Parent involvement is highly encouraged and ESSENTIAL to the Music Department of Riverside Middle School. The RMS Music Parents Association is a volunteer organization made up of parents of band and/or chorus students dedicated to helping the directors build a successful music program.

The Music Parents Association aids the Music Department by chaperoning events such as concerts, festivals, pizza and/or skating parties, summer band, and the annual trip to the Great East Festival at Six Flags.* The Association, in partnership with the Riverside Middle School PTA, also hosts all fundraisers for the Music Department.

Without the parents, the RMS Music Department could not exist. Investing your time in the Music Parents Association is investing in your child's musical future.

The Music Parents Association meets at 6:30 p.m. on the first Monday of every month (except for January). Click on this link to see a full schedule of our monthly meetings.
 

Monday, September 14th
(Mandatory for 6th grade parents & students.)
Monday, December 7th
(Come help decorate the stage for the concerts!)
Monday, April 5th  
(Mandatory for students going on the Great East Festival trip as well as their parents.)

For directions, please e-mail rmsbandz@cox.net.
 

Click on the hyperlink below to view a copy of the minutes from our meetings for the 2009-2010 school year.

Minutes from September 14, 2009
Power Point presentation from September 14, 2009
Minutes from December 7, 2009
Minutes from April 5, 2010
Power Point presentation from Great East Festival mtg - April 5, 2010
 

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Student Guide for Good Practice

Parent Guide for Good Practice

Summer Practice Suggestions

IMPORTANT: STUDENTS SHOULD USE A METRONOME!

Want to make your child's practice time more effective? Have them practice with a metronome. A metronome is a device that can be set to make a clicking sound at different rates of speed used to set the tempo for playing a musical piece. For example, if you set the metronome to 60, you will hear 60 clicks (beats) in every minute. If you set the metronome to 120, you will hear 120 clicks (beats) in every minute. So a setting of 120 is twice as fast as a setting of 60. The higher the number, the faster the tempo.

Essentially, a metronome helps a musician keep a steady beat. It's like having your student's Band Director in a box clapping the tempo for them! After more and more practice sessions with the metronome, the student will know when they are right on the beat of the metronome because they will get the sensation of not hearing the metronome while they play! Essentially, the student's notes are replacing the metronome beats. This will happen but it requires much patience/practice to achieve.

Metronomes can be purchased from any local music store for around $20 to $30. If you don't want to buy one, click on this link for a FREE online metronome to use with every practice session! Remember, students should always practice in a place that is free from distractions, so parents should make sure that there is no "instant messaging" while using the online metronome!