HAPPY THANKSGIVING!!

Wow!  It is hard to believe that it is Thanksgiving already next week!  The band students will be receiving another packet of music soon!  This packet will contain 'Jolly Old St. Nick', 'Up on the Housetop', 'Angels We Have Heard on High', and 'Deck the Halls'.  These packets are not for our holiday concert - they are just 'fun' songs that they can play for themselves, parents, grandparents, etc. or who ever will listen to them.  All of the student packets are just the melody line - no accompaniment parts.  I hope the band students enjoy playing these songs for you!

Standard of Excellence - 1st Performance Book

Parents, please make sure that your band child has the '1st Performance' book!  This book has many longer pieces in it which correspond with the skills and concepts presented in our 'Standard of Excellence'.  We will be performing one selection out of this book for our Holiday Concert and other selections from the book at our Spring performance.  A number of you have already purchased the book as it was listed on the letter regarding summer band camp and necessary materials that was sent home at the end of the school year this past May.  If you have not already purchased it, please do so as soon as you are able as we are busily preparing for the Holiday Concert!  Thank you so much for you cooperation in this matter!

HOLIDAY CONCERT NOTES!

Preparations are well under way for our annual Holiday Band and Orchestra concert.  The band students have been busily preparing some familiar holiday/Christmas selections as well as some other tunes appropriate for the season.  Please continue to encourage the practice time at home.  This practice time is essential for reinforcing all of the musical concepts that the students are introduced to during our full band rehearsals and small-group lessons.  I have also been reminding all of the students that we are not going to spend the 20 minute lesson time doing their individual practicing.  They are to come to their lessons prepared to play their assignments from the previous week.  Some students have been coming to lessons expecting me to guide them through their practice - this is not fair to the other students in their lesson group who have been practicing and are ready to progress on to the new material.  Please put the date for the concert on your calendar as all students are expected to be at our performance - Monday, Dec. 14.  Also, please note the time change from previous years - the band and orchestra concert will begin at 6:30pm in the Performing Arts Center.