All 6th-8th grade band students are welcome to attend a fun day of workshops and courses designed to introduce you to new topics and grow your skills!
Beatboxing, Laughing, and More: Extended Techniques for Woodwind Instruments
Woodwinds Only: Come learn how to laugh, beatbox and do other expressive tricks on your instrument!
Shaping your Sound
Double Reeds Only: In this class we will learn the mechanics of the reed and how physics affects the response of your reed. We will be making a bassoon reed in each different stage of the reed making process, and learn quick ways to fix reeds that are not playing in tune, responding, or have a weak tone quality. You’ll each be leaving with a pick and sand paper to help you get started on fixing your reeds.
Not All Composers are Decomposing! An Introduction for Young Composers
MSOE composer Kelan Rooney will help teach the basics of writing music in a fun and interactive activity. As a masterclass we will even compose our own short piece!
Arts Lab: Taking Musical Inspiration to Create New Art
Love music? Love art and creative writing? This lab will allow you to have your cake and eat it too by combining music and visual arts in a session of pure creativity. You will listen to music and be inspired to create a new work of art: a poem, a short story, a drawing, a comic, or maybe even all three. Regardless of ability, all are welcome to the arts lab.
Drum Circle Jam! (An Introduction to Improvising Rhythms)
Learn how to improvise awesome rhythms with your own flare by drumming to popular music! Together we will learn how to create our own beats and improvise through rhythm, meaning you won’t have to worry about playing specific notes. You just get to play! You even get to have your own “backup band” and as we jam out.
Sing Like No One Is Listening!
Have you ever wanted to gain confidence in your singing ability? Here’s your chance! In this session you will experience music in a new way by singing “Fiddle-I-Fee” with other beginning singers.
Pop Culture Buzzing!
Brass Only: Come learn about buzzing control by playing with fun movie and videogame music.
Balloons, Tennis Balls, Hula Hoops…….and More!
We bet you’ve never played with tennis balls, balloons, or hula hoops during your music class before! Well, guess what? This is your chance! At this session, you will come with your friends and play all sorts games that challenge your musicianship and coordination. You will experience music in all new ways and even be a little out of breath.
…And All that Jazz!
In this session, you are the soloist! With a full jazz combo to back you up, you will all get a turn creating and sharing your own, live creations! You will even get to take home a CD full of tracks by famous jazz artists.
Tell Me a Story
Come experience music in a new and deeper way! You will explore how stories can improve your personal connections with music through activities such as dancing and drawing.
Behind the Big Screen
See behind the scenes of your favorite movies! Come take turns conducting and playing in a small ensemble, while a scene or two from a recent film plays onscreen. Witness the challenges as well as the fun that goes into performing a movie score.
The Human Metronome: Basic Conducting Techniques
Have you ever wanted to direct the sound of an entire band? Come learn the beginning skills of conducting through the popular music of today.
A Musical Heist
Come create your own sound effects and background music to an in-house skit based on the robbery of an expensive jewel. Experience an introduction to composing music for movies, plays, and comedic cartoons.