Hello All,

Here are some friendly reminders about this week and a few upcoming events.

• Tuesday:  After School Rehearsal this week for the 7th Grade Band from 3:30 – 4:30pm.  Pickup promptly at 4:30pm please.
• Wednesday:  Jazz band rehearsal from 3:30 – 4:30pm.  Pickup promptly at 4:30pm please.
• Thursday – Friday:  I will be out of town at the GMEA music conference.

Looking Ahead

If you haven’t done so already please double check your calendar for SATURDAY FEB 11TH This is a very important date for both 7th and 8th grade band members as we are holding our annual Symphonic Band Camp.  This camp is designed to give our band students a unique opportunity to learn from new and different teachers and conductors, eat lunch and have fun with their band friends and put on a concert at the end.  All at NO COST to the band student.  You are invited to the concert from 3:30 – 4pm, please come in and listen to how our festival repertoire is coming along.

Thanks

Hello All,

The only way we can expect to play at a SUPERIOR level is for all of our band members to play together regularly.  Attendance has been nothing shy of AWESOME so far this year.  Please make sure this trend continues.

Next week begins our regular after school rehearsal schedule.  Here is what the schedule looks like:

• Tuesday Jan 17th – 7th Grade After School Rehearsal 3:30 – 4:30pm
• Thursday Jan 19th – 8th Grade After School Rehearsal 3:30 – 4:30pm

THESE REHEARSALS ARE FOR A GRADE, AND ARE MANDATORY OF ALL BAND MEMBERS.  PLEASE MAKE ARRANGEMENTS FOR YOUR CHILD TO ATTEND.  PLEASE LOOK AHEAD AS WELL TO FURTHER REHEARSALS TO CLEAR UP ANY CONFLICTS.

As always please contact me with any questions or concerns.

Thanks again for all of your support.  Enjoy the long weekend.

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

Hello All

I hope you are enjoying your break. As we get closer to next week, please make sure to bring your instrument and binder and any supplies needed to make music with you on Tuesday. I noticed a few students at the end of the semester had lost or misplaced their binders. 

Please be sure to have a 1 inch black binder with plastic sheet protectors next week as you will be getting lots and lots of new and exciting music to add to it. 

Thanks again everyone. Please be sure to check the band calendar for next semester. Both 7th and 8th grade bands have a lot of awesome band related practices, performances and activities.  And if you have some time please practice a bit before next week. 

See you Tuesday!!!

As the end of the week approaches and the Holiday break is upon us I thought about our second payment and have decided to extend the payment date until the second semester begins. 

We will have all second payments of $50 due by Friday January 6th. 

Thanks all. Have a safe and happy holiday break. 

Mr. Huls

Hello all,

Thank you again for supporting your children and our band program here at CJHS. I felt very proud after our performance last night. The kids did a great job. 

As we begin wrapping up the semester I want to make sure that you all check your grade book, and get anything made up before next week Wednesday. 

If your child missed an after school rehearsal or a performance they will need to attend 3 of my morning practice sessions. The band room opens at 7:45am. I will be out of town next week Wednesday – Friday before break. So their will only be 5 more sessions. 

Also the students begin chair testing this Thursday for festival seating. You should hear them at home working on their chair test material. I am going to try and get them done this week to allow the students to focus solely on academics next week for their benchmarks. 

I am so thankful for having such wonderful and supportive families. Thank you so much. 

Hello All,

As we get closer to our performance tomorrow evening I want to let you know about some important expectations I put in place to make sure our concerts run smoothly and help to make the atmosphere enjoyable for all.

7th GRADE BAND MEMBERS:  Will report to the stage at 6:30pm for warm-up.  Flutes, Oboe, Clarinets can put their case underneath their chair.  All other wind instruments will need to put their case backstage and go straight to their seat.  No student should play until we play as a group.

8th GRADE BAND MEMBERS:  Will report to the auditorium reserved section at 6:45pm after they have put their instruments together.  Tubas will need to wait until the 7th grade is finished.  No student should play until we play as a group.

SEATING:  This year seating should be much better as we will not have the 6th grade band for our concerts.  This should make parking and seating a lot better, please DO NOT stand around the outside of the auditorium.  We will also be putting the band seating in the back of the MAC to allow for all patrons to sit on the main floor.

NOISE:  Please leave the auditorium if you have a restless child or noisy cough.  We do record all of our concerts for the students to listen to and reflect on.  We like to have the quietest environment in which to perform.

CELL PHONES:  Please take up your childs cell phone prior to the concert.  They will not need it for the duration of the concert.  Please silence your device as well, and please do not use it when the lights are dimmed.

ATTENDANCE:  It is imperative that everyone stay and support both 7th and 8th grade bands.  Please DO NOT leave after your childs band is finished.

VOLUNTEER OPPORTUNITIES:  I am still looking for a host of people to meet after school at the MAC to help unload the truck at around 4pm.  Please email me if you can come help.

Thank you again for all of your support.

Congratulations to the following band members for making this years District 7 Honor Band:

Austin Schumann – Trumpet *

Peter Ivester – Trumpet

Katie Hoburg – Alto Saxophone

Nicholas Mansour – Alto Saxophone

Andrew Stagliano – Baritone Saxophone

Kayla McGuinn – Percussion

Hallie LaChance – French Horn

Savannah Richie – Flute *

Maggie Rowland – Flute

Mallorie Colquitt – Flute

Asha Brown – Flute

Molly McGrath – Clarinet

Lily Robinson – Bassoon (alternate)

Niani Redwine – Bass Clarinet (alternate)

*  Earned All-State Audition Honors

I am very Proud of all the students who attended the DHB auditions, they all deserve a round of applause for how hard they worked and how well they represented our school.

Friendly reminder to 8th grade students and parents about Carowinds paper work and deposit due today. 

I can’t believe we have another performance already next week. Both grade levels had awesome after school rehearsals and are ready to put on a Christmas Concert for you next Tuesday December 6th at 7pm. 
VOLUNTEER OPPORTUNITY:  Please email me if you can help setup after school on Tuesday at 4pm at the MAC. We will also need program parents, door greeters, and parent helpers to monitor kids at the beginning of the concert.

7th grade students should report at 6:30pm in full uniform, and 8th grade students report to their seats at 6:45pm in full uniform. 

FULL UNIFORM DETAILS:  

• CJHS Band Polo – Tucked in!
• Black FORMAL DRESS pants (no jeans!)
• Black socks
• Black FORMAL DRESS shoes (no tennis shoes!)

Thanks all. See you Tuesday. 

Attention all 8th grade students and parents,

Wednesday, November 30th is the due date for your $50 deposit for Carowinds.  This can be paid online, or by check (made out to CJHS band) or cash.  Please make sure to turn your money in with your permission / health form.  If you need another copy you can find the form under the “Forms” tab on the website or your child can get an extra from the band room.  If you would like your child to go on the trip but will struggle to get your deposit in this week please contact me by email and we can work out a solution.

Thanks again, I am looking forward to taking another great group to Carowinds.