A New Beginning...

Dear Parents, 

We are just about ready to start making music, but before we do that, I wanted to take a moment and share this information with you.

Everything you need to know about band program will be posted on www.cmsbands.org and updated regularly.  Here's a rundown of band fees, required materials, and important due dates. 

Every student is responsible for providing the following as soon as you are able: 

1) Class Contract, signed by both parent and student. 

2) Required Fees for your student's ensemble.

3) Optional Fees: 

• School Instrument Rentals
  • $100 to rent through CMS, applications due ASAP (we are almost out of instruments)
  • You may rent through a local music store, and may of them have "rent-to-own" programs. A complete list of local music stores is available online.
  • If you order an instrument online, please talk to me first so I can help you with price/quality of instruments available.

*If any of these fees create a financial hardship on your family, I accept late payments and we can even work out payment plans. 

Every student is responsible for providing the following supplies by Tuesday, September 5:

1) Instrument

2) Band book: Sound Innovations (make sure to get the book that matches your instrument) 

3) Portable Music Stand (for practice at home) 

4) Pencil (keep a pencil in your instrument case, we will use them daily!) 

5) Accessories for individual instrument: 

• Flute -Cleaning rod (normally included with instrument) -Swab for rod (any rectangular piece of cotton is fine) -Polishing cloth 
• Clarinet/Saxophone -Reeds (1 box, Rico brand- minimum size 2.5) -Cleaning Swab -Cork Grease -Neck Strap (sax only) -Polishing cloth (sax only)*
• Trumpet/Baritone -Valve Oil -Slide Grease -Polishing Cloth*
• Trombone -Slide Cream/Oil -Mini Water Spray Bottle -Polishing Cloth*
• Percussion -Bell Kit for practicing at home (I have a limited supply available for rental), drum sticks.

*I have limited quantities of reeds, cork grease, valve oil, and slide cream available for sale. Students may purchase these items through me if it is difficult for you to make it to a local music store.

Feel free to email me if you have any questions. I check it regularly throughout the week.  I look forward to working with you all!

-Mr. Jacques

CMS Sneak Peak

Dear Students and Parents, 

You are receiving this email because your student is signed up for Beginning Band at Carson Middle School.  My name is Nick Jacques and I'd like to welcome you to our school's award-winning band program!  With over 200 students registered for band this year, we have record enrollment and this year promises to be the best year yet.  I have a few quick items I would like to share with you as we approach the first days of school:

• The band room will be open during the CMS Sneak Peak, and I welcome you all to come in and meet me!  Times are Wednesday, August 16 from 4-6 PM for 6th grade students, and Thursday, August 17 from 4-6 PM for 7th and 8th grade students.  I will also be collecting fees, selling method books, and accepting instrument rental applications during this time. 
• Absolute Music will be renting instruments and other supplies in the band room on Wednesday, August 16, during the 6th grade Sneak Peak, for your convenience.  Feel free to come visit them, even if you are in 7th or 8th grade.
• Our website is www.cmsbands.org. I also post a weekly band newsletter, and you'll receive an email each time it's updated.  Feel free to take a minute and read through the following pages between now and the first day of school. The answers to many of your questions will be found here:
• 2017-2018 calendar of events 
• Ensemble information
• Band uniform information 
• Fees  - Total fees will be $37 for percussionists and $34 for all others. 
• Local music stores - These local businesses rent instruments, sell supplies, and have knowledgeable staff on hand to answer any other questions.
• I also have a limited number of school-owned instruments available for a low price of $100 for the entire school year ($75 for those on free or reduced lunch). I will have rental applications available at the Sneak Peak. Those who wish to rent high-demand school instruments (flute, clarinet, saxophone, trumpet, percussion) will be given priority based on financial need. School instruments will be distributed by Friday of the first week of school. Those who do not get a school instrument will be fully refunded and offered additional time to obtain one from a local music store.
• Jazz Band auditions will continue during the first week of school. If your student is interested, we will meet each day at 7 AM (Jazz Band's class time). We will finish auditions by Friday, August 25 and have the final roster posted over that weekend. Keep practicing!
• We need parent help! If you're interested, let me know during Sneak Peak.

If you have any additional questions, do not hesitate to ask. I look forward to meeting you all at Sneak Peak!

-Mr. Jacques-

That's All, Folks!

Dear Parents,

We did it!  Another outstanding school year is in the books.  I wanted to first talk about promotion:

• This year, approximately 100 band students performed at promotion.
• Every year, I time the performance of Pomp and Circumstance, and it has ranged between 6 and 15 minutes. This year's was 14 minutes, and the students never sounded tired. 
• Everybody helped out with cleaning and organizing the band room, saving me hours of time.

I have NEVER had such a GREAT sounding band at promotion.  When we performed some festival music at the end of the ceremony, the 7th grade Advanced Band members were sight reading!  Oh, did I mention that these were all 6th and 7th graders??  The future looks very bright for our band program!

To all the 8th graders: Don't think I forgot about you!  You played Star Wars extremely well, and the thunderous applause at the end is proof of that.  Your hugs, positive comments, and genuine excitement made me even more sad to say goodbye.  But again, don't think of it as goodbye. Think of it as "See you later!" It has been quite a journey seeing you all grow both as human beings and musicians. Best of luck at CHS!

Hair We Go

Each year's Advanced Band is different. What sets this year's band apart is how quickly they were able to learn music. In February, I made a deal with them. After Bandorama, we had only 2 weeks to learn 3 new songs for our band festivals. Usually, we have over a month, and it pushed this band harder than any other band I've had. As a result, the deal was that I'd dye my hair blue if they were able to earn straight "superior" ratings at the festivals. Well, they did just that. As a matter of fact, they were 1 of only 3 schools to earn "superior" ratings at that festival.  I am so happy that they did well and that I was able to live out the promise I made with them.

The "before" and "after" shot by our very own band parent and stylist, Tracy Caraway, as she gives me a look that you'll never be able to un-see!

The 3rd annual Jazz Camp begins on Wednesday, June 7!  We still have spaces available. The explorer's session will introduce jazz to any student on any instrument. The ensemble session is for experienced jazz musicians. I have a fun set planned, including "25 or 6 to 4," "Boogie Woogie Bugle Boy," and "Soul Bossa Nova," as well as 1-2 other songs. Sign up now, and pay registration on the first day of camp. See you Wednesday!

Thank you for a great year, everybody.  Parents: I could not have done all this without you. Have a great summer!

-Mr. Jacques-

Spring Trip 2017

Dear Parents,

This update is a chance for you to all get a glimpse into what we do during our annual spring trip. Of course, to truly experience it, your student has to be there. Keep striving for the best in music and your student will experience an opportunity like this in middle or high school.

Wednesday
After a full day of school, we departed at 3:30 PM and enjoyed a scenic drive through the eastern Sierra, arriving in Anaheim around 1:00 AM.

Thursday
We slept in and woke up to a perfect day for a beach party. Kids roasted hot dogs, s'mores, and swam in the ocean. For some, this was their first ever time seeing the ocean!

The Band

The band, plus all chaperones and siblings

After the beach time, we went to Cerritos College to rehearse and have a clinic compliments of Dr. Betancourt, director of bands. 

Dr. Betancourt working with the band

Our day concluded with a pizza dinner and swim time at the hotel.

Friday

We woke up bring and early, heading to Dale Jr. High for a performance with Mrs. Urquidez, my first band director who taught me how to play alto saxophone when I was 9. We played for her band, she played for my band, we played a few songs together, and then we sight read each other's music! 

The combined band

Me and my first band director, Mrs. Urquidez!

After that, it was off to the park for even more fun! Students and parents spent the day together and rode rides, ate delicious food, drank lots of water, and used gallons of sunscreen! We then went backstage and performed our soundtrack clinic. Unfortunately, I was not allowed to take photos. Students sight read through 3 songs and then listened to their masterpieces behind actual film clips!  

Saturday

This day was perhaps the most amazing of them all. The day began warm when we checked out of the hotel, and it only got hotter as it went on. As I was having lunch, I opened up this good omen: 

As I told the nervous students: if they did their best, they'd make me proud. Well, they did just that! The performance on stage was incredible, despite the high temperatures and windy conditions. I absolutely mean it when I say that THEY COULD NOT HAVE PERFORMED BETTER!

Check out the temperature immediately after our performance! 

The performance is on our facebook page, so feel free to like our site and enjoy the concert for yourself! They handed us a plaque backstage and the guide told the band that they were one of the best behaved groups she has ever had. She also said that their performance made her day, and they are  amazing musicians. We will be invited back next year! All we have to do is submit their phenomenal performance to Disney Performing Arts. They presented us with a plaque and we were free to enjoy the rest of the day at the park. 

Even with warm temperatures and the parks at capacity, the students and parents still had a blast. We left at 11 PM for the overnight return trip and got home just this morning. 

Thank you so much to all the parents for supporting this trip. From paying for your student, to chaperoning, to donating items, it wouldn't have been possible without you. We were able to give the students a top-notch experience that they will never forget. 

Look for another update tomorrow with reminders about this week's concerts. We will end the year on a very positive "note." 

-Mr. Jacques

The Final Push...

Dear Parents and Students,

It's strange to think that in less than 3 weeks, the school year will be over.  What a year it has been! Our spring concerts are next week, and we will take some time to share all of this year's celebrations, play some fun music, and hand out a few awards.  Read below, find the ensemble that is important to you and your student, and take a look at their progress, as well as final events. Please note: all concerts are located at CMS.

Jazz Band
This year's jazz band has been a force to be reckoned with. After receiving the highest festival ratings in the history of the band's existence, they have truly become unstoppable! We have a high-energy set of songs to perform for you at their final concert.  Call time on May 24 is 5:45 PM and the concert begins at 6:00 PM.    View additional details here

Intermediate Band
Intermediate Band will be performing one of their festival selections, along with 2 other songs that they have picked up in the last 6 weeks. Their concert is on May 23rd. It begins at 5:30 PM and their call time is 5:30 PM. View additional details here

The 6th and 7th graders in this band will also be performing on June 2 for 8th grade promotion. Call time for that is immediately after school, and they will be done at 2 PM.  Attendance at both functions is mandatory, and I will have a handout with more details shortly.

Beginning Bands
This is the first Beginning Band group to finish the book! They are hard at work preparing the songs that earned them "Superior" ratings at their first ever band festival, plus 1 bonus song that they have prepared over the past 3 weeks. We also include the 5th grade band members, who perform at the beginning of the concert. Their concert is on May 23rd. It begins at 5:30 PM with the 5th grade bands.  Call time is also 5:30 PM.  View additional details here

The 6th and 7th graders in these bands will also be performing on June 2 for 8th grade promotion.  Call time for that is immediately after school, and they will be done at 2 PM. Attendance at both functions is mandatory, and I will have a handout with more details shortly.

Concert Band
This band has performed at a record 3 festivals this year! Concert Band is performing the songs that earned them "superior" ratings at their most recent festival, plus a bonus song that they learned over the last 3 weeks. But wait, there's more! We also include the 5th grade band members, who perform at the beginning of the concert.  Their concert is on May 23rd. It begins at 5:30 PM with the 5th grade bands.  Call time is also 5:30 PM.  View additional details here

This band is also performing on June 2 for 8th grade promotion.  Call time for that is immediately after school, and they will be done at 2 PM. Attendance at both functions is mandatory, and I will have a handout with more details shortly.

Advanced Band
Once again, this band can do it all! They have learned 4 new songs since their festival in March. They will perform these, as well as the songs that earned them "Superior" ratings earlier in the spring, at their spring concert. Their concert is on May 24th. It begins at 6:00 PM and their call time is 5:45 PM.  View additional details here

The 7th graders in this band will also be performing on June 2 for 8th grade promotion. Call time for that is immediately after school, and they will be done at 2 PM.  Attendance at both functions is mandatory, and I will have a handout with more details next week.

On Wednesday, I'm off to southern California for some fun in the sun and great performances with Advanced Band members.  Look for detailed information in handouts, and I'll update everyone once I'm back from the trip.  During the trip, I'll be available through email, so as always, let me know, as always, if you have any questions.

-Mr. Jacques-

The Final Countdown...

Dear Parents,

It's definitely time for an update. We had a couple successful jazz events, and once we return from testing, it will be time for the home stretch of band events to close out the 2016-2017 school year.  Read on for information on our final events of the year.

Northern Zone Jazz Festival wrap-up

On April 25, the Jazz Band performed at Pau-Wa-Lu Middle School in Minden. These students performed quite well, and as the only middle school band participating, they hung right in there with the high school groups. We had a great time listening to other local talent, and some students even danced along to the steel drum ensemble!

Reno Jazz Festival wrap-up

First of all, a huge congratulations goes out to the Jazz Band for their best ever performance in the Reno Jazz Festival! They earned 1 "superior" rating and 2 "excellent" ratings! They were also the only jazz band from the northern zone, and performed right alongside the best jazz bands in the country.

Advanced Band Spring Trip

The Spring Trip is approaching fast.  Students are hard at work preparing their music.  Their Code of Conduct form needs to be brought back with a student and parent signature as soon as possible.  They will also need to return a signed grade check form with teacher signatures or they will not be allowed on the trip. This step is to ensure that all teachers support the students missing school and that the students are giving their best efforts in all classes.

We will also have after school rehearsals for all participating students. These rehearsals are mandatory. We will meet at the following times:

Tuesday, May 2: 2:30-4:30 PM
Wednesday, May 3: 2:30-4:30 PM
Thursday, May 4: 2:30-4:30 PM
Tuesday, May 9: 2:30-4:30 PM
Tuesday, May 16: 2:30-4:30 PM

Spring Concerts

These concerts are the final performances of the year for all ensembles.  These performances are mandatory.

May 23: Beginning Band, Concert Band, and Intermediate Band

Concert begins at 5:30 PM in the CMS cafeteria.  Call time will be 5:15 PM.  At 5:30, band members from Fritsch, Mark Twain, and Bordewich Bray Elementary Schools will perform.  Immediately following their performance will be the combined Beginning Band and Concert Band, followed by Intermediate Band.  The concert should be finished by 7:00.  There will also be a bake sale and a special award ceremony for students in all groups that you won't want to miss!

May 24: Jazz Band and Advanced Band

Concert begins at 6:00 PM in the CMS cafeteria.  Call time for both groups is 5:30 PM.  Jazz Band will begin, followed by Advanced Band. This concert will be a tour de force that you will not want to miss!  There will also be a bake sale and a special award ceremony for students in all groups.

Jazz Band Camp

Also this year, I will be hosting a jazz day camp on the mornings of June 7, 8, 9, 12, and 13.  The concert will be on the night of June 13 as they open for the Mile High Jazz Band. I will have more information about this event within the next week.

Advanced Band and Jazz Band auditions

Auditions for Advanced Band and Jazz Band will take place beginning May 25. I will have more information about the audition process within the next week.

Stay tuned!

-Mr. Jacques-

Festivals and Fundraising...

Dear Parents,

April is off to an excellent start, and I owe it all to your hard working students. We are looking to raise a combined total of $10,000 dollars through the Magic Show on April 19 and Chili Bingo Night on April 21.  I also have some news and pictures about the All-State Festival and the Beginning Band Festival from earlier this week.

Magic Show Update
So far, we have sold 66 tickets. We have a total of 700 to sell, for a potential profit of $7000 from ticket sales for this event alone! Continue to sell to everyone you know. This show is a bargain, and we keep every penny!  The show is on April 19 at 7 PM in the Carson City Community Center.
You may also order tickets here.

Chili Bingo Update
Chili Bingo Night is April 21 at 6 PM in the cafeteria. We are still looking for donations in the form of gift cards, hotel stays, or physical items. If you something to donate, let me know ASAP since we are in need of bingo prizes.  We are also holding a chili cook-off. Click here to enter your chili. The cost to enter is free, and prizes are available!

NZNMEA Beginning Band Festival

Congratulations to the Beginning Band and Concert Band on their performance on Tuesday! They took home "Superior" ratings and performed the best concert so far in their young musical lives! As you can see, they were the top performing band, right alongside Silverland Middle School. The future of the band program at CMS in excellent hands with all your talented students!

















All-State Band Festival

The All-State Festival took place from Thursday-Saturday, culminating in a concert for the ages! These students and their guest conductor performed high school-level music in front of thousands of proud parents. What a weekend. A special congratulations goes out to the CMS students who were part of this band: Bahar, Chloe, Madisen, Kyra, Ethan, Kaitlyn, Slade, and Emma.








Look for more news/updates about the fundraising events after the weekend. Happy Easter, everyone!

-Mr. Jacques-