Awesome performance

You sounded so good at your concert. Keep working hard and reach concert will continue to be better every time. thank you for your kind words, the gift, and your support.

Keep practicing Breckenridge.

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Upcoming concert

Our winter concert is on Dec. 15 at 7:00pm in the High School Gym. Any student that cannot attend must fill out an "absentee form" and turn it in at least one week prior to the concert to be excused from the concert.

• The call time for the students is 6:15pm.
• Set up crew's call time will be right after school.
• High School Band Sound check at 6:30
• Junior High Band Sound check at 6:40
• Sixth Grade Band Sound check at 6:50
• For uniform instruction consult the "Band Handbook"

Bring all your friends and relatives, it will be a great concert.

Cookie Dough Fundraiser

Congratulations on another successful fundraiser. We made over $2000 for our uniform account. Thanks to all who helped.

Rock-a-thon was a success

Great job everyone. The Rock-a-thon was a huge success. Your hard work will really help move the band forward and make us one of the finest in the state.

Rock-a-thon

The Rock-a-thon is Saturday, November13. Please be aware that it will be held at "The Center" located on the North side of m46 just before you enter Breckenridge from the West. We were made aware of a conflict with the "Folk Arts Festival" a little over a week ago and the school lined up this change as a solution.

All other times and policies will be the same.

The students must turn in a permission slip prior to Saturday.

The students must bring a filled out pledge form to be admitted to the Rock-a-thon.

The entire Rock-a-thon packet with permission slip, rules, and pledge sheet can be found by clicking the link to the left of this post.

Thanks

Radtke

GREAT CONCERT 6th Grade

Wow, what a great concert you had Thursday night. You should be proud of all you accomplished. Keep practicing and it will only get better.

6th Grade Concert Info.

Our first concert for the 6th grade band is Thursday, November 4 in the HS/MS Cafeteria.

The setup crew must be in the band room at 5:30 to set-up.

Concert dress is detailed in the Handbook.

Call time for all students is 6:30 and they should meet in the band room.

We will begin concert warm-up at 6:40 in the band room. The actual concert begins at 7:00pm and will conclude no later than 7:30.

The students are expected to help clean up after the concert is over.

Smart music deadline

Hello everyone,

I just wanted to remind everyone that all Past Due assignments must be submitted by Monday or they will become 0's in the gradebook. It is so important that we practice everyday we can. Those that practice always like playing their instrument better than those that do not.

Rock-a-thon info

The Rock-a-thon packet is located in the course documents section of the blog.
It is are most important fundraiser of the year. Please look over the information carefully and post or e-mail me questions if you have any. Just a reminder that all students need to raise $100 by Feb. The Rock-a-Thon is the easiest way to earn it, all money earned is profit.

6th Grade Concert Reminder

Hello all,

Don't forget that the 6th Grade Concert is next week on Nov. 4 at 7pm. The concert will only last about 20 minutes and will surely be a lot of fun.

Practice Journal and Smartmusic Update

Breckenridge Music Department

SmartMusic and Practice Journal Update 10/18/10

Dear Parent or Legal Guardian,

We will no longer be using practice journals as a form of assessment. Instead, the students will be using SmartMusic. Each week a performance assessment will be assigned through Smartmusic. These assignments will be due each week on Saturday. This allows the student to complete the assignment at school any day during the week before or after school, or at home with a SmartMusic subscription. Each student will be given enough time during class to perform the assessment once or twice. The students are expected to practice at home with or without SmartMusic to make passing the assessment faster and easier as well as improve their practice and performance skills.

Our reasons for switching to SmartMusic as a form of assessment are numerous. It was becoming evident that some of the students that were turning in practice journals were not actually practicing. The opposite was also true. Some of the students clearly were practicing and were simply not turning in their practice journals. Also, many students were not practicing in a way that improved their skills.

SmartMusic offers many resources that allow the student to learn in the following ways:

· Students practice with background accompaniment and get visual and audio feedback on each assignment, which makes practice more meaningful and productive by motivating students to continue practicing in order to improve their scores, similar to a video game, which makes practice more fun.

· We can provide more individualized attention for your child with SmartMusic’s assignment features, including notes of encouragement.

· Parents have access to their student’s progress 24/7.

Although a Smart Music home subscription is not a requirement, we want to highly encourage you to get a subscription. We believe your child will enjoy practicing more and improve faster.

· Place your order at www.smartmusic.com by clicking on the Order Now button. All you will need is a PC or a Macintosh with an Internet connection.

· An annual subscription is $36, plus a one-time cost for a microphone ($19.95 for Windows and $29.95 for Mac). The SmartMusic microphones are more sensitive and responsive, which makes the assessment and recording features work better.

The students are also encouraged to practice at home using SmartMusic or other means, in order to make passing the assignment faster and easier, as well as improve their practice and performance skills.

We hope this letter was informative and helped to clear up any confusion in regards to SmartMusic and practice journals. Please call the band office if you have any questions.

Sincerely,

Joseph Radtke Instrumental Music Teacher (989) 567-4047 jradtke@edzone.net www.breckenridgeband.blogspot.com

Nathan Schulte Instrumental Music Student Teacher (517) 610-4434 10nsschu@alma.edu

Junior High Homecoming Band Information

Hello,

This letter includes information regarding our homecoming performances on Oct. 8. Homecoming is a great opportunity for the Band to show their talents to the community. Additionally, it gives them an opportunity to work with the High School Band students. Please read all the information below to ensure a successful and positive experience.

Date: Friday, October 8.

Times:
•Show up at band room--- 4:45pm
•Parade Line up--- 5:00pm
•Parade---5:30pm
•Band Room Halftime Warm up---6:30pm
•Game Starts---7:00pm
•Dissmissal---at band room after halftime

Food:
•There will be a meal offered for $2.00 between the parade and the warm up.
•Free Donuts and Apple Cider following half time—parents welcome.
Dress:
•Shirt and Pants Blue and Gold Colors (T-Shirts are okay, but it will likely be cold).
•Athletic Shoes.
•Girl’s hair must be pulled up and off the shoulders.
•No dangly jewelry.
•Bring a jacket, hat and gloves for the bleachers.
Make sure to have:
•Instrument
•Lyre
•Fight Song
•My Girl

H.S Announcements for Friday Home Game #1

Uniforms
a. Pants Hemmed
b. Black Socks not White or Gray or Navy Blue or Nude……..BLACK!
c. White T-shirt
d. NO EATING IN YOUR UNIFORM!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Dinner
Keenan’s Mom is cooking dinner for us
1. Cost is $2.00
2. Dinner Starts at 5:30
3. Must eat before changing into uniform
a. Call time for the game is 5:52pm
b. Warm-up is at 6:20
c. Pregame is at 6:50
d. Finished after 3rd Quarter
e. Bring jackets to stay warm in stands

OVERDUE!!!!!

Many of you have not turned in the "Band Handbook Review Guide" and the "Handbook Concent Form (found on the last page of the "Band Handbook"). These documents are vital to our communication. Please get them in as soon as possible.

Practice Journals are due the first day of each week. You must keep up, music will be much more fun and much less frustrating with practice. Get them in.

Practice Journals round 3

I updated the practice journals again. Hopefully they are correct this time. Sorry about the inconvenience. You should be able to print it using the instructions in the post below. Make sure you fill it all out before you turn it in.

Practice Journals

For those of you that had trouble with printing the Practice Jounals. They are updated and should work.
1. Click on Practice Journal.
2. Click Download (up above the picture of the journal)
3. Print (Ctrl-P)

Practice Tip of the Day.

Practice with a metronome.

A metronome will keep you playing steady. It is similar to playing with the band. It keeps you real. Don't have a metronome? Click Here

Practice on Breckenridge!!!!

Weekly Wrap up

Hello everyone. We had a great week. The 6th grade learned 5 pitches, quarter notes, posture, breathing, tonguing, and classroom procedure. The JH sightread a couple tunes really well and sound great. The jazz band is going to be solid. The HS band is rockin'. Keep practicing and we will be awesome.

Practice tip for the day.

Repeat 4 times then rest.

Dr. Andrew Spencer (percussion teacher at CMU) taught me this technique. Loop a difficult passage 4 times and then stop. Take a measure or two rest. Repeat. This allows the body time to reboot and focus on what it needs to do. You should hear and feel quick improvement this way.

Practice on Breckenridge!!! Have a great weekend.

Upcoming Dead Lines

Don't forget to do the Handbook Review Guide. It is due Friday, Sept. 10.

Practice Journals are Due Monday!!!!!!

Practice tip of the Day:

Pick a goal and work to accomplish that goal. Make sure that you pick something that you can succeed in. For example, you goal could be that you are going to be able to count all of the rhythms for a tune in your book and then be able to play that rhythm on your instrument. Practice until you succeed and then either call it a day or pick a new goal. This will keep you focused, prevent you from just playing stuff, and make great use of all your time.

Practice on everyone! See you tomorrow.

Handbook and Applications

Hey everyone. Glad to see you found the website. If you are looking for the Handbook it is in the Course Document area to the upper right area of this page.

If you are looking for an application for the leadership positions it is located under the Handbook and is titled "Executive Council Application."

Welcome Back!!!!

Band Camp

Great Job at Band Camp this year. It was a great week and a lot of fun. I am so excited at the potential for this one of kind show and can't wait to continue its progress in the future. Keep practicing and enjoy the remainder of your vacation. I will make a picture page using googles "picassa" (free). If you would like to view that page and download the pictures, or upload pictures please email me and I will share it with you. Feel free to leave comments below if you have ideas to add to the show.

MusickEd.com Software Tour

Check out this link for online music lessons. MusickEd.com Software Tour

The opener is now available

Download the opener to our show.

Alma College: Band Leaders Improve Their Skills at Music Camps

Hey, its Parker at Alma College's percussion camp. Alma College: Band Leaders Improve Their Skills at Music Camps

Mr. Radtke Performance

Come see Mr. Radtke perform a solo with the Saginaw Eddy Concert Band August 1st at Ojibway Island in Saginaw. The concert is free and open to anyone. I will be performing Arthur Pryor's "Blue Bells of Scotland." Check Saginaw Eddy Concert Band's website for more information and to find out where the concert is if there is bad weather.

Thanks for the help

Thanks to Mr. Loyselle, Matt Loyselle, Devon Waslusky, Chrissy Dayringer, Mrs. Dayringer, Mrs. Loyselle, and Mrs. Radtke for all your help installing the new (used) lockers and preparing the uniforms for cleaning.

Your hard work is always appreciated

Summer High School Band Camp

The July band camp letter sent to all band students can be viewed by clicking here or it can be accessed in the band document area located in the column to the left.

Fight Song Parts can be found here.

The Music Booster letter for parents of band students can be viewed by clicking here or the link in the Band Document Column.

The Bass Trombonist's Orchestral Handbook

Trombone players. Check out this website. There are a lot of helpful hints, music, and tips to help you.

The Bass Trombonist's Orchestral Handbook

Summer Jazz Band 2

Hello all, please give me feedback. Do you want to have jazz band this summer? Are mornings, afternoons, or evenings best? I am quite busy so calling everyone is not practical for me this summer. However, I am ready and willing to teach the jazz band if you all are willing to help set up the rehearsals.

Call each other and give me feedback.

Note: The band room has no lights this week so it is very dark. Therefore, we will NOT rehearse this week.

Summer Jazz Band

With enough interest we will start a summer Jazz band. The first rehearsal will be Wed. June 23 at 12:30. Post your name below if you can make it. Suggest an alternate time if you can't.

Beginner Camp

Welcome to band. Information for our summer workshop can be found here. It can also be found under the Band Documents section in the right column. Post below or email me if you have questions.

The Band Camp Letter

This letter must be signed and returned by Wednesday May 26, 2010. Please read the information carefully, if you have any questions post them in the comments below.

Awards Concert

Great job at the awards assembly last Wednesday.

Spring Concert Information

Call time: 6:30
Start time: 7:00
Uniform: HS--Black Tux, Black Dress. MS--Shirt, Tie/Nice outfit. Skirts must be longer than knees sitting down, no tennis shoes or jeans.
Ice Cream social following concert.
Plan on attending entire concert.

Great Job Band

You performed very well at the Alma Jazz Festival. Each and every performance you get stronger, building excellence one step at a time. It was a pleasure and a joy to spend the day with all of you.

Alma Jazz Information

7:10 Rehearsal in Band Room
8:00 Depart via Bus to Alma College
12:00 Lunch downtown Alma (Bring money)
2:25 Warm up
2:50 Performance in Heritage Center Auditorium
3:30 Depart for Breckenridge
4:00 Arrive at Breckenridge

Dress: Band Polos and Nice Jeans
Click here for a copy of the Festival Schedule.

Honeywell Alert

To High School Band and Jazz Band Classes:

The Alma Jazz Festival Schedule has changed. The Jazz Band now performs at 2:50 pm, not 11:45am. The bus will still leave as planned, but will be returning at 4pm. Due to this change, the following students will not be traveling with us tomorrow: Jacob Easlick, Logan Wayer, Quinn Shebester, Larissa Lauer, Joey Huntoon, and Dillon Story.

TITAN SPIRIT catalog #10061633 at J.W. Pepper

TITAN SPIRIT catalog #10061633 at J.W. Pepper

NARNIA Buy Sheet music at JW Pepper

NARNIA Buy Sheet music at JW Pepper

Festival Information Letter

March 15, 2009
Instrumental Music Department
MSBOA Festival Information

Dear Parent,

The time for MSBOA Band Festival has arrived. Parents are invited to attend the performance in St. Johns. It is free and open to the public. We need a few volunteer parents to drive percussion equipment to the event. Please contact me if you have a truck or van and could help transport percussion equipment. Below is all the information about the day.
• Date: March 20
• Location: St. Johns High School
• Dress: Outlined in the Band Handbook (Breckenridgeband.blogspot.com)
• We will stop for lunch on the way home students should bring money (enough for McDonalds)
• The students are in charge of bringing their music and instrument
• Bus Leaves at 6:30 am from the Band Room
• Bus Arrives in at St. Johns High School in Midland at 7:30AM
• Middle School Band performs at 8:25am
• High School Band performs at 10:20am
• Bus Leaves for home at about 12:00 Noon
• Bus stops at McDonalds in St. Johns
• Bus Arrives in Breckenridge at 2:00pm


Joe Radtke
Instrumental Music Teacher
Breckenridge Community Schools

What do you want to play?

Respond by writing your class and the title of the music you would like to perform on the spring concert.

Congratulations HS Solo and Ensemble Participants.

It is a wonderful thing that you all received a medal this year. I also have to say that I had a great time that day. A special congratulation to Keegan and his first division rating. Good luck at state, you deserve it. In fact, I just listened to about 23 smart music assignments and in nearly half of them I can hear you practicing through their microphone.

To the Jazz Band From Mr. Radtke

I am so proud of your performance at CMU. I received so many positive comments from friends, students, family, and colleagues about your concert. It is amazing to think that about 7 of you have been playing your instrument for less than a year and you sound like you have had it for longer. Keep up the hard work and we will continue to get better.

Check out this link.

Practice your improv by going to randomchord.com. Not only does it play a rhythm section loop, it explains what scales work over the chord.

Trumpeter Nicholas Payton

Nicholas Payton is the guest artist at CMU Jazz Weekend this year. All Jazz Band students who wish to attend the evening performance can get a free ticket from me. Click on the link below to go to his web site. There you will find information about him and hear some of his music.http://www.nicholaspayton.com/

Study Latin

Here are a few latin selections to give your the idea of Latin Jazz. If you click the Study Latin link it will take you to a Rhapsody Playlist, with a free account you can stream 25 tracks for free.

Study Latin: "1. Caravan Mambo - Tito Puente
2. Manteca - Dizzy Gillespie
3. La Malanga - Eddie Palmieri
4. Soul Sauce (AKA 'Guachi Guoro') - Cal Tjader
5. Mambo Mucho Mambo - Machito
6. A Night In Tunisia - Dizzy Gillespie"

JAZZ BAND ANNOUNCEMENT

Pep Band Call time is 6:30pm. Before every game. See calendar below for dates.

Jazz Practice

Click on link below to go to Rhapsody and listen to the playlist. You can listen to 25 tracks for free. If you don't want to use Rhapsody, then use this list as a guide and use whatever music site you like.

Jazz Practice: "1. Milestones - Miles Davis
2. So What - Miles Davis
3. Ain't Misbehavin - Sarah Vaughan
4. Ain't Misbehavin' - Ella Fitzgerald
5. Rainy Days And Mondays - The Carpenters
6. Goodbye To Love - The Carpenters
7. Corner Pocket - Count Basie
8. A String Of Pearls - Glenn Miller
9. Hit Me With Your Best Shot - Pat Benatar
10. Sing, Sing Sing - Benny Goodman
11. Bach 2 Part Invention In D Minor - Gordon Goodwin
12. High Maintenance - Gordon Goodwin
13. The Sidewinder - Lee Morgan
14. The Sidewinder - GRP All-Star Big Band
15. Theme From SWAT - S.W.A.T.
16. Mood Indigo - Duke Ellington
17. Mood Indigo - Rosemary Clooney"