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It was so great to see so many students today in our final Zoom. Unfortunately Zoom has a 100 person limit (that I wasn't aware of) so I know some had trouble getting in. The link to the slide show is included below. I also added some moments from the Zoom meeting at the very end!  
 Join us for our first Virtual Recital!
Tuesday, May 5, 2020 6:30 pm https://apsb.zoom.us/j/88127678087?pwd=RDBuaDFINkdMNVlrdlY0WkFUSm5yUT09 Meeting ID: 881 2767 8087 Password: YayBand Performers (in order of appearance): Cole Hewitt Jaycee Carter Aidan Babin Rene Watson Cooper Bullion Anyla Wiltz Elizabeth Bertucci Payten Wagner Andersen Boxberger Cristann Taruc Dawson Landry Kaden Armand Caymen Tureau Band Parents, I certainly miss making music with our students each day in the band room. I hope this email finds all of you healthy in these very unusual times. It has been a learning curve figuring out how to teach music virtually but I applaud our students for diving right in. Daily I am reminded just how resourceful and creative they are when I am listening to videos or on a zoom call. Please read carefully for some important updates regarding the band -- Assignment Expectations Students can expect one to two video assignments a week. Assignments are all listed in the "Classwork" tab of Google Classroom. Students should expect 9 grades this quarter. As long as the students are making efforts to do their best in their video and attaching it in google classroom, they will receive an A. Any missing assignments will be marked as an F (missing). When a late assignment is received they will receive their full credit for it. No need to email me to tell me why something will be late or to ask for extensions.
District IV Large Ensemble Festival 7th & 8th Grade Bands Zachary High School Friday, March 13, 2020 The festival is an opportunity for the band to perform three prepared pieces and sight-reading in front of a panel of judges to receive assessment and feedback. Bands are rated on a scale of 1 to 5, and the highest rating a band can receive from a judge is a “1” or “Superior”. Receiving this rating from the entire panel of judges is called a “Sweepstakes”. The students have been working extremely hard to prepare for this event so we are looking forward to a great field trip. We are seeking chaperones! DRESS: Maroon band polo TUCKED IN THE ENTIRE TIME, black pants with belt loops, black belt, black TALL socks, all black shoes (no joggers, leggings, or tall boots) Schedule:
The 6th grade band students just finished up two days of solo and small ensemble performances at our annual LMEA Solo & Ensemble Festival. Students selected and prepared classically inspired pieces to present to a professional musician for feedback and adjudication. We had over 70 events perform and were so proud to hear how well prepared all of our musicians were! Students were assessed in categories such as tone, intonation, technique, rhythm, tempo, and musicality. They were then awarded an overall rating of 1 to 5, with 1 or "Superior" being the highest rating. The following students received the highest ratings of a 1 or "Superior", congratulations!
WHAT IS SOLO & ENSEMBLE FESTIVAL? An opportunity for students to do something outside of the large ensemble experience, this festival allows students to pick a solo and/or a duet or trio to rehearsal and perform. Choosing from a wide library of classical music solos and small ensembles, students can pick the repertoire they perform. Students will have some time in class to work on their repertoire and receive feedback from one of our instructors, however, the bulk of the responsibility is on them to work up the music. On the days of the festival, we bring in a judge who will listen to the students perform. The judge will offer critiques and award a rating of 1 to 5. 1, or “Superior”, is the highest rating. Students that receive a “Superior” rating will receive a medal on our Spring Concert. From those students, a select number will be invited to perform at our Solo & Ensemble Recital on April 15. Performing on the Recital is completely optional but a great experience they won't want to miss out on! The Concert will follow a quick 6:30 pm Booster Meeting. Students can sometimes be nervous about doing this festival. I try to remind them that they will perform for one judge in a room with no audience, which is much less intimidating than any check-off or playing test they do on a regular basis in front of the entire class! The lessons learned and pride taken in preparing music on their own, along with feedback that they will receive from the expert judge is invaluable!
Check out these two additional honor group opportunities for our students: 
This combines all the best elements of an Honor Band and Band Camp into a three day event. Our students that have attended have had a great experience performing in the LSU facilities, seeing the LSU Wind Ensemble perform, and being coached by LSU staff and students. This year's middle school conductor will even be Ms. Patti Roussel, retired EAHS Conductor! There is no audition to make the group, you must simply sign-up and pay the registration fee ($75) no later than January 22. Once registered, there will be a seating test when you get there to determine what part you will play in the ensemble.  LBA All-Star Bands 2020 June 1-2, 2020 at University of Louisiana at Lafayette http://www.labandmasters.org/
This is a summer honor band/band camp event in which students rehearse and perform with a band of the best middle school students from throughout the State of Louisiana. This is widely regarded as a step-up from District Honor Band. Band Directors are asked to nominate their all-star students and then LBA chooses, based on a point system, who will participate in the band. Students accumulate points for superior solo performances, participation in honor bands, superior band performances, etc. Nomination is not a guarantee for selection. Unlike District Honor Band, you are completely on your own to organize accommodations and transportation for this event. Many students are usually selected from CMS, so carpooling is a possibility. Students selected are responsible for the costs of hotel, meals, transportation, and the participation fee of $60 per person I have sent students for years to this honor band and they truly enjoy it. I will notify you if your child is selected sometime in March/April. All I need from you at this time is a commitment for your student to participate in this event IF your child is selected. E-mail Ms. Codina at katie.codina@apsb.org NLT than January 24 to be nominated! Congratulations to the 23 students and 3 alternates that were selected from Central Middle School into the District IV Middle School Honor Bands!
Congratulations and get ready for a great weekend! Honor Band Weekend takes place in Hammond, LA at Southeastern University. The Band Boosters organize hotel rooms, chaperones, and bus transportation. For those attending, please read the entire article for all of the details. Students must be present for 100% of all rehearsals and the concert in order to participate. Thursday, January 16 - Saturday, January 18 at Southeastern University in Hammond CLICK "READ MORE" FOR FULL TRIP DETAILS...  Friends and Family are all invited to attend! Admission is free, but monetary donations will be collected at the door. In order to accommodate seating for all of our guests, we will hold two separate performances. Tuesday, December 17, 2019 6th Grade – 6:00 pm – Students Report by 5:40 pm 7th & 8th Grade – 7:15 pm – Students Report by 6:55 pm PERFORMER EXPECTATIONS
Special Note:
6th Grade 6:00 Concert – Students will be dismissed at the end of their performance to make room for the 7th & 8th Grade Bands. 6th Graders are not required to stay for the second concert due to space concerns. However, if they stay they should sit in the audience with adult supervision. 7th Grade 7:15 Concert – Students are expected to sit with their band when not performing. The 7:15 Concert should last no more than 1 hr. If 7th & 8th Graders wish to see the 6th graders perform prior to their performance, they should sit in the audience with adult supervision. GONZALES CHRISTMAS PARADESunday, December 8, 2019 Report by 11:30 am at CMS Parade Begins at 1:30 pm
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).
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. 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!
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.
WHAT TO BRING TO THE AUDITION:
WHAT TO WEAR: Dress nice! The judge will see you and you want to make a good impression. There is no dress code, so use your best judgement. Make sure whatever you wear you feel comfortable playing in it. WHAT TO DO WHEN YOU GET THERE:
Nervous? The best way to not be nervous is to be prepared. Spend this last week practicing everyday! Some other tips:
 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).
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:
**Thanks to Katie Aucoin for her graphic design on our concert flyer!**
 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. |
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