Blog Has Moved

The Welty Band Blog is moving! This will be the last post on this blog.

I have created my own webpage using a new software that the school recently purchased, and a portion of this site is dedicated to the blog. I also have many more areas of interest on the site, so please check them out.

To go to my new webpage, go to the New Philadelphia City Schools webpage (http://www.npschools.org/) and click on the link on the right side to go to the "Staff Home Pages."

Scroll down to my name and follow that link to my page. There is a link to the Blog on my homepage. When you go to the blog, you can subscribe to the blog by pushing the subscribe button at the top of the blog page.

Week of March 30-April 4

Well, we made it! Spring Break is just around the corner! Here is the schedule for our last week before Spring Break:

Monday
Percussion Ensemble Rehearsal, 2:45-4 pm

Tuesday
Jazz Ensemble Rehearsal, 2:45-3:30 pm
Steel Band Rehearsal, 3:30-4:30 pm
TCHESC Honor Band Rehearsal, 6-8 pm at Dover HS

Wednesday
Percussion Ensemble Rehearsal, 2:45-4 pm
TCHESC Honor Band - All Day at Dover HS
TCHESC Honor Band Concert - 7 pm at Dover HS

Thursday
Jazz Ensemble Rehearsal, 2:45-3:30 pm

Friday
Fundraiser Money Due

Saturday
Solo & Ensemble Contest at Alliance High School

Have a great Spring Break!

Week of March 23-27

Another busy weekend for me, but I wanted to quickly go over the schedule for the week:

Monday
Percussion Ensemble Rehearsal, 2:45-4 pm

Tuesday
Jazz Ensemble Rehearsal, 2:45-3:30 pm
Steel Band Rehearsal, 3:30- 5 pm

Wednesday
Fundraiser Delivery - Make sure you have arrangements to get your items home!
Percussion Ensemble Rehearsal, 2:45-4 pm

Thursday
NO Jazz Ensemble Rehearsal

Have a great week!

Week of March 16-20

Here is the schedule for this week:

Monday
Percussion Ensemble Rehearsal, 2:45-4 pm

Tuesday
Jazz Ensemble Rehearsal, 2:45-3:30 pm
Steel Band Rehearsal, 3:30-5 pm

Wednesday
Percussion Ensemble Rehearsal, 2:45-4 pm

Thursday
Jazz Ensemble Rehearsal, 2:45-3:30 pm

Have a great week!

Week of March 9-13

Thank you to all the 8th grade band students for their great performance at the Music Marathon yesterday! I received many positive comments from the parents and community members that came to the concert.

This week is a fairly normal week. Here is the schedule for the week:

Monday
LAST DAY to turn in Fundraiser Orders
Percussion Ensemble Rehearsal - 2:45-4 pm

Tuesday
Jazz Ensemble Rehearsal - 2:45-3:30 pm
Steel Band Rehearsal - 3:30-5 pm

Wednesday
Percussion Ensemble Rehearsal - 2:45-4 pm

Thursday
Jazz Ensemble Rehearsal - 2:45-3:30 pm

Have a great week!

Incredible Music Machine

I got a chain e-mail with this really cool YouTube video of a musical machine. It is a little hard to describe, you just have to watch it. Is it real?

Week of March 2-6

Another weekend has flown by! Here is the low-down for the week:

Monday
Percussion Ensemble Rehearsal - 2:45-4 pm

Tuesday
Jazz Ensemble Rehearsal - 2:45-3:30 pm
Steel Band Rehearsal - 3:30-5 pm

Wednesday
Percussion Ensemble Rehearsal - 2:45-4 pm

Thursday
NO Jazz Ensemble Rehearsal

Friday
Fundraiser Orders Due

Saturday
Music Marathon - 7 am - 3 pm

Have a great week!

Jazz Ensemble Schedule - March, April, & May

Hi all! I took a moment to work on the Jazz Ensemble Rehearsal schedule for the remainder of the school year. Jazz Ensemble will end after our performance on May 9 for the NJHS Induction Ceremony. The schedule is as follows:

Tuesday, March 3 - 2:45-3:30 pm - Rehearsal
Thursday, March 5 - NO REHEARSAL

Tuesday, March 10 - 2:45-3:30 pm - Rehearsal
Thursday, March 12 - 2:45-3:30 pm - Rehearsal

Tuesday, March 17 - 2:45-3:30 pm - Rehearsal
Thursday, March 19 - 2:45-3:30 pm - Rehearsal

Tuesday, March 24 - 2:45-3:30 pm - Rehearsal
Thursday, March 26 - NO REHEARSAL

Tuesday, March 31 - 2:45-3:30 pm - Rehearsal
Thursday, April 2 - 2:45-3:30 pm - Rehearsal

SPRING BREAK

Tuesday, April 14 - 2:45-3:30 pm - Rehearsal
Thursday, April 16 - 2:45-3:30 pm - Rehearsal

Tuesday, April 21 - 2:45-3:30 pm - Rehearsal
Thursday, April 23 - SPRING BAND CONCERT - NO REHEARSAL

Tuesday, April 28 - 2:45-3:30 pm - Rehearsal
Thursday, April 30 - NO REHEARSAL

Tuesday, May 5 - 2:45-3:30 pm - Rehearsal
Thursday, May 7 - NO REHEARSAL

Tuesday, May 12 - 2:45-3:30 pm - Rehearsal
Thursday, May 9 - PERFORMANCE AT NJHS INDUCTION CEREMONY (during school)

Thanks for all of your work so far this year! It has been a lot of fun! I am looking forward to our last few weeks together!

Music Marathon Schedule

The annual Music Marathon will be Saturday, March 7, 2009 in the high school gym. Stop by at any point to hear some great music from the high school and middle school band programs. Concessions will be sold in the gym lobby, and there is no charge for attending. The schedule for the day is as follows:

7:00-8:30 am - HS Symphonic Band
8:30-9:00 am - HS Jazz Band
9:00-11:00 am - HS Drumline
11:00 am-1:00 pm - Kaleidoscope
1:00-1:30 pm - 8th Grade Band
1:30-1:45 pm - HS/8th Grade Combined Band
2:00 pm - Grand Finale Concert

We hope you can come and enjoy some great music with us at the Music Marathon!

Music Marathon Changes

We announced in classes last Friday some changes to the Music Marathon which is scheduled for Saturday, March 7, 2009. This annual day of music sponsored by the New Philadelphia High School Band features a day full of music in the high school gym, with open rehearsals and performances by all of the high school band groups and some of the middle school groups. The music usually begins at 7:00 a.m. and goes on all day ending with a closing performance by many of the groups at 7:00 p.m.

We found out last week that the athletic department scheduled a basketball playoff game in the high school gym on that day, making it necessary for us to finish the day by 3:00 p.m. Unfortunately, this means shortening the day by reducing group times in the gym and cutting out some of the groups that were to perform.

For the middle school, the 7th Grade Band and Steel Band will not be a part of the Music Marathon this year. The 8th Grade Band will still be involved, but times have been changed. A handout about times went out to students on Friday.

The 8th Grade Band needs to report to the middle school band room by 12:30 p.m. They will be meeting and getting organized there, and then walking down to the high school gym at 12:50 pm. They will rehearse in the gym from 1:00-1:30 pm, and then they will be joined by the high school band from 1:30-1:45 pm. The finale concert will begin at 2:00 pm, and the concert will last about an hour.

Sorry for these last minute changes, but the unexpected playoff game threw a wrench in our plans. If you have any further questions, feel free to contact Mr. Roberts or Mr. Phillips at (330) 364-0683.

Week of February 23-27

Here is the low-down for this week:

Monday
Percussion Ensemble Rehearsal, 2:45-4 pm

Tuesday
Band Fundraiser Kick-off
Jazz Ensemble Rehearsal, 2:45-3:30 pm
Steel Band Rehearsal, 3:30-5 pm

Wednesday
Percussion Ensemble Rehearsal, 2:45-4 pm

Thursday
Jazz Ensemble Rehearsal, 2:45-3:30 pm

Friday
Welty Talent Show

Have a great week!

Welty Steel Band Performs At Pantasia

The Welty Middle School Steel Drum Band traveled to Dover High School on Sunday, February 15 to perform at Pantasia 2009 hosted by the Dover High School Steel Band. The steel band, directed by Mr. Jeff Phillips, performed a variety of selections prior to the Dover Steel Band Concert, which featured special guest and clinician Tom Miller. The Welty Steel Band members are Heaven Bailey, Jordan Boyd, Joe Carlisle, Jacob Flood, Kaitlyn Henry, C.J. Hershberger, Tori Norman, Taylor Phillips, Olivia Taylor-Pompey, Tanner Wherley, and Taylor Willis.

The Welty Steel Band was the subject of an article in the Times Reporter today. Click here to check it out!

Week of February 17-20

I hope everyone is enjoying their three-day weekend! I am sure glad I have the extra day to catch up on sleep!

This week we get jazz ensemble started back up again on Tuesdays and Thursdays!

Monday
NO SCHOOL!!!!

Tuesday
Jazz Ensemble Rehearsal - 2:45-3:30 pm
Steel Band Rehearsal - 3:30-5 pm

Wednesday
Percussion Ensemble Rehearsal - 2:45-4 pm

Thursday
Jazz Ensemble Rehearsal - 2:45-3:30 pm

We were supposed to kick-off our band fundraiser this week, but this has been postponed to next week due to all of the snow days we have had in the last month. Also, we will be launching the Welty Music Department Podcast next week! More info to follow!

Have a great week!

Week of February 9-13

Well, it happened again! I have gotten busy, and done a poor job of updating the blog! SORRY!

Anyway, here is the schedule for this week:

Monday
Percussion Ensemble Rehearsal, 2:45-4 pm

Tuesday
NO Jazz Ensemble Rehearsal
Steel Band Rehearsal, 2:45-4:30 pm

Wednesday
Percussion Ensemble Rehearsal, 2:45-4 pm

Thursday
NO Jazz Ensemble Rehearsal

Have a great week!

Music Theory - The nuts and bolts of music

Last week, the 7th & 8th grade bands began learning a little bit about music theory. Music theory is basically learning about the elements of music and how they are used to create music. In layman's terms, music theory studies the nuts and bolts of how music is put together.

Last week, we began learning (or reviewing) half steps and whole steps. Click this link for an online tutorial on half steps and whole steps. This link actual came from a great theory website called Ricci Adams' musictheory.net. It is a great resource, and it provides everything you need to know about music theory. Check it out!

Week of January 12-16

This week's schedule is a little bit altered because Mr. Roberts and Mr. Phillips will be headed to the Ohio Music Education Association State Conference in Columbus after school on Thursday. We will bring back lots of new music and new ideas for making our band better!

Monday
Percussion Ensemble Rehearsal, 2:45-4 pm

Tuesday
Jazz Ensemble Rehearsal, 2:45-3:30 pm
Steel Band Rehearsal, 3:30-5 pm

Wednesday
Percussion Ensemble Rehearsal, 2:45-4 pm

Thursday
NO Jazz Ensemble Rehearsal

Have a great week!

Week of January 5-9

Well, it is back to school today! Here is the schedule for the week:

Monday
Percussion Ensemble Rehearsal, 2:45-4 pm

Tuesday
Jazz Ensemble Rehearsal, 2:45-3:30 pm
Steel Band, 3:30-5 pm

Wednesday
Percussion Ensemble Rehearsal, 2:45-4 pm

Thursday
Jazz Ensemble Rehearsal, 2:45-3:30 pm

Friday
None

Have a great beginning to 2009!

Jazz Ensemble Schedule - January 2009

This is for all of the Jazz Ensemble people out there. Here is the Jazz Ensemble schedule for the month of January. As you can see, there is one Thursday that we will not rehearse. Please mark you calendars!

Tues. Jan. 6 - Rehearsal - 2:45-3:30 pm
Thurs. Jan. 8 - Rehearsal - 2:45-3:30 pm

Tues. Jan. 13 - Rehearsal - 2:45-3:30 pm
Thurs. Jan. 15 - NO REHEARSAL

Tues. Jan. 20 - Rehearsal - 2:45-3:30 pm
Thurs. Jan. 22 - Rehearsal - 2:45-3:30 pm

Tues. Jan. 27 - Rehearsal - 2:45-3:30 pm
Thurs. Jan. 29 - Rehearsal - 2:45-3:30 pm

I will put out the February schedule as we approach the end of January! Thanks!

Christmas Vacation 2008

Well, believe it or not, Christmas Vacation is coming to an end, and school is just around the corner! I hope that all of you had a great vacation and got lots of rest! I know I will certainly miss sleeping in everyday!

I had a great vacation, spending time with my wife and son. We played a lot of games, especially on the Wii. Between my wife, my son, and I, we got a bunch of new Wii games for Christmas!

One of the new games we got was actually music related, called Wii Music. It is a really fun game, unlike any other music game out there. Unlike Guitar Hero or Rock Band, there are no set patterns you HAVE to play during the game, allowing you to make up the music as you go. You can pick which instruments you want to play, and then you can make up your own rhythms and make the music your own. We had a blast with this game, and even Colin could make some great music. You can record your musical creations and create music videos. Here are some pictures of Colin and I jamming!

See all of you in couple days! Enjoy your last few days of freedom! Leave a comment to let us know what you did on your vacation!