Tis The Season!

Dear Parents,

Now that we are back from what I hope was a restful Thanksgiving break, we are on the home stretch towards putting on our winter concert and other special events that help our community celebrate this time of the year.  The students are putting the finishing touches on their music, as well as their instrument decorations!

Honor Band Results: Every year during this time, we have honor band auditions and the results are in.  A whopping 19 students from CMS were invited to join the honor band!  Over half of the Advanced Band made it into this group, as well as 1 member from Intermediate Band.

Flute - Bahar Jazani

Flute - Jasmine Wong-Fortunato

Clarinet - Kyra Fields
Clarinet - Chloe Vasquez
Clarinet - Madisen Aragon
Clarinet - Nicolas Baggio
Clarinet - Aryanna Wortman
Bass Clarinet - Madeline Wolz

Alto Saxophone - Slade Pronk

Alto Saxophone - Jacqueline Puett

Tenor Saxophone - Kayla Taylor

Trumpet - Ryan Pitman

Trumpet - Adam Richetta

French Horn - Ethan Valdez
French Horn - Kaitlyn Edge
Euphonium - Donavan Peterson
Trombone - Emma Doty
Tuba - Emma Thomsen

Percussion - Emma Hataway

Your students also represent 28% of the entire honor band!  What a great representation from CMS. 

After School Rehearsals
Tuesday, November 29: Marching Rehearsal from 2:30-4:30 PM
Tuesday, December 6: Advanced Band Rehearsal from 2:30-4:30 PM

Tree Lighting - December 2
Advanced Band's performance at the tree lighting festivities is set, and we have been hard at work to prepare this fun music!  Call time is 6:15 PM on the corner of 3rd Street and Curry Street. with the following items:

• Instrument
• Music
• Music stand
• Festive clothing

Our performance begins at 6:30 PM and concludes at 7:00 PM. See the handout sent home with students for more information.

Sparks Hometowne Christmas Parade - December 3

Call time will be 9:30 AM in the band room for the marching band. The parade starts at 1:00 PM on Victorian Ave. and we are entry #40. Here are a few reminders for this parade:

• Students must bring their instrument case, their garment bag, and a change of clothes for the mall.
• Students may decorate their instruments as long as they do not get in the way of the functionality of the instrument.
• Students may wear Santa hats if they have them.
• Students must be accompanied by a chaperone at all times in the mall. 
• Please see me and fill out a parent release form if they are not traveling back with us on the bus.
• Thanks to everyone who is signed up to chaperone!

Winter Concert - December 7

This concert is mandatory for all groups, and this will take place in the Community Center, and will be held in two parts. Parents: please sign up on Charms to bring desserts or help out at the event as you're able. Here is the timeline for the event:
4:30 PM

We will be setting up for the concert.  Any parents that can come early to help would be greatly appreciated.

5:30 PM

Begin selling desserts. Students: please do not arrive any earlier than this unless you're with a parent who is helping with setup.

5:45 PM

Call time for Beginning Band on stage; begin selling dessert.

6:00 PM

Close down dessert table until intermission; CONCERT BEGINS with Beginning Band.

Call time for everybody else.

6:15 PM

Concert Band performs.

6:40 PM

Jazz Band performs.

7:00 PM

INTERMISSION.  Reopen dessert table.

7:15 PM

Intermediate Band performs

7:30 PM

Advanced Band performs

8:00 PM

CONCERT ENDS.  Sell any remaining items at the dessert table.  Students will help load equipment truck.  See the flyer for all additional details. 

That is "all" for now.  I will post more updates as needed.  It's great to be back!

-Mr. Jacques-

December Events Galore!

Dear Parents,

I hope you all had a great weekend. This newsletter update is filled with announcements about our December events. Also, with our short school week, we have held off on any new practice assignments. Students will get new practice sheets on Wednesday, which will include 2 "free days" to help keep them from falling behind over the Thanksgiving holiday.

After School Rehearsals
Tuesday, November 22: Marching Rehearsal from 2:30-4:00 PM (*note earlier release time)
Tuesday, November 29: Marching Rehearsal from 2:30-4:30 PM
Tuesday, December 6: Advanced Band Rehearsal from 2:30-4:30 PM

Tree Lighting - December 2
Advanced Band's performance at the tree lighting festivities is set, and we have been hard at work to prepare this fun music!  Call time is 6:15 PM on the corner of 3rd Street and Curry Street. with the following items:

• Instrument
• Music
• Music stand
• Festive clothing

Our performance begins at 6:30 PM and concludes at 7:00 PM. See the handout sent home with students for more information.

Sparks Hometowne Christmas Parade - December 3

Call time will be 9:30 AM in the band room for the marching band. The parade starts at 1:00 PM and we will stop at Meadowood Mall on our way back. We are typically back by 5:00 PM. I will send out a detailed itinerary once we receive our parade entry information from the City of Sparks.

Winter Concert - December 7

This concert is mandatory for all groups. There will be two performances: 6:00 PM and 7:00 PM.  See the flyer for all additional details. 

That is all for now.  I will post more updates as needed.

-Mr. Jacques-

Veterans Week

Dear Parents,

This week will feature a couple of special events for our men and women in uniform. I also have class updates and our updated after school rehearsal schedule.

Veterans Assembly - November 10 at 9 AM
This event, hosted by choir director Briana Valley, will be held at the Carson Middle School cafeteria. I invite you all to come and watch Intermediate and Advanced Bands perform alongside the CMS choir as they "play" tribute to our veterans. We will once again perform Tribute to America, By Dawn's Early Light and Patriotic Bits & Pieces.

Veterans Day Parade - November 11, 7:30 AM call time
All marching band members will report to the band room at 7:30 AM for an incredible day. Not only are we entry #5 and the first group after the grand marshal/city officials, we are also going to be going to be the marching unit that leads 2,100 high school R.O.T.C. members down the street, along with the rest of the parade! The parade begins in downtown Reno at approximately 11:30 AM. If you're able to help volunteer, please sign up on Charms. Your time and effort makes an enormous difference!

Class Progress

Jazz Band has received all their music for the winter concert, including a couple of pieces that will carry over in January. Their enthusiasm for this music is incredible and each day, this class is such a great start to the day. Who needs Folgers? Jazz Band is the best part of waking up!
Intermediate Band has received all their music for the winter concert. They have returned to structured practice charts that if they follow, they will become as unstoppable as Advanced Band. They have improved considerably in the last few weeks!
Beginning Band is working on an unprecedented 4 pieces of sheet music for the winter concert. Wouldn't it be amazing if they could do them all?
Concert Band has also received all their winter concert music, and we're spending a great bit of time this week on tone quality. On Tuesday at 1:30, they are also going to be able to come back to the band room during Encore for an extra rehearsal (with their teacher's permission). I always enjoy their incredible enthusiasm.
Advanced Band has all 9 (yes, NINE) pieces that they will use for the winter concert, tree lighting, and elementary assemblies. 5 of them are already perform-able!  The other 4 are very learn-able, but challenging enough to push these great students to new heights.

After School Schedule

Monday, Nov. 7: Honor Band trumpet/horn help, 2:30-4:00 PM CANCELLED; rescheduled for 11/16
Tuesday, Nov. 8: Marching Band Rehearsal, 2:30-4:30 PM
Wednesday, Nov. 9: Honor Band low brass/low reeds help, 2:30-4:00 PM
Thursday, Nov. 10: Honor Band percussion help, 2:30-4:30 PM
Tuesday, November 15: Marching Band Rehearsal, 2:30-4:30 PM, followed by auditions
Wednesday, November 16: Honor Band trumpet/horn help, 2:30-4:00 PM, followed by auditions
Thursday, November 17: Honor Band Auditions, 2:30-4:30 PM
Friday, November 18: Honor Band Auditions, 2:30-4:30 PM

Have a great week!

-Mr. Jacques-