Hello band parents and students,
We are now a full three weeks into the school year, and things are off to a great start! Parents, here are some things to ask your student around the dinner table (or maybe the next time you're driving them somewhere):
Freshmen had a big intonation day today in class. (It's a love-hate thing.)
Sophomores talked about how Soviet architecture influenced their band music.
Juniors have more notes on each page than they've seen in their entire lives.
Seniors are doing a West Side Story set to celebrate the 100th birthday of Leonard Bernstein. And some Barry Manilow.
Wind Ensemble is working up Gershwin's famous Rhapsody in Blue and a piece commissioned by the President's Own.
And now for the updates:
1. Marching Band Update - State is just around the corner, and we have our last substantial rehearsal tomorrow from 8:00-5:00, followed by a home football game. Two things to note:
Attendance at rehearsals and performances is critical. If you will be missing a large rehearsal or especially a performance, it's a pretty big deal, and you should talk to a director immediately. Smaller conflicts (e.g. coming a few minutes late from an appointment or leaving early for sports) can be handled through your section leader.
Football Games: Tomorrow, we will be performing the full field show (with possibly an altered pregame). Next Friday (Homecoming), we will perform an abridged halftime show due to extra halftime events. Should our football team secure any home playoff games during the post-season, we will play from the stands only. As a reminder, marching band students are expected to stay for the duration of home football games without prior permission from the directors.
2. Jazz Band Update - Jazz auditions are wrapping up tonight, and we had another huge turnout. We hope to post results at the end of next week. If you missed signing up this week (or if you changed your mind), we still highly encourage you to participate in our popular Jazz Lab - come one, come all!
3. Band Spirit Wear - The next round of band spirit wear is available on the BOPA website through September 30. Click here to check it out!
4. Fruit Sale Volunteers - The fruit sale fundraiser committee could still use a few more hands for both committee roles and one-night volunteers. Sign up here to help out!
5. All-Parent Meeting - If you missed the all-parent meeting last week, you can check out the slideshow on the BOPA website under "Events."
Thanks for reading, everyone.