March 9, 2026 Rehearsal Recap
This week we continued building our musical foundation with a review of note reading basics. It was great to hear that everyone now has a favorite line or space identified on the staff—that’s an important anchor point when reading music.
From there we talked about two ways to determine notes from that starting point:
Alphabetic method – simply moving through the musical alphabet (A–G).
Mnemonic method – using memory aids to identify lines and spaces.
We then moved on to ledger lines, which allow notes to extend above or below the staff, and briefly discussed the range of different instruments and what it means when we talk about an octave.
Finally, we introduced sharps, flats, and naturals, along with the concept of a key signature and how it affects the notes throughout a piece.
NEXT WEEK: We’ll move into time signatures and rhythm concepts.
How to Band
This week’s topic focused on safety—for both you and your instrument.
A few helpful reminders:
Backpacks and wheels are your friends to help keep you balanced and steady.
Take multiple trips rather than carrying too much at once. A minute or two extra can make a big difference in safety.
When setting up, place your belongings first, then assemble your instrument and sit down. When packing up, put the instrument away first, then gather everything else.
If you are using stairs to reach a stage, keep one hand free so you can use the handrail.
If you feel lightheaded, stop and take a break.
Always latch your instrument case, even if it is empty. This builds a good habit and prevents an instrument from accidentally falling out.
Maintain good playing posture—head and neck aligned with the body, sitting up as straight as possible.
After we met, I reviewed the AED locations at Olympia in case of an emergency:
In the lobby nearest our rehearsal space, in the far-left corner as you approach from our room (next to the doors).
In the Fit Club.
Just inside the gymnasium doors closest to the reception desk, immediately on the right.
NEXT WEEK: We will discuss the role of the conductor.
Instrument of the Week
This week we featured tuned percussion instruments.
Alan brought in a set of bells and demonstrated how their layout mirrors the pattern of piano keys—which is why the piano is also considered a tuned percussion instrument. He also discussed other mallet instruments, how they differ from one another, and how they are used in band settings.
We finished by talking about chimes, and several members had the chance to try playing the bells themselves.
NEXT WEEK: No instrument will be featured. We’ll use this time to set the room for our showcase.
Rehearsal
For rehearsal we ran through the entire program in showcase order.
Everything sounded fantastic, and you should all be very proud of the progress you’ve made over the past nine weeks. Watching everyone grow in confidence and musicianship has been wonderful. Congratulations to all of you!
Next Week’s Showcase Program
Celebratory Fanfare
New Orleans Strut
Shining Moments
Beginners Rock!
Go With the Flow
Fandango Festival
Pirates of the Caribbean
If you would like to invite friends or family, here is the Facebook event link for our Spring Showcas