Band Update – 1-16-2023

HUUUUGE Congrats to our BVN All-State Band Members!!  Selection to the All-State Band is the highest honor given to individual musicians in the State, and is the result of a LOT of hard work over several months.  ALL of our Band students who auditioned are to be commended – it is a highly competitive audition, and we are proud of all of you!!

BVN BAND ALL-STATERS, 2022-2023

  • Nolan Call, Trombone
  • Miles Kim, Clarinet
  • Devereaux Knight, Trumpet
  • Eddie Mu, Euphonium
  • Zengtao Xing, Trumpet
  • Max Zhang, Trumpet
  • Oliver Zhang, Trumpet.  An additional Congrats to Oliver for making it ALL 4 Years, and for being the top overall trumpet!!
  • Also – Gabriel Decker, one of our percussionists, is also a spectacular String Bass Player and earned placement in All-State Orchestra on Bass.

Congrats to all!!!

PARENTS:  QUICK HELP NEEDED – Basketball Concessions volunteers needed this week!  These important shifts support our BVN PBC, which provides a LOT of support to the band each and every year.  I can’t say enough about the PBC – it is simply the most supportive-to-everything school-wide parent group I’ve ever known of.  Thanks, in advance, for your kind donation of time and effort!  We have two nights this week that need volunteers, click on the links below to sign up.

  • Tuesday Evening, 1/17/2023. Two shifts: 4:45-7 PM and 7-9 PM.  Just a couple volunteers needed
  • Friday evening, 1/20/2023.  two shifts:  4:45 – 7 PM and 7-9 PM.  Just a couple volunteers needed.
  • (Sorry for somewhat last minute notice on this… I just received the sign-ups from the PBC last week.  1/20 is our actual Band evening.  1/17 was assigned to a different group who can’t do it, so we’re reaching out to help on that one.  All told it’s only about 6 total volunteers needed.)

Also – a BIG SHOUT OUT to our Wind Ensemble Students for giving 8 outstanding performances at the Blue Valley Performing Arts Day on Wednesday!  All told, we performed for about 1000 elementary students, setting up future generations of great BV Bands!!!  Well Done Wind Ensemble!!!

Thanks, as always, for your careful reading of all band info.

Musically yours,
Mr. Freeman

Contents of the Band Update:

  • From the Director:
    • CONGRATULATIONS ALL-STATERS!!
    • Parents – Concessions volunteers needed.  1/17/2023 and 1/20/2023
  • The Week Ahead 1/16-1/21/2023
    • Bball Pep Bands – KA-MO Tourney this week.  Games on T-W-F.  Game times TBD throughout the week.
    • Wind Ensemble:  Camp on 1/21
    • Concessions volunteers needed.  1/17/2023 and 1/20/2023
  • Basketball Pep Bands – Details.
  • Band Spring Calendar
  • Wind Ensemble Schedule additions – reminders:
    • BV Performing Arts Day Performance – Wednesday 1/11
    • Wind Ensemble Camp – 1/21/23.
    • Reminder of Wind Ensemble performances added:  1/11/23 and 3/8/23
  • Cliffs Note Version of what’s ahead in the Spring Semester.  A month-by-month glance.
  • Important communications note for EVERYONE – The shift to Booster Hub!
  • Seniors: Scholarship Opportunity

The Week Ahead: 1/16-1/21/2023

Monday 1/16:  No School – Martin Luther King, Jr. Day

Tuesday 1/17:  Even Block Day.

  • BBall Pep Band – Girls Bball in the opening round of the KA-MO (Kansas-Missouri) Tournament (hosted at BVN.
    • BLUE Pep Band, BLUE Shirts
    • Call time 6:30 PM in the Band Room.  We’ll move to the Gym at 6:40 PM. Game Tipoff is schedule for 7 PM
  • Piano Players:  Please register for the KSHSAA Regional Piano Festival by the end of the school day!

Wednesday 1/18:  Odd Block Day

  • BBall Pep Band – Girls Bball in the final round of the KA-MO (Kansas-Missouri) Tournament (hosted at BVN.
    • SILVER Pep Band, BLUE Shirts
    • Game time is dependent upon whether we win or lose on Tuesday’s game.  TBA as soon as we know it!

Thursday 1/19:  Even Block Classes

Friday 1/20:  Odd Block Schedule (note the bell schedule change, since we don’t have school on Monday for MLK day)

  • BBall Pep Band – Girls Bball in the final round of the KA-MO (Kansas-Missouri) Tournament (hosted at BVN.
    • BLUE Pep Band, YELLOW Shirts
    • Game time is dependent upon Wednesday’s game.  TBA as soon as we know it!
  • Concessions volunteers needed!!  CLICK HERE TO SIGN UP!
    • Each year, the Mustang Club (Parent Booster Club) raises funds to support student activities at BVN… and their support for band is WONDERFUL! Providing volunteers for the concessions stands is how we will continue to receive this wonderful support.
    • Thank you for making it happen!!!
Saturday 1/21:  Wind Ensemble Camp.  A day to jump start our semester, working hard and making with professional performers.  It’s REALLY fun and a shot of adrenaline to our Wind Ensemble.
  • 8:30 AM:  Donuts
  • 9:00 AM-11:30 AM:  Morning Rehearsal (some full ensemble, some split with clinicians)
  • 11:30 AM:  Lunch Break (Lunch provided)
  • 12:15 PM-2:30 PM:  Afternoon Rehearsal (some full ensemble, some split with clinicians)
  • 2:30 PM:  Finish

Basketball Pep Bands, January – February

  • CLICK HERE for the complete Basketball Pep Band Info
  • CALL TIME UPDATE:  On double-header nights only (when both boys and girls teams play, and both bands perform), The change impacts band that comes in later.  Call times are updated as follows:
    • by 6:30 – be in the band room – get ready and do a quick warm-up on your personal instrument.  by 6:40 – be in the bleachers and join in the other band that is already performing.
    • This moves the call times 15 minutes later than previously stated.  This will fit the flow of the evening better/be better for everyone’s schedule.
    • This change is reflected in the pep band document linked above.

BVN Band Calendar

Calendar Notes for WIND ENSEMBLE:

  • Wind Ensemble to Perform at the Blue Valley School District Performing Arts Day on January 11, 2023.  This is a during the school day performance – students will be dismissed from classes.  We will perform for elementary students from across the whole BV district at the Hilltop Campus.  It will be a really fun day!  Full details will be distributed after break.
  • Wind Ensemble Camp 1/21/2023.  For Wind Ensemble Members, 8:30 AM – 2:30 PM.  A time to work with professionals and prep for some incredible performances.
  • Wind Ensemble to Perform at the UMKC Conservatory/Music For All Concert Festival on Wednesday, 3/8/2023!  
    • We have received a very prestigious invitation to perform at this festival, along side some incredible band programs from across the region and country.  The festival is hosted by UMKC and sponsored by Music For All, an amazing organization that presents and sponsors these regional festivals across the country.
    • We’ll listen to other groups, give our own performance, and receive clinics from world class educators and clinicians.
    • This is an incredible opportunity that has been in the works for a couple of months… we finally received confirmation during the week of 12/12, and I am really excited to have accepted this invitation!!!
    • Full Details are forthcoming.  Our performance will be in the evening on 3/8/2023.  Mark you calendars for this very special performance

Spring Semester in the Bands, Cliffs Notes Version:

  • January – Pep Bands, All-State Auditions, BV Performing Arts Day, Wind Ensemble Camp.  Spain Trip enrollments due 1/10.
  • February – Pep Bands, BVN Musical!, February Band Concert on 2/15, and KMEA State Convention for all-state performers.
  • March – BVN Area 6th-12th band festival concert, Wind Ensemble at the UMKC/MFA Festival, Post-Season Pep Bands.
  • April – BIG month
    • Festival Month!  Solo and Ensemble Festivals, State Large Group Festival, and pre-festival concert (4/10) and clinics.
    • Pancake Dinner and Night of Jazz and Percussion on 4/26!!
  • May – the culmination month – a truly special time.  BVN Bands Concert on the Lawn/Recognition Dinner on 5/17.  Graduation performance on 5/20.
  • Spain Trip:  Follow the payment schedule!  Likely a rules/details meeting at some point.  Fundraisers!!  This spring is the work time towards this wonderful trip!
  • TBA:  Preparation for 23-24.  Drum Major Auditions and Leadership Application Process.   Summer rehearsals and Band Camp Schedule.  All info coming early in the Spring Semester!

The Shift to Booster Hub! 

  • We are switching to using Booster hub as our primary organizational platform for our Band Program.
  • What does this mean to you?
    • In the immediate future: you will receive band communications through both Charms and Boosterhub.  Sometime in January, we will shift ENTIRELY to Booster Hub…
    • Once the Spain trip planning gets rolling full speed ahead, Boosterhub will serve as our primary trip planning platform.
  • The immediate TO-DO:  Please make sure you accept the Booster Hub Invite, and make sure that emails from Booster Hub are getting through to your email/on your safe senders list/etc.
  • More to come… Booster hub is a phenomenal web-based organizational platform designed for school groups like our Mustang Band Boosters, and is going to streamline and enhance our operations in many, many ways.

Seniors – Apply for the Kerry Layton Scholarship

The Kerry Layton Memorial Scholarship is an award given to one Blue Valley School District Senior who has participated in Band throughout their High School Life.  It is provided by the Blue Valley Education Foundation, and BVN has had more winners than all of the other BV schools combined…  In the 10 years the award has been given, I believe we’ve had 6 recipients.

The Application is very straightforward:  complete a simple form, submit a resume, and write a paragraph explaining how music has impacted your life.  Applications due February 10th, 2023.

Kerry Layton Memorial Scholarship online application:  https://bluevalleyeducationalfoundation.formstack.com/forms/layton_memorial_scholarship_2023