Leaping Forward

Dear Parents,

Band-O-Rama was very successful.  Not only did we receive compliments from almost everyone that talked to me that night, but the grand finale sounded better than it has in the 4 years that I have been teaching. I had a great time, and I hope you were all able to attend and experience this yourselves.

Upcoming performances:

March 9: Advanced Band Festival Performance at DRHS

Advanced Band will meet at 7:45 AM in the band room in full concert dress.  They will then travel to Damonte Ranch High School to perform at the Washoe County Band Festival, followed by a clinic at UNR with Dr. Chamberlin.  They perform at 9:35 and admission is free.  Following that, the band will go back to DRHS and listen to other area band performances before returning home around 5:30 PM.  More information about this event is in the handout passed out to students and sent out via email.

March 10: Intermediate Band Festival Performance at DRHS

Intermediate Band will meet at 7:45 AM in the band room in full concert dress.  They will then travel to Damonte Ranch High School to perform at the Washoe County Band Festival and return to school by approximately 12:30 PM.  If you want to come and listen, they perform at 9:35 AM and admission is free.  More information about this event is in the handout passed out to students and sent out via email.

March 22: Band and Orchestra Festival Performance at Community Center

Advanced Strings, Intermediate Band, and Advanced Band will perform at the NZNMEA Band/Orchestra Festival at the Community Center.  Since we are hosting this event, I will be inviting 8th graders to volunteer their day to help run the event.  I will have call time and performance times solidified by next week.

Chili Bingo Night

Chili Bingo Night is on March 18, only 18 days away!  We have great prizes lined up by some even greater parents and volunteers.  Every year, students will sell raffle tickets at a presale price of $1 each, and our profit margin is 100%!  There will be top prizes for students who sell a certain number of tickets, and the event itself is even more fun!  More details to follow.

-Mr. Jacques-

Band-O-Rama!

Dear Parents, 

What a week it has been!  If you were able to make the long drive to Fallon, you were rewarded greatly with a phenomenal Honor Band performance.  Congratulations to the 21 band members who represented our school!

Band-O-Rama, Feb. 25

With over 500 band members in the district performing together, this event is one you don't want to miss!  Band-O-Rama is on Thursday at 7:00 PM in the Carson High School gym.  Bring your friends, family, co-workers, and let's fill the gym!  Here are some details for the kids:

• Wednesday, 2/24: All band members must bring their instruments home after school.  
• Thursday morning, 2/25: 7:30 AM call time at the Carson High School gym (in seats, ready to play).  They must find their own way there. Parents are welcome to listen.  Bring instruments, music, and all schoolwork they need for that day.  Wear SSA.  Following rehearsal, students will travel back to CMS on buses for the rest of their classes.  
• Thursday afternoon: All band students must bring their instruments home after school.
• Thursday evening: 6:30 PM call time at the Carson High School gym (in seats, ready to play). Students need to wear concert dress.  Leave large instrument cases in your cars.
• Concert begins at 7 PM and should end around 8:00 PM.  
• Any students that can stay after the event to help with tear down are welcome.  

Washoe County Band Festival, March 9 and 10

Intermediate Band and Advanced Band, along with Carson High School's wind ensemble, were the only groups from outside of Washoe County that were invited to perform at this band festival! This will take place during the school day.  Here's the schedule as I know it for each group:

Advanced Band - March 9

They will meet at the beginning of the school day and take a bus to Damonte Ranch High School.  We perform at 9:35 AM.  After our performance, we will have lunch and observe the UNR Wind Ensemble and get a clinic by Dr. Reed Chamberlin, director of bands.  After the clinic, we'll go back to Damonte Ranch HS to listen to other groups, including the Carson High School wind ensemble.  We should be back by 5:30 PM.

Intermediate Band - March 10

They will meet at the beginning of the school day and take a bus to Damonte Ranch High School.  We perform at 9:35 AM.  After our performance, we'll stay for a couple hours to listen to several other bands from Washoe County.  Students will have lunch out and return to CMS around 12:30 PM.

I will share more details immediately after Band-O-Rama.  Here's to another great week!

-Mr. Jacques-

Honor Band Week

Dear Parents,

This week's newsletter will summarize our remaining events for the month, as well as a new event for the Jazz Band in April.

The Jazz Band performed at UNR for the Jazz in the Schools festival on Saturday.  The group was complimented on their sound, musical precision, and enthusiasm towards jazz. Bravo!

ANNOUNCEMENTS

• Valentine grams are on sale through Thursday, with proceeds going towards the spring trip.
• Spring Trip payment #2 of $125 is due on Feb. 19.
• Practice logs are due on Friday. Honor Band students are excused this week.
• Students will have Ms. Vedova substituting on Thursday and Mrs. Heaton substituting on Friday while I'm in Fallon.

EVENT and REHEARSAL REMINDERS

• Feb. 10: After School Jazz Band rehearsal, 2:30-4:30 PM
• Feb. 11: Honor Band rehearsal in Fallon, Day 1, 7:00 AM-5:30 PM
• Feb. 12: Honor Band rehearsal in Fallon, Day 2, 7:00 AM-10:00 PM
• Feb. 12: Honor Band concert in Fallon, 7:00 PM, FREE admission!
• Feb. 17: After School Jazz Band rehearsal, 2:30-4:30 PM
• Feb. 24: After School Jazz Band rehearsal, 2:30-4:30 PM
• Feb. 25: Band-O-Rama Rehearsal at Carson High School, 7:30 AM-10:00 AM
• Feb. 25: Band-O-Rama Concert at Carson High School, 7:00 PM, FREE admission

New Event: NZNMEA Jazz Band Festival, Apr. 25 at 7:00 PM in Yerington

That's all for now. More next week!

-Mr. Jacques-

A New Month

Dear Parents,

Happy February!  I hope the students enjoyed their built-in snow day.

We just completed a fantastic January where students have been preparing Band-O-Rama music, festival music, and honor band music.  Students have become considerably stronger with their tone quality and knowledge of rhythms. In addition, the Jazz Band performed in the Jazz Extravaganza for the third year in a row, debuting their new and improved uniforms!

What's Next?

Students will have playing tests and turn in their practice logs each Friday during class.  We are working on all Band-O-Rama and festival music, plus fundamentals out of the method book.  There will be weekly Jazz Band rehearsals after school (note the special Tuesday rehearsal this week).  Here are the other events for the month:

February 2: Jazz Band Rehearsal, 2:30-4:00 PM

• Rehearsal is on Tuesday this week only due to Student Led Conferences.

February 6: Jazz in the Schools Festival, New call time of 8:00 AM

• Students received handouts with more details.  Let me know if you'd like to chaperone.

February 11: Honor Band, Day 1

• 7:00 AM call time with instrument and music. We will return by 5:00 PM

February 12: Honor Band, Day 2

• 7:00 AM call time with instrument, music, and concert dress.  
• 7:00 PM free concert at Churchill County High School
• We will return by 10:30 PM

February 25: Band-O-Rama

• 7:30 AM call time at Carson High School with instrument and music.
• Students will get a bus ride back to CMS around 10:30 AM.
• 6:30 PM call time at Carson High School in concert dress.
• 7:00 PM concert

That's all for now!

-Mr. Jacques-