November 27, 2016

Post date: Nov 27, 2016 7:49:04 PM

Announcements:

• I hope that everyone had a happy and safe Thanksgiving Holiday!

• Thanks to everyone who did his/her part in selling fruit/nuts! Fruit/Nuts should be in one day THIS WEEK! When it arrives YOU MUST pick it up by 5:00 pm on the day that it arrives!

• Mr. Congiardo's will begin his private lessons TOMORROW! Be sure that you arrive early to warm-up and come prepared. His lesson schedule is attached to this email. You can contact Mr. Congiardo at fcongiardo@hotmail.com with any questions. Make every effort to pay Mr. Congiardo according the guidelines of the contract. This payment covers his time and travel during this very long Monday of private lessons.

• Here is a list of opportunities for your student to participate in band related activities for this spring:

  • All West TN Honor Band Auditions - January 14th - Arlington HS - $10 audition fee required - Last day to sign-up on the office window is THIS FRIDAY! Audition fee MUST be paid at this time. At last look we had 18 students signed up who were interested in auditioning! THIS IS AWESOME! Students MUST be in concert band to audition.

  • UT Martin Honor Band - January 26-28 - Deadline to apply is TOMORROW! Application can be found at https://www.utm.edu/departments/music/honorband.php. Students MUST be in concert band to apply.

  • Jazz Band - meets every Monday from 3:15-4:30 during the spring semester (January-April). The first meeting will be on January 9th. Sign-up sheet is posted on the office window. Students DO NOT have to be in concert band to participate.

  • Percussion Ensemble - meets every Tuesday & Thursday from 5-7 during the spring semester (January-March). The first meeting will be on January 10th. Sign-up sheet is posted on the office window. Students DO NOT have to be in concert band OR a percussionist to participate.

  • Brass Ensemble - meets every Thursday from 3:15-4:30 during the spring semester (January-April). The first meeting will be on January 12th. Sign-up sheet is posted on the office window. Students DO NOT have to be in concert band to participate.

  • University of Memphis Honor Band - February 2-4 - Application and audition material will be released at a later date. Your student MUST be in concert band to apply.

• As you can see there are MANY opportunities for your student to participate in a variety of activities this spring other than concert band. The more your student does the better musician your student becomes which ultimately makes our band better! I'm excited about these opportunities and the interest that your students have already shown in these extra performance opportunities!

• The Dyer Christmas Parade is THIS SATURDAY! This is a MANDATORY PERFORMANCE grade for all marching band members! The parade begins at 5:00 pm. We will meet dressed in full uniform at 4:15 at the Tri City Reporter (across from the Exxon gas station). The parade will end at the Methodist Church in Dyer. Students will be allowed to take home their equipment and uniforms on Friday from school. All equipment and uniforms MUST be turned back in by the following Monday. I will be at the school from 3:30-4:00 for any student needing to pick anything up from the school.

• Students who signed to audition for All-West MUST complete 4 successful after school lessons with me in order to audition. These lessons will begin NEXT Tuesday & Thursday immediately after school. A sign-up sheet will be posted on my window this week for students to sign-up for his/her time.

• Any student wishing to letter in band this year must qualify for at least 3 of the attached criteria by April 15, 2017! All of the bottom listed criteria MUST be met in full. You might ask why would my student want to letter in band? Lettering signifies going above and beyond the regular call of student for a high school organization or academically which looks VERY good on college scholarship application (band or non band related). This shows dedication and a good work ethic to colleges and universities. I HIGHLY suggest that your student letter in something if not band all 4 years that he/she are in high school!

• Continue to pay for debt that has been accrued since this fall! This includes band fees, percussion fees, guard fees, reed/stick student supplies, fruit/nuts, etc. A debt list will be posted on the office window in the coming days so your student can check and see how much he/she owes.

• The band FINAL EXAM is in just 2 weeks! This is worth 20% of your student's grade for the entire semester! Be sure he/she is practicing for his/her final in band!

Upcoming Dates:

• December 6th & 8th - All-West after school lessons BEGIN! These lessons are MANDATORY for any student wishing to audition for All West!

• Sunday, December 11th - County Wide Christmas Concert - 2:00 - GCHS Theatre - Students will have to be there dressed in "concert attire" at 1:15. Concert attire is NO JEANS, TSHIRTS, TENNIS SHOES, SHORTS, ETC. The high school's portion of the concert will begin around 3:00. Students will have to move all equipment back to the band room before they are dismissed. There will be a booster meeting immediately following the concert in the theatre.

• Monday, December 12th - Band Final Exam begins!

• Friday, December 16th - School dismisses at 11:30 for Christmas Break! All debt not paid at this point will be turned in to the office for collection.