This post has been resent with the corrected dates for LGPE. I apologize for the confusion.
Good evening,
I hope that you all had a wonderful weekend! Please read below for important announcements.
Week at a glance:
Monday: 2020 Braves Game parent meeting for those interested in helping to plan the trip. 4:30 CJHS Band room
Tuesday: Theory club until 4:15
Wednesday: Jazz band after school until 4:15
Friday: Jazz Band 7:30 AM. Carowinds next payment due ($50)
At this part of the year I am often asked why multiple rehearsals and concerts occur. Below are some explanations about the upcoming LGPE Concert and our annual Symphonic camp. For those of you who would like to skim over and know the “what” and “when”, those times and dates are typed in red. For those of you who want to know the details of what all of this means and why we do them, continue reading.
LGPE (Large Group Performance Evaluation):
At this part of the year I always like to give a short summary what exactly “LGPE” is.
To summarize, L.G.P.E. is a concert that occurs once a year in our state where judges listen to ensembles and provide feedback and ratings to each performing ensemble. Each of the elements of judging criteria is based on the National and State Music Standards. Judges offer commentary on the strategies and pedagogy needed for improvement on individual and sectional performance. We use the ratings and feedback from this performance almost the same way that a school uses Georgia Milestone scores. We assess where we are as teachers and as a band program and use the results to keep band programs standardized and at the highest performing level possible. If not for LGPE, our band program and students would not have any form of assessment to know that our music is being appropriately taught and performed.
My favorite part about LGPE is that our students learn to set a performance-based goal and reach it. We perform each year in the beautiful Carroll County for Performing Arts and learn immensely from this experience. Great recordings from LGPE (because they are professionally recorded) are used to submit for acceptance into honor bands like UGA’s MidFest, Reinhardt University Middle School Honor Band, The University of Alabama Middle School Honor Band, the Georgia Music Educators Association In Service Conference, and more! Being invited to perform at events like that means that the band program is performing at the highest level. Also, it is just fun to perform for others and travel!
Because of the importance of this concert, we have more than our usual one rehearsal for this concert. I have scheduled three rehearsals and spread them out so that we can continue perfecting this music as a band. Rehearsing in class is useful, but it takes time and practice to combine both classes with such difficult music.
Our rehearsals can be found under “calendar” on our band website and have been posted since August of this year. Please ensure that students are at all rehearsals. Missing a single student impacts our sound and progress in band.
We will have a Pre-LGPE concert at 6:00 PM on Tuesday, February 25th. This allows for us to get a run through in front of an audience and in an actual auditorium rather than our band room. Judges are hired to give us comments in order to better prepare us for the real thing on March 17th. On Tuesday, March 17th, 7th grade will perform at 3:00 PM and 8th grade will perform at 6:45 PM at the Carroll County Performing Arts Center. A detailed itinerary will come as we get closer to the concert. As said earlier, this is our biggest concert and our students will be showcased to our entire district. I cannot wait for other band programs and directors to hear what your kids are doing.
I hope that this sheds some light on the importance of this concert cycle in the first part of the Spring Semester. To our students this ends up being one of their favorite concerts of the year! Thank you for supporting us as we strive for excellence.
Symphonic Camp:
In order to prepare for LGPE, many band programs across the state host a Symphonic camp (typically on a Saturday) so that professionals can come and work with the students. Having the camp during school hours would not allow for many working professionals and the guest conductor to attend since they hold other jobs. Each year, the CJHS band uses one Saturday to have an instructor on each instrument and one guest conductor work with our kids to perfect their music. Instructors provide tips that help students grow beyond the LGPE concert.
This year’s Symphonic Camp is on February 8th from 9 AM – 12 PM (Noon) at CJHS.
- Students report at 8:30 AM at CJHS.
- Teaching occurs from 9 AM – 12 PM.
- Half of the time in sectional rehearsal with a professional while the other half is with our guest conductor in full band rehearsal.
- At noon students are dismissed if they need to leave but are encouraged to stay for fellowship time in the cafeteria. We will have Chick-fil-A along with chips, sodas, and homemade desserts. Students will play board games, video games, dance to music or play outside if desired! Pick up time for those staying is 1 PM .
- If you would like to donate a dessert please let me know!
I ask that all students are in attendance as information given out that date will directly impact our LGPE performance. Just like all rehearsals, this camp is a graded rehearsal so please inform me as soon as possible if there is a conflict. I inform the students and you all of the date in August so that you have time to prepare. I appreciate the students sacrificing a few hours on a Saturday and enjoy the optional fellowship time afterwards where we can discuss what we learned and enjoy our time with each other.
Please let me know if you have any questions.
Carowinds:
Our next payment for our annual 8th grade trip to the Carowinds theme part is due this Friday, January 31st. On Tuesday, I will give an updated payment form to show you what you have paid and how much you owe. I have applied the cookie dough fundraiser so some of you may owe less than you think! You are free to pay just the $50 due on Friday or the rest of the trip if you are able to.
Braves Game Trip Planning Session:
I will meet with all parents who are interested in planning this trip tomorrow at the CJHS band room at 4:30. Thank you in advance for helping out!
I am so excited for you all to hear your students and am thrilled that our school system supports our band program and all that we do! Yes, we are busy, but the joy that they have playing and making music with eachother is worth it.
Contact me at maria.menendez@carrolltoncityschools.net with any questions.
Sincerely,
Ms. Menendez
cjhstrojanband 