Mr. Rivest's Class News

2007-02-19T07:39:00.000-06:00

New Web Site!
Well, finally, after about 4 years of painstakig labor, my site is almost fully functional. https://www.centreicehockey.com is now online and ready for business. You can go to it here.
You can find all kinds of hockey cards and memorabilia at this site, so be sure to check us out!

Red Deer Parents!!!!!!!!

2006-05-02T22:46:00.000-05:00

Following is some very important information about the Red Deer Trip. Please read carefully.
Starting Thursday, we will be having extra rehearsals. They are every lunch hour until the trip (this Friday is an exception). It is REQUIRED that students be at these rehearsals if they wish to go on the trip!!!!
As well, there will be two in-school rehearsals: May 9th 2:35-3:40 and May 11th 10:10 -11:10. Again, these rehearsals are REQUIRED.
Please help me by encouraging your child to attend these rehearsals, or ask how they went each day. Your involvement will help us succeed!!!!
Finally, I am REQUIRING all students going on the Red Deer trip to practice a MINIMUM of 20 every day until the trip. NO EXCEPTIONS!!!!!!!!!!!! Please make sure your child does this, as I can not be at 28 houses at once!!!
Thank you very much for your cooperation.
Together, we will create an amazing sounding band!!!

Chaperones Still Needed!

2006-04-19T21:51:00.000-05:00

Music Parents:
Our grade 7 and 8 bands will be attending the Beginning Band Festival in Winnipeg on Tuesday, April 25th. In order to go, we need two chaperones. I have already put out the request, but have had no reply yet.
If you are able to help us out, please give me a call at the school.

In Case You Missed It....

2006-04-10T21:04:00.000-05:00

Music Parents:
Last week, two different letters went home: one with the grade 7 and 8 bands, one with the Senior bands. In case the letters "were eaten by the dog", I will post a summary of both the letters here.
Grade 7 and 8 Band letter:
Students will be going to Winnipeg on April 25 to perform at the Beginning Band Festival. The festival is held at North Kildonan Mennonite Brethren Church
1315 Gateway Road at Springfield Road, Winnipeg. The Grade 7 band performs at 11:20 and the grade 8s perform at 12:40.
We are in need of parent chaperones to help supervise the students. If you can help out, give me a call at the school.
Other things you should know:
Students will need their band uniform, students need to bring a bag lunch, we will be home in time for students to take busses home.

Senior Band Letter
Senior 1-4 Band students will be pot tipping for Aubin's on April 15th from 10 until 2 or 3 in the afternoon. We need at least 20 students and 5 parents in order to make this a worthwhile fundraiser. We need your help. If you can volunteer, give me a call at the school.
Note: you will need work clothes, work gloves, and "responsible" shoes for this. It's hard work! You will also need to bring a bag lunch and water.

Should you have any questions or concerns give me a call at the school.

Yours Musically,
Clint Rivest

March 22

2006-03-21T20:00:00.000-06:00

Computer Applications
Wow, this seems to be a habit. Sorry, I'm away in Gretna for the Central Manitoba Honour Band. Ms. Tournier will be in for me today. Most of you know what you need to do:
1. Finish your Introduction to Computers Test (you know who you are!)
2. Finish Word Project 1. This includes all proficiency assignments (sailboat, volleybal, etc), steps 3,4,5 and six from the Learn It Online page, Your Word Project 1 Test from EV Player, and your 2 proficiency tests.
3. If you have completed all of that, please proceed with Project 2. You are to create a research paper in MLA format. This is the format that Mr. and Mrs. Y want their papers to be in, as well as most universities and colleges (unless you go into psychology, then it's different).
Please Note: The format is as important as the content with MLA Style. You MUST read the direction to get all the subtle formats, such as margins. I can guarantee you will not be able to look at the picture and know that it is a one inch margin. You may not even know how to change a margin. That's why you NEED to READ!!!
4. If you have completed the Research paper, print it, hand it in, and start steps 3, 4, 5 and 6 from the Learn it Online page. Be sure to work from the Word Project 2 links!!!!!!
Get lots done, and I'll see you on Thursday.

March 14 Assignments

2006-03-13T22:00:00.000-06:00

Computer Applications
Well, I had a peek to see where most people were near the end of class yesterday, and it looks like most of you are on step 4 of the Learn It Online page. Good!!! Keep going! Next up is the following:
Steps 5 and 6
Take the "complete" Word Project Study Guide
Take the Word Project 1 Skill Builder. Remember, you need 85% or better here. You can use your books or discuss with another student.
If you manage to get all this done, and are ready for your final test, ask the teacher for the password and Good Luck!!

March 13 Assignments

2006-03-12T21:13:00.000-06:00

Computer Applications
1. First thing to do is fix up the mistakes on the assignments handed back to you. I must say, I'm pretty disappointed with the number of redos I'm having to hand back. Do us a favor: Read the directions carefully and get it right the first time!!!
2. When you are done with the above step, look at my Friday, March 10 posting. It will contain everything that should/will be done for project 1.
3. If you finish all of this and feel you are ready for the "written" test, ask the teacher for the password and Good Luck!!!

Guitar
1. I think it is time to share some of the equipment around. As you know, we have a new piece of equipment for guitarists, bassists and vocals. It is called the Tone Port. What it does is allow you to plug in an electric guitar/bass/microphone, then change the sound of it from the computer interface. Essentially, it lets you sound like some of the greatest guitar players! All you need to do is choose a preset sound, or mix and match your amp, cab and effects.
Brad, you know how to use this, how about you showing the group how to use it then let people have some time playing around with it. Experimentation is the best way of learning to use this device!!
2. When it is not your turn on the Tone Port, you are to be working on your song for recording. I'm expecting they will be ready to record very shortly.

Grade 7 Band

2006-03-10T14:24:00.000-06:00

Hello Everybody! Here is what you should be practicing over the weekend:

El Capitan

1st and 2nd endings: get them sounding nice and clear and in time.
51 to the End: Let's get our timing better, and work for speed!

Chorale in Eb Major

2nd page. Work for the proper notes and rhythms!

Coming Shortly: A Song For Friends. Be ready to go on this!!!

Computer Applications, Beware!!!!

2006-03-10T13:25:00.000-06:00

Do Your Work Properly!
Students: I have noticed a bunch of you choosing just to look at the pretty pictures in your book, and trying to complete your assignments. BIG MISTAKE!!! Not following the written instructions has many disadvantages:
1. You are guaranteed to miss some steps, therefore meaning you can not get full marks.
2. The notes and directions make completing the exercises much easier!
3. If you don't read the notes and directions, you're not getting the whole picture of the course. You are missing out on valuable information.
4. Your written tests are based on information found in the books I hand out to you. If you don't read the notes, you won't do well on the tests!

Assignments Due
Word Project 1
Sailboat Assignment
Volleyball Tournament
Garden Club
Bed and Breakfast
Zoo
Steps 2-6 on the Learn it Online Page
The "Complete" Word Project 1 Study Guide
Word Project 1 Skill Builder. You can not use your book, you can not check your answers, and you must get at least 85%. Redo until you reach that magic number.
You are now ready for your final tests. See me for the details.

March 8 Assignments

2006-03-08T07:45:00.000-06:00

Sorry I am ill again today. Here are your assignments:
Computer Applications
1. Make sure you have completed everything from yesterday's list. Scroll down to view yesterday's assignments.
2. Chances are none of you got a start on Word Project 2. This is what you can do today. Books for Project 2 can be found in the cupboards above Aaron's head. Make sure the cover page says project 2 and that it is Word.
3. If you finish the actual project, then please complete activities 1-6 on the Learn it Online page. Remember, the website is www.scsite.com/offxp/exs.htm, or you can get there from a link on my blog.
4. Have fun!

Guitar
1. Keep preparing for your recording session. If you don't come in prepared and ready to go, it's going to take forever. Be prepared, be ready. Time is ticking away.......
2. For those of you who are ready (Hurt people and others), please don't record today. I would like to be there to make sure you do everything properly. Instead, either practice your song more so it is extra perfect, or choose a new song to start working on.

Today's assignments

2006-03-07T06:47:00.000-06:00

Hi everyone! Sorry I can't be here today. Following is a list of what you need to do today. Good Luck!
Computer Applications
1. You should be receiving your assignments back and marked.
2. Fix any mistakes and resubmit with the line "corrected" at the top of the page.
3. With you Word Project 1 book, complete the "sailboat" project if not done.
4. Then complete steps 2-6 (don't do 1, 7, 8, 9 or 10) on the Learn It Online Section.Follow the guidelines mentioned there (like a score of 16/20 for the practice test. You also need a score of 2,500,000 on the Computer Genius game). If the Flash cards still don't work, skip them for now. If you can't print the crossword puzzle, the teacher should have a copy of it for you.
5. When the above is done, complete the Volleyball Tournament, Garden Club, Bed and Breakfast, and Zoo assignments in your book. Type your name on them. Print and Hand in.
6. For those of you who got this far and still need more to do, Don't complete your final test yet!! Instead, look in the cupboard above Aaron's head for the Word Project 2 book. Your goal is to create a research paper in MLA style. This should keep you busy.

Senior Band
Hi. Today, you will go to the TSRC, it should be booked. Then do the following:
1. We are going to visit our old friend Gary Ewer on his website at www. musictheory.halifax.ns.ca.
2. Please go to the Free Lessons link and choose a lesson appropriate for you. Read the Lesson page, then take the quiz. Please print the quiz to complete it. When done, hand it in and go on to another lesson.

Senior 1 Band
Hi. Today, you will go to a computer lab, it should be booked. Then do the following:
1. We are going to visit our old friend Gary Ewer on his website at www. musictheory.halifax.ns.ca.
2. Please go to the Free Lessons link and choose a lesson appropriate for you. Read the Lesson page, then take the quiz. Please print the quiz to complete it. When done, hand it in and go on to another lesson.

Catching Up

2006-02-23T21:37:00.000-06:00

Band Assignments
Here is a list of what you should be practicing at home:
Grade 7 Band:
El Capitan: work on getting the tempo up to speed. If you have a metronome, set it to 120, keeping in mind the song is in cut time. Also, low brass, keep working on the light, bouncy feel of the piece.
Chorale in Eb Major: Notes!! I'm still hearing a number of wrong notes. Fix that up please. As well, even though it is not marked, slur this piece. It sound better that way.
Grade 8 Band:
The Tempest: Getting Better!!! Trumpets, you still need to work on the 45 to 59 section. Keep it steady and soft: you're not the melody here! Band, 59 to the end needs work. Please add the dynamics!!! Make sure you are counting, especially in the 73 to end section.
Chorale in G minor: Notes! I'm getting too many wrong notes at this stage. It needs some major practice! Also, work on the slurring: it should be a smooth piece.
Senior Band:
Adagio: 57 to the end. Watch out for the harmony. It can only be right if YOU know your part. Trumpets, make sure you're hitting the high G and A, otherwise it will sound "funny".
Radetzky March: Senior 1s: Beginning to 22. Get the notes and rhythms for Monday. Remember, it's cut time, so it's fast.
Also, it's a March!!! Make it sound like a march!
Ash Lawn Echoes: the 29 to 45 section still needs work. Our timing is out. Practice with a metronome if you have one. Set it for about 130. Again, unless you know your part, we can't improve on our timing as a group!
Guitar Class
Exciting Stuff Happening!
Our guitar class is currently working on songs in small groups that they will perfect then record for a CD! We have already done some test recording with 2 groups, and have had good success with the quality of the recording!
Keep practicing! I'd like to have everyone recorded by Spring Break!

What you should be Practicing at Home

2006-01-24T11:40:00.000-06:00

Grade 7 Band
p.22 #88 Concert Bb Scale
p.23 #91 For your instrument only
p. 23 #93 Aura Lee
p. 42 Concert Eb scale. Be sure to check the key signature.

Grade 8 Band
The Tempest: Flutes and Trumpets watch your staccato 8th note parts. m 18 and 45.
Percussion: Steady tempo on the eigth notes. Lots of Bass Drum at 45.
The Typewriter: The rhythm is not as tough as it looks! Count it out then play. Aim for measures 1 to 15.

Senior Band:
We have lots to do!!!!!!!

Tempo Pieces
Free World Fantasy
Adagio

Senior 2-4 Tempo Pieces
So What
TBA

Red Deer Pieces
Ash Lawn Echoes
Adagio
March (TBA)

School tour Pieces
Ash Lawn Echoes
Free World Fantasy
Adagio
March
Disney Blockbusters

Also, start getting into small groups and looking for music to play for our April 9 Spring Tea!!!

How to Practice at Home

2006-01-23T12:06:00.000-06:00

Band and Guitar Students:
You always hear your Band or Guitar teacher telling you to go home and practice your part. The thing is, sometimes we don't know how to practice effectively when the teacher is not around.
Following are 4 excellent guidelines to think of when it is time to practice.

PRACTICE SMART TECHNIQUES:

I. LISTEN

Effective Practicing Requires Careful Listening

Listening abilities can be developed and sharpened. Develop the habit of consciously focusing your listening abilities on the different aspects of your playing.
Always strive to play with expression - even when just starting a new piece. Keep the intent to express yourself foremost regardless of the necessary distractions of working out notes and fingerings. Never just "run through" a piece in a mechanical manner. Your approach to your instrument should always be to listen and be expressive.

II. BUILD UPON SUCCESS

How well you handle the beginning stages of learning a piece is crucial to your future success (or lack of it). At least 50% of all problems beginning students have in playing a piece are the result of faulty or careless practice techniques in the first stages of learning.

When first learning a piece, try to choose a time when you are well rested and able to concentrate.
Your first job in learning a new piece is to find the right slow tempo that allows you to play the piece with no mistakes in notes, rhythm or fingerings. This slow tempo is your starting point for learning the piece.
As your work on the piece progresses, gradually increase the tempo towards the ideal one. You will be building upon your success as your skills grow, instead of slowing the speed down in response to mistakes. There is always a slower tempo at which you can play a passage correctly. Find that tempo and you are on the right track. Your brain remembers all mistakes but unlike a computer, you cannot erase the memory of mistakes. Therefore, you will never play a piece as reliably free of mistakes if you have made even one previous mistake as you would have if you had never made the mistake in the first place. Remember this and you will have the motivation to be diligent in your practice.
Are you finding even a slow tempo difficult to manage without mistakes? If necessary, tap out the rhythms away from your instrument before playing the piece.

III. ISOLATE THE DIFFICULT SPOTS

After you have taken a piece through the initial learning stages, your primary focus should be on deciding what you want to do with the piece musically and isolating the more difficult playing problems for special attention.

What is "isolating"?

Isolating means limiting your attention to the smallest logical unit of music that includes the passage you are working to improve. It often involves the span of a single measure. This is in contrast to the common but ineffective habit of "starting over again". If the problem is not at the beginning of the piece, starting over will not solve the problem. The next time you practice and find yourself about to go back to the beginning of the piece ask yourself "why?". In most cases you will discover that you are starting over to "try" again, not to fix the problem.

Practice the measure(s) where the actual difficulty is. Isolate it and work on it repeatedly. Keep in mind that problems areas are often deceptive. For example, you may consistently have a problem with measure 9 in a piece of music but the transition into that measure from the previous measure might be the real culprit (especially if faulty fingerings are being used).
Limiting your attention to a smaller musical unit with many repetitions of that unit will give you a much better chance of improving a passage on a permanent basis.
Isolated portions should be given "special attention". Special attention means changing something about the way you coordinate, listen or approach the problem section. Do not allow yourself to fall into the endless trap of just trying it again (and again, and again) to see if it gets better" - it won't.

Unless you do something DIFFERENT, you are only practicing your mistakes!

IV. REINFORCE

Once you have achieved a successful playing of an isolated section immediately reinforce it with several repetitions. If you skip this step and simply continue on with playing the rest of the piece you will have missed a golden opportunity to make your first successful playing a permanent improvement. Your first successful playing of an isolated section is only the first step.
A good approach is to reinforce a new successful playing with at least three consecutive successful playings.
After you have achieved three consecutive playings of the isolated passage put that passage back into the context of the piece by backtracking to a previous section (or measures) and then play into the previously worked out passage. Do not be discouraged if the measure(s) worked on do not play out as anticipated. The isolating and reinforcement procedure often needs to be repeated over several days before it completely "takes". Be patient and stick to these effective practice techniques.

Finally, I always say end your practice session either with a piece that is fun to play, or a song you know very well. Ending on a good note is always the best of ending a practice session.

Try these out! I bet they will help you out no matter what instrument you play!

Say Cheese!!

2006-01-22T20:39:00.000-06:00

Band Students:
From February 13 to 22 we will be having a Bothwell cheese fundraiser. As well, we will be selling yummy fudge for those with a sweet tooth. We are hoping for a March 1 pick up date for these items.
Remember: these fundraisers help us to go on trips like the Red Deer festival and the Winnipeg festival. So get busy and start selling!!!

Tempo Festival 2006

2006-01-20T13:31:00.000-06:00

Band Students:
Have you signed up for this year's Tempo Festival of the Arts yet? No? What are you waiting for? This is a great chance for you to perform solo or in a small group!
Why should you participate in the Tempo Festival?

According to musician and speaker Greg Chase, everyone should have the opportunity to have much deserved recognition for performance and to be encouraged in excellence.
Artists need feedback, no matter what level they are performing at. The Tempo Festival allows you to demonstrate your strengths, then challenge you to create an even better performance!
Friends and family have the opportunity to be excited about you and your musical talents!
IT'S FUN!!!!!!!

Please see me for registration forms. The deadline to register is February 1st.
I can also help you select music to perform at the festival, and help you prepare musically for the festival..