HVMS Music Department

WHY:  It is the policy of the HVMS Music program that students practice 150 minutes per week in addition to scheduled rehearsal Students will not achieve their full musical potential in the group or individually without outside practice.

WHERE:  Find a place to practice that is free from distractions.  No TV, computer, phone, etc. that will distract your practice.  If possible find a spot that will not disturb others much, or that you will not be constantly self-conscious about others listening.  Sit in a straight-backed chair so your breathing will not be impeded. Vocal students should stand, not sit.

WHEN:  Establish a regular time to practice.  Practicing in five 30-minute blocks is more effective than 150 minutes at once.  Be aware of how other activities will affect your practice.  Practicing right after an athletic practice may not leave you with the energy you need.  Right after dinner, your stomach will be full and you may be too sleepy to practice effectively.

MATERIALS:  Instrument, music stand, method book, sheet music, metronome, accessories, choreography notes

WHAT:  Establish a routine to your practice that includes the following

1. Mental Preparation  Focus all your energies to music.  Plan for what you want to accomplish.  Get in the spirit of music-making.  Think about your long-term goals as well.
2. Warm up  This should include long tones for wind players, eight on a hand type exercises for percussionists, choral warm-ups for vocalists and BREATHING exercises for all.  Use of a metronome will force you to be accurate and consistent (yes, use a metronome during long tones).  Really listen to your tone as you warm up and have the sound of a professional player in your head and try to match it.
3. Scales  Velocity exercises, thirds, and arpeggios in all major and minor keys, or if there is not time, work on those keys which need attention or need to be learned.
4. Method Book/Technical Exercises  For band students, this means your Accent on Achievement book.
5. Repertoire  Focus your practice on what you need to improve on.  Avoid the common mistake of practicing what you know – this will not make you better.
1. Difficult passages:  work on areas that are technically demanding by setting the metronome at a very slow tempo and working your way up to the marked tempo.  Force yourself to play the rhythms and notes accurately slowly first.  Don’t go faster until you’ve perfected it slow first.
2. Phrasing and Expression:  Work on getting everything out of the music that you can dynamically and expressively with good tone.  Make sure your phrasing makes sense musically.  Think about the musical line and whether you are interpreting and understanding what is implied in the music.
6. Warm down  Wind players especially need to warm down on long tones to avoid capillary damage in their lips.
7. Choreography and Marching Choir students should practice their choreography with and without singing, Marching band students should practice marching with and without playing.

OTHER TIPS AND SUGGESTIONS:

1. Take Private Lessons  Your musicality and knowledge will increase greatly with a good private teacher. 
2. Listen to Recordings of Professionals  You need to have the "sound in your head" of what your instrument sounds like played by a professional.  This is how all the pros arrived at their sounds.  Having a good characteristic tone is the most important thing you need to do.
3. Play in Small Ensembles  Musicians agree that this is one of the most effective ways to improve your musicianship, where it's one on a part and you're responsible for that part.  Everyone in the ensemble learns from one another in this situation, spoken and unspoken.
4. Music to Work on:  Practicing the same audition music for a year will not improve you as much as attempting and rehearsing a wide variety and larger quantity of music.  This will give you more musical depth and that will show in your next audition.

ATTENDANCE

Attendance is required for all rehearsals and public performances of the various performing groups that make up the Band Program. One primary purpose of any band program is the preparation for and participation in public performances and contests.