 16

Week 9: EE 17

Week 10: EE 18 

Week 11: EE 20

Week 12: EE 21

Week 13: EE 22

Week 14:EE 23

Week 15: EE 24

Week 16: EE 25

Week 17: EE 26

Week 18: EE 27

Week 19: EE 28

Week 20:EE 29

Week 21: EE 30

Week 22: EE 31

Week 23: EE 32

Week 24: EE 33

Week 25:EE 34

Week 26: EE 35

Week 27:EE 36

Week 28: Cumulative Playing Test 

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