Music Program
McAuliffe Regional CPS has an active music program which includes the 6th Grade Band, the 7th and 8th Grade Band, and Chorus. The director is Chuck Gabriel, bassist, composer and Professor of Music at UMass-Lowell. Mr. Gabriel also leads The Chuck Gabriel Septet, which features his own compositions and includes many of Boston's top jazz musicians.
Mr. Gabriel's Practice Tips
The most important thing for a musician at any level is to have good practice habits. Steady improvement comes through regular work. Through a regular routine, a musician will develop the skills to give satisfying and musical performances. By coming to a rehearsal prepared, each musician in an ensemble helps to speed along the pace of the rehearsal so that the group moves forward into more varied and challenging material.
In each band rehearsal at McAuliffe Regional CPS, we preview new material for the coming week, and review material from the previous weeks. The preview time is an opportunity for each musician to ask questions about the music so they can plan their practice accordingly. Every musician is then responsible for that music in rehearsals going forward.
Good practice habits include:
Have a plan. Know what you need to practice. Focus your time on learning new material. Devote time to reviewing previous material in order to keep it under your fingers, but don't confuse simply playing your instrument with moving forward on it. Make a note in your music on what we have practiced each day so you can be ready for the next rehearsal.
Have a schedule. For most middle school aged performers, 1/2 hour of practice daily is sufficient for band members to learn their repertoire and develop on their instrumental skills. A good way to allocate time in that half hour would be:
- 5 minutes - warmup. This can include anything you're comfortable playing - scales, longtones, rudiments - played slowly and with control, so that you feel "settled in" on your instrument.
- 10 minutes - lesson material. This includes any new material you're working on for your private lessons - etudes, scales, pieces.
- 10 minutes - band repertoire. Including previewing and reviewing material for band rehearsals.
- 5 minutes - improvise/warmdown. Play freely on your instrument and focus on your own sound and how you like to play.
If you practice longer than a half hour on a given day, you may simply increase the time of each segment proportionately.
Know your tempo. Always practice with a metronome. Know your goal tempo for everything you play. Start working on a difficult piece or passage at a slow tempo and work up to that tempo over the course of the week, recording your progress daily. It is each musician's goal to be able to hold the tempo of a piece. The metronome is an objective measure of the musician's ability to hold a tempo.
Have a place. Find a workplace where you can leave your music material- stand, music, instrument in one place. That way it's always easier to come back to it the next day.
Have a time. It's even easier to maintain your practice routine when you practice at the same time every day!
Important Dates for Band and Chorus - Fall 2005
October 12: 7th & 8th Percussion Sectionals, 7:45-8:15 am in the auditorium
October 19: 6th Grade Percussion Sectionals, 7:45-8:15 am in the auditorium
October 19-20: Seatings for band
October 26: 7th & 8th Grade Clarinet and Flute Sectionals, 7:45-8:15 am in the auditorium
November 2: 6th Grade Woodwind Sectionals, 7:45-8:15 am in the auditorium
November 9: 7th & 8th Grade Saxophone Sectionals, 7:45-8:15 am in the auditorium
November 16: 7th & 8th Grade Brass Sectionals, 7:45-8:15 am in the auditorium
October 19-20: Seatings for band
November 23: Sectionals TBD
November 30: 6th Grade Brass Sectionals, 7:45-8:15 am in the auditorium
Chorus members have music memorized
December 7: Sectionals TBD
Evaluations for band.
December 12-14: No sectionals; Concert prep as necessary
December 14: 3:30 Chorus Setup and Dress Rehearsal
December 15 1:30 Combined Band Setup and Dress Rehearsal
6th Grade Band helps with Setup at 1:30 pm
7PM Band and Chorus Concert!