Leaping into March Madness...

Dear Parents,

March Madness, a saying that most of us relate to basketball, definitely means something different when it comes to next week in our music world. When I was a college student at UNR, both of these worlds collided for a couple of magical weeks when the band played at basketball games.  Since our team did well, we also traveled with them to the NCAA tournament. We were always excited to travel to new and exciting places together as a band.  No, I was never excused from all the midterms and projects I left behind while traveling, but those experiences are my best memories from college.

This week, many students will have performances, and they will have their first taste of these experiences making great music with good friends. Between our performances and the end of quarter 3, next week is a big one! Here's everything you need to know:

March 1: Capital City Community Band Concert - This event will include our school's Clarinet Choir and Percussion Ensemble, along with other youth groups. The Capital City Community Band hosts this annual concert as a salute to young musicians. The concert begins at 3 PM in the Carson City Community Center.  Extra credit for all students who check in with me at the end of this concert!

March 3: Jazz Extravaganza Concert - All money from presale tickets is due back to me by Tuesday morning, March 3.  CMS Jazz Band and the Mile High Jazz Band put together a joint concert to benefit our music program.  This concert begins at 7 PM in the Carson City Community Center and tickets are just $10. Students ages 18 and younger are free! The Mile High Jazz Band donates all the profits from this concert to the CMS Jazz Band. Click here for the flyer.

March 6: Advanced Band at Washoe County Band Festival - As the only bands who perform here from outside of Washoe County, this festival is an amazing educational experience for our students.  The Advanced Band performs at 2:40 PM in Nightingale Concert Hall at UNR.  Click here for the flyer.  Please email me if you can chaperone.

GRADE NEWS
Just 1 more week until grades are due for quarter 3.  Many students have been making up tests. Some students have been so determined that they have improved by as many as 3 letter grades in just a week!  This is proof positive that all our students will be successful if they put their minds to it.  Just a few more notes about grades:

• I will update all grades by Sunday night, including citizenship. 
• Students will have until Thursday, March 5, make-up or re-take any missing playing tests. Students may retake tests for me in class, after school, on SmartMusic, or recorded at home and emailed to me.
• I will be available after school on Tuesday, Wednesday, and Thursday until 3:30 PM for any students who wish to practice, receive help, or re-take tests. There will be no Percussion Ensemble or Clarinet Choir this week. 

SPRING TRIP UPDATES

The next payment is due on March 15. This date is also the cut-off for any refunds.  Please let me know if you need any financial assistance or extra time to catch up on payments.  

• Intermediate and Concert Band: Full payment of $180 is due on this date.
• Advanced Band: Payment #4 of $125 is due on this date.  

BAND-O-RAMA

Save the date!  Band-O-Rama is on March 26, and is mandatory for all groups. More information to follow after next week. 

Here's to a successful busy week in March, where 2 months of hard work during quarter 3 begins to pay off in amazingly musical ways. Have a great weekend!

-Mr. Jacques-

Prepping for a busy March...

Dear Parents,

Time for a long overdue update with class updates, grade updates, and rundown of our very busy first week of March.

CLASS UPDATES
Jazz Band performed at their Jazz in the Schools Clinic. This was their 8th appearance at this free performance hosted by the Reno Jazz Orchestra. Students are also enjoying weekly visits from professional musicians at our rehearsals, also courtesy of the Reno Jazz Orchestra.  Next event: Jazz Extravaganza on March 3.
Beginning Bands have been working on fundamentals and applying those fundamentals to their Band-O-Rama music. Students are just a few weeks from being able to play through this music. Every year, it's a remarkable transformation that these students undergo in just a few short months of playing.  Next event: Band-O-Rama on March 26.
Concert Band can play through all their Band-O-Rama music and they're making outstanding progress. Several of these students have been invited to join Intermediate Band on their spring trip. Students will also receive new music for their band festival in April.  Next event: Band-O-Rama on March 26.
Intermediate Band is working on their Band-O-Rama music and can just about play through it successfully as a class. They also received and are working on their band festival music. We are working as a class to make the best decision possible on what we will be performing at our first band festival.  Next event: Washoe County Band Festival on March 7.
Advanced Band has learned all their Band-O-Rama music and is preparing challenging literature for their first band festival.  They will be playing high school-level music and pushing the envelope of what a middle school band is capable of doing.  Next event: Washoe County Band Festival on March 6.
Percussion Ensemble began just a few weeks ago. Now in their second year of existence at CMS, this group of enthusiastic percussionists rehearses on Tuesday afternoons and will be putting together music for 2 events. Their first event: Capital City Community Band's concert on March 1.

GRADE NEWS
We have been successfully replacing weekly practice time of 30 minutes with weekly to bi-weekly playing tests on Smartmusic.  A majority of students are successfully turning in their assignments. Those who aren't completing them at home have the opportunity to complete them in my practice room at school during class. They also have the option to play for me once they have attempted to record through the program. For more information on how to record, please see the previous newsletter.  Students are also earning weekly participation by being prepared in class, as well as weekly citizenship.

UPCOMING EVENTS
I updated the calendar with all known rehearsals and events.  You can either click here or click "calendar" at the top of the webpage. Here's a list of our very busy first week of March:
March 1: Capital City Community Band Concert - This event will include our school's Clarinet Choir and Percussion Ensemble, along with other youth groups. The Capital City Community Band hosts this annual concert as a salute to young musicians. The concert begins at 3 PM in the Carson City Community Center. I will offer extra credit for any student who checks in with me at the end of this concert.
March 3: Jazz Extravaganza Concert - Each year, the CMS Jazz Band and the Mile High Jazz Band put together a joint concert to benefit our music program.  This concert begins at 7 PM in the Carson City Community Center and tickets are just $10. The Mile High Jazz Band donates all the profits from this concert to the CMS Jazz Band. Click here for the flyer.
March 6: Advanced Band at Washoe County Band Festival - As the only bands who perform here from outside of Washoe County, this festival is an amazing educational experience for our students.  The Advanced Band performs at 2:40 PM in Nightingale Concert Hall at UNR.
March 7: Intermediate Band at Washoe County Band Festival - Intermediate Band will also enjoy this amazing experience as they get a chance to perform in front of judges that will help them become even stronger musicians.  This group performs at 10:05 AM at North Valleys High School.

As we enter our spring performance season, this is where students will begin to hit those major "breakthrough" moments in both how they perform and how they work together. I hope you all enjoyed the Presidents Day weekend!

-Mr. Jacques-