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-

And All That Jazz...

Dear Parents,

The Jazz Workshop that took place on Saturday was a huge success.  25 students interacted with professional musicians sponsored by the Mile High Jazz Band, spending the day making great music.  Jazz Band students have put together 3 new songs in just 3 weeks!  I can't wait to show off the fruits of your student's hard work on Tuesday night!  In the meantime, all classes are making excellent progress on their music that will be performed later this semester.

Practice logs have returned, with the same Friday due dates. Kids will get a copy every week, and I have an electronic version available on the website.

Here is the next month of events:

• Jazz Band* - January 26: Jazz Extravaganza at the Community Center, 7:00 PM  
• Call time is 6:15 PM with instrument and music in full concert attire.
• Please stay for the entire concert. We will finish around 9:00 PM.
• Honor Band* - January 27: Pre-Rehearsal at EVMS, 4:30-7:00 PM
• Please wear SSA and arrive with instrument and music by 4:15 PM.
• Jazz Band - February 6: Jazz in the Schools at UNR: 9 AM-4 PM
• Trip memos will be passed out to students on Wednesday.
• Honor Band - February 11-12: Rehearsals in Fallon, 7:00 AM-5:00 PM
• Honor Band - February 12: Concert in Fallon, 7:00 PM
• ALL BANDS* - February 25: Band-O-Rama, CHS, 7:00 PM
• There will be a morning rehearsal from 7:30-10 AM at Carson High School.

* No transportation provided.

I hope to see many of you at the Jazz Extravaganza concert on Tuesday night.  We will have another update later this week.

-Mr. Jacques-

Tickets to success...

Dear Parents,

Excellent progress and learning continues in all classes!  With events just around the corner, this is great news and it's also a sign that everyone's putting in a lot of hard work and showing outstanding dedication. Here's a class-by-class update, including each group's next event:

• Jazz Band has all 4 songs that will be performed at the Jazz Extravaganza.  Next events: January 20 from 2:30-4:30 PM, January 23 from 9 AM-1 PM, and January 26 at 7:00 PM in the Community Center.  Keep selling those tickets!  
• Concert Band knows the first half of their 4-movement song that is to be performed at Band-O-Rama.  They're making excellent progress playing as a band.  Next event: February 25.
• Intermediate Band can perform their Band-O-Rama music, and it's only January!  They're ready for their festival music, which I will be figuring out this weekend.  Next event: February 25.
• Beginning Band can perform the first movement of their song that is to be performed at Band-O-Rama.  Each student has specific goals that I mentioned at the end of their playing tests.  Next event: February 25.
• Advanced Strings has learned 2 songs and will be receiving a third song next week. Violins have learned 3rd position, a new advanced technique.  Next event: March 22.
• Advanced Band can perform their Band-O-Rama music, and it's only January! They have also been working on festival music and sight reading a couple tunes for the spring trip.  Don't forget to sell Extravaganza tickets! Next event: February 25.
• Beginning Strings is learning some sheet music and building fundamentals from out of the book.  They are ready for harder music!  Next event: April 20.
• Honor Band will have their FIRST REHEARSAL on Tuesday from 2:30-4:30.  We will sight read all 5 of the songs.

Other News: 

• Spring Trip payment #1 of $125 is due.  Please send payments ASAP if you haven't done so already.
• Honor Band code of conduct forms are due by our Tuesday rehearsal next week.
• Jazz Band students and Advanced Band students should be continuing to sell tickets for the Jazz Extravaganza.  The more you sell, the more your spring trip will be discounted!
• There will be no practice logs due next week. Students should be practicing fundamental rhythms, sheet music, and improving on any other personal areas of concern. 

MLK Weekend is upon us.  Enjoy all the fresh snow and free time!

-Mr. Jacques-

The 100th Post

Dear Parents,

We have officially made it to 100 newsletter updates since I began this in 2013.  I appreciate the positive feedback about this form of communication.

In terms of your student's classes, this is the best start to the new year that I have ever had!  All classes can already play at least part of their Band-O-Rama music, they've identified specific personal goals, and they are motivated to make every rehearsal better than the last.  Here are all the upcoming events with dates, times, and participating ensembles.

• Jazz Band* - January 23: Jazz Workshop at CMS, 9 AM-1 PM  
• Jazz Band* - January 26: Jazz Extravaganza at the Community Center, 7:00 PM  
• Honor Band* - January 27: Pre-Rehearsal at EVMS, 4:30-7:00 PM
• Jazz Band - February 6: Jazz in the Schools at UNR: 9 AM-3 PM
• Honor Band - February 11-12: Rehearsals in Fallon, 7:00 AM-5:00 PM
• Honor Band - February 12: Concert in Fallon, 7:00 PM
• ALL BANDS* - February 25: Band-O-Rama, CHS, 7:00 PM
• Intermediate Band, Advanced Band, Advanced Strings - March 22: NZNMEA Music Festival at the Community Center, times TBA
• ALL STRINGS* -  April 20: String Fling at EVMS, 7:00 PM
• Beginning Band, Beginning Strings, Concert Band - April 21: Beginning Music Festival in Fernley, times TBA
• Jazz Band - April 29-30: Reno Jazz Festival, times TBA
• Advanced Band - May 19-22: Spring Disneyland Trip

* Transportation not provided

There will be a spring concert, but dates and times are still TBA.  I'll let you know if anything changes. 

Enjoy your weekend!

-Mr. Jacques-