Band Update 9/6/2021

Contents:

  • From the Directors:
    • A FANTASTIC First Football Game!
    • Everyone is Invited!! The BVN Fall Band Picnic is this coming Saturday 9/11!
    • Marching Mustangs:  Pictures (in uniform) at this Wednesday’s Rehearsal.
    • PARENTS – CHAPERONES NEEDED!
    • Everyone:  Water and Tissue Donations.
    • Everyone:  Band Forms and Dues!
  • The Next Two Week’s Ahead in the Band
    • Daily Schedule with LOTS of details.  Pictures – Saturday 9/11 Rehearsals and Band Picnic – Middle School Band Night Football Game
  • Calendar Updates – Please read carefully and update your personal calendars!
  • Expanding your Musical Horizons – Honor Bands and More

From the Directors:

CONGRATULATIONS MARCHING MUSTANGS!!!  For a wonderful first Home Football Game Performance!  Mr. Wagoner and I are VERY pleased with this, especially considering we’ve been off for almost 2 years.  WOW!  A FANTASTIC Pre-game performance.  GREAT energy in the stands (special shout out to our drumline for their excellent selection of new cheers/cadences!).  A STRONG halftime show.   Positive energy, good, relaxed focus, a wonderful crowd reaction, phenomenal parent chaperones…. what a night!!!!

EVERYONE is Invited to our Annual Fall Band Picnic! Returning after a year off for covid, we are excited to invite ALL Band Members and families to our Band Picnic this coming Saturday, September 11th!

  • 11:30 AM, Saturday 9/11
  • At I-Lan Park (on Nall avenue (east side of the road), just north of 127th street)
  • Bring your own picnic food (due to covid, we’re not providing a meal this year).  The band will provide water and other beverages as well as a dessert!
  • Bring lawn chairs, blankets, frisbees, yard games, etc, and have a blast getting to know other band students and families!
  • PARKING:  Parking at I-Lan Park is limited.  We have received permission to use the parking lot at the temple, Congregation B’nai Jehudah – which is just across Nall from i-lan park, for our picnic.  Please park as close to Nall as possible/as far from the temple as possible, to leave plenty of space for temple business and visitors that day.
  • FRESHMAN BAND and MARCHING MUSTANGS, reminder that you have rehearsals in the morning, before the picnic:
    • Marching Mustangs:  8:30 AM – 10:30 AM.
    • Freshman Band AND Marching Mustangs – parade rehearsal:  10:30 AM – 11:30 AM.
    • Both rehearsals will be at BVN, on our east turf field (the one with the track).

PICTURES, PICTURES, PICTURES!  Marching Mustangs:  We will take our formal, in-uniform, group and individual photos during our Wednesday evening rehearsal this week.  Individual photos will start at 5:45, group photo ASAP after our normal rehearsal start time of 6:30, and any individuals who still need them will take pictures after the group shot is done.  PARENTS – we will send home order forms on Tuesday.  This will be FULL uniform, so make sure to bring ALL uniform parts from home!

PARENTS – CHAPERONES NEEDED for our Marching Season!  CLICK HERE to sign up to chaperone any of our home football games and marching festivals.  No experience necessary – chaperoning is FUN and a GREAT way to support your band students.  We provide on-the-job training, no worries.  😉

Donations Needed!  From All Band Families:  Each year, we ask all band families to donate 1 case of bottled water, and facial tissues (kleenex) – in whatever amount you choose.  It’s time to replenish our stock as we prepare for many band events!  Please send in your donations any time – just have your band student bring them to the front of the band room any time.  You can also drop them in the main office, labeled for the band.

Band Forms and Dues:  We have been a little slow/lax in reminders for these…. but… for ALL band students, if you have not yet turned in your band forms and dues, please do so ASAP!  CLICK HERE for the complete forms packet, which includes all necessary information.  Hard copies of the forms are available in the band room, if needed.  Forms/dues can be turned into the blue box just outside Mr. Freeman/Mr. Wagoner’s office.

Band in the era of Covid. CLICK HERE to read about our current covid-mitigation-in-band-rehearsals

Musically yours,
Mr. Freeman

The Next Two Weeks Ahead:  9/7-9/11 and 9/13-9/17/2021

CLICK HERE for BVN’s Block/Traditional Schedule Rotation for August-September
CLICK HERE for the BVN Bell Schedule

9/7-9/11/2021

Monday, 9/6: No School, Labor Day.

Tuesday, 9/7:

  • Even Block Class Schedule with Late Start
  • Marching Mustangs: 7 AM Rehearsal.
  • Section Leaders and Drum Majors:  Meet during North Time.

Wednesday, 9/8: 

  • Odd Block Class Schedule.
  • Marching Mustangs: PICTURES and Wednesday Evening Rehearsal for Marching Mustangs.
    • by 5;00:  Band Room Open for Uniforms.  FULL Marching uniform for the pictures.  It does not matter what t-shirt you wear below the uniform… just wear one…
    • 5:45:  Individual pictures begin.  First come, first served!  Pictures will be taken on the south lawn (just south of the Band Room and parking lot).
    • by 6:30:  All students arrive and in uniform.  Line up tallest to shortest (in the building) and proceed out to the bleachers for the group photo.
    • Following the group photo, get out of uniform and proceed to rehearsal!  We hope/plan to begin rehearsing at 7 PM on the west turf field (the one with lights!)
    • Also following the group photo – any remaining individual pictures will be taken.
    • ALL students will take an individual photo.  There is no obligation to purchase.  Photo packets will be sent home with students on Tuesday 9/7, or you can order online by CLICKING HERE.
    • Rehearse until 8:30, following pictures.

Thursday, 9/9:

  • Even Block Schedule with Late Start
  • Band Council Meeting During North Time

Friday, 9/10:

  • ODD BLOCK SCHEDULE!  (since there was no school Monday, we will do odd block on friday to make up for the lost odd block monday.)
  • MARCHING MUSTANGS:  We’ll start rehearsal at 7:30 AM on Friday 9/10.

Saturday, 9/11:

  • Marching Mustangs Rehearsal, 8:30 – 10:30 AM on the East Turf Field (the one with the track)
  • Freshman Band Combined w/ Marching Mustangs Rehearsal: 10:30 AM – 11:30 AM on the East Turf Field
  • FALL BAND PICNIC – FOR ALLL BAND STUDENTS AND FAMILIES! 
    • 11:3o AM at I-Lan Park.
    • Bring your own picnic food, blankets, lawn chairs, games, frisbees, etc!
    • The Band will provide drinks and dessert.
    • Park across Nall in the lots for Congregation B’nai Jehudah – please park as close to Nall as possible, and be careful crossing Nall!!
    • Come have lots of fun with other band students and families!!!

9/7-9/11/2021

Monday, 9/13:

  • Odd Block Classes
  • Marching Mustangs:  7 AM Rehearsal

Tuesday, 9/14:

  • Even Block Class Schedule with Late Start
  • Marching Mustangs: 7 AM Rehearsal.

Wednesday, 9/15: 

  • Odd Block Class Schedule.
  • Marching Mustangs: White Out Wednesday Rehearsal – at the DAC!!
    • 5:30 – 6:30:  Percussion and Color Guard Sectionals
    • 6:30 -8:30:  Full Ensemble Rehearsal at the DAC!  (135th and Switzer)

Thursday, 9/16: Even Block Schedule with Late Start

Friday, 9/17:

  • Traditional Schedule (all 7 Class Periods)
  • Marching Mustangs – Home Football Game Performance vs BVSW and Middle School Band Night!!
    • T-shirt is the Show Shirt!  The Gray “Road not Taken” shirt!
    • Because of MS Band Night, our schedule runs a bit earlier than normal!  Read Carefully!
    • by 4:00 PM:  Band Room open for uniforms.
    • We MAY have an early bus depart at 4:30 PM.  Details TBD. (for students helping with the MS rehearsal)
    • 4:45:  Middle schoolers begin arriving to the soccer field at the DAC and rehearse
    • 5:00 PM – BUSSES DEPART FOR THE DAC
    • Upon arrival at the DAC, unload like normal (cases lined neatly in the grass under the scoreboard), then move to the soccer field for rehearsal with the MS Bands
    • 5:30:  BVN Band Joins the MS bands for rehearsal
    • 5:50-ish:  Pizza Dinner for Middle school and high school band members!!
    • By 6:30:  All students move to FB side of DAC.  BVN Band prepares for pre-game performance
    • 6:40:  Pre-game performance (BVN Band.  MS Students watch from band area of stands)
    • 7:00:  Kickoff.  MS students join BVN Band members performing pep tunes in the stands.
    • Halftime:  Marching Mustangs will perform a portion of “The Road Not Taken”, followed by a Combined Performance with the MS band students
    • After halftime:  MS students are dismissed, but are welcome to stay with the BVN Band through the end of the game.
    • 9:30, Estimated:  Game finishes.  Load and return to BVN approx 10 PM.  Students are dismissed when their instrument and uniform are put away correctly and neatly.

BVN Band Calendar

BVN Band Calendar Webpage.
BVN Bands 2021-2022 Calendar of Events (the “Fridge Calendar”)

Recent Calendar Updates – please double-check/make these updates in your own calendars!

  • ATTENTION MARCHING MUSTANGS – NEW ADDITION:  Friday, October 29th, we have a potential home football game!  This is a guaranteed game – the BVN football team WILL play that night, but it is the first round of playoffs.   We will not know if it is a home or away game until later in the season.  If it is a home game – we will give a full performance!  If not – we won’t.
  • Wind Ensemble Performances on Friday, February 25th (KMEA), and Sunday, February 27th (Lied Center/KU) have been added.
  • Homecoming Week – Parade and Light Show!
    • Please note the Homecoming Parade will be on Wednesday, October 6th (Marching Mustangs and Freshman Band Combine to perform in this parade!). This is a VERY fun event.
    • Friday, October 8th will be a BIG NIGHT! It will include Senior Night for the Football Team and Marching Mustangs, Homecoming Events, AND our annual Marching Mustangs Post-Game Light Show Performance (they shut off the stadium lights and the band lights up the field!)
  • Save the Dates for Summer Band Camp 2022 (for the 2022-2023 School year!
    • July 25th – July 30th, 2022: “Pre-Camp” week. Percussion/Color Guard/Leadership/Rookies!
    • July 31 – August 6th, 2022: Band Camp! With our parent performance on Saturday the 6th.

Expanding your Musical Horizons!

During the School year, there will be many AMAZING opportunities to make music outside the walls of BVN. Honor Bands, Private Lessons, and much more can and will be highlights of your year, and memories that will last forever.

First up will be auditions for the ECKMEA District Honor Bands (all band students are eligible), and the Kansas Sousa Honor Band (for 9th Graders).  These are FANTASTIC experiences and well worth the effort to audition.  HIGHLY recommended for all students.

Please find all details of these and much more on our Extra Musical Experiences Webpage.
Audition Materials can be found on the Student Resources Login Page of the website.  Students should know the password.