Elementary School Honor Band to Join Ramona Music Festival

The Ramona Unified Elementary Schools Honor Band introduced a new interactive learning program, SmartMusic, with tutors at the start of year 2012. The students from all six elementary schools jointly form a full ensemble band, which participates in an adjudicated festival in Orange County every year.

The students learn appropriate level concert band literature and perform this for the judges at the festival. Since 2006, the Honor Band has received unanimous superior ratings.

After the practice through a carefully planned schedule, the band has been continuing progressing since January. The goal is to participate in the contest at the High Note Festival in Orange County on May 18th. Prior to contest, the ensemble will play in the all Ramona Music Festival on April 21 and the Spaghetti Dinner Concert on April 27 at 7pm in Olive Peirce Middle School Performing Art Center.

This year’s program focuses on better teaching methods. The tutors are volunteers from Olive Peirce Middle School (OPMS) or Ramona High School. They first get trained to be better tutors and then each gets assigned students, so the responsibilities are clear. In the sectional practice, the section lead or tutor also learns to be a better leader. The tutors, who have been using SmartMusic, all love the tool and have done a great job in teaching elementary school players.

“This year, the program is more organized and formal. Learning to teach is fun. We can teach the elementary school kids to use the tool, so they can play the notes correctly,” says Gina Gruneisen from OPMS. Nina Thorson, also from OPMS, adds, “Blowing sufficient air into the flute is hard, so we can help them improving that.” The band practice also has fun of other things such as making balloon animals and blowing bubbles.

“Why should a student participate in this SmartMusic program?” Band Director Karl Lampe replies, “The students gain the confidence playing on an instrument, and knowing that they are part of an award-winning and highly respected ensemble. The students will gain new positive friendships with peers, younger friends, and be exposed to role models of highly qualified middle school and high school students through the tutoring program.

“Students are motivated to learn how to play their instruments better through working with SmartMusic. [They will] have a caring and skilled tutor available for individual teaching during the first six weeks of honor band practice. This would be the equivalent to private lessons, at no cost.”

Lampe adds, “The students get a taste of traveling with the band and get to experience a music festival, where they can watch other bands from Southern California perform and get feedback on their performance from highly qualified judges. Judge’s comments are always very positive and allow the students a chance to grow musically.”

Anyone interested in supporting the band programs in the elementary and middle schools through monetary contributions or donations of wind instruments, can contact Karl Lampe at 858-472-4185.