Band Update 11/7/2021

From the Directors:
- CONGRATULATIONS!!! An AMAZING 2 weeks in the Band. WOW Coffee Shop, INCREDIBLE Neewollah Festival, and HUUUGE Congrats to our ECKMEA All-District Musicians!!!
- A BIIIG Thanks to SO Many who have helped make this year special for our students.
- CALENDAR UPDATE:
  - Big Announcement! SAVE THE DATES for our Winter Park Trip!!!
  - Wind Ensemble Camp MOVED. And Wind Ensemble Extra Rehearsal Schedule.
- Blue-Silver Concert Bands have started.
- Everyone: Band Forms and Dues!
- Everyone: Water and Tissue Donations.
The Next TWO+ Weeks Ahead in the Bands: Details for 11/8-11/-12, 11/15-11/20, and 11/22-11/23
Honor Band Opportunities: FOUNTAIN CITY YOUTH BRASS BAND! Prairie Wind Festival at KU, Midwest Honor Band Clinic at UMKC, Wichita State Honor Band.
SENIORS! – The Kerry Layton Scholarship from the BV Ed Foundation!
BVN Band Calendar – Please read carefully and update your personal calendars!
Expanding your Musical Horizons – Private Lessons, FCYBA, Honor Bands, lettering in band, and more

From the Directors:

CONGRATULATIONS!!!! What an INCREDIBLE two weeks in the BVN Band!!!

I write as a very proud and pleased Band Director. The last two weeks in our band have shown to all what Mr. Wagoner, our Band Staff, and I get to see and experience each day – the INCREDIBLE work or our Band Students.

BIG Congrats to our Concert Band, Jazz Ensemble, and Freshman Band for a SPECTACULAR Coffee Shop!! The return of this new tradition in our band program was AMAZING! As strong as any we have had. Wonderful music, great community, and SO wonderful to be back out performing after last year’s hiatus. Love It!!

What a way to Finish!!! The Marching Mustangs ROCKED the Neewollah Festival!!! A fun Parade (and REALLY well attended – what a huge crowd!!). A really enjoyable and relaxed afternoon experiencing a gem of small town Kansas – the Neewollah town festival! And then a performance to remember at the Marching Contest. As our students exited the field after the final run, it was tangible – you could see it and feel it in every one of them: Individual confidence and pride in their remarkable work. That unmistakable and overpowering strength of a group that came together and valued every individual. The incomparable joy of performance. After that, the results truly didn’t matter, but they’re also worth sharing.

Congrats Marching Mustangs – Neewollah 2021:

“1” ratings in both Parade and Field Show Performances!
Orange Class (classes based on band size. Orange was the largest bands):
- 1st place Orange Class
- Outstanding Percussion
- Outstanding Drum Majors!
Neewollah Grand Champions!!!
(Also.. 29,000 steps… I think a new single day record for me!!)

and… HUGE CONGRATULATIONS to our BVN BAND ALL-DISTRICT MUSICIANS!! Earning all-district is a BIG DEAL! These students completed a very competitive recorded audition process against the best student musicians from this corner of the state. EVERY student who auditioned should be proud. I got to hear all of their recordings, and… WOW!!! Phenomenal music being made!!

Students earn placement in one of three bands: The Gold Band (Top placement) or the Red and Blue Bands (even split bands.). The students in these three bands will make up a large percentage of the Kansas All-State Band. Every one of them is a potential all-stater!

BVN All-District Musicians, Fall 2021 (alphabetical by last name)

Logan Amato – Tuba – Gold Band
Audrey Beckman – Clarinet – Red Band
Nolan Call – Trombone – Blue Band
Michael Chong – Percussion – Gold Band
Hannah Chong – Piccolo Alternate
Louis Cierpiot – Percussion – Red Band
Lauren Jenkins – Alto Sax – Red Band
Miles Kim – Clarinet – Red Band
Devereaux Knight – Trumpet – Gold Band
Junie Ko – Alto Sax Alternate
Quinn Koffman – Clarinet – Red Band
Hannah Kwak – Flute – Blue Band
Evan Lynam – Euphonium Alternate
Megan Meyer – Clarinet – Blue Band
Edward Mu – Euphonium – Blue Band
John Muldoon – Clarinet – Gold Band
Emily Nelson – Flute – Blue Band
Brent Pitts – Clarinet – Blue Band
Dakota Raper – Clarinet – Red Band
Hyesoo Song – Percussion – Gold Band
David Stutz – Euphonium – Blue Band
Harry Wang – Alto Sax – Gold Band
Matthew Warner – Trumpet – Red Band
Zengtao Xing – Trumpet – Blue Band
Max Zhang – Clarinet – Gold Band
Oliver Zhang – Trumpet – Gold Band
For full results, go to www.eckmea.org. The honor band rosters aren’t posted, yet, but directors have received them. Rosters should be posted online later today or sometime Monday 11/8.

Special Shout out to John Muldoon and Harry Wang, who are both 4-Year Members of our District Honor Ensembles – a HUGE accomplishment to have made it all 4 years (and also the first in our BVN History, as their Freshman year was the first year Freshman were allowed to audition for the group. Congrats John and Harry – you made history!!)

Final note to each of these students: you are now eligible to audition for all-state. Keep practicing! The all-state audition will be live/in-person in early January.

For WW/Brass: All-State Audition materials are the same + Sight Reading. (Major Scale to be chosen on the day of auditions, Chromatic Scale, Audition Excerpts: Practice the full all-state audition – “cuts” will be announced on the morning of auditions, and Sight reading! We’ll talk about practicing sight-reading in class. Sight reading is often a decider in the All-State Auditions!)
For Percussion: your all-state audition will be pick and choose: audition on Snare, Mallets, and/or timpani. You can audition on all three but can also pick and choose any combination: one instrument, two instruments, or all three.

Also – a Big SHOUT OUT to Band Senior and now-state-champ-in-volleyball Emery Shaw!! Congrats on the Championship and thanks for being an important leader and inspirational example in both groups!!

Special Thanks

As we wrap up the first chunk of our school year, it’s definitely worth it to extend a couple of big thank-you’s!

To our AMAZING Parent Chaperones, led by Mrs. Wallace. You were AWESOME in marching season and made it a better experience for our students and staff. THANK YOU!
To Mrs. and Mr. Jacobson, Mrs. Mieczkowski, and EVERYONE who pitched in (several times) to feed the Marching Mustangs! YUMMY and THANK YOU!!
To Mrs. Burgett and her team of helpers that made the Coffee Shop Happen. THANK YOU!!
To all of the members of our Mustang Band Booster Board: it has been a pleasure working with you so far this year and I’m looking forward to more! THANK YOU!!
To the heartbeat of our Band: Mr. Wagoner, Mrs. Sipes, and Mr. Betzelberger. These INCREDIBLE humans and phenomenal educators make our band experience better for every single student. THANK YOU!
To my Family – Christine, Lilianna, and Matthew – who are SO supportive of a band director’s crazy hours and SO excited for everything our band does and all of our Band Students. My heart… THANK YOU!! Also a special shout out to the best Band Dad – Mr. Mr. Freeman (my dad) who gives selflessly of his time and talent to our program: trailer modifications, tree repairs and painting, equipment moving, folder stuffing… THANK YOU!!!
And to ALL of our extended Band Family (parents, neighbors, everyone): thanks for the support, the rides, the wake-up calls, the encouragement to practice, support of private lessons and many other things, and of course our favorite audience. THANK YOU!!

Calendar Update – EXCITING TRIP ANNOUNCEMENT and Wind Ensemble Schedule!

SAVE THE DATES: The BVN Bands will travel to and Perform in the Winter Park Ski-Music Festival from Wednesday, March 30th – Sunday, April 3rd. We will depart late in the evening on 3/30 (well after school is out) and overnight to Colorado, and we’ll return on Sunday the 3rd (arrival at BVN in the evening). Festival performance will be Friday, with lots of fun activities throughout the time there. A trip kick-off/info meeting will happen during the week of November 15th – the exact time and date for this meeting will be announced soon. The trip will be voluntary, and cost a little over $700 with ALL expenses included. All of the details will be shared at the kick-off meeting. Thanks to everyone who replied to our feedback survey; your thoughts were invaluable in guiding us to a decision about this trip!!

CLICK HERE for the BVN Wind Ensemble Extra Rehearsal Schedule. Performance in Wind Ensemble comes with higher expectations and much more challenging music. In addition, our performances at the KMEA Convention and at the Lied Center come very early in the spring semester. Translation: we have to work quickly and effectively for a very high-level musical performance, hence the extra rehearsals. It will be worth it! NOTE – our Wind Ensemble Camp day will be Saturday, 11/20! This is a change from the previously announced date for this event.

These updates are now noted on our BVN Band Google Calendar and Master BVN Band Calendar.

Blue and Silver Bands have now begun! For the remainder of this semester, all band students in 1st, 2nd, and 7th hour classes are equally split into two bands: Blue and Silver Concert Bands. Students will perform in these bands for our December Concert. They are WONDERFUL groups, with experienced students mentoring younger ones, and LOTS of fun.

Band Forms and Dues: CLICK HERE for the complete forms packet, which includes all necessary information. If you have not yet submitted forms and dues, they are now do ASAP. 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.

WATER and TISSUES! Thanks to everyone who has donated! We’re doing very well. However, if you have not yet donated, please send it in any time. 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.

REMINDER: as we complete performances, we load all performance videos in a folder that is linked on the login page of our band website. The folder now includes ALL marching season recordings! Band students should know the password. Login and enjoy our recordings!

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

Musically yours,
Mr. Freeman and Mr. Wagoner

The Weeks Ahead in the Band, now through Thanksgiving!

CLICK HERE for BVN’s Block/Traditional Schedule Rotation for October – November – December
CLICK HERE for the BVN Bell Schedule

Monday, 11/8:

Odd Block Classes.
1st Hour: Blue Band in the Band Room, Silver on Stage
Leadership pep band to elementary schools in the morning.
Mustang Band Boosters Meeting in the evening.

Tuesday, 11/9:

Even Block Class Schedule with Late Start.

Wednesday, 11/10:

Odd Block Classes.
1st Hour: Blue Band in the Band Room, Silver on Stage

Thursday, 11/11:

Even Block Classes with Late Start
Leadership Pep Band to D/O in the morning.

Friday, 11/12:

Traditional Schedule.
1st Hour: Blue Band in the Band Room, Silver on Stage

Week of 11/15

Monday, 11/15:

Odd Block Classes.
1st Hour: Silver Band in the Band Room, Blue on Stage
(Happy 6th Birthday Lilianna Freeman!!)

Tuesday, 11/16:

Even Block Class Schedule with Late Start.

Wednesday, 11/17

Odd Block Classes.
1st Hour: Silver Band in the Band Room, Blue on Stage
Wind Ensemble: 6:30 – 8:o0 Kickoff Rehearsal in the Band Room!

Thursday, 11/18:

Even Block Classes with Late Start

Friday, 11/19:

Traditional Schedule.
1st Hour: Silver Band in the Band Room, Blue on Stage

Week of 11/22

Monday, 11/22:

Odd Block Classes.
1st Hour: Blue Band in the Band Room, Silver on Stage
(Happy 6th Birthday Lilianna Freeman!!)

Tuesday, 11/23:

Even Block Class Schedule with Late Start.

Wednesday, 11/24 – Sunday 11/28

Thanksgiving Break! Enjoy Delicious food and wonderful family time!

Honor Band Opportunities!

Now that our auditions for EC and John Philip Sousa honor bands have wrapped up, we get to turn our attention to a different type of honor band experiences… The Fountain City Youth Brass Band, and a few different awesome weekend events hosted by colleges! These are like short, 2 or 3 day version os a summer music camp at a college, and they are PHENOMENAL experiences. They are open to anyone and everyone – a couple require director recommendations, others are just a sign up.

The Fountain City Youth Brass Band is the BEST experience you can imagine for Brass and Percussion students! World-class staff build youth brass bands that are amongst the best in the country, right here in our area. HIGHLY HIGHLY RECOMMENDED. Click here for their website and info.

KU’s Prairie Wind Festival is an INCREDIBLE experience for students looking to advance their musical abilities and have a wonderful time working with college professors and students, and world class guest artists. HIGHLY RECOMMENDED. Seniors can also audition for the KU school of Music at the event. It is, unfortunately, on the same weekend as our Pancake Dinner and Musical, but if you are not participating in those, you should do this! Just sign-up and go!

UMKC’s MIDWEST HONOR BAND CLINIC, March 11-13, is a phenomenal experience. We have had many students participate in this in the past, and every one comes back with rave reviews! This one requires director recommendation. We’ll recommend anyone who is interested! Look it over now, and let us know if you are interested. Our recommendations are due by 11/22, so look at it/think it through NOW.

The KSU Concert Band Clinic is January 21-23. We have never had students attend this, but have heard it is very enjoyable! It is a director recommended group, and recommendations are happening now. If you are interested, read the info on their website and let us know!

Seniors – Scholarship Opportunity!

Each year, the Blue Valley Ed Foundation gives one “Kerry Layton Memorial Scholarship”, awarded to one outstanding senior in Band from across the BV School District. It’s a straightforward application… all seniors should go for it! CLICK HERE for the application and info.

BVN Band Calendar – Make sure everything is up-to-date!

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

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.

PRIVATE LESSONS are HIGHLY recommended! Private lessons help students unlock skills and work on specific techniques that will greatly enhance their playing! Students who wish to be in the BVN Wind Ensemble, or who want to go for honor bands, take solos to festivals, etc should seriously consider private lessons. We are lucky to have many AMAZING private instructors in the area – just email Mr. Freeman or Mr. Wagoner for suggestions.

Fountain City Youth Brass Band – an incomparably awesome opportunity!!

The Fountain City Youth Brass Bands are INCREDIBLE. A premiere organization – one of the best anywhere – and a phenomenal experience for brass and percussion students. HIGHLY RECOMMENDED!!!! Click here for more info.

Honor Bands

The First honor band experience 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.

LETTERING IN BAND

Students can earn a varsity letter in band, just like in any sport. Letters are awarded to students who go above and beyond what it takes to earn the band grade. Volunteering for pep bands, serving as a member of leadership, taking private lessons, participating in FCYBB and/or the KC Youth Symphony, performing at church, and on and on… all of these and much more can qualify for lettering points. CLICK HERE for lettering details.

First year letter winners receive the Chenille Letter Award, and 2nd/3rd/4th year winners get pins to add to the letter.

Band Update 11/7/2021