Jazz Tour

We'll be leaving at 8:10 from school and going to all four elementaries.

Fred Assam:  9:15
Brandon Elementary: 10:30
Robert Bennis: 1:00
Valley Springs:  2:15
Return to MS at 3:00.

Remember to bring money for lunch ($7.00 plus tax).
Attire:  Black top (any kind without writing), jeans, and Santa hats.

6th Grade Winter Concert

Tuesday, December 20th - 7:00pm - BV PAC

Warm up at 6:15 in the HS Band Room

Dress Clothes
No Jeans or Shirts with writing
Ladies, shoulders must be covered and skirts/dresses must be an appropriate length.

Music for Jazz Band

Here you go, guys!  Enjoy your Thanksgiving breaks!  See you all Tuesday morning.

Click on the "Play" button in the audio bar on each page to hear the song you want.

http://jwpepper.com/10277448.item
http://jwpepper.com/2445658.item
http://jwpepper.com/2473682.item
http://jwpepper.com/2439123.item

Middle School All-State Band Information

We know you’ve been working very hard to prepare your All-State band material.  Can you believe that auditions are coming up in only a few weeks?  There are a few things you and your parents need to know as we close in on audition day.  Please read over all of this information carefully with your parents so you can be well prepared for your audition.

Extra Help

If you would like additional one-on-one help in preparing for your audition, please sign up for a time on the white board in the band office.  Mrs. Baker has times available every night after school.  You may sign up for up to two lessons per week, but please space them out so that you will have time to practice in between.  Also, please sign up for the earliest available time on the day you are planning to get help.  Mr. Miller has times available most days after school and many days before school.  Please contact him directly for available times.

 Auditions

Auditions will be recorded in the Middle School Band Room.  The two options for audition times are :

1.  During the school day the week before Thanksgiving break (November 21-23)

2.  After school the week after Thanksgiving break (November 28-December 1)

If you have a preference for which day you record, please let Mrs. Baker know as soon as possible.  If not, we will assign groups for each day.  The recordings take about 25 minutes for each person, so we will need quite a bit of time to get all students recorded. 

Auditions must be performed in the following order:  Scale sheet in the order written, starting with chromatic, 6/8 Etude, 4/4 Etude.  Percussionists must perform scale sheet in the order written, mallet etude, timpani etude, snare rudiments in the order written, snare etude.  Mallet etude and scales may be performed on marimba, xylophone, or bells. 

Fees

There is a $9.00 fee to audition for All-State band.  We will need to send in one check as a school, so please bring $9.00 in cash to Mrs. Baker or Mr. Miller.  We will combine all money into one check to send in to SDMEA. 

Lodging

We have received word that lodging in Pierre may be difficult to come by this year due to a number of events being held on the same weekend.  Please call to reserve your room now to ensure that you and your family have a place to stay should you be selected!  You can cancel later if you are not selected.  Room blocks have been reserved at several hotels.  See www.sdmea.net/ms-all-state-band.html and click on the 2012 Lodging Link for more information. 

All-State Weekend

All-State band will be held in Pierre on March 2nd and 3rd.  All rehearsals are held at T.F. Riggs High School in Pierre.  Since this is NOT an activity officially sponsored by the Middle School, each student will need to make their own travel plans with their families.  More information will be available as the date gets closer for those selected.

Once again, thank you for all of your hard work and dedication in preparing for this event!  We appreciate the time and work you have put in to make yourselves better players and are proud of your efforts and achievements.  Our entire band has benefited from your hard work and dedication.  Thank you!

Sincerely,

Mrs. Baker and Mr. Miller

Jazz Band!

Good news!  It's time for jazz band to start! :)

We will have our first rehearsal next WEDNESDAY, NOVEMBER 2nd at 7:00am.  Please bring your instrument and come prepared to play!  Jazz 1 is for 8th grade students, and we're in need of trumpets, saxophones, trombones, piano, electric guitar, electric bass, and drum set players.

I would like everyone interested in jazz this year to please fill out the following informational form:
https://docs.google.com/spreadsheet/viewform?hl=en_US&formkey=dGgySW1uRGlSU3ZpYzhRX1VwQ2JHTHc6MQ#gid=0

Our rehearsal schedule is as follows:
Full group rehearsals: November: 2, 4, 8, 10, 15, 18, 22, and 29.  December:  2, 6, 9, 13, and 14.
Please make plans to arrive early enough to get your instrument set up before rehearsal begins.  Also, plan on having a sectional with your instrument once every two weeks.  The sectional schedule will be set once jazz band has started.  The first sectional will be trumpets on November 3rd.

We have our first concert on December 15th, and we will be taking our tour around to the elementary schools in December as well.  Get excited!

8th Grade Fundraising Announcements

Hello band parents! We have started reading some concert band music for our December concerts! Jazz bands will be kicking off soon, too! Here are some important news items for you:

1. Frozen food pickup- Frozen food will be ready for pickup at 8:30am this Saturday, October 22^nd. The pickup will be at the Brandon Valley Transportation Center, 812 E. Redwood Blvd. Money from the sale is due to the band room on or before Wednesday, October 26^th. Please return the money for the total amount of your student’s sale in one check,payable to the Brandon Valley Band Parents.

2. Indoor Concert – The Marching Lynx Indoor concert will be held on Tuesday, November 1^st at 7:00pm. Please note the earlier start time this year. This is the only concert of the year in which admission is charged. Activity passes are accepted. Adults are $5 and students are $3. It is an exciting night of great music and fun!

3. Hegg Brothers Holiday Jam. As we told you earlier this fall, the Brandon Valley Band Parents are bringing the Hegg Brothers Holiday Jam to the Brandon Valley Performing Arts Center! Local musicians Jeremy and Jon Hegg and friends put on a spectacular holiday show, which in a short two years has become one of the hottest tickets in the region! We are anticipating a sellout! Our students will be selling tickets to this event starting next week. Here are some details:

A.  Initial offering of up to 4 tickets per student starts on 
October 26th and orders are due back by or before November 7. 

B.  A second offering of tickets, if tickets are still available, 
will start on November 9^th.  

C.  Be sure to fill out 1 order form for each purchaser, making sure 
to fill out COMPLETELY including band member name to get credit

D.  Payment MUST be included with each order or the order will NOT 
be processed. Orders should be returned to the band room in one envelope per student. The envelope should include the student’s name and grade. 

E.  Band members will receive credit toward the cost of next year’s trip for each 
ticket sold.

 

Please let Mr. Miller know if you have any questions.  Thank you!

7th Grade Auditions

Seventh Grade Chair Placement Auditions are coming up!

You should prepare the following exercises, PLUS be ready to play your B-flat, E-flat, and Chromatic scales.

A schedule will be posted next week.  This will be graded and entered into the first quarter grade.
Good luck to everyone!

From the Rubank Intermediate Method book:
Flute:  Page 10 #3
Clarinet:  Page 13 #4
Saxophone:  Page 7 #2

From the First Book of Practical Studies:
Trumpet:  #39
French horn:  #45
Trombones:  #25
Baritones (TC):  #39
Baritones (BC):  #25
Tubas:  #25
Percussion: SEE MR. MILLER