Band Update:  2-13-2022

Contents:

  • From the Directors – The next few weeks are going to be AMAZING!  And Wind Ensemble Tour Details.
  •  Band Calendar!  Make sure you have noted the recent updates:
    • BVN February Concert Moved to March 2nd.
    • Wind Ensemble to Perform at the Kaufman Center!
    • Wind Ensemble Schedule for the next 3 weeks.
  • The Next Two Weeks Ahead:  Week of 2/14 and Week of 2/21
  • Thinking Ahead to Solo and Ensemble Festival
  • Winter Park – Reminders/What’s next
    • All Payments and Paperwork now well past due.
    • What’s Next?
  • Basketball Pep Bands
  • Second Semester at-a-glance
  • Expanding your Musical Horizons!  Lettering, Lessons, Honor Bands!

From the Directors

The next few weeks in the band are VERY exciting!  I’m having trouble putting my feelings about them into words – excited doesn’t do it justice…  In the next few weeks we’ll perform on stage at Kauffman, at Wichita’s Century II, at KU’s Lied Center, our Winter Guard will go to their first ever contest, we’ll have talented pianists head to the state festival, our all-state musicians will take their talents to the Kansas All-State Groups, we’ll wrap up basketball pep bands, our Jazz Band will head to the Pitt State Jazz Festival, and we’ll cap it off with a wonderful Concert from all of our bands followed quickly by our BVN Area Band Extravaganza Concert (all 6th-12th grade band members in the BVN area.).  WOW!!

STUDENTS:  I am SO ready to experience these three weeks with you.  EVERY. SINGLE. ONE. of you is important to our success and to all of the other members of the band.  Sharing our music together brings a unique magic and power.  Thank you for your continued efforts.  Let’s do this!

PARENTS:  As always, we can’t do it without you.  Thanks SO much for staying on top of schedules and concert attire, helping us promote our events, and of course come enjoy the performances – you are our favorite audience!!

Now to Spring Break at a glance:

  • This Week  – the Week of 2/14:  Happy Valentines Day! Bball on Tuesday evening.  Parent-Teacher Conferences!  (Band concert moved to March 2nd).  Winter Guard Practices M/W.  Wind Ensemble Rehearsals Thursday Academic Support and Friday morning (no school Friday).  Wind Ensemble Performance at Kaufman Center Saturday 2/19.  Winter Guard Contest at Liberty High School Saturday 2/19.  State Piano Festival in Wichita Saturday 2/19.
  • Week of 2/21:  No School Monday.  Wind Ensemble Rehearsal during Academic Support Tuesday.  All-Staters to Wichita Thursday – Saturday.  Senior Night Bbball Pep Band On Friday 2/25.  Wind Ensemble Performing at the KMEA State Convention(!!) on Friday 2/25, and Wind Ensemble shares a concert with the KU Wind Ensemble in Lawrence (!!) on Sunday 2/27.
  • Week of 2/28:  BVN Band Concert on Wednesday 3/2!  Jazz Band to Pitt State Jazz Festival on Friday 3/4.  Potential sub-state bball games this week (volunteer pep bands, schedule TBD)
  • Week of 3/7:  BVN Area 6th-12th Grade Band Extravaganza Concert at BVN on Monday 3/7.  Potential State Bball games this week (happens if either team is a sub-state champion, volunteer pep bands travel to wichita).  Start of Spring Break!

WIND ENSEMBLE TOUR!  A highlight of these busy few weeks is our Wind Ensemble Tour.  This is going to be an incredible musical experience, and we want to share this with ALL of our band family as much as possible!  Please mark your calendars, plan to attend as possible, and definitely help spread the word!

  • This Saturday 2/19:  Wind Ensemble at Kauffman Center!  7 PM Concert, shared with the BVSW Wind Ensemble and the William Mason High School Wind Ensemble (from Ohio).  We invite ALL Band families to make an evening of this!  Go downtown and have a great dinner, then come to the Kauffman Center for an incredible night of band music!!
  • Friday 2/25:  The BVN Wind Ensemble gives a feature performance at the KMEA State Music Convention at 11:30 AM at Century II in Wichita, KS.  It is a HUGE honor to be selected and represent the state of Kansas at this event.  It is free and open to the public.  I realize The mid-day convention performance time is likely preventative for many to come, but if you are able, you are most definitely invited!
  • Sunday 2/27, the BVN Wind Ensemble shares a concert with the KU Wind Ensemble at the Lied Center of Kansas in Lawrence.  2:30 Concert Start.  Ticketing info coming soon.
  • CLICK HERE for a “Wind Ensemble Tour Flyer”
  • Wind Ensemble Families:

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

BVN BAND CALENDAR

Make sure you have noted our recent Band Calendar Updates:

  • FEBRUARY BAND CONCERT moved to MARCH 2nd!  Our BVN Band Concert scheduled for Wednesday 2/16 has been moved to Wednesday March 2nd!!
  • Wind Ensemble Performance at Kauffman Center, Saturday 2/19/22, 7 PM
  • Wind Ensemble Students/Families:  Wind Ensemble Tour Details:  CLICK HERE for all of the schedule details for these events.

The Next Two Weeks Ahead in the Band: 2/7-2/12 and 2/14 – 2/19/2022

CLICK HERE for the BVN Bell Schedule and Block Day Rotation

Week of 2/14/2022 – Parent/Teacher Conferences this week

Monday, 2/14:

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

Tuesday, 2/15:

  • Even Block Day with Late Start
  • BLUE Basketball Pep Band
    • 6:15 Call time for a boys game against Metro Academy.  Game tips-off at 7 PM.
    • BLUE Shirts

Wednesday, 2/16:

  • Odd Block Day
  • Winter Guard Practice 7 – 9 PM
  • Note: The BVN Band concert previously scheduled for this day has been moved to Weds 3/2

Thursday 2/17

  • Even Block Day with Late Start
  • Wind Ensemble Rehearsal during Academic Support

Friday 2/18

  • No School (Parent Teacher Conferences)
  • Wind Ensemble Rehearsal: 8:30 AM Donuts, 9-11 AM Rehearsal

Saturday 2/19

  • BVN Winter Guard – 1st ever Contest!  @ Liberty HS
    • BVN Winter Guard Performs at 12:48 PM
    • Full details will be shared directly with the Winter Guard from Mrs. Sipes.
  • State Piano Festival in Wichita, KS!  Good Luck to BVN Band Pianists Quinten Schafer, Eddie Mu, and Zengtao Xing!
  • Wind Ensemble Performance at Kaufman Center!
    • 1:00:  Set-up Crew leaves with Mr. Freeman.
    • 2:00:  Wind Ensemble Students Load Bus and depart for Kauffman by 2:15 PM
    • Concert Black attire (your nicest!)
    • Once at Kauffman:  Sound Check, then group dinner (provided), then performance!
    • Concert – 7 PM.  BVSW will open, we will perform 2nd, and William Mason will close the concert.
    • It is a ticketed event (Kaufman requires it).
      • $15 per ticket, plus Kaufman ticketing fees.
      • All proceeds go to offset the costs of holding the event.
      •  CLICK HERE for tickets!  Because of the last minute change (UMKC not performing, BVN taking their place), we are not listed on the Kaufman event info, but we are playing the concert!  We’ll work on getting our name added to the info.
    • Wind Ensemble Students: CLICK HERE For all of the details.

Week of 2/21/22

Monday, 2/21:

  • No School, President’s Day

Tuesday, 2/22:

  • Even Block Day with Late Start
  • Wind Ensemble Rehearsal during Academic Support

Wednesday, 2/23:

  • Odd Block Day
  • Winter Guard Practice 7 – 9 PM

Thursday 2/24

  • Even Block Day with Late Start
  • All-State Students to Wichita for the State Music Convention

Friday 2/25

  • Odd Block Classes today (no traditional schedule this week)
  • All-State Students in Wichita for the State Convention.  All-State Orchestras perform at 8 PM Friday Eveningl
  • Wind Ensemble Travels to Wichita to perform at the State Convention!
    • 6:30 AM:  Band Room Open
    • 7 AM:  Load and Depart for Wichita (Charter Bus)
    • 11:30 AM: Performance at Century II Concert Hall, Wichita, KS
    • Following Performance:  Picture, Lunch, time at the convention, then return to BVN. Estimated Return of 6:30 PM
    • Wind Ensemble Students: CLICK HERE For all of the details.
  • Basketball Pep Band – SILVER BAND and SENIOR NIGHT!
    • 5:00 Call time for a 5:30 Girls Game and 7 PM Boys Game.
    • This is SENIOR NIGHT for both the boys and the girls.
    • BLUE Shirts.
    • SYMPHONIC and CONCERT BAND STUDENTS:  With Wind Ensemble returning from Wichita part of the way through the girls game, we need a good crew of you to fill the band this night!  BLUE BAND MEMBERS:  Please help out and play an extra game as possible!

Sunday 2/27

  • Wind Ensemble Performance with the KU Wind Ensemble at the Lied Center of Kansas in Lawrence
    • Noon:  Band Room Open. All Students arrive by 12:15 and Load/depart by 12:30
    • Sound Check on stage after we arrive.
    • 2:30:  Concert Start:  We perform first, then stick around and hear the INCREDIBLE KU Wind Ensemble.
    • After concert, return to BVN
    • Wind Ensemble Students: CLICK HERE For all of the details.
    • Tickets will likely be required for this, but we should have a chance to get comp tickets for any BVN Families.  Info forthcoming.

Thinking Ahead – Solo and Ensemble Festival in April!

It’s time to begin thinking ahead to Solo and Ensemble Festival in April!  Solo and Ensemble Festival is a WONDERFUL experience for students.  Prepping/Performing a solo and performing in a chamber ensemble (small group, usually one on a part) are FUN and challenging processes.  Students who do this will build performance skills, creativity, and confidence in a unique and powerful manner…. something we can’t replicate in other settings.  While not required, this is HIGHLY encouraged.

  • If you wish to perform a solo:
    • NOW is the time to pick a solo.  HIGHLY HIGHLY encouraged that you work with a private teacher in solo preparation.  If you don’t have a solo picked in the next couple of weeks, it will be too late.
    • Solos must be accompanied, if the solo is written with an accompaniment.  CLICK HERE for a list of wonderful accompanists.  Find Accompanists NOW – don’t wait!  These wonderful musicians are in demand and will fill up quickly.  Student Pianists can also be accompanists – talk with Mr. Freeman if you are thinking of having a student accompanise.
  • If you wish to perform as part of a small ensemble:
    • Small ensembles are groups of 3 up to about 15 (duets not accepted).  Examples:  Brass Quintets, Woodwind Quintets, instrument “choirs” (i.e. clarinet choir, trombone choir).  Some small ensembles will be built by the directors and/or our Adjunct staff in classes (percussion ensembles are one example)
    • If you wish to perform in a small ensemble, make sure to talk with Mr. Freeman or Mr. Wagoner and we’ll help get it going.  There are some instrumentation restrictions, so make sure to talk to us first to make sure your chamber group is allowable.

Winter Park Trip Info

Final payments and all paperwork for the trip is now past due.  If you are missing anything, get it in ASAP or penalties will begin to apply, including possible removal from the trip.

Looking ahead:  the next few weeks are a lot of behind the scenes work, as we will complete rooming assignments, followed by chaperone group assignments, bus lists, etc.  We’ll also be finalizing the itinerary.  After a flurry of activity for travelers, it’s now a bit of calm-time while we work behind the scenes.  A HUUUUGE Thanks to our Trip Coordinator, Mrs. Ellis, who has done phenomenal work over the last few weeks, and will continue to do so.

If you have not Registered online or turned in your rules form, you are now overdue – please complete this ASAP!!!

  • 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.

Trip Forms:

Basketball Pep Bands!

  • Basketball Pep Bands are ongoing – Click here for the schedule!
  • We are now winding the season down – just a couple of final games over the rest of February.
  • Students are doing a wonderful job.  Thank you and keep it up!

Second Semester At-A-Glance

  • February:  BVN Musical  Pep Bands. Wind Ensemble to Kaufman, KMEA and Lied Center.  All-State Groups.
  • March:  BVN Band Concert March 2nd.  BVN Area Bands 6-8 Festival Concert March 7th.  Pitt State 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.

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.