CMS Mustang Band News

Gonzales Christmas Parade 2019

11/13/2019

GONZALES CHRISTMAS PARADE

Sunday, December 8, 2019
Report by 11:30 am at CMS
Parade Begins at 1:30 pm

Drop off: 11:30 am in the back parking lot of Central Middle School
Uniform: We will let you know via Remind text which top we will wear.
- If it is cold - Band Tunic Top, supplied & issued at school with band polo underneath (optional: black or white gloves)
- If it is warm – Maroon Band Polo
- Black pants (NO faded black jeans, joggers, or leggings)
- Black belt
- Tall black socks
- All black comfortable shoes
Bring: Instrument in case, flip folder, lyre, and music.
- PLEASE CHECK WITH YOUR CHILD THAT THEY HAVE THEIR LYRE AND FLIP FOLDER as they may have misplaced these since football
Pick-up: Central Middle School back parking lot at approximately 3-4:00 p.m. (REMIND message will be sent when we are leaving the route, text @cmband7 or @cmband8 to 81010 to sign up). Due to safety concerns, we will not be releasing the students at the end of the route. Please pick up at the school.
Chaperones: We will be in need of chaperones. Please contact Kayla Lafleur at klafleur614@yahoo.com if you are interested in chaperoning/walking with the band.

Rehearsals for Parade

Drumline Only - Monday, November 18 until 4:00 pm (all 7th & 8th grade percussionists attend, regardless of if they were in drumline during football season)
All 7th & 8th Graders - Thursday, November 21 until 4:00 pm
All 7th & 8th Graders - Wednesday, December 4 until 4:00 pm

*Rehearsals are subject to change based on weather conditions*

All rehearsals and performances apply to all 7th & 8th graders and are mandatory and for a grade (exception: cheer, dance and mascot will perform with their respective teams).

CMS in the Parade in 2019

Our 8th grade saxophone section as 7th graders in 2019 parade!

Route Change
Please note that last year the route changed. From EA, the parade takes a LEFT onto Burnside and end at the Eastbank Shopping Center on HWY 30.

District IV Honor Band Auditions 2019

10/22/2019

7th & 8th Grade Band students are strongly encouraged to audition for the District IV Middle School Honor Bands, which rehearse and perform the weekend of January 16-18, 2020 at Southeastern University in Hammond. The Mustangs who have been selected in the past have had an unforgettable experience participating in a fun overnight trip, performing new and challenging music, meeting other musicians, and learning from an accomplished band director. Earning membership in these prestigious groups is a great addition to any young musician’s resume. Last year we had the highest number of students from an Ascension Parish Middle School make the band and we hope to keep the record this year!

Students are already preparing the audition music and scales in class as part of their final assessments for this semester -- so let’s push them to take the extra step to go for excellence and represent at a District level!

Students from all over the Greater Baton Rouge Area come together to play music!

CMS Students perform in the 2019-2020 Honor Band!

Audition Information

DATE: Saturday, December 14, 2019 (individually assigned times, you may request times to avoid conflicts)
LOCATION: Denham Springs Junior High
TRANSPORTATION: Parents bring students approx. 30 mins. before scheduled time.

If there are enough people interested in taking a bus, we may do that or organize a carpool. (Pro: Parents won’t have to transport students. Con: It would be an all-day event for those taking the bus as we would have to wait for all riding the bus to finish auditioning.) Please indicate your interest level on the form attached.

FEE: $10 pre-registration fee made payable to CMS Band Boosters Due NLT November 8

Late Fee - Students may choose to “late register” if they miss the deadline to sign-up through the band director. Arrive to auditions between 8:00 am and 10:00 am and pay the $15 late fee, made payable to District IV Honor Band Association.

AUDITION REQUIREMENTS: http://www.districtiv.org/middle-school.html

Short etude
F, C, Bb, Eb, Ab, and Chromatic Scales
Short sight-reading piece – 30 seconds to look at a short piece of music then play it

CMS Honor Band Krewe 2019-2020

ADDITIONAL AFTER SCHOOL HELP SESSIONS
*Optional! Pick up no later than 4:00 pm.

Flute - Tuesday, November 5
Clarinet - Wednesday, November 6
Saxophones - Thursday, November 7
Tuba & Percussion - November 4
Trumpet - Monday, November 11
Trombone & Baritone - Wednesday, November 13
Any Instruments - Thursday, December 5, Thursday, December 12, Friday, December 13

"A Night at the Movies" 8th Grade Fall Concert

10/11/2019

Soon, the 8th grade band will be performing in our annual Fall Concert. This year is a Red Carpet Movie Theme! Students and audience members are encouraged to dress in a movie-themed costume for this concert. There will even be Trick-or-Treating for the little ones!

REPORT TIME:
Students should arrive no later than 6:10 pm in their band uniform with their music book and instrument assembled (leaving their instrument cases in the car OR with their parents).

UNIFORM:
Movie-theme Costume
-OR-
Students NOT wishing to dress in costume can wear their regular band uniform (maroon band polo, black pants, tall black socks, black belt, black shoes).

Trumpet section Fall 2018

Student Costume Regulations:
Be creative and have fun! But remember costumes need to be in accordance with school dress down day. No under garments are allowed to be visible, no spaghetti straps, sleeveless shirts, midriffs, or shorts and skirts that are too short. You can make any costume stay within the parameters of dress code by adding a shirt underneath or leggings to a costume. Do not attempt to wear anything that could be considered provocative. Students will face disciplinary actions, be asked to leave and receive a zero for the performance.

Masks or fake teeth/fangs are NOT going to be allowed due to the restraint over eyes & mouth. Faces can be decorated with paint or make-up; HOWEVER, make-up needs to stay off of mouth area and hands. Anything that can damage an instrument should not be worn; therefore, any costume that is bloody or gory should be avoided. Costumes that have flesh wounds, fake blood, guts, brains, or other oozing items should not be worn to the concert. If you need help with a costume or want the band director to approve your costume ahead of time, please ask!

Costumes are to be worn to the concert only, not to school during the school day. Let's get creative and have fun with this Red Carpet Movie Night!

GRADING POLICY:
All performances are mandatory and for a grade, based on:

On time (or EARLY!) attendance
Appropriate dress
Musical preparation
Appropriate concert etiquette/behavior - including NO CELL PHONES

Friends and family are invited to attend and admission is free. We will collect monetary donations at the door. Please consider giving to help support our instructor fund. This fund pays for our specialty instructors that work with the students in small group settings.

**Thanks to Katie Aucoin for her graphic design on our concert flyer!**

6th Gr. Demonstration Concert 2019

9/12/2019

Tuesday, October 8, 2019
Students Report 6:10 pm | Concert Begins 6:30 pm
Central Middle School Gym

The 6th Grade Beginning Band is getting ready for their debut performance at our Beginner Demonstration Concert in October! We will show off the very first songs that we have learned on our band instruments. This educational concert will be a treat for not only our audience but also for our first time performers!

Friends and family are invited to attend and admission is free. We will collect monetary donations at the door. Please consider giving to help support our instructor fund. This fund pays for our specialty instructors that work with the students in small group settings.

Students should arrive no later than 6:10 pm in their band uniform with their music book and instrument assembled (leaving their instrument cases in the car OR with their parents). Percussionists will use school equipment that will be set-up. The concert will be approximately 45 minutes.

Notes from Parent Meeting 8.29.19

8/30/2019

Thank you for the great parent turnout for our first Band Parent Booster Club Meeting of the year! As a note, Booster Club meetings ARE our Band Parent meetings and all parents of students in the band, and students, are invited to attend!

We discussed our general expectations for our students as members of the band program including practicing on a weekly basis, abiding by our commitment of Pride-Discipline-Teamwork, and attending all performances.

We also discussed some needs we are seeking to fill:

Welders to build carts for xylophones that we are about to purchase
World's Finest Chocolate will still be our required one for all students in the Spring
Ideas for an additional (and optional for the kids to participate) fundraiser to help bolster the instructor fund
Ongoing need for bottled water and snacks for games and events
Volunteers to do help at concerts and games
Donation of color printing services for all concert programs

I wanted to give one more BIG THANKS to the parents that have helped recently to get many projects accomplished in the band room (building shelves, painting music stands, and so many "home" improvement projects), including: Kayla & Jimmy Lafleur, Monique & Greg Wempren, Niki Havard,and their children.

Below is the agenda from the night. Please e-mail Kayla Lafleur at klafleur61@yahoo.com to volunteer!

8th Grade Band Night at EAHS

8/26/2019

8th Grade Band Night at East Ascension High School
Friday, September 27, 2019

Experience Friday Night Football with the EA Band!
This is a fun and exciting opportunity for our 8th grade band students to sit with the EA Band in the stands at the football game and perform with them. EA will play one of our songs with us in the stands and we will learn a few of their songs to play with them. Year after year our 8th graders always say how this performance is one of their favorites of the year! All 8th grade band students are required to attend as this is a performance grade.
Here are the details:

Football Band 2019-2020

8/22/2019

HOME GAME DATES 2019
Thursday, October 3
Thursday, October 10
Thursday, October 17
Thursday, October 24

The 7th & 8th Grade Football Band performs at the home football games. 8th graders must attend all 4 home games. The 7th graders are only required to attend two games, but are encouraged to perform at all four.
(Exception: the 7th & 8th grade drumline members attend all games)
Read on for details…

WHO IS INVOLVED IN FOOTBALL BAND?
All 7th and 8th grade band members NOT involved in Cheer, Dance, Mascot, or Football.

HOME GAME DATES
Thursday, October 3
Thursday, October 10
Thursday, October 17
Thursday, October 24 (8th Grade Recognition)
*All mandatory performances are for a grade. Cheer, dance, mascot, and football members are excused as long as they are reporting for their duties to those teams.

BAND UNIFORM

Maroon Band polo tucked in
Black pants (no leggings, joggers, or faded black jeans)
Tall black socks
Black belt
Black shoes

REPORT TIME
Report no later than 4:30 pm in band uniform to the CMS Bandroom

PICK-UP TIME
Games typically finish around 6:30 pm. We send a remind message in the last quarter to let you know when to pick-up. But…. STAY and watch the kids play! We play a lot of music and have a great time!

TRANSPORTATION
Students are required to go home and come back for the 4:30 pm report time. Many students will arrange to go home with a friend that has an adult available to drive them back for 4:30 pm. As always, CONTACT ME If you are having trouble getting transportation sorted out and I will help you find a solution!

DONATIONS OF SNACKS & WATER
We appreciate any donations of individually portioned chips, cookies, etc. to have as a snack for the students during half time. We are also in need of bottled water donations. Please contact Kayla Lafleur at klafleur614@yahoo.com to inquire about our needs.

VOLUNTEERS
Volunteers to hand out water, monitor students during break, etc. are greatly appreciated. Please contact Kayla Lafleur at klafleur614@yahoo.com to volunteer.

AFTERSCHOOL REHEARSAL
We will hold one mandatory after school rehearsal in order for all 7th and 8th graders that are performing in football band to all come together - we have over 120 students performing! This rehearsal will be outside in the stands directly after school until 4:00 pm on Wednesday, September 25. (Students involved with volleyball, please coordinate between Ms. Codina and your coach about how to handle that afternoon’s practices.)

*Don't forget drumline about your Monday practices that will resume next week! See the article in the "News" section of our website for more information.

Please let me know if you have any questions!

CMS Drumline 2019-2020

8/7/2019

ATTN 7th & 8th Gr. Drumline!!!!!
(Football Band Drumline involves all 7th and 8th Graders who are NOT involved in football, cheer, or dance. Must commit to our performance and rehearsal schedule below.)

We had a great start at our summer rehearsals. Thanks for the great attendance during this week! We will continue to hold practice and get together every Monday to get all of the drumline cadences together.

Rehearsal Dates (until 4:00 pm):

Aug 12
Aug 26
Sept 9
Sept 16
Sept 23
Sept 30
Oct 7

We will end at 4:00 pm with pick-up in the back by the band room. Please let me know if you are having trouble arranging rides and we will do our best to help you out. We don't want ride issues to be a reason for you not to participate!

We will expect you to make these rehearsals to keep your spot on the line. If there is an extenuating circumstance, please e-mail and let Ms. Codina or Ms. Wilson know ahead of time.

Football Game Dates:
Thursdays, Oct 3, 10, 17, 24 - Report NLT 4:30 pm to CMS

Let me know if you have any questions!

We're Getting Started in Beginner Band!!!

8/7/2019

I am very excited to get started making music with our beginner musicians! We will begin with instruments on Monday, August 12. All students need to have their instruments and should have paid their band fees by this date in order to remain in band! Also, Students don't need to bring their instruments until Monday.

Included in band fees is their beginner band book, containing all the music they will need for 6th grade. Play-along tracks are available on our website at http://www.cmsmustangband.com/6th-grade.html. I hope students are able to utilize these fun play-along tracks in their weekly practice. (Yes! Students should be practicing at home!)

Our first concert will be our Demonstration Concert on October 8 at 6:30 pm in the CMS Gym!

All students are required to attend and perform in our concerts for a grade. For more concert dates, check out: http://www.cmsmustangband.com/calendar.html.

6th Gr. After-School "Sectional" Help Sessions:

We will be hosting several after-school help sessions for each instrument. These are optional, but HIGHLY recommended, and I am going to strongly encourage our 6th graders to attend as many sessions as possible for their instrument. These sessions are the reason why our beginners are so successful so quickly. Since our band classes are very large, it is our opportunity to isolate the instrument groups to help them get a solid start. We bring in 7th and 8th graders to pair up with the 6th graders and help mentor them for even more one-on-one attention.

Students report to the band room when the bell rings at the end of the day. Pick-up in the back parking lot by the band room at 4:00 pm.

Flute:
August 15
August 26
September 10
September 24

Clarinet:
August 13
August 27
September 11
September 26

Saxophone:
August 21
September 5
September 16

Trumpet:
August 14
August 28
September 9

Trombone:
August 20
September 4
September 17

Percussion:
No afterschool help sessions scheduled because your section has an instructor, Ms. Wilson, that comes to your class 3 times a week to work with you!

--

For many of you band is a new experience for you and your child. I invite you to attend our first Band Parent Meeting (Booster Meeting) on August 29 at 6:30 pmin the bandroom to get more information. Meanwhile, please email if you have any questions!

--

Other reminders:
- Pay Band Fee ASAP on our band website OR OSP
- Order Band Polos (mandatory for Oct concert) on our band website
- Order Sweatshirts (optional but can be worn to school) on our band website NO LATER THAN AUG 23
- Read & Sign our Band Concert online: http://www.cmsmustangband.com/handbook.html

Online Prep Day for Band Begins!

7/22/2019

We are very excited to start preparations for our new school year and another year in the CMS Band!

For our new students, your first year is going to be an unforgettable experience! For our returning students, you have a lot to look forward to in 7th & 8th grade including football performances, Christmas Parade, festival competition, our annual Winter and Spring Concerts, and so much more! 8th Graders will also be performing in our annual Fall Concert that will be movie themed (including costumes!) this year.

Online Prep begins today!
www.cmsmustangband.com is the place for all online prep Band related!
Bookmark this website for info and communications throughout the school year, usually uploaded in the “News” section.

Please follow the links below for what you need to know for band:

Read and Sign our band handbook agreement online
Place all important dates in your calendar OR simply add the google calendar to your device to always have the most up-to-date information. Click the +GoogleCalendar link at the bottom of the calendar.
Pay $35 band fee (Child will not receive band books until this is paid. Can be paid through OSP, however, we prefer that it be paid through the Boosters on our website.)
Order $20 band polo used for performances (Can only be paid on our website)
Order optional $25 band hoodie that can be worn to school (Can only be paid on our website)
Purchase lyres & flip folders (7th & 8th gr. Only)
Check the supply list to make sure your child has all necessary instrument cleaning supplies, reeds, etc.

Please have all supplies and pay band fees no later than August 12th. The deadline to order polos and hoodies is August 23rd.

If you prefer to pay for supplies, sign the handbook agreement, etc., in person, you can stop by during our 7th & 8th summer rehearsals July 29-Aug 2.

**Special Note**

CLARINET & SAXOPHONE REEDS
We are very particular about the brand and size because it greatly effects pitch, tone quality, and ease of playing! Please make sure your child is stocked up with one or two boxes of Vandoren Traditional Bb Clarinet or Alto Saxophone Reeds size 2.5 or 3 (most will be on 2.5 but double check by seeing what size they have now).

SUMMER BAND REHEARSALS for 7th & 8th Graders

Monday, July 29 – Friday, Aug 2, 2019
5:30 pm – 7:30 pm
CMS Bandroom

Sign up here using this google form (even if you know your child will not attend, filling out the form and letting me know that is helpful!)

These *optional* summer rehearsals are for our rising 7th & 8th Graders and will focus on getting our musicians back into shape after summer break and preparing the football game music. We will also set the drumline for the year so attendance by potential drumline members is highly recommended! It is free to attend these summer rehearsals.

Football music and recordings are all posted on our website under the “Music” tab. I will continue to update it throughout the summer with new tunes:

http://www.cmsmustangband.com/music.html

Stay Connected!

Remind - Text @cmband6, @cmband7 or @cmband8 to 81010
www.cmsmustangband.com
E-mail katie.codina@apsb.org with any questions!
E-mail Booster President Kayla LaFleur with any questions related to volunteering, etc., klafleur614@yahoo.com

<<Previous

Gonzales Christmas Parade 2019

GONZALES CHRISTMAS PARADE

District IV Honor Band Auditions 2019

"A Night at the Movies" 8th Grade Fall Concert

6th Gr. Demonstration Concert 2019

Notes from Parent Meeting 8.29.19

8th Grade Band Night at EAHS

Football Band 2019-2020

CMS Drumline 2019-2020

We're Getting Started in Beginner Band!!!

Online Prep Day for Band Begins!

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Website made possible through funding by the Central Middle School Band Boosters.

Central Middle School
Ascension Parish Schools
14101 Roddy Rd.
Gonzales, LA 70737

GONZALES CHRISTMAS PARADE

Archives

Categories

Website made possible through funding by the Central Middle School Band Boosters.Central Middle SchoolAscension Parish Schools14101 Roddy Rd.Gonzales, LA 70737

Website made possible through funding by the Central Middle School Band Boosters.

Central Middle School
Ascension Parish Schools
14101 Roddy Rd.
Gonzales, LA 70737