Dear band community,

 

CONGRATULATIONS to everyone on a successful band camp and a great culminating informance on Saturday.  I am proud of the students for their hard work before and during camp, and I am excited to watch this show continue to grow over the coming months.  We have learned almost all of the show and we should be finished with it this week.  Students, continue to practice your music and keep working on memorization.

 

Thank you to all of the parents who assisted in band camp in any way.  I am always amazed by how much support the students receive from their parents.  You allow us to concentrate on teaching and learning, and we appreciate it!  Thank you especially to Jen Kennedy, who chaired the band camp efforts, and Carolyn Bishop, who was in charge of getting chaperones for all rehearsals.

 

Attendance:  Please remember to make every attempt to keep rehearsal absences to a minimum.  This includes late arrivals, early dismissals, etc.  Any time we are missing members we have to clean the drill around their hole on the field and we have to review everything we learned when they return.  In short, missing any part of rehearsal is a bad idea!  But I do know that sometimes it cannot be helped.  In the case of unavoidable absences, please use the absence form under the "Forms" section on the band website.  This form makes a parent note unnecessary.

Schedules:  I believe most students have received their schedules in the mail this week.  It is my understanding that there are mistakes in many schedules, and many mistakes center around your band class.  I will post rosters for each of the three band classes in the band hall this week so you know which class you should be enrolled in.  If your schedule lists the wrong band class or does not list one at all, please consult guidance immediately.  As a reminder, Symphonic and Concert Band are two semester classes that must be taken all year long, and Wind Ensemble is an alternating class.  Also, you must be enrolled in a band class to participate in the marching band (except guard).  No exceptions!

 

This week:   Practices this week are 5:00-8:30pm on Tuesday and Wednesday.  On Thursday, I would like to move practice to 2-5pm to allow students to attend the DCI Quarterfinal broadcast at Briar Creek at 6:30pm that evening.  If this is a conflict for you, please email me ASAP.  I will announce at the beginning of practice on Tuesday if we will move the practice time to the earlier time or if we will stay with the time scheduled. You can get more information and purchase your tickets at http://www.dci.org/cinema/.  You should purchase them ASAP, as they sell out quickly!

 

To prepare for rehearsals this week, students should begin looking at movement 4.  On Tuesday, we will learn the rest of the drill for the show and work on visual technique.  Wednesday, we will spend some time in sectionals rehearsing the music.  Hopefully, on Thursday we will begin ensembling movement 4.  We should be able to do a full run-through of our entire show at the end of practice on Thursday!

 

Congratulations again on a great start to the season, and keep up the good work in the coming weeks!

 

_________________
Brian Myers
Director of Bands
Green Hope High School
2500 Carpenter Upchurch Road
Cary, NC  27519
(919) 388-5157  Band Office
(919) 380-3712  School Fax
www.greenhopeband.org