Spring Concerts - Save the Dates!

UPDATE AS OF 5/5:
We will be performing inside in the gym!  Everything else remains the same except please do not bring camping chairs.  All audience members MUST BE MASKED!

UPDATE AS OF 4/28:

PLEASE NOTE TIME CHANGES!
5:00-5:20pm - 7th Grade Woodwinds
   5:20-5:40pm - Transition
5:40-6:00pm - 7th Grade Brass & Percussion
   6:00-6:20pm - Transition
6:20-6:40pm - 8th Grade Brass & Percussion
   6:40-7:00pm - Transition
7:00-7:20pm - 8th Grade Woodwinds 

Thank you for your understanding in this change.  We are still outside for this performance, so we needed to make sure that a) we had enough transition time to sanitize between performances and that b) the last group would be finished before the sunlight faded too much.  

A few other notes:

• 4 audience members per student.  Students will be given 4 tickets.  AUDIENCE MEMBERS MUST HAVE A TICKET TO ENTER!  If you are NOT going to use all of your tickets, please ask your child if they know if someone needs more, and/or bring it to the concert and leave it with the check-in table so that someone else can use it if necessary. 
• Students report 15-20 minutes before their concert time directly to the back door of the bandroom.  (Due to capacity, DO NOT REPORT EARLIER THAN THIS!)
• Gates will be open for audience members 20 minutes before their child's performance.  You can only attend the concert time for which you have been given a ticket.  The stadium will be cleared in between performances.  Please wait in your car until it is time to enter.
• Audience must enter through the back gate by the bandroom OR the gate by ITTC at the left front of the school.
• The performance is on the football field and there is limited seating at 6 ft spacing in the bleachers, so I encourage you to bring a folding chair/camping chair if you have one.  The ticket is NOT a ticket for a seat, just a placeholder for the number of people we can have in the area. 
• Each concert is approximately 20 minutes in length. 
• Our program will be digital this year, so please don't forget to scan the QR code when you enter in order to access it on your smart phone.
• Audience members should be masked up and stay 6 feet apart, despite the latest changes at the state level, the school mandate is still for everyone to be masked up on campuses.  
• Finally, see the memo below for dress requirements (it is NOT too late to still get a band polo if you want one!)

Things went VERY smoothly last when we followed all of these protocols with our 6th grade concert, so I am looking forward to another great performance from our Central Mustang Band.  Thank YOU for everything you have done to continue to support your child through this very unusual band year!

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Original message:
Parents,

I am so excited to announce our one and only concert of this year!!!!!  It has been quite a challenging year for music and live performances, but nevertheless our students have been working hard all year and have some great tunes prepared to play for you!  We are planning for the concerts to be outdoors at Central Middle School with staggered times to allow for smaller audiences and to follow COVID protocols.  At this time, plan for 4 audience members per student.  We will send more details as the concert gets closer!  This performance is required and for a grade (*see the note at the bottom for Virtual students).  

Please save the dates!

6th Grade Band - Wednesday, April 21, 2021 at 6:30 pm
     Download Concert Program Here

7th & 8th Grade Bands - Thursday, May 6, 2021 (SEE TIME CHANGES ABOVE)

Uniforms:  Due to this being our only full group performance of the year and many students not owning a band polo and/or their current one doesn't fit anymore, these are the guidelines for uniforms that we will follow:

• Band uniform (black pants, black shoes, black belt, maroon band polo* tucked in) -OR-
• Dressy/performance appropriate attire in black, white, gray, red/maroon.  Boys should have collared shirts, a tie is a plus!  Should ladies choose to wear a dress/skirt it needs to be school appropriate length.  NO loud prints, jeans, shorts, athletic wear, leggings, or sleeveless tops.  AVOID athletic shoes if you can, unless they are all black.  (You can just keep it simple and do what professional musicians do!  We wear all-black and even call it our "Concert Blacks".)  Contact me if you have any worries or questions!

*Band polos: We do have many on hand and will still require them in future performances next year (as things should be more normal!). So if you would like to purchase one and have your child wear the band uniform for this concert, you can purchase them through the website here: http://www.cmsmustangband.com/store/p2/Band_Fee.html

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For our virtual students who have not been performing in class with us on a daily basis, they can either: 
1) Do an alternate at home assignment 
-or-
2) Start coming to class to rehearse with the group.  For the students that do this already they just get dropped off by the back bandroom door and get picked up at the end of class.

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We will send more details as the dates get closer, but please let me know if you have any questions!