As we get started with the new semester I want to send out a few friendly reminders about some important expectations and events happening in the band room.

CLASSROOM MATERIALS AND EXPECTATIONS

1. All students will need a 1 inch black binder with plastic sheet protectors, a pencil, instrument and any instrument related materials needed to make music.
2. Each rehearsal should be quiet and focused on making music each and every day.
3. Students should also make a weekly schedule for practicing and this should include 3 times a week for around 20 – 30min.  Practice is where your child learns their parts, Rehearsal is where we put the parts together.
4. Attendance at all after school rehearsals is mandatory and assigned a grade, make ups take quite a bit of time and are a hassle for the students so please make sure to plan ahead.  If your child is involved in after school sports or clubs that are linked to CJHS please notify them of any after school conflicts and be sure to split time with said club or sport.

 

LARGE GROUP PERFORMANCE EVALUATION

We are beginning a very important concert cycle that will lead us to an important performance in March.  Large Group Performance Evaluation (LGPE or Festival) is our next performance.  This is where we will travel to South Paulding High School in Paulding County and we will perform 3 prepared pieces of music and sightread a piece we have never played before.  We will be given a rating of a Superior (1) and Excellent (2) or Good (3).

Along with this important performance comes more after school rehearsals and events to help us prepare properly so that we can represent CJHS with pride.  Please check the calendar and add each rehearsal to your calendar as they will be for a grade, and are extremely important for your childs preparation for this event.  

Last year we had excellent attendance from both bands at all after school rehearsals and at our annual Saturday Symphonic Band Camp.  Both bands score straight Superior ratings from all judges both on stage and in the sightreading room.

SATURDAY FEBRUARY 11TH, 2017

Saturday, February 11th from 9am – 4pm we will host our Symphonic Band Camp.  This event is a fantastic opportunity for your child to get training specific to their instrument.  The students will have a session with a guest conductor on stage, and have a sectional session with a professional on their instrument.

We feed the students lunch at no cost, and have a lot of fun at lunch, the students also get to enter in a raffle to pie Mr. Huls in the face at the conclusion of the preview concert concert.

This years guest clinician is Dr. Joshua Boyd, Director of Bands at Point University.  Dr. Boyd was the Director of Bands at  Smokey Road Middle School from 2007-2015.  He grew the band from 130 to over 235 members.  His students consistently earned top placements in all areas of middle school performance ensemble including County, District, and All State Bands as well as several other ensembles such as the Encore Music Camp, UGA Midfest Honor Band, and the Metropolitan Atlanta Youth Wind Ensemble.  In 2010, the Smokey Road Middle School Symphonic Band, under Dr. Boyd’s direction won the Georgia Music Educators Exemplary Performance Award, the highest award given by the state association to middle school bands.  In 2012, The Smokey Road Middle School Band was a guest band at the 22nd Annual University of Georgia Middle School Band Festival, where Dr. Boyd was presented the prestigious Citation of Excellence from the National Band Association.

FEBRUARY 28th PRE-FESTIVAL CONCERT 7-8pm at the MAC

Prior to performing at LGPE we hold a concert for you the parents, we also invite a judging panel to come listen and judge us exactly how we would be judged at LGPE so the kids can receive feedback on where they are at and how they can improve.  This concert is always fun because the students are just starting to hit on all cylinders and the music making is at a very high level.

I want to personally thank you all for an awesome first semester and I look forward to another great semester. With so many exciting concerts and events it is likely to be another great chapter in your childs musical life.

Mr. Huls