Knight Band Notes-7th/8th GRADERS-4/9/21

“There is geometry in the humming of the strings, there is music in the spacing of the spheres.” -Pythagoras

8th GRADERS-HAWK BAND INFORMATION

Get your family calendars ready!

AUDITIONS

The Knight Band staff is so happy to see the growth of our 8th grade students over the past few years. High school band directors will be conducting auditions for the Hawk Bands for the upcoming school year at the end of April. We will notify you with more specific information as we get closer. On-campus students will have their auditions live with a high school director. Virtual students will sign in to the normal Zoom meeting during one of the Mon-Wed-Thurs Synchronous days and placed in a breakout room with a high school director.

Students are asked to prepare:

-at least 8 of the 12 major scales

-at least 8 of the 12 Clarke studies

-any prepared piece of music (can be a solo, etude, etc.)

ALL OF THIS MATERIAL CAN BE FOUND ON CANVAS>FILES>RESOURCES.

8TH GRADE PERCUSSIONISTS

The auditions for 8th grade percussionists moving into the Hawk band have already taken place. Please contact Mr. Zamora at nathan.zamora@pfisd.net if you have any questions.

SPRING CAMP

All 8th graders are encouraged to attend the Hawk Band Spring Camp 2021 which will take place at HHS on May 5th, 6th & 7th from 5pm-8pm. There is a Preview Performance on May 7th at 7pm.

SUMMER CAMP

Rookie Camp(that’s you 8th graders!): 7/26/21 (8am-4pm)

Full Band: 7/27/21-7/30/21 (8am-4pm)

Full Band: 8/2/21-8/3/21 (8am-12pm | 1:30pm-4:30pm | 6pm-9pm)

Full Band: 8/4/21-8/5/21 (5pm-9pm)

Full Band: 8/7/21 (8am-4pm)

Full Band: 8/9/21 (4pm-6pm)

Performance: 8/9/21 (7pm)

NEXT YEAR KNIGHT BAND AUDITIONS/FINAL EXAMS

We are excited to see so many students continuing their musical journey with us! Choice sheets have been submitted and processed and we are ALREADY beginning discussions about all of the FUN we WILL have next year! 

Auditions will be completed EARLY MAY. These auditions are a small part of how we determine band placements for next year. Behavior, attitude, overall work ethic, etc. are greatly considered along with this audition. Audition results are final; we account for nerves and other distractions. Students not continuing in Band must still play the ‘Symphonic Winds’ requirements for their final exam.

Any student that signs up to be a part of the Knight Band Program will be accepted! All they need to have is the desire to learn.  The audition is to help the directors place them in the band they will be most successful in.  All three bands participate in all of the same concerts and trips.  Below is a breakdown of the three 7th/8th grade bands:

Symphonic Winds: performs the most attainable music

Honor Band: performs slightly more challenging musicWind Ensemble: performs the most difficult music and requires more outside of school rehearsal time.