The most important aspect of becoming a good musician is PRACTICE!  The best possible support you can give your child during their musical endeavor is to encourage them to spend time on their instrument at home.  Thirty to forty-five minutes every day is much better than two and a half hours once a week!  Bad habits can begin when proper technique is not used.  I strongly suggest that your child be enrolled with a private teacher.  A well-balanced musician must learn the difference of how to play as an individual and play with a group.

Private Teacher Listing

                Practice cards must be returned EVERY MONDAY with a parent/guardian signature, approximately five to six times per quarter.  Practice cards that are missing first and last names, parent signature, or class period will be counted as no practice. 

        Late practice cards are not accepted.

                    Quiz / playing tests                                          5%

                      Test / Concerts                                        15% **

       Class participation / materials                            30%

         PRACTICE CARDS / homework                         50%

     ** - All concerts are considered as final exams and cannot be made up. 

                      Concert attire involves men wearing white button shirts and ties (their choice of color) with black pants, black shoes, and belt.  Ladies are required to wear white blouses and black skirts with the option of wearing a long black dress. 

                       Conflicts with sports or other outside school activities will not be excused.  Please contact Mr. Stephan prior to the concert date if a problem arises.

Dates and times:

                                                   La Mesa Jazz Band Gigs:

                                       La Mesa Band Winter Concerts:

                                                        Monday, Dec 15th              After school rehearsal

                                                                                                Mandatory Beginning Band 3:30-5:00pm

                                                        Tuesday, Dec 16th              Intermediate Band concert  7pm

                                                        Wednesday, Dec 17th         Jazz and Advanced Band concert   7pm

               P R A C T I C E     P R A C T I C E     P R A C T I C E ! ! ! !

                                                                             work on:

                                   ** Long Tones   (quarter note = 65) play all scales in whole notes on pg. 42 including 2 octave chromatic!

                                   ** Sight Reading

                                   ** Memorize Chromatic two octave toungue up slur down in 8th's (quarter note = 90)

                                                                     and most of all......HAVE FUN!!!!

                                                                                -Mr. Stephan