State of the Band Address
3/16/2020
Hey Friends,
Hope you're staying safe! As you probably know, West Johnston will be open tomorrow (Tuesday 3/17) from 7:30-9:30am and from 3pm-5pm. The band room will be open during both of these times to grab anything you left. Please check out your instruments if you haven't already!! You will need instruments to keep a good grade!
Mr. Drake will be available to fix any instruments with issues... please use!
Jazz folders can also be checked out, and if you would like other resources I have books to copy.
More info will be put out later this week about how our class will go online. There will be a combination of recording assignments, listening and general musical! As we talked about at the beginning of each semester, my goal for our music education is to develop intrinsic motivation (motivation for an activity for the sake of itself) for your music making - our priority will be exploring both your own playing, new listening, and different musical ideas!
I am working on private lessons for those who are interested. Sectionals may also be a beneficial option for those who can make the technology work.
The bottomline is I know your education will not always be your first priority in the coming weeks - and that's ok. Take care of your family and consider helping those less fortunate in our communities in safe ways. With that, music and the arts are part of the human experience and your artistry can help you especially as we're split apart like this.
Also remember - this time will end. For those with us next year - how we treat this next period is what sets us up for more amazing experiences, performances and rehearsals. Please consider the future as you decide what to dedicate your time to!
For our seniors - we will make sure you have not had your last experience with your band family. How this looks obviously may not be traditional per-say, but we will find a way. You have each changed the West Johnston Band permanently and I look forward to celebrating with you everything you've done!
Lastly, I would to share this with you:
"Time to make lemonade…
While the COVID-19 pandemic has certainly disrupted our musical, teaching, and learning lives for the time being, we would do well to remember the lesson Frederick Fennell taught us nearly seventy years ago.
During the winter of 1951-52, Fennell found out he needed his molars removed, one of which was severely impacted. The surgery took three hours and lots of Novocain…only to remove the impacted one! As Fred wrote in correspondence to W. Francis McBeth published as _The_Wind_Ensemble_, it came to pass that this doctor had most likely infected him with Hepatitis; the virus takes sixty days to incubate, and Fred’s diagnosis was “60 days to the day” after his surgery.
Fennell was hospitalized with express orders not to move or leave his bed for four weeks.
It was during this period wherein “the ceiling of the hospital room and I became very well acquainted,” that Fred conceived of the Eastman Wind Ensemble; formulated his plans for contacting composers for new repertoire based upon instrumentation of their own prescription; and mapped out what would become a founding legacy for our field: a series of recordings by the Eastman Wind Ensemble, chronicling the landmark works of our repertoire at that time.
That’s what Fred did when his life hit a “sudden snag.” What will we do?"
The ideas, discoveries and life habits that we find together in this time may change us forever - so that's something to look forward to! Stay safe, protect each other, and keep making music.
Go West,
Mr. Meade
Mr. Drake will be available to fix any instruments with issues... please use!
Jazz folders can also be checked out, and if you would like other resources I have books to copy.
More info will be put out later this week about how our class will go online. There will be a combination of recording assignments, listening and general musical! As we talked about at the beginning of each semester, my goal for our music education is to develop intrinsic motivation (motivation for an activity for the sake of itself) for your music making - our priority will be exploring both your own playing, new listening, and different musical ideas!
I am working on private lessons for those who are interested. Sectionals may also be a beneficial option for those who can make the technology work.
The bottomline is I know your education will not always be your first priority in the coming weeks - and that's ok. Take care of your family and consider helping those less fortunate in our communities in safe ways. With that, music and the arts are part of the human experience and your artistry can help you especially as we're split apart like this.
Also remember - this time will end. For those with us next year - how we treat this next period is what sets us up for more amazing experiences, performances and rehearsals. Please consider the future as you decide what to dedicate your time to!
For our seniors - we will make sure you have not had your last experience with your band family. How this looks obviously may not be traditional per-say, but we will find a way. You have each changed the West Johnston Band permanently and I look forward to celebrating with you everything you've done!
Lastly, I would to share this with you:
"Time to make lemonade…
While the COVID-19 pandemic has certainly disrupted our musical, teaching, and learning lives for the time being, we would do well to remember the lesson Frederick Fennell taught us nearly seventy years ago.
During the winter of 1951-52, Fennell found out he needed his molars removed, one of which was severely impacted. The surgery took three hours and lots of Novocain…only to remove the impacted one! As Fred wrote in correspondence to W. Francis McBeth published as _The_Wind_Ensemble_, it came to pass that this doctor had most likely infected him with Hepatitis; the virus takes sixty days to incubate, and Fred’s diagnosis was “60 days to the day” after his surgery.
Fennell was hospitalized with express orders not to move or leave his bed for four weeks.
It was during this period wherein “the ceiling of the hospital room and I became very well acquainted,” that Fred conceived of the Eastman Wind Ensemble; formulated his plans for contacting composers for new repertoire based upon instrumentation of their own prescription; and mapped out what would become a founding legacy for our field: a series of recordings by the Eastman Wind Ensemble, chronicling the landmark works of our repertoire at that time.
That’s what Fred did when his life hit a “sudden snag.” What will we do?"
The ideas, discoveries and life habits that we find together in this time may change us forever - so that's something to look forward to! Stay safe, protect each other, and keep making music.
Go West,
Mr. Meade