Month: August 2015

Private Lesson Instructors

Hello 7th and 8th Grade Band Parents,

As the year progresses the demand on your child to be prepared for playing tests and auditions will increase.  If you are looking for a great activity that will help your child not only in class, but also to help their maturity level and motivate them, nothing is better than a private one on one teacher.  At the bottom of this letter is a list of private instructors from the University of West Georgia.  Students who take privately tend to earn higher chair position results, have higher self esteem and are more likely to achieve a scholarship to college straight out of high school.  It is also the best way to make use of that investment you made in purchasing their instrument.

This year I expect to have a large amount of students interested in auditioning for the District 7 Honor Band, which is held on Saturday December 6th.  Getting your child a lesson once a week can increase their chances of helping them make the band.  I sincerely hope you will consider getting your child a private instructor and sign your child up to audition for the District 7 honor band this year.

All lessons should be scheduled independently between you and the instructor so that it will fit your schedules, and they should all occur here at CJHS after school.  The instructors will contact me with their times and I will make sure they have a nice place to do your lesson.  Your child should not need more than a half hour lesson, once a week, and should be no more than $15.

Instructors:

Flute:

Clarinet:

Oboe / Bassooon:

Saxophone:

French Horn:

Trumpet:

Trombone:

Baritone / Tuba:

Percussion:

8th Grade Night at the HS information

Hello All,

Although their is an 8th grade football game this week, the Trojan Band will not be playing at it.  Our 8th grade band members have to be in a rehearsal for their participation for 8th grade night at the high school during that football game.

8th Grade Night Info – THIS IS FOR ALL 8TH GRADERS, NOT JUST THOSE IN TROJAN BAND.

Thursday:

  • 6 – 7pm – Rehearsal at the High School Band Room.  Drop-off and pickup at the High School Band Room.  If your child needs to stay after school until the rehearsal they may walk over to the HS band room, but please make sure they have something to eat for dinner, or they have an activity to keep them occupied quietly.

Friday:

  • 5:30pm – Pizza at the HS band room, in uniform.  Black CJHS Band Polo, Black Dress pants, Black dress shoes and black socks.
  • 6:30pm – Warm-up in the band room.
  • 7pm – Pre-Game Performance with the HS band on the field (dont miss this, bring the camera)
  • 7:30pm – 10:00pm – Play the entire game all the way to the end.
  • 10:00pm – Pickup at the HS band room

Again I will mention, your child might be nervous to perform with the high school or say they don’t want to do it, but I can assure you every student comes away from 8th grade night at the high school every year and says that they loved it.  I look forward to having all of my kids there Thursday and Friday night.

Thanks all,

Joe Huls

Trojan Band Reminder

TROJAN BAND GAME TODAY !!!

2:50 – 4:45pm – I prefer your child goes home and gets changed.  They can stay but they must have something quiet to do in the band room.

4:45pm – Report time in uniform to the CJHS Band Room, I have shirts and hats and they will be distributed to the kids today at school during band class.  Khaki shorts and any shoes / sandals are the rest of the uniform.  Parent volunteers meet in the band room.

5:30pm – The game starts

6:30’ish – Pizza in the CJHS Band room

7’ish – Parent pickup at the CJHS Band Room

GO BAND !!!

8th Grade Night and TROJAN BAND Info

TROJAN BAND:

Tuesday:  We have our first and only rehearsal tomorrow from 3 – 4:30 pm in the CJHS Band Room.  Pick-up will be here in the band room, please be on time with pickup.

Thursday:  The 8th grade football game will be here at CJHS on Thursday.  Uniform will include the Shirt and Hat, and Khaki shorts and tennis shoes.

  • Please make sure your child has a plan after school from 2:50pm – 4:45pm.  Students are allowed to stay until the game, but it is recommended that they go home and come back.
  • Trojan band members need to report to the CJHS band room at 4:45pm for warm-up.
  • We will play at the CJHS practice field on the hill at 5:30pm.
  • We will eat pizza in the CJHS band room at HALFTIME.
  • Pickup will be at the CJHS Band Room at 7:00pm.

8th GRADE BAND NIGHT:

Next week Thursday September 3rd, the entire 8th grade band will rehearse with the High School Trojan Marching Band from 6 – 7pm.  Drop-Off should be at 5:30pm and pickup will be at the HS band room at 7pm.  The band will perform Friday September 4th with the HS band at the football game for the entire duration of the football game.  More info about the game TBA.

Chair Tests Update

Hello All,

I am going to push back chair tests until we get through the next two weeks of performances for Trojan Band and 8th Grade Night.  This will allow us time to work on some of our performance material this week and then chair test material the next week.

All chair tests will now take place from September 9th – 11th in class.  I think this will give everyone extra time to be ready and prepared for both very important performances.

Thanks,

Mr. Huls

Band Happenings and Reminders

Hello All,

What a great first full week, here are some reminders to remember coming up:

CALENDAR:  Please visit the calendar page and sync to the google calendar.  You also should have received a blue copy for your fridge at home, I passed them out in class.  Please make sure to look through all of the band events and rehearsals and make special plans to have your child at each event.

NOTEBOOKS:  A lot of students have their 1 inch binders with plastic sheet protectors, their are still a handful that do not, please remember that that is part of your child’s participation grade in class.  If you can not afford the binder and pages please send me an email and we will get your child what they need.

TROJAN BAND:  I will be making the shirt and hat order this Friday, please have all forms and fee’s in by Thursday.  PLEASE DOUBLE CHECK ALL TROJAN BAND DATES ON THE CALENDAR.  If you are a parent that would like to come help chaperone at football games, help monitor the kids, and pass out pizza please email me ASAP with your shirt size.

8TH GRADE NIGHT AT THE HS:  All 8th graders will be participating in 8th Grade Night at the high school on September 4th.  There is a mandatory rehearsal the night before on Sept 3rd from 6 – 7pm.  We will teach all the kids the routine for pre-game and they will have a chance to meet their HS band buddy for the night.  The only students that may miss this rehearsal are 8th grade football players, and 8th grade football cheerleaders. We will get them caught up during class on Friday before the game.  Please remember, even though your child may be nervous to perform with the HS band or in front of a lot of people at a football game, please assure them that it will be alright.  I have never had a student get done with 8th grade night and regret going, I have had a few students not go and regret it for the rest of the year.

7th GRADE TRUMPETS SWITCH TO FRENCH HORN: Attention all 7th grade trumpet players and trumpet player parents.  We are looking to add 3 – 4 trumpet players to switch the french horn section.  Benefits to switching:

1.  The french horn is an awesome instrument that has similar fingerings and mouthpiece to a trumpet.

2. French horn is a school owned instrument which will be good if you are playing a rented instrument, no more monthly payments.

Please have your child come down in the mornings to give it a try or email me and let me know you’re interested.

CHAIR TESTS:  We will begin the chair placement tests next week Aug 26th – 28th in class at school.  Chair placement tests are a grade for class and will determine which part your child will play.  Here is the criteria that will be on the test:

  1.  The student will have 2 minutes to play the F, Bb, Eb, and Ab concert scales.  Then they can play as many scales and arpeggios he / she knows successfully for bonus points.
  2. The student will play a prepared solo that is 8 measures long. (this will be handed out in class on Monday Aug 24th)
  3. The student will sightread an 8 measure sight reading example.

Each portion of the test will go into the gradebook as a grade.  YOU SHOULD BE HEARING A LOT OF PRACTICING GOING ON AT YOUR HOUSE IN PREPARATION FOR THIS TEST.  PLEASE ASK YOUR CHILD WHAT THEIR PRACTICE ROUTINE IS AS THEY GET READY.

Thanks all, remember if you have any questions feel free to email me.

Joe Huls

Band Director

Carrollton Bands

First Week in the Books

Hello all,

What a great start.  It was so much fun seeing all the smiling faces of my 7th and 8th graders as they walk through the door this week. 

We were able to get a lot of organizational things done as well as go over the handbook. Please take a moment to look it over yourself and if you have any questions I will be happy to answer them. 

Please remember to pick up a BLACK one inch binder, with the pocket in the front and plastic protector sheets to put inside. This is due by MONDAY, that way we can get started learning music. 

I am one step away from releasing our final yearly schedule as soon as it is done I will post it here and send a hard copy home for the fridge. 

Just a reminder that all of our forms and fees are due by August 24th and that includes Trojan Band. 

Thanks again for your support. It’s going to be an awesome year. 

Mr. Huls

First Day of School

Hello all,

I am very much looking forward to starting a new school year tomorrow. Please remember to bring your instrument to school with you on the first day and if you were at open house and received all of your forms please remember to bring those with you along with any fee’s and payments in a clearly marked envelope. 

I have so many awesome things planned for your children this year and I cannot wait to get started. 

Kindest regards

Mr. Huls