Band Update: 10-10-2022

WOW!  What a week for our Marching Mustangs!

Their performance at the BV District Showcase was FANTASTIC!   An outstanding night of marching arts topped off with a great run of our show “Here Comes the Sun”.  In addition, our students received compliments from other BV high school principals for the wonderfully supportive and positive energy they brought when watching other bands.  I know I speak for all of our staff when I say how proud I am of the students for this.

Then… Saturday at the Olathe Marching Invitational…  WOW is an understatement!  Our best run of the year in prelims won our division and put us in 6th place, overall, in a stacked field heading to finals.  The finals show featured a phenomenal overall run with one of our strongest color guard performances, moving us up 3 points and into 5th place overall.  WELL DONE MARCHING MUSTANGS!!  A great day.  HUUUGE thanks to an incredible showing of parent support, as well.  A long day with chaperones stepping up as great band mom’s and dad’s throughout, and two wonderful meals provided.  It takes a village, and the village was in amazing form on Saturday.  Thank you!!!

This was a GREAT way to start October.  The rest of the month just gets better.

  • This week, 10/10-10/14
    • Register to audition for ECKMEA Honor Bands! Deadline Monday evening 10/10.
    • Senior Night Football Game with our Annual Postgame Light Show on Friday 10/14
    • Marching Mustangs perform at OTMS on Thursday afternoon 10/13
    • Testing week (strange bell schedules), no school Friday,
  • Week of 10/17-10/22:  On Saturday 10/22 – Marching Mustangs perform at the Kansas Bandmaster’s Marching Band Championships at KU!
  • Week of 10/24-10/29:
    • Tuesday 10/25 – BVN Band Coffee Shop night featuring our Jazz Band and Concert/Freshman Band
    • Saturday 10/29, Marching Mustangs Perform at the Neewollah Marching Festival (10/29).

For Band Parents:  THANK YOU for the amazing support.  Reminder of our current/ongoing needs:

  • WATER:  We have a great start on water donations – thank you!  We still need more.  If you haven’t sent any in, please send in a case of water for use at band events.  (1 case per band family is great!).  Bring them to the band room at before/after school events, or drop them at the front office during school hours, labeled for the band.
  • MARCHING MUSTANGS Meals: we will be feeding the Marching Mustangs several times in the near future.  We are asking for some donations to help with those meals.  CLICK HERE for details and to sign up to donate.  Thanks again!!
  • CHAPERONES:  We have openings for chaperones for the remainder of our marching band performances.  CLICK HERE To sign up.

Make sure to check out the BVN Fall Activity Guide (Digital Edition)!  It has several great pages of band pictures.  Hard copies are given out at events throughout the fall.  Band Students are looking good!

Musically yours,
-Mr. Freeman

Contents of the Band Update:  

The Week Ahead:  10/10-10/14

Monday 10/10

  • Odd Block Class Schedule.
  • Marching Mustangs 7 AM Rehearsal

Tuesday 10/11

  • Even Block Class Schedule
  • Marching Mustangs:  7 AM Rehearsal.

Wednesday 10/12

  • No classes.  Testing day in the morning, teacher professional learning in the afternoon.
  • Marching Mustangs: Evening Rehearsal at BVN
    • 5:30:  set-up/equipment moving
    • 6:00:  Color Guard and Percussion Sectionals Begin
    • 6:30-8:30 PM:  Rehearsal.  WE WILL FINISH EARLY this week.  Targeting 8:15 PM for a finish.  Maybe before this.
    • White out Wednesday!
  • 8:00 PM:  EVERYONE IS INVITED! Marching Mustangs will give a full run “performance” of the show at 8:00 PM at the west turf field at BVN. 

Thursday 10/13:

  • NO LATE START.  Traditional schedule this day/all 7 classes.
  • Marching Mustangs:  7:30 Start to our 1st hour rehearsal.
  • Marching Mustangs perform at OTMS
    • Dismiss at the end of 5th hour, head to band room, load busses and go.
    • Set-up/Warm-up at OTMS at 1:30.
    • Perform for assembly 1:55 – 2:15-ish.
    • Return to BVN before the end of the school day/in time for bus riders.
    • Wear THIS YEAR’S BLUE SHIRT!

Friday 10/14: 

  • No School – teacher Professional Learning and End of Quarter Grade Prep.
  • Marching Mustangs and Senior Band Members – Senior Night Football Game and Postgame light show!
    • In FULL Uniform.  Wearing the YELLOW SHIRT underneath.
  • By 4:00 PM:  Uniforms will be out and ready for students.  Plan to arrive at BVN in time to get into full uniform and load busses BEFORE our departure time.
  • 4:45 PM:  BAND DINNER! Our MBB is providing dinner for the Marching Mustangs on this evening.  Thank you MBB!
  • 5:30 PM:  Departure time for the DAC.  The official “call time” of the evening.  All students ON THEIR BUSSES by 5:30 PM, in full uniform, with everything they need for performance.
  • 5:45:  Arrive at DAC, unload, set up in stands.
  • 6:10:  Warm-ups on Softball Field
  • 6:45 PM:  BVN Band performs Pregame!  Parents make sure you are in your seats by 6:40!
  • 7 PM: Kickoff.  BVN versus BVNW
  • 7:50 PM, estimated:  Halftime of the game, Marching Mustangs Take the Field for performance and Band Senior Night!!
    • Senior Families:  move to the track during the 2nd quarter (announcement will go over the PA)
    • Order of halftime is Band Senior Recognition then we perform our show.
    • Senior Marching Mustangs can wear silly hats for the halftime performance.
  • After Halftime:  3rd quarter break for the band. Return to seats by or before the 4th quarter.
  • POSTGAME LIGHT SHOW!
    • After the game finishes, 10 minutes will be counted down on the scoreboard.  At the end of that 10 minutes, the stadium lights go out and we light up the field!
    • Marching Mustangs should decorate themselves/instruments with battery powered lights/glow sticks/etc.  It is an awesome spectacle!  Make sure that nothing leaves marks/residue or damages instruments/uniforms, and your instrument must be playable.
    • MM’s perform a portion of pre-game and all of “Here Comes the Sun”… ironically with the opposite of sunlight… :).
    • It’s Really fun!!!  Everyone should stick around and watch… WORTH IT!
  • After the light show, load up and return to BVN.
  • Students are dismissed when  instrument, music, and all supplies are properly put away, and their uniform is NEATLY hung back up on their assigned uniform rack.  Best estimate is 11 PM, but this is totally dependent on how long the game goes.  Students should text parents/rides to keep them in the loop with timing.

Note for week of 10/17-10/22. We are still waiting on a detailed schedule for the KBA Marching Festival at KU.  As soon as we have it, we’ll publish the week’s schedule.  For that day (Sat 10/22):

  • Marching Mustangs should plan on a morning departure for Lawrence, staying through the evening.
  • Bring cash for a Lunch in downtown Lawrence.  Dinner will be provided.
  • More details TBA as soon as we have them!

BVN Band Calendar 2022-2023

Fall Semester, At-a-Glance

High School Band is FUN, challenging, and busy… and WORTH IT!!  Every band family, especially new families, have a quick read of the semester at-a-glance, to make sure you know what’s coming.  It’s never too early to ask questions, and the only bad question is the one that goes unasked!

  • October:  Marching Festivals, BVN Band Coffee shop, and more auditions prep!
    • Marching Mustangs perform at the District Marching Showcase, 3 marching festivals, and Senior Night Football… including the post-game light show!
    • Concert Band/Freshman Band/Jazz Band prepare for the BVN Band Coffee Shop Performance on Tuesday the 23rd!
    • Any interested students are really gearing up for auditions.  Sousa Recordings are due mid-month, and ECKMEA auditions are at the beginning of November.
    • All band students prepare for our BVN Band Auditions for spring concert bands which are in early November.
  • November:  Auditions, Crossroads Wind Symphony at BVN, and prepare for December!
    • November is the audition and prep month.  At the beginning of the Month, all students audition for BVN’s spring concert band classes, and then all classes spend the rest of the month preparing for our December concert and for Basketball pep bands.
    • AMAZING Announcement!  The Semi-professional Band:  the Crossroads Wind Symphony will be giving a concert AT BVN.  Full details coming soon… this is HUGE – ALL Band families should plan to attend!!
  • December:  December Band Concert and Bball Pep Bands
    • All Band classes perform in our end-of-semester December Concert, which is a phenomenal night of music and tradition for our band program.  My heart is full thinking of all of the incredible memories made at this concert.
    • BBall Pep Bands begin.  All band students are split into one of two pep bands, which will alternate BBall game performances, December-February.  These are VERY fun events!  Schedule and roster to be published in November.

Band Forms and Dues

Like many activities, we need to collect a couple of forms from all band students at the start of each year.  In addition, we collect Fair Share Band Dues, which are critical in making the band experience possible for all students.  All of the details are below in the Complete Forms Packet.  Please know that Dues should NEVER cause a student to not participate in band.  If you have any concerns about dues, please email Mr. Freeman.

  • Complete Forms Packet
  • Student info/Dues E-Form (this one can be submitted in hard copy or online… hard copy is the first of the forms in the complete packet linked above)
  • Marching Mustangs:  should have already submitted their forms and dues during Band Camp.  If you have not, they are now due.
  • All other Band Students (Concert, Freshman, and Jazz Band):  please submit your forms and dues by or before Friday, September 16th (deadline extended)

Mustang Band Boosters News! (MBB)

A HUGE Thank you to our MBB Board and volunteers, who are doing INCREDIBLE work supporting YOUR Band students!!

President – Jim Decker.  [email protected]
Past President – Kim Jacobson
Vice President – Cyndy Mangan
Secretary – Heather Nix
Co-Treasurer – Janna Raper
At Large Member – Paula Nichols
At Large Member – Brooklynn Mieczkowski
At Large Member – Geri Crain

Ongoing Needs:

  • Parent Chaperones for Marching Season (click this link to sign up):
    • Marching Festival Chaperones:  Olathe Marching Festival (October 8), Kansas Bandmasters Championships at KU (October 22), and The Neewollah Festival in Independence KS (October 29)
    • Football game chaperones – only one left – October 14th Senior Night and Postgame Light Show!
  • Feed the Band!  We will feed the Marching Mustangs several times during the month of October.  Please contact Brooklyn Mieczkowski <[email protected]> if you would like to help!

Whether you sign up to volunteer one time or all the time, we are looking forward to getting to know you & your student. Most committees require multiple volunteers so reach out to the committee chair or me if you have any questions. Check out the volunteer opportunities on the band website for more information and get involved in any way that works for you.

MBB Board Meetings Schedule.  The MBB meets on Thursday evenings once a month, at 7 PM.  All Band Parents are invited!  22-23 Meeting Schedule is

  • Thursday 10/20, 7 – 8 PM
  • Thursday 11/17, 7-8 PM
  • Thursday, 12/15, 7-8 PM
  • Thursday, 1/19/23, 7-8 PM
  • Thursday 2/16, 7-8 PM
  • Thursday 3/16, 7-8 PM
  • Thursday 4/20, 7-8 PM
  • Thursday 5/18, 7-8 PM

We are here to help – please reach out to any board member with questions or concerns. We are looking forward to a great year filled with fantastic music, new friends, and great memories.

Honor Bands and BVN Audition Music

For students interested in a WONDERFUL musical experience that challenges and inspires, they should consider auditioning for these great honor band experiences.

The ECKMEA District Honor Bands are FANTASTIC, and earning placement in them is the first step towards becoming an All-State Musician, which is the highest musical honor given to individual students in the state of Kansas.  Students who make the EC bands are eligible to audition for the All State Bands.  ECKMEA All-District and KMEA All-State Groups are open to all students, grades 9-12.

  • Auditions for the EC Honor Bands are November 5th.  These will be live/in-person auditions are Gardner-Edgerton HS.
  • Audition Music can be downloaded on our Student Resources Page.  You can get the password from any older member of the band.
  • If you earn placement in one of the EC Honor Groups (there are three concert bands and one jazz band), then you rehearse and perform with these groups on Saturday, December 3rd.
  • GREAT OPPORTUNITY at MNU!!! Kansas HS District/State Honor Band Audition Clinic (Open to any students grades 9-12 planning to audition for KS District/State Honor Bands)
    Sunday, October 16 2-3:15pm

The John Philip Sousa Honor Band is an incredible all-state level group for 7th-9th graders.  Students who make the group will participate in three days of rehearsals and performances in January, at KU.  This honor band experience is one of the BEST, anywhere, and is HIGHLY recommended for all of our 9th graders.

  • The Sousa Band uses recorded auditions.  The recordings have to be submitted by Mr. Freeman or Mr. McCarty. Recordings are due to Mr. Freeman by Wednesday 10/19.
  • CLICK HERE for audition music and more details.

BVN Spring Concert Bands:  All BVN Band Members will audition for placement in one of our spring concert bands.  BVN auditions will be held on Wednesday, 11/2.  Our audition materials will be excerpts of the ECKMEA District Honor Band Audition music.  You can find this music on our Student Resources Page.

Student Resources Page of the Band Website

The “Students only” section of our band website will be utilized throughout the year to distribute many resources to our students, behind a password wall.  Students can ask a director or any older member of the band for the password.  All students should familiarize themselves with this page, as it will be used quite a bit!