Startup Clinics for New Musicians

STARTUP CLINICS FOR NEW MUSICIANS IS THIS WEEK!

I am very excited to have our Startup Clinics happen this week for our Grade 7s and other new musicians this coming Friday, October 1!  Here is what to expect for these clinics ...

Students MUST have working instruments for friday

While this should seem obvious, and easily achieved for the vast majority of you, what might not be as obvious is that students will need reeds and their instrument care kits.  Without those, some of the features of the clinics will be lost.
Tuba players will have their at-school tubas available for use, so will only need to remember their tuba mouthpieces.
New Alto Saxophone Players should also have their saxophones there that day.

Grade 9-12 Students Are Our Mentors

Our students will be working directly with select students in Grades 9 through 12 to learn the following skills;

• How to safely assemble, care for, and disassemble their instruments
• How to properly use every part of their instrument care kits
• Proper posture, holding technique, and proper breath control
• The fingerings/slide positions for the first six notes of the Concert B-flat Scale
• How to read music for their instrument
• The first theme of a brand new piece of music.

Although they are student mentors, they are experts and an extension of Mr. Windsor.  I have the high expectation of our new musicians that they will treat their Grade 9-12 with the utmost respect, as though they were professional musicians and extensions of Mr. Windsor.

When Is This All Happening, and How Much Does It Cost?

It's free, and it's happening on Friday, October 1, 2021 during the school day.  There is no after-school commitment for this, and students will still be catching the busses at the end of the day.

Grade 7 (and 9) students will be missing all their other classes that day in addition to having their regularly scheduled band class.  Grade 8 new musicians will be missing all their other classes that day.

In other words, it runs from 8:40 AM to 12:20 PM.  By the end of the day, new students will be able to play a large portion of their first song, and will have created a relationship with an older musician who they can rely on for extra support throughout the year.

Students will need practice space at home

Especially after these startup clinics, students will need safe practice space at home.  Students will be making unusual, sometimes challenging sounds on their instruments.  This is normal, and needs to be encouraged on their path to success.  Please help them have space and time without distraction for great practicing at home.

Students, don't forget to log your practice minutes in the Discord!

If you have any questions about any of these things, please feel free to open a #windyj-ticket in the Discord!