Announcements

Up-Coming Spring Band Concert: 

The SBPS Grade 5-8 Spring Band Concert will take place on Friday, May 8th in the Auditorium at Scottsbluff High School. This concert will begin at 6:00 p.m.  Dress for this concert is nice dress clothes (we suggest a skirt or a dress for the girls and dress slacks, a dress shirt and tie for the boys). This is a graded performance and all students are expected to be in attendance. This should be a very special performance as we will combine the 6th, 7th, and 8th Grade Bands for the final song on the concert. Please c;ick on the link below for more information. This Concert is free and open to the public. Please invite your family and friends to attend!

Spring Concert Information 

"Music In The Parks" Festival:

On Saturday, May 9th, the 8th Grade Band will be traveling to the Denver area to perform for the "Music In The Parks" Festival. The students will perform in the morning at Alameda Jr./Sr. High School in Lakewood, CO. Following our performance, the students will then travel to Elitch Gardens and have some time to enjoy themselves at the amusement park. More details will be made available as we get closer to the date of this trip. This is a wonderful educational opportunity for the students as they will be judged by nationally known adjudicators and will receive comments that will help them improve in the future, as well as a rating/trophy

This will be a one day trip. We will leave early on the morning of May 9th, perform for the festival, enjoy some time in the park, and then return home.

Because this is a competition and a required graded performance, we would like every student in 8th grade band to participate in this festival. We need every member to be in attendance for us to perform at our best. There is no cost to the students for this trip except for money for their evening meal on the way home (fast food stop). The festival fees, park entrance fees, lunch, T-Shirt, and transportation will all be provided through our fundraising efforts.

Parents and other family members are welcome to travel to the festival to watch our performance. We would really appreciate the support. More information will be provided soon on the exact time and location of our performance.

Music In The Parks Trip Itinerary 26 

Western Nebraska Middle Level Music Contest Results: 

On Saturday, February 28, 2026, students from Bluffs Middle School had the opportunity to play and be adjudicated on their solos. This years judges were Michael Stephens (Woodwind professor from Chadron State College), John Wojcik (retired Brass professor from Chadron State College), and Stacey Sailors (band director from Minatare). They were judged on musical skills such as Articulation, Balance/Blend, Dynamics, Intonation, Note Accuracy, Rhythm Accuracy, Phrasing, Tone Quality, Technique, and Tempo. This Contest is designed to be a very positive learning experience for the students. The judges take the time to talk to each Soloist to offer encouragement and advice to help them improve as players. Student's performances are rated on the following scale:

Division I - Superior

Division II - Excellent

Division III - Good

Division IV - Fair

Division V - Unprepared

Bluffs Middle School students received the following ratings:

8th Grade Band Soloists - 25 Division I - Superior Ratings and 3 Division II - Excellent Ratings

7th Grade Band Soloists - 25 Division I - Superior Ratings, 3 Division II - Excellent Ratings, and 1 Good Rating

6th Grade Band Soloists - 19 Division I - Superior Ratings and 10 Division II - Excellent Ratings

BMS 7/8 Grade Woodwind Ensemble - Superior Rating

Congratulations to all who participated. We are very proud of all of you!

BMS 8th Grade Band NMEA Performance:

Congratulations to the BMS 8th Grade Band on their very fine performance for the 2025 Nebraska Music Education Association Convention on November 21st, 2025 in Lincoln, Nebraska. They played well and we are very proud of them.

The band was chosen by a committee, appointed by NMEA, from an audition recording submitted last spring. They are one of several ensembles (both vocal and instrumental) that were selected as NMEA Honor Groups.

We performed on Friday, November 21 from 4:15-5:00 p.m. (CST) on the stage of Kimball Recital Hall on the University of Nebraska -Lincoln campus. 

We are excited to have received this honor. Our students have been working hard and we are pleased that their efforts and determination are being recognized.

This is the fourth time that the BMS Band has been selected to perform for the NMEA Convention. The others being in 2002, 2018, and 2022.

CONGRATULATIONS TO ALL!

8th Grade All-State Band Selected:  Karlie Bruce, Nebraska State Bandmasters Association Middle Level Chair, announced the results of the NSBA 2026 8th Grade All State Band Auditions. There were 445 students from 47 schools who auditioned. Based on their recorded audition, the NSBA Honor Band committee selected 93 students and 23 alternates for the band. Bluffs Middle School had 20 students complete the audition and 14 students were selected to be members of this prestigious group of young musicians. 

Students from Bluffs Middle School have participated in the NSBA 8th Grade All-State Band for the past 25 years and we are pleased to add the following names to the list of those selected: 

• Amelia Burns (Alternate Flute) - Parents, Joshua & Jennifer Burns

• Audrey Murray (Clarinet) - Parents, Emily Murray

• Reagan Schiff (Alternate Clarinet) - Parents, Scott & Kristin Schiff

• Kinley Richards (Alternate Bass Clarinet) - Parents, Joni Richards

• Jonah Klaas (Alto Saxophone) - Parents, Stephen Klaas & Tara Longoria

• Jo'Aubrey Fernandez (Bari Saxophone) - Parents, Lauren Esquivel

• Micah De Los Santos (Trombone) - Parents, Matthew & Ashley De Los Santos

• Jackson Green (Trombone) - Parents, Nathan & Kelli Green

• Jeffrey McMurtry (Trombone) - Parents, Jeffrey & Tiffany McMurtry

• Havynn Urdiales (Trombone) - Parents, Martin & Jennifer Urdiales

• Sean Kabugo (Euphonium) - Parents, Connie Kabugo

• Jonah Zavala (Tuba) - Parents, Mario & Jordyn Zavala

• Rriel Harman (Percussion) - Parents, Tim & Ashley Harman

• Kynlee Kaufman (1st Chair - Percussion) - Parents, Tony & Libby Kaufman

These students will travel to Kearney in January to rehearse and perform with the other members of the honor band. Congratulations to those students who were selected and to all those who auditioned.

Old West Weekend Parade Results: Congratulations to the 7th and 8th Grade Band for their performance at the Old West Weekend Parade on Saturday, October 18th. The students were judged on their playing skills (Tone Quality, Intonation, Rhythmic Precision, Articulation, Balance, and Interpretation) and their marching skills (Rank Alignment, File Alignment, Posture, Uniform Instrument Position, Uniform Step Style, and Players In Step). The BMS Band received a Division 1 -  SUPERIOR Rating from the judges.  We are very proud of their performance and happy to see all of their hard work pay off. Their next performance will be for the Veteran's Day Parade on Tuesday, November 11th at 11 a.m. on East Overland. 

Jazz Band

Jazz Band rehearsals will begin on Tuesday, August 26th. Jazz Band rehearses on Tuesday and Thursday mornings starting at 7:00 a.m. Students should enter the building through the North Annex door (door #10). Mrs. Koch will be at door #10 to let students in from 6:50 a.m. to 7:05 a.m. After 7:05 a.m., students will need to enter through the South main entrance.

2025-2026 Band Calendar:

The 2025-2026 Band Calendar is now available. Please scroll down to BMS Band Calendar box on this page and click on the link for the 2025-2026 BMS Band Calendar to access this calendar.