Band Update 9/12/2021

Contents:

  • From the Directors:
    • A Wonderful Saturday with the Band!!
    • Concession Volunteers
    • PARENTS – CHAPERONES NEEDED!
    • Everyone:  Water and Tissue Donations.
    • Everyone:  Band Forms and Dues!
    • Looking ahead – BV District Marching Showcase is on Monday 9/27
  • The Next Two Week’s Ahead in the Band
    • This Week:  Middle School Band Night Football Game!
    • Next Week:  Gold Out Football Game!
  • District Honor Band and Sousa Band Auditions Approach!
  • Calendar Updates – Please read carefully and update your personal calendars!
  • Expanding your Musical Horizons – Honor Bands and More

From the Directors:

A WONDERFUL Saturday in the Band!  BIG Thanks to the Marching Mustangs as well as all of our parade marchers from Freshman and Concert Bands for fantastic rehearsals this past Saturday!  And, it was WONDERFUL to see so many of you at the BVN Band Picnic!  There’s definitely an extra level of special feelings at these events this year, after the past year and a half of covid.  Also – HUGE Thanks to Kim Jacobson, Stacy Davis, and several other parents who made the picnic happen!

A quick Reminder: Marching Mustangs families can CLICK HERE to order pictures from our formal/in-uniform picture shoot last week.  Do this SOON!  The order link will expire in the next few days.

CONCESSIONS HELPERS!  The BVN PBC has asked us to staff a couple of upcoming concessions stands.  This is a normal thing – the PBC gives us a LOT of much needed and appreciated support ($$$!).  One of the ways we can give back and earn that support is through staffing concessions stands.

  • CLICK HERE TO SIGN UP!
  • The PBC has asked us to step up and help for the next two home football games.
  • These are coming up quick – the next two fridays! (9/17 and 9/24).  The PBC has only asked us for three volunteers for this week – so that should be very manageable – then 9 for the 24th.  Let’s make sure to get this week’s filled up quickly.  Thank you!!

ANYONE Can sign up – PARENTS and STUDENTS!  The only exception is the obvious one – Marching Mustangs and parents who are volunteering to chaperone for the games should not sign up.  However – FRESHMAN BAND, CONCERT BAND, and JAZZ BAND Students – we’d love your help!  And, of course, any and all parents, siblings, neighbors, aunts, uncles, grandmas, and pet goldfish are definitely welcome!

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.

LOOKING AHEAD:  REMINDER that the District Marching Showcase is Monday Evening, 9/27!!  (Just outside of “the next two weeks ahead” portion of this email. This is an AWESOME night.  All 5 BV High School Bands perform for each other, at the DAC.  EVERYONE should attend.  PARENTS – be aware that you should arrive early to secure seating.  A large chunk of seating is saved for each of the bands, as the main purpose of the night is for our band programs to see each other perform.  Our Marching Mustangs’ schedule will look very similar to a football game night, but we will feed the band before departing BVN.  Details will come out in next week’s Band Update.  The show will begin at 7 PM, and we’re up first this year (Followed by BVNW – BVW – BVSW – BVH, in that order).  It will finish approximately 8:30 PM, when we’ll load up and return to BVN.

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:  9/13-9/17/2021 and 9/20-9/24/21

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, 9/13:

  • Odd Block Classes
  • Marching Mustangs:  7 AM Rehearsal

Tuesday, 9/14:

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

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
  • Band Council:  Meeting During North Time

Friday, 9/17:

  • Traditional Schedule (all 7 Class Periods)
  • Marching Mustangs – Home Football Game Performance vs BVSW and Middle School Band Night!!
    • T-shirt CHANGE:  Wear this year’s BLUE SHIRT. It will match what the Middle School Bands are wearing. (initial info said the gray shirt… change it up!)
    • 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.

9/20-9/24

Monday, 9/20:

  • Odd Block Classes
  • Marching Mustangs:  7 AM Rehearsal

Tuesday, 9/21:

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

Wednesday, 9/22: 

  • Odd Block Class Schedule.
  • Marching Mustangs: White Out Wednesday Rehearsal – at BVN!!
    • 5:30 – 6:30:  Percussion and Color Guard Sectionals
    • 6:30 -8:30:  Full Ensemble Rehearsal at BVN! (West Turf Field with Lights)

Thursday, 9/23:

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

Friday, 9/24:

  • Traditional Schedule (all 7 Class Periods)
  • Marching Mustangs – Home Football Game Performance vs Lee’s Summit North – “Gold Out” Game
    • T-shirt CHANGE:  Wear the show shirt – this year’s Gray “Road not Taken” shirt.
    • by 4:30 PM:  Band Room open for uniforms.  Full uniform with Gray Shirt Underneath
    • 5:30 PM – BUSSES DEPART FOR THE DAC
    • Upon arrival at the DAC, unload like normal (cases lined neatly in the grass under the scoreboard), set up in stands, and move to the softball field for a warm-up.
    • 6:40:  Pre-game performance by the BVN Band!
    • 7:00:  Kickoff.
    • Halftime Performance – estimated at 7:45.
    • 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.

ECKMEA District Honor Band and Kansas Sousa Band Auditions Approach!

For ALL Band Students:  if you are interested in auditioning for the ECKMEA district Honor Bands, it’s time to start practicing hard! (If you’re not already doing so).  This is a competitive audition, but well worth the experience, and making the honor groups is AWESOME, as well as the first step towards earning all-state status.  HIGHLY ENCOURAGED!!

For ALL 9th Grade Band Members:  If you are interested in auditioning for the Kansas John Philip Sousa Honor Band, it’s time to be practicing!  Audition recordings are due in Mid-October.  The Sousa Band is a FANTASTIC experience – if you make the group, you’ll rehearse and perform in January at a World-Class Venue: The Lied Center at KU.  HIGHLY ENCOURAGED!!!

For full details for both auditions, go to our “students only” login page of the website.

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.