Objectives of the Band Program
To teach music by its actual performance
To develop performance skills of the various wind and percussion instruments and the members of the auxiliary units
To provide for the musical needs of both the school and the community
To develop discriminating decisions with regards to the selection of music
To acquaint the students with the different period and styles of music and how they relate to their time
To provide for group experiences leading to the development of Esprit de Corps and self discipline
National Standards for Music Education
1. Singing, alone and with others, a varied repertoire of music.
2. Performing on instruments, alone and with others, a varied repertoire of music.
3. Improvising melodies, variations, and accompaniments.
4. Composing and arranging music within specified guidelines.
5. Reading and notating music.
6. Listening to, analyzing, and describing music.
7. Evaluating music and music performances.
8. Understanding relationships between music, the other arts, and disciplines outside the arts.
9. Understanding music in relation to history and culture.
Course Descriptions
WIND ENSEMBLE
Members of the Wind Ensemble are the most advanced musicians in the Perrysburg High School Band program. Students are selected by auditions in the spring and will re-audition for each new school year. The group will perform varying levels of music at concerts throughout the year but will perform in Class A-AA at competitions or festivals. Members of this group are asked to perform in a designated number of basketball pep band games and also have the requirement of any before or after-school sectionals and rehearsals scheduled throughout the year. This band performs at the Fall, Winter and Spring concerts, the OMEA Preview Concert, OMEA Large Group Band Contest and will attend a competition or festival venue on the national spring tour. After-school rehearsals, performances and class participation are required for the course and will be figured into the quarter grade.
CONCERT BAND
Concert Band is open to all 10-12 Perrysburg students who audition in the spring and are placed in this level group. Basic skills are an important part of the musical program of studies for this group. Students will learn all Major scales and minor scales and work on basic rhythms as well as sight-reading. They play various levels of literature throughout the year depending on strengths and weaknesses of the group, but will perform in Class B-C at competitions or festivals. Members of this group are asked to perform in a designated number of basketball pep band games. Concert Band performs at the Fall, Winter and Spring concerts, the OMEA Preview Concert, OMEA Large Group Band Contest and may attend a competition or festival venue on the spring tour. After-school rehearsals, performances and class participation are required for the course and will be figured into the quarter grade.
SYMPHONIC BAND
Symphonic Band is open to all freshmen of Perrysburg High School and will focus on basic skills such as tone production, rhythm, scales and sight-reading. Students with no previous band experience may start an instrument but only at the discretion of the director. Instrument choice will be decided by the director taking into consideration the appropriateness of the instrument for the physical makeup of the student and the instrumentation needs of the program. They play various levels of literature throughout the year depending on strengths and weaknesses of the group, but will perform in Class C-D at competitions or festivals. Symphonic Band performs at the Fall, Winter and Spring concerts, the OMEA Preview Concert and OMEA Large Group Band Contest. Members of this group are asked to perform in a designated number of basketball pep band games. After-school rehearsals, performances and class participation are required for the course and will be figured into the quarter grade.
MARCHING BAND
The Marching Band is an “eighth hour” course for grade and credit and will rehearse on Tuesdays and Thursdays from 3:10-5:15pm. Requirements for this class include the entire schedule of marching band rehearsals and performances for the school year, including the summer band camp and all parades. The marching band is a volunteer ensemble and is the most visible performing ensemble at PHS, performing for over 10,000 people each year. PHS athletes who have minor conflicts with the rehearsal and performance schedule are encouraged to participate and should consult the directors about participation. All members become part of the class and achievement awards system and earn full enrichment credit point requirements for the first quarter. This class concludes with the Holiday Parade in November. CLICK HERE for the fall marching band schedule.
JAZZ ENSEMBLE
This band studies and performs jazz literature and styles covering the various time periods of the 1900s. Requirements include all performances and rehearsals outside of the school day, and the possibility of travel to jazz festivals. Wind and percussion players must be a member of Symphonic Band, Concert Band, or Wind Ensemble in order to participate. Piano, bass and guitar players are not required to be a member of the concert bands to participate. Class work and student evaluation includes training in large ensemble skills, combos, improvisation, and music theory. Private lessons are encouraged and students may have the opportunity to apply for area honors groups. All members become part of the class and achievement awards system.
BASKETBALL PEP BAND
Basketball Pep Band meets in December through February and provides spirited entertainment during the Varsity home basketball games. Attendance for Basketball Pep Band is voluntary, but students may earn full Enrichment Credit (90 pts) for second and/or third quarter by attending three or more games each quarter. In order to achieve balanced instrumentation, sign-up sheets for all games will be posted in November.
MUSIC THEORY I
Students will study the fundamentals of music, including terminology of music, hearing and notating pitches, intervals, scales and keys, chords, metric organization and rhythmic patterns. Study will include written assignments and assessments, listening, sight-singing, score analysis and dictation along with a basic study of music history. The student’s ability to read and write musical notation is fundamental to the success of this course. It is also strongly recommended that the student will have acquired at least basic performance skills in voice or on an instrument. This class will only be offered in the fall semester.
AP MUSIC THEORY
Through the study of Music Theory I, students will have the option to continue in the spring semester with AP Music Theory. In order to take AP Music Theory, students are required to take Music Theory I and AP Music Theory in succession during the same school year. Course guidelines and subject matter will be equivalent to first-year college courses in music theory. The four main areas of study will include aural skills, analytical skills, composition skills, and performance skills. Students will study melodic and harmonic dictation, composition of bass line for a given melody, implying appropriate harmony, realization of a figured bass, realization of a Roman numeral progression, analysis of repertoire, including melody, harmony, rhythm, texture, and form, and sight-singing. Attention will be given to the acquisition of correct notational skills. Speed and fluency with basic materials will be emphasized. The student’s ability to read and write musical notation is fundamental to the success of this course. It is also strongly recommended that the student will have acquired at least basic performance skills in voice or on an instrument. At the conclusion of the semester, students will be able to take the AP Music Theory Exam.
In addition, students are encouraged to participate in the following:
PRIVATE LESSONS
As one might expect, private lessons on a musical instrument will result in increased advancement of performance skills. The one-to-one approach allows the student to benefit from the undivided attention of the private teacher unlike in the traditional band class where the teacher is monitoring a class numbering sometimes over 60 students. The by-products of private study go far beyond increased performance skills. Students are generally more inclined to adopt a regular practice schedule when faced with a weekly music lesson for which to prepare. The Perrysburg band directors will be more than happy to assist parents in locating a private instructor that matches the ability and age level of your child.
SOLO AND ENSEMBLE FESTIVAL
Student in the Perrysburg High School bands are offered the opportunity to perform for ratings and comments at the OMEA District I Solo & Ensemble Festival held in January/February. The event is sponsored by OMEA.
ALL-STATE AND HONOR BANDS
Members of the Perrysburg High School band programs (registered in concert band classes) are eligible to audition for the Ohio All-State and various Honor Bands. Auditions are held at the end of May for the All-State Band. The All-State Band concert is held at the OMEA State Convention held in January/February and the District I Honor Band concert is held in February. Other honor band weekends, such as BGSU, OSU, and Wright State are held throughout the early spring semester and will be announced by the director.