Music/Band
Ryan Semrau
(928)476-3283
Bio
Hello! My name is Ryan Semrau. I teach music and band at Pine Strawberry School. This is my 9th year teaching here. Prior to this, I worked with high school bands in the valley for 11 years at 3 different schools; Marcos de Niza HS, Paradise Valley HS and Chandler HS. I graduated from Arizona State University in 2004 and have lived in Arizona since 1997. I love teaching at this school because of the strong family values in the community and the smiles from all the kids I have the pleasure of working with on a daily basis. I live in Payson with my wife Whitney. I enjoy golfing in my spare time and I also play my horn and trumpet with the Payson Community Band and Jazz Band. I look forward to many years of being a part of your child’s music education.
Class Schedule
Monday
7:30-7:55 Office Hours
8:05-8:35 WIN Band
9:20-9:40 Preschool Music
10:10-10:50 5th Grade Band
12:15-12:55 Kinder/1st Grade Music
1:40-2:20 Middle School Band (Full Band)
Tuesday
7:30-7:55 Office Hours
8:05-8:35 WIN Band
10:10-10:50 5th Grade Band
12:15-12:55 Kinder/1st Grade Music
1:40-2:20 Middle School Band (Blue Band / Brass)
Wednesday
7:30-7:55 Office Hours
8:05-8:35 WIN Band
10:10-10:50 3rd Grade Music
12:15-12:55 2nd Grade Music
1:00-1:35 4th Grade Music
1:40-2:20 Middle School Band (Grey Band / Woodwinds)
Thursday
8:05-8:35 WIN Band
10:10-10:50 3rd Grade Music
12:15-12:55 2nd Grade Music
1:00-1:35 4th Grade Music
1:40-2:20 Middle School Band (Full Band)
2:20-3:00 Middle School Music Theory
Friday
7:30-7:55 Office Hours (unless it's a Flag Ceremony day)
10:10-10:50 5th Grade Band
Expectations/Procedures
For primary and intermediate grades (PreK-3), there are not any expectations for students to practice things they learn in music class outside of class time. The curriculum I use is based on the work of Carl Orff and is called “GAMEPLAN”. The program is organized in this way:
“GAMEPLAN is an active music curriculum for children. Organized by grade level and presented chronologically in weekly lessons, GAMEPLAN sequences musical skills and objectives that support the National Standards for Arts Education. As good teaching is diverse, this curriculum is eclectic. It embraces several philosophies, including the principles of Orff Schulwerk and the Kodaly approach to reading rhythm and melody. Folk songs, folk rhymes, and traditional games and dances form an integral part of the repertoire included.
GAMEPLAN has two goals:
● to organize musical objectives in a logical progression that is educationally sound and developmentally appropriate
● to present the lessons in a concise format that is practical, easy to follow, and user-friendly
THIS IS AN ACTIVE MUSIC CURRICULUM” - taken from notes by Jeff Kriske and Randy DeLelles
In 4th grade students begin learning to play their first wind instrument, the recorder. The majority of the 4th grade curriculum is centered around learning this instrument in preparation for 5th grade band. Students are expected to practice some outside of music class at home. Please encourage students to practice appropriately when they can. Parent involvement is VERY important to a child’s music education. Support is key for them to have a successful and positive experience. If a student is not able to practice at home, they may come before school and work with me (if arranged first) from 7:30-7:55 on Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday and Friday (except on Flag Ceremony days); these are my office hours.
ALL 5th grade students are trained on a band instrument. Instruments are provided for students including reeds for woodwind instruments (Flute, Clarinet and Saxophone) and all brass (Trumpet, Horn, Trombone, Euphonium and Tuba) and percussion instruments. Parents may choose to rent an instrument if they wish and this is encouraged as students tend to take more ownership when the instrument is theirs.
Middle School students may elect to be a part of the PINE STRAWBERRY SCHOOL BAND. This group meets every day except Fridays in the afternoon and performs regularly throughout the school year. Once a month on Friday we have our School Flag Ceremony. The band is an integral part of this experience. We also perform at our Christmas Extravaganza each year. Students are trained on a band instrument. Instruments are provided for students including reeds for woodwind instruments (Flute, Clarinet and Saxophone) and all brass (Trumpet, Horn, Trombone, Euphonium and Tuba) and percussion instruments. Parents may choose to rent an instrument if they wish and this is encouraged as students tend to take more ownership when the instrument is theirs.
Preferred Methods of Communication
email me at rsemrau@pineesd.org
Helpful Web Links
“musictheory.net” is a wonderful tool for note identification as well as other helpful tools for music reading
Chrome Music Lab is a fun music composition tool for students to experiment with creating their own music.
Chrome Music Lab - Song Maker (chromeexperiments.com)
Classroom Events/Field Trips
● Flag Ceremonies once a month on the last Friday of the month (Middle School Band performs)
● Christmas Extravaganza in December (All grades perform for this concert); usually the last Thursday before we dismiss for Winter Recess