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8th Grade Band (Period 5th)

Course Description

 Welcome to 8th grade Band.  We are going to have a great year as we continue to develop our skills playing instruments and reading music!

Posts

All-West Auditions - Inclement Weather Announcement

Here is the announcement that was posted by the WTSBOA executive board regarding All-West auditions on Saturday:
 

WTSBOA Directors,

Regardless of weather conditions, the All West Honor Band auditions will still take place this Saturday at Northside High School in Jackson. There is simply no way to reschedule the audition date.

Please communicate to your students that we understand the challenging and potentially dangerous situation and leave the final decision-making to the parent.  Parents will need to determine the best action, if any, concerning their student. We also advise students to take their instruments home on Thursday just in case schools are closed on Friday.

Thank you for your understanding in this matter.  Though we apologize for the situation, it is in fact outside our control, and all we can do is follow protocol and hope for a safe weekend.

WTSBOA Executive Board

 

So.....there are just too many logistics to consider with hosting this event and hiring judges for all of the instruments for middle school, 9-10 bands, 11-12 bands, and jazz bands and they can't reschedule it.   Most of our students have been working really, really hard on their music, scales, and sight-reading skills for this audition.  I know that I am "requiring" it of my 7th and 8th grade non beginners, but you need to make the best decision for your family.  I know this is a big sacrifice of time, driving, etc..... I cannot control the weather but do know that it is all interstate and then the Highland Ave exit so those roads should be ok.  If they are having this anyway, it could turn out better in that some students would be unable to attend and therefore up the percentage of the chance of making it because of less competition.  If students go to the All-West audition, then they will get a full credit grade for following through with their audition.  If students cannot attend, then they will play their music for me for a grade.  

Students can audition early and not late.  Please allow even more time to travel to Jackson.  If anyone needs to ride with me, I am leaving at 5:30 am because I have a director meeting at 7.  I will just need them to find a ride home with someone else because I am going on to Nashville with my kids for my daughter's Governor's School audition on Sunday.  If you need to arrange a carpool, please check the chronological list of times that I posted earlier in the letter and perhaps someone can help you.  

Also..... make sure ALL INSTRUMENTS are taken home with you on Thursday in case we are not in school on Friday. 

Please email me at [email protected] if you have any questions or concerns.  Thanks.

Angela Sanders

 

Memphis Area Band Letter Permission.

Here are more details and permission slip for the Memphis Area Honor Band at Overton.  We have 19 kids signed up to go..... that is great!  We now have to arrange transportation for them to get there.  I will need everyone to pitch in and help drive these students.  Please sign up for times that you can help drive and return no later than next Tuesday.  Thanks.
 
Mrs. Sanders
 

2018 All-West audition letter

This is the letter that I have given to everyone today that is auditioning for All-West TN band next Saturday 1/13 at Jackson Northside High School in Jackson, TN.   Reminder that this is REQUIRED of all non-beginner 7th and 8th grade band students and you have known about it since August.  
I have put a chronological order of audition times in the letter so if you are having difficulty with transportation you can arrange a carpool.  Reminder that you can audition early but not late and you must give yourself plenty of time.  Reminder that we will have all west help sessions today (1/5) and next Friday 1/12 after school until 4:00 and next Tuesday (1/9) and Thursday (1/11) mornings at 6 am.  Please practice EVERY DAY between now and then.  I will be working on drilling scales and sight-reading everyday in class next week. Work hard and do your best..... I'm proud of you!
 
Mrs. S.
 

YEARBOOK PICS THIS MONDAY JANUARY 8

Yearbook pictures for all grade level bands will be this Monday January 8.  Students need to wear this year's band t-shirt.  We do not have any extra shirts.  I want to have everyone look uniform, so if you want in the picture, you must wear your band shirt.  Thanks!
 
Mrs. S.
 

December 2017 Calendar

Here is the December calendar.... we are quite busy!  Take note of these things:
 
Required rehearsals (part of your grade and responsibility:  
6th grade:  Wed. Dec. 6 until 4:00
7th grade:  Tues. Dec. 5 until 4:00
8th grade:  Wed. Nov. 29 until 4:00
 
***Holiday Concert - Dec. 7*** (Performances are what we do and our time to shine  and show off :). They are required and are a huge part of your grade) - 6:30 pm at New Hope Christian Church (corner of Whitten and Yale).  Be there 6 pm.  Wear concert black - black bottoms, white shirt (guys wear a tie), black socks and shoes, and Santa or Christmas hats are optional.  
 
Dec. 1 is deadline for UT Martin Honor Band applications but I really need them in by 11/30 because it will send me a link of something to fill out about you.  If chosen, this even will be Jan. 25-27.  
 
Dec. 1 is the deadline for the spring trip $75 deposit and also for solo/ensemble auditions for the holiday concert
 
Jazz band will go on a holiday nursing home tour on Dec. 12...... more info to come.
 
Honor and Jazz Band will both perform at the holiday assembly on Wed. 12/20 on the last day of school before break.
 
There will be several All-West help sessions both after school and a few before school to help you with your music and to have a time and a place to practice.  I hope to get some of our high schoolers and perhaps college students to come help at these.  All-West auditions are Jan. 13..... don't procrastinate!
 
Stay on top of your Smart Music assignments that have deadlines in December as well...... use this as a tool to help you!
 
Ready for an awesome December!
 
Mrs. Sanders
 
 
 
 

Announcements for 10/30 Week

Thank you to all that helped with our Halloween Dance last Friday!  We had a great turn out of kids and so many parent volunteers.  The costumes were great and the kids had a great time.  Thanks for donating food and drink items.  We will use our leftovers in the concession stand.
 If you have any leftover treat size candy, please donate them to the band as I will be giving prizes in the next few months for good behavior, scale pass offs, etc.......
We will be starting our holiday concert heavily in upcoming weeks for our holiday concert on Dec. 7.  When music is given to you, please make sure to work hard on it because we don't have much class time.
7th and 8th graders are learning a scale a week until we we have learned all twelve of our scales.  We are on scale #8 G concert this week so please work on learning and memorizing that scale and reviewing scales #1-7.  
Snart Music assignments will be due this Sunday 11/5 for 6th graders (#38, 42,43,44,45) and Wednesday 11/8 for 7th and 8th graders (7th grade #29,24,25 and 8th grade #34, 42, and Smart Music rhythm 3-16).  There are also assignments posted due 12/10 for 6th grade and 11/22 for 7th and 8th grade with more assignments coming on the All-West music for our 7th and 8th graders.    Please keep up with these and work on them!
Our schedule for this week:
Monday - Honor Band
Tuesday - Jazz Band first rehearsal
Wednesday - Honor Band
Friday - Veteran's Day group rehearsal
 
We will be collecting sizes and taking orders this week for Veteran's day shirts to wear at our performances this week.  Look for a note and/or email about that.
 
Looking forward to a great week!
 
Mrs. Sanders
 
 

Academy Field Trip permission form

Here is a copy of the permission slip for 8th graders and select 7th graders who auditioned for honor band.  We will be going on a field trip on Thursday to the 9th grade academy.  Students will not be put on the teacher excuse list or be allowed to get on a bus without a signed permission form.  I'm looking forward to our 8th graders hearing the high school band again, talking to Mr. Dodd about scheduling, and seeing the 9th grade campus.  
Please return this signed form at open house Tuesday night or by class on Wednesday.
 
Mrs. Sanders
 

Open house performance - 7th and 8th grade

7th and 8th grade band students will be performing at open house tomorrow (Tuesday) evening.  This is treated as a "concert" even though it is informal and in the gym and is part of your grade and responsibility and been on the calendar for months.  We have been assigned the 6:30 time slot in the gym and students need to report to the band room at 6 pm for warm up and tuning.  If you have your own wire music stand, please bring it because we will not have enough stands for everyone (especially for warm up because the orchestra will be using some of our stands for their performance before us).  We should be finished by 6:45 so that you can still go to classrooms or book fair for a few minutes (or your parents can go during your warm up).  You are to wear your new band t-shirt that was distributed today and jeans.  We will perform the Star Spangled Banner together and each group will perform two songs.  I will need everyone to help move equipment back to the band room when we are done.  I'm looking forward to a good concert tomorrow evening!
 
Angela Sanders
 

Bandmasters Championship tickets

If anyone is interested in free comp student tickets for the Bandmasters Championship marching competition this Saturday 10/21, please see me and tell me how many by Friday.  There is more information and a schedule at www.tigerbandalumni.com.  

Honor and Jazz Audition Times

I hope everyone has been practicing for the Appling honor and jazz band auditions this week.  I have attached a copy of the audition times that students signed up for in class before fall break.  We are on a very strict schedule so everyone must come on their assigned day.  If you did not sign up or come on the wrong day, we will try to work you in but we cannot do that for everyone so please double check your times.  If you have a late time, then you can stay in the band room and practice up until your assigned time or do homework.  We will have a band parent that supervises students while I am holding auditions.  
Make sure that you are prepared so that we can keep the auditions running as smoothly as possible.  The audition time should not be a time where you are "learning" your music but should be a audition....... there are only 4 minute time intervals.  For honor band, students should know the chromatic scale, the first six scales on their scale sheet and I will pick two (C, F, Bb, Eb, Ab, and Db) and the marked spots of their audition music.  For jazz band, students should know "Cherry Point" and "It is What it Is".  I will post audition spots on this by Monday afternoon so that you can zone in more on specific spots.  Use Smart Music to work on all of this music..... it is a great tool!   It does not need to be up to tempo yet and I know it will not be perfect, but this will help prepare you for All-West auditions in January...... do your best!
Reminder - all students must have paid their band fee to be eligible to audition.  There are still a few students that have not taken care of this.  Shirts will be distributed this week and those students will not get them. 
I'm looking forward to hearing you this week and making our Appling performance groups the best ever!
 
Mrs. Sanders
 

Announcements for 10/2 Week

Can't believe this is the last week of the first quarter!  Time has flown by.  We are getting ready for our 6th grade band Meet the Band Night concert Tuesday night and I can't wait for everyone to hear them!  6th grade will have their second required rehearsal Monday 10/2 until 4:00 (bring snack or concession $ and wire stand).  On Tuesday 10/3, meet at Appling at 5:45 for help with equipment or 6:30 at New Hope Christian Church for warm up and the concert starts at 7.  Remember to wear our concert uniform - black bottoms, white shirt (guys wear a tie), and black socks/shoes.  Admission is $2.  
 
The Veteran's Day group has their first practice this Wednesday 10/4 until 4:00. Please make sure you have looked over your music ahead of time.
 
All Smart Music assignments are due this Tuesday 10/3 so that I can listen to them and get them in PowerSchool before the end of the nine weeks on Friday.  All groups had assignments due 9/20 and another set of assignments due 10/3.  This is a big part of your grade and responsibility. Take time on these and submit your best.  All-West TN band audition music has now been posted as a tool to help you practice for both All-West and Appling audition music.  
 
We will have signups in class this week for Appling Honor Band auditions on either 10/16 or 17 and Appling jazz band on 10/18.  Remember that for honor band auditions you must know the first six scales on your scale sheet (C, F, Bb, Eb, Ab, and Db) plus the chromatic scale and the marked spots of your All-West music.  For jazz band auditions, you are to know the two jazz pieces Cherry Point and It Is What It Is.
 
Anyone that is interested in ordering band apparel should turn in orders by this Friday 10/6 before fall break.  Every band student will receive their band shirts after fall break and it is included in your band fee.  This will be worn at our  10/23 black/gold pep rally and 10/24 Open House performance for our 7th and 8th graders.  
I hope everyone has a great week!
 
Mrs. Sanders