Wow! We are 2 weeks away from UIL and Pre-UIL is next week. Students are passing off their part assignments and rehearsals are increasingly more rigorous. The 7th graders are learning for the first time how to recognize and solve the smallest of details. Please join with the directors in encouraging the same rigorous practice at home as we are expecting in class. At the same time, be positive and let the students know how well they are doing.

Announcements

• Practice Card is due on Monday, February 22^nd
• Pass-offs will be during sectional time and class time.
• Reed instruments need to check their reeds. Now is the time to have plenty of available reeds as well as 4 GOOD reeds that are currently in use. Rotating 4 reeds daily will ensure your best sound and not put you in an emergency situation.

Upcoming Events

• Pre-UIL Concert, Thursday, February 25^th
• UIL Concert and Sight Reading Contest, Thursday, March 3^rd

Assignments

• Long tones (tone development), scales. Practice with a tuner and metronome.
• La Madre de los Gatos.- working for mastery of dynamics, articulation, and phrasing, quarter = 130
• The Steppes of Russia. working for mastery of dynamics, articulation, and phrasing, quarter = 130
• Grand Galop – working for mastery of dynamics, articulation, and phrasing, half = 85
• Students can go here to listen to recordings of our selections and play along. The password is 2016honorband