Band Update – 2-27-2023, re-updated 3/5/23

Contents:

  • From the Directors:
    • Congrats All-State Musicians.
    • Now to spring break, an overview
    • STUDENTS:  Sign up for Basketball Pep Bands for this week!
    • Make sure you have accepted your BoosterHub Invite!!
  • DETAILS – Now to Spring Break:   Week of 3/6.
  • Band Spring Calendar
  • 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!

From the Directors

CONGRATULATIONS All State Musicians!

HUGE congrats to our BVN All-State Musicians for their performances with the Kansas All-State Ensembles in Wichita!  The All-State Band and Orchestra performances were PHENOMENAL – a highlight of this year – and our students represented BVN very well! A fantastic and well-earned payoff for these students!!!

Now through Spring Break! – ALL The details!!

Our last two weeks before Spring Break are PACKED, but will be VERY enjoyable.  Thanks, as always, for your careful reading of all of the details in “The Two Weeks Ahead” – below in the Update.

NEW COMMUNICATION METHOD

  • ALL of the details for our next two weeks ahead can now be found in our BoosterHub Band Calendar.  Click on any event to see all of the details.
  • Also – use the link at the bottom of the calendar page to add this to your ical, google calendar, or other calendar apps:  https://bvnbandboosters.boosterhub.com/ical-stream
  • After Spring Break, I will streamline the Band Update, so “the week ahead” is really a “week at a glance”, and you will be able to go to the band calendar for all details.

Today (2/27) Through Spring Break, at a glance:

  • Week of 2/27:  ACT testing Tuesday.  Wind Ensemble Rehearsal Tuesday afternoon.  Spain Trip Payment Due Wednesday.  SIGN UP FOR Sub State Basketball (volunteer pep bands) Tues-Weds for sure and Fri-Sat (tentative).  3rd Drum Major Audition Clinic.  During Class Portions of DM Auditions.
  • Week of 3/6:  BVN Area 6-12 Band Concert Monday (ALL Band Students perform!).  After School Portion of Drum Major Auditions Tuesday.  Wind Ensemble to Perform at the UMKC-Music For All Concert Festival Wednesday!  Potential State Basketball Tournament (volunteer pep bands) Thursday-Saturday.  Start of Spring Break.

Communications Reminder: From now through Spring Break, I will continue to send out Band Updates via TWO systems – CHARMS and BoosterHub.   After spring break, the switchover period will be done, and all Band Updates will ONLY be sent via BoosterHub.  Make sure you have accepted your BoosterHub Invite!!

Musically yours,
Mr. Freeman

Now to Spring Break:  Week of 3/6

PLEASE CLICK HERE to go to the Online Band Calendar to see ALL Details of events.

Week of 3/6

Monday 3/6:  Odd Block Schedule

  • BVN Area 6-12 Band Festival Concert!  Required (and FUN) Performance for Symphonic Band and Wind Ensemble
    • 6th block/after school: stage equipment in 500 hallway
    • 5 PM Set-up crew in gym
    • 6:00 PM: Greeting Crew in gym
    • 6:30 PM Call Time for all Wind Ensemble and Symphonic Band Members.  PLEASE BRING A FOLDING MUSIC STAND!!
    • 7 PM Concert Start
    • Concert Black Attire

Tuesday 3/7:  Even Block Schedule

  • 7:45-8:30:  Wind Ensemble Rehearsal (Full Ensemble)
  • 3:00:  Drum Major Auditions, after school portion.

Wednesday 3/8:  Odd Block Day

  • ALL SENIORS and ALL-STATERS:
    • Pictures during 1st hour – please wear your concert black
    • 2nd and 6th hour Seniors:  please report to the band room at 7:30 AM.  We’ll get your pictures taken first (as quickly as we can…) and send you with a pass to your 1st block class.

BVN Wind Ensemble to perform at the UMKC/Music For All Concert Festival!  This will be an AMAZING Day

  • Band Families: The concert is open to the public – we hope to see you there! $5 Admission.  There are concerts all afternoon.  Our BVN performance is the final one of the event:  8:35 PM at White Concert Hall on the UMKC Campus.
  • Wind Ensemble Families: the cost of this event was higher than originally budgeted, ~$70 per student with all expenses accounted for. If you could please send in $30, this would defray the cost of dinner and transportation for the day.

Full Details for Wind Ensemble:

    • During 1st hour:  Concert Black for Seniors and All-staters, pictures
    • Attend 1st and 3rd hours, dismissed from classes after 3rd hour.
    • Eat 1st Lunch, then change into concert black and load busses during 2nd lunch
    • 12:20:  Load and Depart for UMKC
    • 12:50:  Arrive UMKC – Olson Performing Arts Center, Unload and move to White Concert Hall
    • 1:15:  Attend Performance by UMKC Bands
    • 2:30:  Instrument Specific Clinics/Masterclasses
    • 3:30:  Break – (bring a snack)
    • 4:30:  Attend Olathe NW performance.
    • 5:20:  Attend Bellevue West (Nebraska) Performance
    • 5:45:  Board busses to dinner – Buca Di Beppo
    • 7:10:  Dinner finished, return to UMKC
    • 7:30: Warm-up

8:35 PM:  BVN Wind Ensemble Performance and Clinic

    • 9:25:  Pack up and return to BVN
    • Estimated return to BVN b/t 10 and 10:15 PM
    • Wear Concert Black Attire all day.

Thursday 3/9:  Even Block Day.

Thursday 3/9 through Saturday 3/11: Potential pep bands for the state basketball tournament in Wichita!

  • We will be sharing details throughout the week about these pep bands.
  • Please keep your eyes open for info via email and the band app…. more is coming!
  • Overall Schedule is:
    • Wednesday 3/8: Boys play in quarterfinals (2 PM tipoff) (band is not going due to our UMKC Performance)
    • Thursday 3/9: Girls play in quarterfinals (8 PM Tipoff).
    • Friday 3/10-Saturday 3/11: If the teams win their quarterfinal game(s), then they are guaranteed games on both Friday and Saturday. Friday is semifinals and Saturday is either the 3rd place game or championship game.

Friday 3/10:  No School for students – start of Spring Break!

  • 3/10 – 3/20: Enjoy your Spring Break!!!!  (Make sure to read the “spring semester, cliffs notes version”, below, to know what is coming up for the band after spring break!)

BVN Band Calendar

Spring Semester in the Bands, Cliffs Notes Version:

  • 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.  Potential Jazz Festivals
    • EVERYONE MARK YOUR CALENDARS for the 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.  After Spring Break, we will discontinue using Charms for communications.
    • Spain Travelers:  we are fully moved to BoosterHub for communications.
    • Keep your eyes open as we shift a lot of our functionality to BoosterHub.  It’s VERY user friendly!
  • 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.