Embedded Files
Band Sponsors
Band Sponsors
Band Acknowledgements
Band Acknowledgements
The Blalack Band would like to thank:
The Blalack Band would like to thank:
Our Parents for their love, support, time, financial investment, and confidence in our program. We can not thank you enough!
The Blalack Staff, Administrators, Counselors and Front Office for always supporting our students in their music and educational life.
Alumni of the Blalack Band. Your past hard work, mentoring and success is the reason we have this opportunity to perform.
Private Lesson Staff for helping make learning and perfecting a new skill fun for our students - and helping us stretch our scholarship funds as much as we can so we can reach as many students as possible.
CFBISD School Board and Upper Administration for supporting fine arts in the district and helping supporting this trip financially.
Dr. Mark Rohwer, CFBISD Fine Arts Director, for being an amazing advocate in our district and never being afraid to say "how can I help".
All of our Masterclass teachers who have worked with our students this year: Olivia Jirousek, Haley Monk, Trever Ousey, Davis Ponjuan, Thomas Holmes, Ben Kelly, Diana LeCount, Eric Kalbfleisch, Matt Folwer, Parker Burkey, Andrew Smit, Katie Binkley, Bethni Lowne, Marty Nelson, Joshua Lott, Brad Brooks, David Desoto, Zachary Davis, Addison Pellegrino, Julia Lawson, Eleanor Macias, Neil Haag, Diane LeCount, Brianna Halsena, Hunter Purvine, Brenton Wolfe, Brian Palmer
Mr. Asa Burk for being a great mentor for our program for the past 2 years.
Kim Beene and Sarah Ayoub at Arbor Creek Middle School for letting us "borrow" all of their trip planning ideas, fundraisers and documents this past year.
Everyone who donated time and/or money to our program to make this trip possible and affordable to our students and their families. You don't realize how much of an impact your contribution made for our students!
Director Acknowledgements
Director Acknowledgements
Mr. Marshall would like to thank:
Mr. Marshall would like to thank:
My wife, Jeanette, and my kids, Dylan and Keira, thank you for all of your support, patience when 5:00 turns into 5:30 and help to keep everything balanced. Also, my Gnomes are better than yours!
My parents for always supporting my music pursuits, going to every concert and forcing 7th grade me to go practice even when I didn't want to.
Hannah Thiessen and Abigail Robinson for putting up with me and making work an entertaining, fun environment every day.
Dr. Davis for being a fantastic principal and supporter of what we are trying to do in the band hall
Dr. Rohwer for being a cheerleader and supporter for my crazy ideas and Mr. Farr for pushing me to have set lofty goals for our program.
The Blalack Fine Arts for building a team that genuinely cares and supports each others programs.
Sherry Miller and Brian Palmer for helping me grow as a young teacher.
My good friends and colleagues I have been able to reach out to for support and advice throughout this process including Chris Meredith, Jim Egger, David Puckett, Bethni Lowne, Vincent Morris, Jason Fennels, Brandon Down and Alicia DeSoto.
Ms. Thiessen would like to thank:
Ms. Thiessen would like to thank:
My mom – you are my favorite human, thank you for encouraging me to try music, pursue teaching, to always look for the positive and try to bring light to those around me, and to know the difference between doing my best and being the best. Dad – I know if you were still here, you’d be so proud of me.
My younger brothers – you taught me the level of patience necessary when working with middle schoolers every day and how to take an insult. I love you goobers.
Mrs. Carol Rustowicz – you inspired me to be a band director in the 7th grade, and here I am! Thank you for showing me what it means to change lives.
My private lesson teachers from kindergarten piano to college professors: Mrs. Shroeder, Larry Mentzer, Deborah Fabian, Donna Emmanuel – you helped shape me as a musician and a teacher.
My colleagues and fellow Fast & Furious fanatics: Abby Robinson – I am glad to not only work with you every day, but to have you as one of my best friends. Keith Marshall – you are truly the best mentor I could have asked for. I am continuously learning from you and constantly laughing at your “Keithisms”. Thanks for helping me care about the students as a whole and to do my best to encourage them to be good humans.
Ms. Robinson would like to thank:
Ms. Robinson would like to thank:
My husband, Steven- Thank you for always encouraging and supporting my goals and aspirations. Reminding me why I love music and my job- you're my forever favorite duet partner. You make me a better teacher, a better musician, and a better human.
Mom and Dad- for always supporting my musical ambitions. Mom, thank you for teaching me all my first lessons- in piano, flute, and in patience. You have always been an exemplary model of a great teacher. I hope to be a teacher like you. Dad, thank you for coming to every concert and solo - ready to cheer me on or get me a root beer when everything went wrong. You taught me there are so many similarities between band directing and life. Thank you for always showing the fun and joy of music.
My former band directors for inspiring me to pursue a career in music. Mr. Biggs- for taking a silly middle school prank and turning it into a teaching opportunity. Mr. Stambaugh- for teaching me to leave every day better than I found it. Mr. Starnes- for trusting a high school senior to help teach beginning band.
Hannah Thiessen- We share a lot of things; an office, a sense of humor, and even a house when I needed one. I'm so lucky to share all these things with a wonderful friend.
Keith Marshall- Thank you for taking a chance on this Kansas kid and being a great mentor, colleague and friend.
God - for the gift of music, and humans capable of creating it.
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