May 11th Rehearsal Recap
Hello everyone,
We started the morning with a discussion about different approaches to improvisation and solo playing. We then focused on how to build a pentatonic scale for use in improvising.
Building a Pentatonic Scale
Determine the key the piece is written in.
Determine what the scale for that key looks like and number the notes 1–8.
Eliminate notes 4 and 7.
Use the remaining notes for improvising.
Try this at home using a backing track from YouTube. When you’re ready, feel free to try improvising during rehearsal — just let me know!
Music Rehearsed
We rehearsed the following pieces with emphasis on articulations and dynamics:
Beginners Rock!
Pirates of the Caribbean
Shining Moments
Fandango Festival
Celebratory Fanfare
New Orleans Strut
Alamo
Great rehearsal, everyone! I’m really noticing a difference with our dynamics, and Alamo has come a long way since our first read-through. Nice work!
Looking Ahead
Next Week’s Rehearsal Music
Alamo
Go With the Flow
Shining Moments
New Orleans Strut
Celebratory Fanfare
Celebration for Winds
Fandango Festival
Memorial Day
Yes — we will have rehearsal on Memorial Day.
Next Showcase
📅 June 15 at 10:30 a.m.
We will definitely be performing:
Alamo
New Orleans Strut
The Star-Spangled Banner
Additional selections are still being decided.
Rest of the Year
The rehearsal calendar is available on the website through the end of the year:
See you next week!