Band Update:  1-24-2022

Contents:

  • From the Directors – Feeling Thankful, Congrats, and Adjunct Faculty.
  • The Week Ahead:  1/24-1/30/2022
  • Mattress Sale on January 30th.
  • Second Semester at-a-glance
  • Band Calendar Updates
    • Announcing the first ever (first annual) BVN Night of Percussion and Jazz – Wednesday, April 27th
    • Pancake Dinner Moved to be a part of the Night of Percussion and Jazz!
    • April Concert Moved to 4/11
  • Basketball Pep Bands
  • Winter Park Trip Information
    • REGISTER on the Trip Website.
    • CFAR Trip Insurance – deadline to purchase is Friday 1/30
    • Roommate Sign-Ups Coming Soon – Time to start thinking about it!
    • Chaperones:  Charms Login info
  • Seniors: Scholarship Opportunity – 2/11 Deadline!
  • Expanding your Musical Horizons!  Lettering, Lessons, Honor Bands!

From the Directors

I must start by giving a BIG Thank you to our students who have been doing great work at Basketball Pep Bands.  January is thick with bball games, and the students are handling them VERY well.  THANK YOU!  Also  – a thanks to our students for excellent focus and enjoyable rehearsals to start this semester.  Always a pleasure to be able to say this, and even more remarkable given the current covid realities we are living.  THANK YOU STUDENTS!

Another wonderful Congratulations… Big shout out to Madi Bishop and Dakota Raper, Freshman Clarinets, for their performance with the Kansas Sousa Band Last Weekend!  This is an all-state group for 7th-9th graders, and a FANTASTIC experience.  Well done Madi and Dakota – we are very proud of you!

Leaving this up another week because it’s awesome…. HUGE CONGRATULATIONS to our ALL-STATE MUSICIANS!!!

  • Michael Chong, Percussion – 1st Chair/Principal Player!!
  • Louis Cierpiot, Percussion
  • Miles Kim, Clarinet
  • Quinn Koffman, Clarinet
  • John Muldoon, Clarinet – 3 Year All Stater, the most possible!!!
  • Harry Wang, Alto Sax – 3 Year All-Stater, the most possible, AND 1st chair/Principal Player!!
  • David Stutz, Euphonium
  • Max Zhang, Clarinet
  • Oliver Zhang, Trumpet – 1st chair/Principal Player!!

The Start of Something AMAZING…. Introducing our BVN Adjunct Instrumental Instructors!! Over the last couple of weeks, our students have met our new Adjunct Faculty.  It has been…. AMAZING!!!!  This will be SOOOOO good for our students.  Our Adjunct Staff includes:

  • Dr. Gina Hart-Kemper, Flute
  • Ashley White, Clarinet
  • Michael Meier, Trumpet
  • Kurt Vellenga, French Horn
  • Charlie Betzelberger, Percussion (yes, Charlie is/has been our percussion director –  but he is now paid by the district rather than by your dues….. YES!!!)
  • TBA:  Bassoon and Oboe Adjunct Instructors
  • Saxophones will be taught by the esteemed Mr. Wagoner
  • Trombone, Tuba, and Euphonium will be taught by Mr. Freeman.  We are working to get a trombone instructor, but that is still a work in progress.

As we continue to live through the covid era:  please Click Here to read our current Covid Mitigation Procedures for Band.

Musically yours,
Mr. Freeman and Mr. Wagoner

The Week Ahead in the Band:  1/24 – 1/2/2021

CLICK HERE for the BVN Bell Schedule and Block Day Rotation

Monday, 1/24:

  • Odd Block Classes.
  • Pajama Day Spirit Day
  • Winter Guard Practice 7 – 9 PM

Tuesday, 1/25

  • Even Block Day with Late Start
  • 3:00 – 4:30 in the Band room:  COME PICK UP MATTRESS SALE MATERIALS!
    • Yard Signs
    • Referral Forms (big and small)
    • Door Hangers (we have thousands… take ’em all!)
  • 80’s in Aspen Spirit Day

Wednesday, 1/26

  • Odd Block Day (and Happy Birthday to Mr. Mr. Freeman – father of Mr. Freeman!)
  • 3:00 – 5:00, then 6:00 – 6:30 in the Band room:  COME PICK UP MATTRESS SALE MATERIALS!
    • Yard Signs
    • Referral Forms (big and small)
    • Door Hangers (we have thousands… take ’em all!)
  • Final Day for the Snap-Raise Fundraiser – We are closing in on $10,000 raised!!!! WOW!  (With lukewarm participation.)  PUT IN EMAILS by the end of the Day Tuesday and it might still pull in a few $$!
  • Winter Guard Practice 7 – 9 PM
  • Wind Ensemble Evening Rehearsal 6:30 – 8 PM.  Winter Guard members in Wind Ensemble go to Winter Guard at 7:30
  • We wear Pink Spirit Day

Thursday 1/27

  • Even Block Day with Late Start
  • Sweetheart Assembly during AST – Pep Band Performance for all band members!
  • College Game Day Spirit Day
  • Basketball Pep Band – BLUE Pep Band for a Girls Game against BMHS
    • Gray Shirts
    • 6:15 Call time for a 7 PM Tipoff

Friday 1/28

  • Traditional Schedule, all 7 classes meet.
  • School Spirit Theme for Spirit Day
  • Basketball Pep Band – BLUE Pep Band for a boys game against BMHS
    • This Year’s Blue Shirts
    • 6:15 Call time for a 7 PM Tipoff
  • Winter Park – Final day to enroll for CFAR Trip Insurance.  Instructions Below!

SUNDAY 1/30:  BVN Band Mattress Sale!!

  • Mattress Sale on January 30th.  If each band student gets 1 mattress sale, we make $30,000 (or more)!!!!!!
    • Click here for the referral flyer.  Referrals are the #1 driver of sales.  GO FOR IT!!  Talk to people now.  Mattress purchases are usually planned/thought ahead.  So… get your neighbors/friends/relatives to plan to use our sale!!
      • NEW INCENTIVE!  EVERY STUDENT WHO GETS A REFERRAL WILL GET A GIFT CERTIFICATE FOR THREE FREE TACOS FROM UNFORKED!!!!!
    • CLICK HERE for the Facebook Event Page, and Share it with EVERYONE!!
    • CLICK HERE for a sign-up genius.  We need just a little bit of help on the 30th
    • DOOR HANGERS – every student should hang these on your neighbors doors…. they make a HUGE impact.  Go for it!!

Second Semester At-A-Glance

  • January:  Pep Bands.  Snap-Raise.  Mattress Sale.
  • February:  BVN Musical  Pep Bands.  Band Concert 2/16.  Wind Ensemble to KMEA and Lied Center
  • March:  BVN Area Bands 6-8 Festival Concert.  Jazz Festival. Winter Park Trip!  Potential postseason BBall pep bands (voluntary)
  • April:  Return from Winter Park.  Band Concert 4/11.  Then…. Contest Month!    Solo/Ensemble Festivals (voluntary) and State Large Group Festival (Symphonic Band and Wind Ensemble).  BVW Band Festival (Concert Band). Cap it off with the Pancake Dinner and our first ever Night of Percussion and Jazz on Wednesday 4/27.  April…. WOW!
  • May:  Celebration Month!  Band Recognition Dinner (Band Banquet) and Concert on the Lawn 5/11.  Class Day and Graduation Performances.

Band Calendar Updates!

Please mark your personal calendars with these updates!

  • Exciting New Event!  Wednesday, April 27th, our First Ever and First Annual BVN Night of Percussion and Jazz!  This will be an end of the year celebration for our Jazz Ensemble and Percussion Ensembles!  7 PM in the PAC!
  • Pancake Dinner MOVED!  Due to covid considerations, we are delaying our Annual Pancake Dinner.  It will now be a fun kickoff to our Night of Percussion and Jazz!  Wednesday, April 27th, 5 – 7 PM Eat Pancakes.  7 PM enjoy a really FUN concert by our Percussionists and Jazzers!
  • April Concert MOVED to Monday, 4/11.  this is our “Pre-festival” concert where each of our concert bands gives a preview of the contest literature.  It was previously scheduled for Monday 4/4.  We moved it back one week because of proximity to the Winter Park trip (we return from Winter Park on Sunday 4/3).
  • All of these calendar updates can now be seen on our calendar resources:

Basketball Pep Bands!

Winter Park Trip – Updates and Reminders:

  • We have a GREAT group of Students and Parent Chaperones on the Trip.  It is going to be FUN!!
  • Register online!!! If you have not yet done this, please do it ASAP!! This registration sets up important things such as ski equipment rentals and helps us confirm lodging details.  The deadline has passed to get this done… if you haven’t, get it done NOW!
    • Hard copy instructions distributed in classes 1/18 and 1/19.
    • These contain individual login instructions/passwords for each traveler.
  • CFAR (Cancel for any reason trip insurance – an optional purchase) – DEADLINE FRIDAY 1/28!!!
    • Purchase this insurance through “travel insurance center”.  This is the same company that provides the included festival insurance.
    • Our included festival insurance covers us from the moment we depart on the trip.  Should something untoward happen on the trip, we have insurance.
    • The CFAR insurance covers individuals for cancellations/etc that happen before the trip begins.  It is an individual option, and not required.
    • Instructions:
  • Notarized Rules forms:  I know getting notarization has been an epic journey for some.  THANK YOU!  Please submit these as soon as you can get the notarization – we’ll take ’em!
  • Coming soon – ROOMMATE SIGN-UPS!
    • Students will be 6 to a room.  the rooms have one queen size bed and two sets of bunk beds.
    • STUDENTS – start thinking now about forming your rooming groups, and come see Mr. Freeman or Mr. Wagoner with questions.
    • We will have a sign up posted in the next week or two.  It will include a sign up for “partials” – students that may not have a full 6 person room.  Mr. Wagoner and I will tetris the partials together to make full rooms.
  • Chaperones:  you will (soon) get an email from Mr. Freeman with instructions for how to access your chaperone account in charms to check your trip balance.  It’s easy… sorry for the delay on this!
  • CLICK HERE for the Trip Info Packet
  • CLICK HERE for the Trip Rules Form

Seniors – Scholarship Opportunity – 2/11/22 Deadline!

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.

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.