Band Update: 4-10-2022

Contents:

  • From the Directors
    • Solo and Ensemble Results – WOW!!!!!!  A Wonderful Day!
    • Congratulations Shooting Stars John Muldoon and El O’Brien!
    • Congratulations Oliver Zhang – 1st place in the National Trumpet Contest!
    • This Week: State Large Group Festival and Color Guard Auditions.
    • Pancake Dinner – Ticket Sales have begun!  Donate to our Silent Auction!
    • 4th quarter in the BVN Band
  • The Week Ahead:  4/11-4/15/22
  • BVN Band Pancake Dinner and Silent Auction.  Time to GO!
    • SAVE THE DATE – Wednesday, April 27th, 5-7 PM Pancake Dinner/Silent Auction, then 7 PM Jazz and Percussion Extravaganza Concert!
    • Silent Auction is in Support of our Dr. Roberts Memorial Scholarship Fund
    • Pancake Dinner FUNdraiser for support of ALL THINGS BAND. – VOLUNTEERS NEEDED
  • The Marion K. “Doc” Roberts Memorial Scholarship for BVN Band Seniors
  • Summer Camps
  • BVN Band Calendar
  • Expanding your Musical Horizons!  Lettering, Lessons, Honor Bands!

From the Directors

This past Saturday 4/9 was the return of the KSHSAA Regional Solo and Ensemble Festival.  After two years off for Covid, it was truly wonderful to get this one back.  Many Student Soloists and Small Ensembles performed throughout the day… seeing these students step up with confidence and poise to give outstanding musical performances is one of the most rewarding parts of being a band director.  I know Mr. Wagoner would agree – we are so very proud of all of our BVN Performers.

It was an OUTSTANDING DAY – a BIG BIG CONGRATS to all of our student performers!!  CLICK HERE for complete BVN Band Results, or here is a summary: (Results in order of performance)

  • Ryan Danda – Snare Solo – I
  • BVN Clarinet Choir – I
  • Junie Ko – Saxophone Solo – I
  • Wind Ensemble Percussion – II
  • John Muldoon – Clarinet Solo – I
  • Symphonic Band Percussion Ensemble – II
  • Hannah Chong – Flute Solo – I
  • Madi Bishop – Clarinet Solo – Comments Only
  • Dakota Raper – Clarinet Solo – II
  • Trumpet Quartet – I
  • Michael Chong – Snare Solo – I
  • Saxophone Quartet – I
  • Zengtao Xing – Trumpet Solo – II
  • Nash Rosado – Vibraphone Solo – I
  • Megan Meyer – Clarinet Solo – II
  • Evan Lynam – Tuba Solo – I
  • Nathaniel Beckman – Marimba Solo – I
  • Max Zhang – Clarinet Solo – II
  • Audrey Beckman – Clarinet Solo – III
  • Hyesoo Song – Timpani Solo – I
  • Oliver Zhang – Trumpet Solo – I
  • Low Brass Quartet – I
  • Matthew Warner – Trumpet Solo – II
  • Max Zhang – Trumpet Solo – I
  • Miles Kim – Clarinet Solo – I
  • Emily Nelson – Flute Solo – I
  • Brass Quintete – II
  • Hannah Kwak – Flute Solo – I

“I” Ratings = Outstanding Performance and are state qualifiers.  “II” Ratings = Excellent Performance.  “III” Ratings = Average Performance.  “IV” = Poor, and “V” = Ineffective.  Comments Only means a judge did not provide a rating but still provided comments for a wonderful performance.  Judges are instructed that performers enter the room with a “III” and earn their way up or down.  We are INCREDIBLY PROUD of ALL of our performers!!  Comments sheets and awards will be distributed in classes this week.

BVN SENIOR CLARINET JOHN MULDOON and SENIOR FLUTE EL O’BRIEN Named “Shooting Stars”!!

  • John won the Johnson County Shooting Stars Scholarship, Winds and Percussion Division!!!!  This is a huge honor – way to go, John!
  • El earned runner up and a Scholarship in the Literature Category!!  Yet another wonderful accomplishment!!
  • Each year the Arts Council of Johnson County sponsors the Shooting Stars Scholarship Competition.  Every HS in Johnson County can nominate one finalist in nine categories: Literature, 2d Visual Art, 3d Visual Art, Photography, Production & Design, Theatre Performance, Voice Classical, Strings, Winds and Percussion.
  • Our BVN Finalists completed a competitive audition/application process against the top students from across JOCO.  Congratulations to our Scholarship Winners!!

And the Congrats Continue… this is truly incredible – CONGRATULATIONS to BVN Band Junior OLIVER ZHANG!!!  Oliver performed in the International Trumpet Guild’s National Trumpet Competition, High School Level…. and – Oliver earned 1st place in the country!!!!  This ranks Oliver amongst the strongest high school trumpet performers in the country – a truly remarkable accomplishment.  Congratulations Oliver!!!

A BIG Thanks to ALL of our students for the past week in the band.  It may have been the busiest of the year.  There were MANY highlights!!!  GREAT performances by WIND ENSEMBLE and SYMPHONIC BAND in the early mornings on Wednesday and Thursday, a WONDERFUL set of Drum Major/Junior Student Director Auditions after school Thursday, a fun assembly on Thursday with a Winter Guard Performance, and Solo and Ensemble on Saturday… What. A. Week!!!

This next week ahead features Color Guard Auditions, State Large Group Festival (W/Ens and Sym Band), and Drumline Rehearsals for the Dance Team Spring Show.  Make sure to read all of the details in the week ahead (below).

Also – PANCAKE DINNER – it’s time for everyone to GO!!  Ticket sales have begun.  We need lots of VOLUNTEERS (click to sign up).  And Donations needed for the Silent Auction.  Full Details are below.

April and May are Busy and FLY by – Please read, print and hang on your fridge (if you haven’t already), this summary of the Fourth Quarter in the BVN Band.

We’re right in the thick of the “push” to the end of the year.  The students are handling this with poise and fantastic performances.  We CAN and WILL do it – together!! Thanks, as always, for your careful reading and support of the Band!

Musically yours,
Mr. Freeman and Mr. Wagoner

The Week Ahead in the Band: 4/11-4/15/2022

CLICK HERE for the BVN Bell Schedule and Block Day Rotation

Monday, 4/11

  • Odd Block Day
  • Sell Pancake Tickets!!
  • (reminder that the band concert scheduled for this evening has been cancelled).

Tuesday, 4/12

  • Even Block Day with Late Start
  • Academic Support Rehearsal – Drumline for Dance Team Spring Show
  • Color Guard Try-Out Clinic #1:  6:30 – 8 PM in the Main Gym
  • Sell Pancake Tickets!

Wednesday, 4/13:

  • Odd Block Day and STATE LARGE GROUP FESTIVAL!
  • State Large Group Details for Wind Ensemble and Symphonic Band:
    • 7:20 AM:  BOTH Bands in the Band Room, ready to load.  Wear your CONCERT BLACK to school!  BE ON TIME.  7:20 does not mean parking at 7:20… we mean IN THE BAND ROOM at 7:20.
    • Travel to BVSW.  Unload to Aux Gym, Get out instruments but do not play. (cases will stay in aux gym)
    • Symphonic Band to Warm-up, Wind Ensemble to be an attentive and supportive audience for BVNW’s Symphonic band and our Symphonic Band. (yes take instruments.  Again, do not play)
    • 8:20 AM:  Symphonic Band Warm-up (BVNW second band performance)
    • 8:40 AM:  BVN Symphonic Band Performs
    • 9:00 AM:  Wind Ensemble to Warm-up Room. Symphonic Band to Clinic.
    • 9:20 AM:  Wind Ensemble Performs (Symphonic Band has moved to seats to listen)
    • 9:40 AM:  Wind Ensemble Clinic, Symphonic Band is a supportive audience for the Shawnee Mission South Wind Ensemble
    • 10 AM:  Both groups return to Aux gym, put away equipment, load bus, and return to BVN
    • 10:40 AM, estimated, return to BVN.
    • Bring a change of clothes – you can change once you return.  Then head back to class by or before the start of 5th hour.
    • PARENTS:  These performances are free and open to the public.  If you want to attend, we’d LOVE to see you there – and you can catch both groups in a pretty short time frame – COOL!  You will need to go to SW and check in as a visitor through their main office – so give yourself enough time to park, check in, and find the PAC (Turn right out of the main office, walk down the hall, and you’re there)
  • Color Guard Try-Out Clinic #2:  6:30 – 8 PM in the Main Gym
  • Percussion Rehearsal 6 – 8:30 PM
  • Sell Pancake Tickets!

Thursday 4/14:

  • Even Block Day with Late Start
  • Dance Team Drumline Rehearsal During AST
  • Color Guard Try-Out Clinic #3:  6:30 – 8 PM in the Main Gym
  • Sell Pancake Tickets!

Friday 4/15:

  • TRADITIONAL schedule with North Time
  • Color Guard Auditions, 3:30 – 5 PM in the Main Gym
  • Sell Pancake Tickets!

BVN Band Pancake Dinner and Silent Auction – let’s GO!

  • SAVE THE DATE (click for a flyer to share everywhere) – Wednesday, April 27th, 5-7 PM Pancake Dinner/Silent Auction, then 7 PM Night of Jazz and Percussion Concert!!
  • Ticket Sales are Ongoing RIGHT NOW!  We passed out most of the ticket envelopes on Friday, and the rest go out on Monday.
    • Every student gets 10 tickets to either sell or return.  All tickets must be sold (and money turned in) OR returned by Wednesday, April 20th.
    • Tickets are $7 in our pre-sales (now) or $8 at the door.  Ticket Pre-Sales End on Wednesday the 20th.
  • During the pancake dinner, we will also hold our Silent Auction is in Support of our Dr. Roberts Memorial Scholarship Fund – helping us to preserve this scholarship for perpetuity, which is awarded to 1-3 BVN Band Seniors each year.
  • We need LOTS of VOLUNTEERS – Parents and Students, both! (Click to sign up)
  • This is a Long-Standing Tradition (28 years I think) at BVN, and is one of our most FUN nights of the year!  Eat pancakes, hear GREAT music from our Band and Orchestra Students during dinner, then go to a FANTASTIC Night of Jazz and Percussion in the PAC!!  We hope that ALL Band Families will plan to attend (as well as all of your neighbors, relatives, friends, casual acquaintances, and any random nice person you want to invite!!)

Silent Auction Donations Needed – Support our Wonderful Senior Scholarship in Memory of Dr. Marion K. Roberts

Don’t miss the silent auction at this year’s BVN band pancake dinner on April 27th.  Funds from the auction will go to support the Dr. Marion K. Roberts Memorial Scholarship, which will be awarded to 1-3 deserving band seniors at the Band Recognition Dinner on May 11th.

If you or your company has an item(s) you would like to donate, please either place items in the “Silent Auction” donation box in the band room at BVN or contact Paula Nichols at [email protected] , topic BVN BAND, by April 20th and she can arrange to pick them up. In addition to donating items, you can donate expertise, service, gift cards, or dollars.  Checks can be made payable to BVN Band. Alternatively, funds can be donated directly via Venmo to @Mark-Nichols-49. The last four digits of Marks phone number is 5266.  Use the topic “Band Donation”.

Attention Seniors:  Apply for The Marion K “Doc” Roberts Scholarship:

For our BVN Band Seniors:

Following the retirement of Dr. Roberts in 2014, the BVN Band created the “Doc” award for Inspiration and Excellence:  a scholarship awarded to 1 to 3 BVN Band Seniors each year.  Since Dr. Roberts passed this last July, we have renamed the award the Doc Roberts Memorial Scholarship, and we are proud to extend his remarkable legacy through this award and your living examples.

All details for the award are included on the documents linked above.  Applications are due on or before Monday, April 25th, at 4 PM.  After all submissions are received, the applications are anonymized and sent out for review by a panel of community members (who do not have any current students in the band) and band directors who are familiar with Dr. Roberts and the wonderful traditions and history of the BVN Band.   As determined by the review committee, we award up to 3 scholarships each year.  Scholarship winners will be announced at the BVN Band Recognition Dinner on Wednesday, May 11th.

SUMMER CAMPS!!

Summer music camps are AMAZING Experiences, and highly recommended for any student who wants to expand their musical horizons.  At these camps, you’ll join students with similar interests and passion for music from across the country!  You will make lifelong friendships and see marked improvements in your musical skills… and the camps are FUN!

A non-exhaustive, but fairly thorough list of camps to consider:

NATIONAL CAMPS

  • HIGHLY Recommended:  the MFA Summer Symposium at Ball State University.  This one is INCREDIBLE.
    • It includes Marching Band, Color Guard, Percussion, Drum Major, and Music production tracks, as well as a weekend leadership academy.
    • https://camp.musicforall.org/
  • Blue Lake Fine Arts Camp
  • Interlochen Summer Arts Camp
  • Note:  Blue Lake and Interlochen are a couple of the best in the world, but are full summer commitments with pretty strict admission requirements.

KANSAS & MISSOURI CAMPS

MIDWESTERN U.S. CAMPS
UARK Music Camp https://cms.uark.edu/

BVN BAND 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.