Mr. Asher

Yearbook Information

Get your 2008-2009 Durham yearbook NOW!!  Orders will be taken until October 10, 2008.  Yearbooks are $25.  To order, put your money in a white school envelope and put the envelope in the safe.  You can get an envelope from Mrs. Derrick.  ALSO…you can order your yearbook online this year!!  There is a $3.50 charge to do so, but you can also order extras only available online such as nameplates, dustcovers and a world yearbook insert.  To order online, go to the Durham Web Page and click on the banner that says “Click Now to Buy Your Yearbook” and follow the directions.  Remember, order BEFORE Oct. 10^th!  You DON”T want to be panicking the last week of school because you forgot or never got around to ordering your yearbook! 

Brass Ensemble

The Durham Brass Ensemble is a non-auditioned group of brass instrumentalists that rehearse one day a week (Wednesday) in the morning for the purpose of gaining musical knowledge and skill in order to perform literature typical of traditional brass ensembles. Students who elect to be involved in the ensemble are expected to have completed one year of successful band experience and fill positions on the following instruments: trumpet, horn, trombone, euphonium, and tuba. The ensemble typically performs several times during the year at Durham, and occasionally at local venues. The ensemble will likely begin rehearsing the first Wednesday after Labor Day.

For more information, please see Mr. Asher or email to  jay.asher@cobbk12.org

Jazz Band

The Durham Jazz Band is an auditioned group of instrumentalists that rehearse 2 days a week (Tuesdays and Thursdays) in the morning for the purpose of gaining musical knowledge and skill in order to perform as an ensemble in the jazz idiom. Auditions take place early in the school year and require the performance of various scales, prepared literature and sight reading. Students selected to membership fill standard jazz band positions on saxophone, trombone, trumpet, and various instruments in the rhythm section. The band typically performs several times during the year at Durham, local venues, and occasionally at state/regional venues.

We are currently auditioning for positions in the jazz band, and should be completed with the auditions by Friday, August 29th.  For more information, please see Mr. Asher or email to  jay.asher@cobbk12.org

6th, 7th, & 8th Grade Band Classes

Please see Ms. Rickard's blog for the most up-to-date information regarding band classes at Durham.

8th Grade Music Appreciation - Skills for Critical Listening

Overview:  In this class the student will receive information on music from historical, theoretical, and philosophical perspectives, in order to make analytical decisions regarding the music presented, both now and in the future.  The curriculum of this class is drawn various musical eras.  The optimum goals are 1) that each student will finish this course with knowledge of how music has changed and developed over the centuries, and 2) that each student will have a foundation in aural theory associated with musical changes/development, so that the student can listen actively and analytically when hearing music.

Class Requirements:

1.  A folder, specifically for this class, with side pockets and 20 sheets of notebook paper.

2.  A writing utensil (pen or pencil with dark ink or graphite)

The folder will be graded.  All class work will be kept in the folder which may be housed in the classroom.  Participation points at 2/day will be deducted for students unprepared to meet these requirements.

Grading:

50 %    participation (observable on task behavior)

20%     folder (class work checked for completeness)

5%       Quizzes

15%     Tests

10%     Project

If you have any questions or concerns, please contact me at jay.asher@cobbk12.org

7th Grade Music Appreciation - An Overview

This class is based on western European music history and emphasizes the changes that music has undergone over the centuries beginning with the Baroque era.  By studying these changes students come to a better understanding of musical composition, music’s influences, and the composers of the music.  Additionally, connections are made between musical eras and the following: technology, psychology, health and lifestyle, visual art, literature, politics and government, and liturgical influences.  Information is presented in chronological order by means of lecture, teacher demonstration, student demonstration, video recordings, audio recordings, and hand-outs.

Class Requirements:

1.  A folder, specifically for this class, with side pockets and 20 sheets of notebook paper.

2.  A writing utensil (pen or pencil with dark ink or graphite)

The folder will be graded.  All class work will be kept in the folder which may be housed in the classroom.  Participation points at 2/day will be deducted for students unprepared to meet these requirements.

Grading:

50 %    participation (observable on task behavior)

30%     folder (class work checked for completeness)

20%     written and auditory tests over the four eras

If you have questions or concerns, please email me at jay.asher@cobbk12.org

Music Appreciation Classes- Read this First

Welcome and thank you for the opportunity to share my enjoyment of music with you.  Students in my music appreciation classes will be taking a historical, theoretical, and sometimes a philosophical approach to understanding the music in western Europe and America, beginning with the Baroque Era and concluding with the contemporary period. 

Presentations in class will include teacher demonstrations of music and music related topics, student presentations, lectures and discussions.  Students will also benefit by watching selections of videos with content that supports the curriculum of the class.  Additionally, students will listen to recordings of music beginning with the Baroque Era.

If you have questions or concerns, please email me at jay.asher@cobbk12.org