Appling Band Booster Meeting Agenda October 20, 2016

Old Business:

The 6th Grade Meet the Band Night Concert was awesome and the kids performed great! I was so proud of what they accomplished so quickly! Thank you to the many volunteers who helped with transporting equipment, set-up, and tear-down.

The 8th graders did a wonderful job at the Bartlett Fall festival on Oct. 1! So fun being able to play with the other 8th graders from the other two middle schools and the high school band.

Our first Appling football game performance was a big success! Thanks to those that helped with equipment. That was a lot of fun!

Our first car wash was a big success….. thanks for those that helped wash cars, made signs, donated supplies, etc…… We made over $800 for the band!

Jacket/Sweatshirt orders were ordered and should be here in a few weeks. If you still need to place an order, do it tonight please and we can do a second order. These make great Christmas presents too.

Bed sheet fundraiser is in and delivered tonight….. thank you to those that helped sell these!

The 7th and 8th grade bands performed in the black/gold pep rally today and did a fabulous job. We will plan to play in the homecoming pep rally and games whenever we look at the schedule. Students need to wear their band shirts on these days.

New Business:

-We are doing a second order for tshirts and need your order by next week. They are $10.

- The 7th/8th grade open house concert will be next Tuesday October 25. We will be performing in the gym about 6:40 and I would like students in the band room at 6:10 for warmup, tuning, and playing through the national anthem. . 7th grade band had a required rehearsal yesterday and 8th grade will have their required rehearsal on Monday until 4:00. They will play a combined Star Spangeld Banner and will each play two songs, so should last approximately 20 minutes and be over by 7.

- The 8th grade band will be going on a field trip to the Bartlett Academy next Wednesday 10/26 to tour the campus and hear the band perform. They will be gone from 10-12:30. Look for the permission slip that went home today.

- Poinsettia information was emailed and orders are due 10/28. This fundraiser will help go toward reducing the cost of the spring trip to Pigeon Forge. These make great holiday gifts. Try to make connections with churches, doctor’s offices, apartment complexes, car dealerships, etc…. or anywhere where you could sell in bulk to help them decorate their lobbies.

-All 7th and 8th grade band students performing in the Veteran’s Day group have rehearsals on Wed. November 2 and Mon. November 7 until 4:00 and Wed. Nov. 9 until 4:00. I may need to consider adding another rehearsal. We will be performing in the City of Bartlett Veteran’s Day ceremony on Nov. 11 and the Heroes for Heroes luncheon on Nov. 10. Please make sure they are practicing their music for this. I will put some links to audio/video tracks to help them with music. We will need help with transporting equipment and setting up on that Friday. We will also see if some parents want to help chaperone small groups that may want to go to the mall afterwards. We will also need help distributing pizza on Thursday after our lunch performances.

Halloween Dance is on Friday 10/28. We need help with ticket sales, decorations, concessions, cleanup, door prizes and costume contest prizes, costume contest judging, monitoring students. Students will help advertise with signs and promote by word of mouth. If you can donate drinks or candy (big size to sell or treat size for door prizes), that would be great and will give us more pure profit. Parents can come in costume too.

- The Bartlett Community Band will have it’s fall “Halloween” concert on Sun. Oct. 30 at 3:00 p.m. at BPACC…..it’s $7 per ticket (Six and under are free) and it will be awesome! I encourage you to hear as I play in this group and it will be an extra credit opportunity.

Don’t forget to sign up for the Kroger card “community rewards” program

-All-West Auditions are January 14 at Arlington High. The deadline to register is early December and the registration fee is covered by the band dues. All 7th and 8th graders are required to audition with the exception of beginners. If students are a 6th grader or 7th and 8th grade beginner that feels ready to audition, please see Mrs. Sanders before the Dec. deadline. Please use the recordings on the band website and on SmartMusic to help you (you can even download the mp3 files to your ipods). Please do not procrastinate with your practicing. Students must know all twelve major scales plus chromatic scale, the prepared music, and be prepared to sight read.

-I should have information soon on the UT Martin Honor Band….. I encourage 7th and 8th grade students to apply for this. You will sign up online and I will give you a website to go to. The event will be held Jan. 26-28.

Spring trip to Pigeon Forge for honor/jazz bands scheduled for the first weekend in May - please mark calendars. Jazz band and honor band results will be posted at some point tomorrow (I hope) and rehearsals will start next Wednesday. There will be a second round of auditions for honor band right before or after Christmas break for any open spots.

Submit pictures from band events onto a cd for our website and for the end of the year movie and for yearbook. Mrs. Sanders’ web page is up and running and I am trying to post announcements on a weekly basis. Also, if you have not been receiving e-mails from us with updates, please give us your e-mail address so that we can keep you informed.

We have completed the first nine weeks. This is the 7th year of the Smart Music program. I can tell such a difference in the kids. It is a great practice tool and a fun way to practice. Many students can strive to use this more and to use it as more of a learning tool than a recording tool……especially since everyone now has their own laptop. Remember you can always practice things that aren’t “assignments” too such as scales, rhythm exercises, jazz improvisation, or having access to downloading thousands of solos. I still have a few microphones for sale for $10 if anyone needs one.

****Please encourage your child to get in a routine of practicing…….. practicing will not only make them better players but more self-confident.

Please check into private lessons if you can, especially closer to All-West and Appling honor and jazz band auditions – Bartlett Music Academy, Bellevue and Faith Baptist churches, University of Memphis, etc……