Band Update – January in the BVN Band!

January 16th, 2024|Band Update Category, General News|

(Week of 1-22 in the Band, Updated)

January in the BVN Band & Welcome to the Second Semester!!

First semester was WONDERFUL!  Spain was… beyond my words to describe.  WHAT AN EXPERIENCE!!!  That parade was a performance and environment like no other… the world as it should be – happy, fun, polite, engaged, supportive.  The Matadero performance was a BLAST.  The Tres Cantos performance connected with a community across the globe.  The sightseeing and memories made were once-in-a-lifetime.

My heart is huge after the first half of the year for our Band.

And now – after a halting/snow-day impacted start…  I am SO excited to build on the wonderful first half of the year with amazing music and student growth in our Spring semester.  Please read this band update for a glimpse of what’s ahead, and many details for our immediate future.

Musically yours,
Mr. Freeman

Band Quick Links:

PANCAKE DINNER ON FRIDAY, FEBRUARY 2ND!

We are excited to host our 30th Annual Pancake Dinner in Support of the Band-Choir-Orchestra-Theatre Programs on Friday, February 2nd!  This is one of our most FUN nights of the year… come eat pancakes, then go to the music afterwards!  Enjoy the music of our BVN Jazz Ensemble early in the dinner, before many of them head off to perform in the musical.  During the dinner, bid on our SILENT AUCTION Items!!

  • Pancakes Served 5-7 PM in the BVN Commons.  Friday, February 2nd
  • Musical Starts at 7 PM in the PAC
  • Silent Auction runs throughout, with final bids taken at 6:45 PM and winners announced at 6:50 PM.

STUDENTS – TICKET SALES!  

  • Ticket sales are how we earn $$!  EVERYONE needs a ticket to eat.
  • Students sell tickets before the event, $9 per ticket.  Envelopes of tickets/info given to students during classes 1/23 and 1/24.  All ticket sales DUE by Monday 1/29.  It’s a quick turnaround…. sell them tickets!!
  • Payable to BVN Band.
  • All students are responsible for returning all tickets, selling them all and turning in the $$, or any combination of (sell 5, return 5, etc).  There is no requirement to sell tickets… but we hope to have a BIG night and ticket sales drive this!

EVERYONE – DONATIONS AND HELP NEEDED –  CLICK HERE!!

  • Lots of Donations needed – cups/water/coffee stirrers/napkins/etc.
  • VOLUNTEERS NEEDED throughout the evening of 2/2. Set-up shifts starting after school.  Helper shifts during the event.  Clean up shifts after.  We need lots of help – thank you for pitching in!

EVERYONE – SPREAD THE WORD to help make this a big, well-attended event!

This will be an “All hands on deck” night for the band!  With the Pancake Dinner, Jazz Band Performance, Bball Pep Bands, and Musical… we need EVERYONE!!!  Mark your calendars and come join us for an enjoyable evening!!!

 

CONGRATULATIONS to our ALL-STATE MUSICIANS!!

We are SO proud of ALL of our students who auditioned for all-state!  Congrats to all of them!!

Spring Semester in the Band, at-a-glance

The Spring Semester is always one filled with incredible music as students uncover new skills and seem to level up in their playing and musicianship almost daily.  Each concert and event will show incredible growth and enjoyable music…. I can’t wait to experience all of this with you!

January – Basketball Pep Bands, Snow Days, and lots of great rehearsals.
February – a BIG Month: The Pancake Dinner (a HIGHLIGHT of the year) featuring our Jazz Ensemble and on the Friday night of Musical.  The Musical – “Spamalot” – featuring many BVN performers including band students!  Our February Band Concert.  Piano Festivals.  KMEA All-State Honor Groups.  And… Basketball Bands!
March – Lots of FUN and the calm between the February and April “Band Storms”.  Pitt State Jazz Festival.  BVN Area 5-12 Band Concert.  Postseason Basketball Pep Bands.  Spring Break.  LOTS of Great rehearsing.
April – Festival Month!  Featuring our Pre-festival Concert.   The first ever Blue Valley District Concert Band Festival (which should be a PHENOMENAL Event for our Wind Ensemble).  The Blue Valley West Concert Band Festival for our Symphonic Band.  The BVN Band Night of Jazz and Percussion featuring our Jazz Ensemble and awesome Percussion Ensembles.
May – the culmination… Our Annual “Concert on the Lawn” and Band Awards Banquet performance (an incredible tradition sending off our seniors in style) and Graduation Performances.  Also… getting started for next year with some Marching Band activities!

Silent Auction in support of the Doc Roberts Memorial Scholarship

As we gear up for the annual Pancake Dinner and Silent Auction that will be held on Friday, February 2nd (before the BVN Musical “Spam-a-lot”, we invite everyone to support our Silent Auction!  Proceeds from the auction provide ALL of the funding for the the Doc Roberts Scholarship given to up to 3 seniors. Read more about the scholarship HERE.

WE NEED YOU!   There are several ways you can contribute:

  • We created a Signup Genius that has lots of ideas OR you can come up with your own. Popular items include:
    • Sports tickets or memorabilia – Royals, Chiefs, Sporting KC, KU, etc.,
    • Restaurant gift cards
    • Themed gift baskets, etc.
    • Weekend escapes – local hotel overnights, lake houses, etc.
    • College spirit wear and items – BVN, KU, K-State, MU, etc.
    • Electronics – Fit Bit, Garmin, headphones, etc.
    • KC Experiences – Round of Golf, IFly, Escape Room, etc.
  • Reach out or provide contacts of businesses that you know personally that might provide a donation.
  • Monetary donations and gift cards, in any amount ($10, $20, etc. +), are also welcome and will be pooled and used to create some amazing themed gift baskets! Please place your monetary donation in the blue box in the band room, clearly marked “Silent Auction” by Friday, January 26th. Checks can be made payable to Blue Valley North Band.

For more information, contact Robbin Dunbar at 816-517-6196 or Paula Nichols [email protected] if you have any questions, need to arrange drop off or pick up, or need a donation letter.   Thanks for being part of this awesome band family!

Paula Nichols, Chair, Silent Auction, Mustang Band Boosters Member at Large
Robbin Dunbar, Co-Chair, Silent Auction
Caroline Danda, Mustang Band Boosters President

IMPORTANT: Stay up with Band Info!

Make a Shortcut, one touch, on your phones to the BAND CALENDAR Webpage: https://bvnbandboosters.boosterhub.com/calendar/1413#

On that page, you’ll find all available details of all band events.  You are also one click away from:

  • The Band Update Website (this page)
  • The rest of the Band BoosterHub Site, including our store and much more.
  • A couple more clicks gets you to our Members Only Page, which has resources for students and downloads of performance recordings (audio and video) as they become available.