• Profile Pic

    Contact Information

    520-696-6036

    kbrower@amphi.com

     

    Band Information & Registration

     

    Curriculum

    Essential Elements for Band

    Essential Elements Interactive

     

    Important Dates 2023/2024

                        Band Camp Registration/Information Sheet

    For a list of important dates please view the Band Schedule

     

    WELCOME!

    My name is Kristy Brower and I teach Music and Band at the best school in Tucson - Harelson Elementary! 

    I chose Harelson Elementary because of the time-honored tradition of excellence which is largely maintained by a very involved and supportive community of parents.

    I believe I am on a mission!  I want my students to be musically literate.  I want them to be able to read and perform music.  My goal, in every performance that the students do, is to create a culture of excellence.  I do not ever want them to settle for mediocrity.  Their personal best is what I am focused on.  When they are performing, I want them to feel confident, happy and very proud!

    I believe very deeply that music education is a fundamentally crucial part of the full development of a child and to the culture of our nation.  A high quality music education is essential for brain development, character, social and emotional development.  This has been scientifically proven. 

    EXPERIENCE

    I have 23 years of experience teaching band in the following districts:

    Amphitheater School District, Tucson Unified School District, Nogales School District, Sunnyside Unified School District

    Accomplishments

    I have ensemble experience on all of the following instruments: flute, saxophone, melophone, tuba and choir.  I received 1st place in the state of Arizona for alto saxophone and 3rd place for flute performance. Performing in the musical styles of both classical and jazz, I received 2 soloist awards in the area of Jazz and Jazz improvisation. I was awarded college scholarships from the Young Sounds of Arizona for alto saxophone and from the University of Arizona for flute. 

    As a band and orchestra teacher, my ensembles have performed on TV twice, for Governor Hull, Mayor Walkup, in the OMA (Opening Minds Through the Arts) showcase, and was featured in an OMA production video that was distributed throughout the United States. I was also chosen by the OMA program to help create lessons for a music curriculum which will be sold to other schools and school districts across the United States.  In 2018, the Harelson advanced band was chosen to play at the Amphi Gala and the Tucson Roadrunners game.

    Future Goals

    My current focus of growth within my career is integrating technology in to my band program utilizing the Essential Elements Interactive website.  This program can be used at home for the students to practice with and to take their playing tests at home.

     

    Defining Moment in Education

    How and when did I decide to become a music teacher?  My senior year of high school in the marching band we didn't have any melophone players except me.  So, the band director went to every student that had expressed a desire to quit band and convinced them to change their instrument to melophone and give it one more year before they quit.  In this newly formed section, I taught them a brand new instrument from the basics on up.  They became one of the best sections in the band and even earned a feature in the marching show that year!  When marching band was over, they all gave me a gift and a card and told me, with tears, that I had made them into awesome musicians and they loved band again.  It was at that moment that I decided I had a gift for teaching and I would become a music teacher.

    Rules & Consequences

    Raise Your Hand

    Make Music Not Noise

    Respect One Another

    Always Do Your Best

    Always Be Prepared

    Behavior is a part of the band contract.  Students may be permanently removed from the band for poor behavior or poor practice habits.  Please review the Band Information & Registration for more information.

    Routines

    Set up

    • Drinks and bathroom before band starts (not during band)
    • Be in the band room no later than 2:10
    • Backpack by your chair
    • Take out your music – If there is a rehearsal agenda on the board, have that music out and ready
    • Take out a pencil
    • Be ready to start by 2:20          

    Pack Up         

    • Put away your music and all other materials – take your music home!
    • Put away your chair and stand

    Playing Tests

    • Play what I previously assigned.
    • Students may play in groups of three
    • If a student doesn't want to play in front of people, he/she can do the test after band or email the test using the EEInteractive website.
    • Students get three chances to pass the test - except if it is being emailed using EEInteractive.  Then there are unlimited chances.
    • If the student doesn't pass a test, he/she is NOT in trouble! All I care about is effort and commitment.

    If a student does not pass a playing test

    • The student will use a practice log that is in their band book.
    • The parent will sign the practice log verifying they are practicing 1 hour per week.
    • The student will keep doing a weekly practice log until they pass the test.
    • As long as the student can prove that they are practicing, there is no consequence.
    • If the student is more than 1 week late in turning in the practice log, he/she will get a strike against their behavior.