Music Notes!

Music Notes!

Posted 6/17/19

Thanks for a fabulous year with fabulous musicians!  It's been such a pleasure working with such wonderful students.  I wish you all a super summer and look forward to seeing you all again.  8th graders, my best wishes to each of you in your future adventures.  It's so hard to watch you go.  Please come back and visit!  I will miss you all!

Musically yours,

 -Mrs. Levine

Posted 5/21/19

Yes... the end is coming!

But first... congratulations to our 8 band members who recently participated in the NHMEA South Central District Honor Band Festival!  The program was extremely challenging and our kids did a fantastic job!  

And here's what's coming up...

Tuesday, May 28th - Spring Grand Finale Concert!  Please see details on the Spring Concert Flyer.  This is a required event for all band members.

PLEASE NOTE:  WE ARE CHANGING THE START TIME TO 7:00 (band student arrival 6:15-6:30).  This is to accommodate the potential of a sports conflict.  With a delayed start time, even students who may have the playoff conflict can still make it for the concert!

Wednesday, May 29th (morning) - The band, jazz band, and chorus will be presenting a concert assembly for the school.  Students should wear solid blue OR solid white on the top and something neutral on the bottom (blue jeans, khakis).  Details are on the above flyer.

Wednesday, May 29th (evening) - MUSIC AWARDS!  Families and friends welcome!  This is a light, fun event!  It's at 6:30 pm in the cafeteria.  All of our music students will be recognized and there will be some extra awards presented, as well.  If you plan on attending, please bring a snack or dessert to share.  And please return the bottom portion of  this Music Awards Flyer - so that we know how to plan!

And looking ahead to next year...  Any 8th grader moving on to the high school band who may be interested in auditioning for All-State, you can find the audition requirements on:  NHMEA.org, and look for the All-State Festival under the "Student Events" tab.

Please let me know if you have any questions!  Looking forward to an exciting finish!

Thanks everyone!

Mrs. Levine can be contacted at:  holly.levine@sau26.org; 603-424-6289, ext. 3310

Posted 4/11/19

The quiz for "Cartoon Symphony" has been posted and is DUE TUESDAY, APRIL 16!  Click here for details:  Cartoon Symphony Quiz

All students are expected to complete this on time and then do the follow through task of going back into PSL, viewing your scoring rubrics and my added comments, and then sending a reply to me that you have seen them!  This is worth 5 points out of your 30 point quiz grade.  The window for this quiz (including responding to comments) CLOSES FRIDAY, APRIL 19 (the start of April vacation!)  Let's get this done, kids!

Posted:  3/21/19

Our final evaluation for Quarter 3 has been posted:  American Folk Tune Adventure

Recordings or in-person evaluations are due by Tuesday, March 26th!  A reminder that every student must complete the process by viewing the scoring rubric/comments and responding back to me that this has been completed - worth 5 points of the 30 point quiz grade!

Cavalcade of Bands Concert next Thursday night, March 28th!  See the posting below for a link to the flyer and all information (students have also received a flyer with this info)!

Please let me know if you have any questions!  Thanks!

Posted 3/18/19

What an AMAZING performance the kids presented at last Friday's NHBDA Middle Level Honor Band Festival!  Merrimack had 16 students participating (the most in the state!) in the Concert Band, Flute Ensemble, Saxohone Ensemble, and Percussion Ensemble.  It was a long and exhausting day for the students, but very satisfying.  All students should feel warm and proud of their personal and team accomplishments!

And March Musical Madness continues!

Next Thursday, March 28th, is the Cavalcade of Bands concert at the high school.  Details are here:  Cavalcade Flyer

This is a required event for all band members and students are expected to stay through the entire concert.  Students will sign out with me at the door to the theatre where we will meet.  Please meet your child there after the concert.  If you do not attend the concert, please have a ride home pre-arranged for around 8:15pm.  

Upcoming events:

• Tuesday, 3/19 - Celebration of Song (chorus members only)
• *Thursday, 3/28 - Cavalcade of Bands Concert (required for all band members)
• Saturday, May 4 - District Honor Band Festival (select members only)
• *Tuesday, May 28 - Spring Grand Finale Concert!  6:30pm, MMS (required event for all band members)
• Wednesday, May 29 - Music Celebration and Awards Night (6:30pm, MMS cafeteria) - Family and friends welcome!  Please plan on bringing a dessert/snack to share!

Please let me know if you have any questions!  It's been a great month so far!  Go MMS Band!

Thanks everyone!

Mrs. Levine can be contacted at:  holly.levine@sau26.org; 603-424-6289, ext. 3310

Posted 3/10/19

Wow!  What an amazing performance from our Concert Band students at the Large Group Festival on Saturday!  Just fantastic.  I am so proud of you all.  We earned a final rating of "4" - which is the highest possible rating.  One judge even gave us a perfect score!  All "4's" - every catagory, every song!  And how about those dynamics?!!!!

A HUGE thank you to the amazing parental help chaperoning and transporting equipment.  Some great teamwork there, too!  We know we can't do events like this without you and hope you know that we recognize just how much your support means to our program.  We hope you enjoyed the day!

March Musical Madness continues...

• Friday, March 15 - NHBDA Honor Band Festival!  (Select members only)  We will be leaving by bus at 8:15.  Students should be sure to bring everything they need for the day, including $5.00 if they want to purchase lunch at the festival, and their concert clothing for the evening performance.  I know how hard you all have been working in preparation for this event.  Keep working!  Let's continue showing just how magnificent the musicians of Merrimack are!  It's going to be a great day :  )  Wishing our 15 students good luck at this fantastic event!  
• Tuesday, March 19 - Celebration of Song - this is for Chorus members only!
• Thursday, March 28 - Cavalcade of Bands - required event for all band members; arrive MHS 5:45, Concert Black and White; Concert begins at 6:30; Students are expected to stay through the entire concert

As always, please let me know if you have any questions!

Thanks everyone!

Mrs. Levine can be contacted at:  holly.levine@sau26.org; 603-424-6289, ext. 3310

Posted 3/7/19

Welcome to March, the busiest month in our music-making year!  (It's no coincidence that March is "Music in our Schools" month!)  So here we go...

Saturday, March 9 - Large Group Festival - THIS SATURDAY!

Please be sure you have the proper Concert Dress prepared (this is not the event to wear jeans and sneakers to).  Please be on time for rehearsal (in concert dress), bring all required supplies, and have your ride home pre-arranged and waiting),  If you want to ride home with your parents, please bring me a note BY FRIDAY.  To all parents who plan on coming to listen to our performance - per conference rules, the doors to the gym will be closed and locked when we are seated and are ready to perform.  PLEASE COME EARLY!  Performance times are approximate and if you miss the start, you will miss the whole program.  This is not a Merrimack rule, it is the festival's rule, as these performances are adjudicated.

If you plan on taking your child home with you after the Large Group Festival on Saturday, please send in a note tomorrow (Friday) morning.  Please do not just grab your child after the event.  There is a lot going on as we try to pack up and if you take your child, even if you tell me at the event, I may not have my paperwork in my hand to document it.  Most importantly, we want to be sure every child is accounted for.  Your note before we leave is greatly appreciated.

Looking forward to a great event on Saturday!  Remember to come EARLY if you plan on attending!  

And a huge thank you to parents who are helping to chaperone and transport equipment!!!  THANK YOU!

Friday, March 15 - NHBDA Honor Band Festival

For participating students only.  Please do not call your child in as absent from school that day.  This is considered a "field trip."  Participating students should read the text box below (posted before vacation) for reminders about preparation expectations.

Thursday, March 28 - Cavalcade of Bands (snow date 4/2/19)

This is a required event for all band members.  Please meet at the high school 5:30-5:45.  The concert begins at 6:30.  Students are expected to stay until the end of the concert.  Appropriate concert dress is required.

I will update this information as necessary!  Lots going on this month and lots of details!  And as always, please let me know if you have questions or comments (holly.levine@sau26.org; 424-6289, ext. 3310).  Thanks!  

Posted 2/7/19

The evaluation for Swashbuckler's March has been posted and is due - Wednesday, Feb. 13!  Percussion must see me to schedule an in-person evaluation before 2/13.  Late submissions will lose points.

Following the evaluation, all students must log in to their PSL account, view their scoring rubrics and my comments (on the far right side of the rubric), and send me a reply email (through the Swashbuckler assignment in PSL) letting me know that they saw the comments.  This step is worth 5 points (out of 30) for the quiz.  It's super important that students follow through with this final step!  It's what makes the evaluation meaningful beyond just getting a grade.  Students should then work on any elements that need attention in the song.

Thanks for getting all permission slips returned!  If this hasn't been done yet, please have them to me by Friday, Feb. 8th.  Links to the permission slips are below.  Thanks so much!

All Students:  Large Group Festival  

Select Students Only:
NHBDA Honor Band Festival

Solo/Ensemble Festival

Jazz Band Field Trip

Please let me know if you have any questions!  Thanks!

Posted 1/29/19

We're half way!  And with that ushers in our busiest musical time of the year!  Here's what's coming up (students received permissions slips - all due back Friday, 2/8/19 - for most of these events today)...

Saturday, February 16th - Solo and Ensemble Festival (select members only);  Click for the Solo and Ensemble Permission Slip and schedule.  We will all ride the bus to Plymouth State together, but students are permitted to ride home with parents.  If you would like your child to ride home with you, please send in a note prior to Feb. 16th.  Also, here are some final details and practice suggestions and reminders about what to bring with you to the event!

Tuesday, March 5 - Members of the Jazz Band have the opportunity to attend an assembly at Merrimack High school with the group "Jazzberry Jam."  Here is the Jazz Band Permission Slip.

Saturday, March 9 - NHMEA Large Group Festival; this is a required event for all band members; Appropriate Concert Dress required;  Click for the Large Group Permission Slip, schedule, and other information.  We need several chaperones for this event.  Please indicate on the permission slip if you are able/willing to help!  Please note that parents are welcome to come to listen to our festival performance, but plan on being early - the doors close and will be locked during our performance (as it is an adjudicated event).  So if you miss the start, you'll miss the whole performance.

Friday, March 15 - NHBDA Honor Band Festival (select members only); we will have a bus to take students down to Salem High School in the morning.  Ms. Saranita and I will be chaperoning at the event all day.  Parents are responsible for getting students home after the concert.  The permission slip and other important details will be available soon!

Thursday, March 28 - Cavalcade of Bands Concert!  MHS; student arrival  5:45 (concert begins at 6:30pm); This is a required event for all Concert Band/Jazz Band members; appropriate Concert Dress required.  PLEASE NOTE THE DATE CHANGE OF THIS EVENT!  (Snow Date 4/2/19)

Students participating in Solo/Ensemble and/or the NHBDA Honor Band Festival are expected to be scheduling after-school practice sessions with me on a regular basis.

Thanks!  Please let me know if you have any questions!  Permission slips are all due back by Friday, Feb. 8th (hopefully it's easier to get these all done together rather than having them trickle home one at a time!)

Thanks everyone!

Mrs. Levine can be contacted at:  holly.levine@sau26.org; 603-424-6289, ext. 3310

Posted 1/14/19

Kudos to our fine students for a fantastic Winter Concert performance!  I had a great time and hope you did, too!

The final evaluation for Quarter 2 has been posted and is due Wednesday, Jan 16th!  Click here for the detailed information!  Students who complete quizzes on time will have the opportunity to fix errors and retake the quiz for a higher grade.

ALL students must go into Powerschool Learning to view their scoring rubric and my added comments.  Students must then send me a message through PSL letting me know that they have completed this step.  This task will be worth 5 points of the total quiz score. 

As always, please let me know if you have any questions!

Mrs. Levine can be contacted at:  holly.levine@sau26.org; 603-424-6289, ext. 3310

Posted 12/17/18

Looking forward to seeing you all on Tuesday night!  Details are on the Concert Flyer!  We have a school assembly Thursday morning, too!

Please be reminded about the required Concert Dress.  Please note the different dress requirements for the assembly Wednesday morning (indicated on the Concert Flyer).  

The Sleigh Ride Quiz is wrapped up.  Many students have not completed the final step of logging into PSL, viewing their scoring rubric with my comments, and then replying back (click "Hand In" from the assignment page in PSL) to let me know they've done this.  This final step is worth 5 points of the 30 point quiz.  For anyone who still does not know how to do this (all teams have been trained!), Mrs. Hobbs will be available to lend a hand in the computer lab  on Thursday morning.  This will be the final opportunity to get this done and have it count toward the Sleigh Ride grade.  Please see the Powerschool to check your child's status on this quiz.

Hope to see you all Tuesday night!

Posted 11/6/18

The Whitewater Run Playing Evaluation is Due Friday, Oct. 12!

Please let me know if you have questions about this process.  Students are expected to upload their recording to the Whitewater Run Quiz assignment posted on the Assignment page of this site.  Students who have not yet figured out how to manage quizzes using PSL are expected to report to the computer lab on Thursday morning, 11/6/18, for instruction on how to do this.

Quizzes that are received late will have points deducted.

Remember:  The final 5 points of the quiz will be recorded when you send a reply email that you have received my comments after your quiz is graded.  Your reply should also be sent through PSL by clicking again on the assignment and sending your reply.

Students who are interested in performing a solo for the NHMEA Solo and Ensemble Festival are expected to return the blue Permission to Participate form to me by Friday, 11/9/18.  Please include the song you would like to work on!

CONGRATULATIONS to the 15 students of the MMS Concert Band who auditioned for and were selected to be part of the NHBDA Middle Level Honor Band Festival!  Super huge accomplishment!  Congratulations, kids!

Posted 10/2/18

Congratulations on a great appearance at the MHS Football Game Friday night!  It was awesome to hear and see you all with the high school band!  Thank you to the wonderful parents who helped to chaperone (and make countless bathroom runs!) - you were amazing!  And thank you to Mother Nature for making it a beautiful night for us ;  )  Great job, kids!

If you haven't already done so, please register for instant notifications of these postings on Powerschool Learning or E-Alerts on this website (but the PSL page may have more information).  It is the easiest way to stay current with information.

Moving forward...

• Our new schedule will include rehearsals on M/T/Th/F mornings
• Tuesdays and Fridays will be our longer rehearsals with FLEX time
• Wednesdays will be "Open Practice."  All band students are welcome to come for a little individual practice time - asking for help or just playing on their own.  This time can be counted on Practice Logs!
• Chorus students will report to Chorus on Wednesday mornings

Speaking of Practice Logs, this is a reminder that every band student has a standing assignment to practice toward a target of 20 minutes/5 nights a week. 

• Students should practice what is useful and meaningful to them
• Anything that we have worked on in class is expected to be taken home and learned
• If the Concert Band music is mastered, they can work on their own material or see me for some new things
• Students must make a level goal, write it down on their practice log, and then evaluate their progress - every practice session.  These directions are on the practice log sheets.
• Practice logs are graded and entered into Powerschool every week, with comments, if necessary.  Please check this regularly.

Thank you for your support in encouraging your child to practice and stay current with band music.  It is essential to your child's growth and progress, and the growth and progress of our entire band.

Food for thought...

• It's not about putting in the time, it's about getting something out of it.
• Practice makes Progress
• Practice does not count toward your grade, but it does count toward your success

Upcoming Events:

Winter Concert!  

• Tuesday, Dec. 18th; 6:30, MMS Gymnasium (arrival time 5:45) (snow date 12/20)
• Appropriate Concert Dress required

Thanks, everyone!  As always, please let me know if you have questions!

Mrs. Levine can be contacted at:    holly.levine@sau26.org; 424-6289 (ext. 3310)  Go Merrimack Band!

“Music is the divine way to tell beautiful, poetic things to the heart.” – Pablo Casals (1876-1973) Spanish Cellist