I hope everyone had a wonderful Christmas and Happy New Year!  I had a great break and awesome time with family with much needed rest.  The first semester went by so fast and I am so proud of your progress and can't wait to see what this semester holds for you. 

We will be busy preparing for the All-West TN band auditions for our 7th and 8th grade students on Jan. 16, the 8th grade all district band for our 8th graders on Jan. 19, and the Solo/Ensemble Festival for all band students on Feb. 27.  Honor and jazz bands will start working hard to prepare for their local festivals and the spring trip and have added some new members. 

 

Please check the January and February calendars that were posted below on the webpage.  All-West TN band audition participants should have audition times and details posted very soon for the Jan. 16 audition.   Please take advantage of every opportunity to practice these next two weeks and come to the 6 am morning help sessions on Tuesdays and Thursdays and the two Friday after school help sessions as well as use Smart Music to help you with your prepared music and sightreading exercises. 

This week:

Tuesday - 6 am All-West Help session, jazz band after school until 4

Wednesday -  Full Honor Band rehearsal until 4

Thursday - 6 am All-West Help session

Friday - All-west help session until 4

 

Can't wait to see everyone on Tuesday!

 

Mrs. S.

 

 

Good afternoon! Our holiday band concert is tomorrow evening Dec. 14th at 6:30 pm at New Hope Christian Church. Students need to be there seated at 6:00 pm and dressed in concert black (black bottoms, white shirt - with guys wearing a tie, black shoes and socks, and Santa or holiday hats are optional. Jazz band members will wear black shirts and bring white shirts with them.  Please leave cases in the car.  Tickets will be $2 at the door. All three grade level groups plus jazz and honor band will be performing and I hope to be finished around 8:00.
We will need a lot of help for this concert so please reply to this email or send me an email at [email protected] if you can help in the following areas:
*Equipment help - Please be at school by 5:20 to help with stands, timpani, bass drum, various other percussion equipment, keyboard, drumset, podium, etc..... We will need at least 4 trucks, vans, SUV type vehicles.
*Set up at the church and in between groups and tear down afterwards
* Ticket sales - Will need at least 2 parents at front for ticket sales
* Student monitoring - will need at least 2 parents to stay with each grade level group in the audience to monitor behavior and to help them get on and off the stage. Students have been told the rules - no phones or they will be taken up, no talking or being disrespectful to students in performances, no disrespect to an adult if they have to get on to you, no food or drink in audience (they are allowed water bottles). Students have been told that if they misbehave there will be consequences so please do not be afraid to be hard on them because they know what is expected.

Also, all Smart Music assignments are due by Monday 12/14 for full recording credit and at the latest by Wednesday 12/16 for points taken off for being late. I am busy listening to all of them and putting them in PowerSchool and there are a LOT of empty boxes in my Smart Music as I am listening to them. This is a big part of the student's grade and allows me to listen to them and give comments on their playing.
Also, there is a MuseScore composition assignment that is due by Wednesday 12/16 (preferably sooner) where students are to create their own 16-32 measure song. I gave the specifics on my Edmodo page and demonstrated in class, so they should know what to do. This is a 50 point assignment and there really is no right or wrong and I want the students to be creative. I have heard some really good things so far and from what I have heard, the students are enjoying composing. Students need to email me their compositions as an attachment to [email protected] or print off for me.
I'm looking forward to a great concert tomorrow night! Please email me if you have any questions or concerns or if you can help out in any way tomorrow night. Thanks so much!

Angela Sanders

Our Appling Band holiday concert will be this Monday, December 14th at 6:30 pm at New Hope Christian Church at the corner of Whitten and Yale.  Students will need to arrive by 6:00 and should wear concert black (black bottoms, white shirt - guys wearing a tie, black shoes and socks) and Santa or holiday hats are permitted.  Tickets will be $2 and children under 6 are free.  We will need lots of help with things - carrying equipment, ticket sales, set up and tear down between sets, and student monitoring.  We have a LOT of equipment to carry and I plan to be in the band room at 5:20 to load so please come with trucks, SUV, vans, or just to help load.  Students have been told what has been expected of them in the concert - be prepared with instrument in working order and all music, be on time, leave cases in car if you can, be well behaved (no phones out or they will be taken up, no talking during the concert, no getting up and down out of seat, and use good respect and manners).  Students are expected to stay for the concert's entirity and it should be over around 8:00 pm. 

You've worked hard and I'm proud of you!  I'm looking forward to a great concert!

 

Mrs. S.

We have a very busy week with only one week until our holiday concert which is next Monday December 14th at 6:30 pm at New Hope Christian Church.  Students need to make sure that they have their black bottoms, white shirt (guys wear a tie), black shoes and socks, and Santa hats are optional.  Students will need to be there by 6 pm and we will need LOTS of help with equipment at the school by 5:20/5:30. We will also need parent volunteers for ticket sales, set up/tear down, and student monitoring.  We will send email reminders about this. 

If any student is interested in performing in a solo or ensemble on the concert, I need to hear them by this Thursday.

 

Stay on top of Smart Music assignment deadlines.  I am finishing up listening to the last set of assignments and getting them into Powerschool.  There are several students that are behind and this will hurt your overall average if you don't do them.  All assignments need to be completed by Monday December 14 and you will not have access to them anymore after the 16th. 

 

I have also posted a music composition assignment using MUSESCORE in Edmodo that they need to complete no later than Wed. 12/16.  I am looking forward to seeing everyone's originality.

 

8th grade's rehearsal went very well last week and 7th grade will have their required rehearsal tomorrow (Tuesday) until 4:00 and 6th grade will have their required rehearsal Wednesday until 4:00.  Jazz band will rehearse today (Monday).  Honor band will not have any more rehearsals but needs to work on Carribean Christmas and Holiday Celebration to perform at the concert and holiday assembly.

  All 7th and 8th grade clarinets are encouraged to come to a sectional on Wednesday until 4:00  to work with former student and All-State clarinet player Rebecca Alberson who is volunteering to come work with you on your All-West music.  There will be All-West help sessions on Tuesday and Thursday morning at 6 am this week and every Tues. and Thurs. leading up to Jan. 16 All West auditions.

 

Honor and Jazz band spring trip $75 deposits were due last Friday and if you have not turned that in, please do so asap. 

 

Jazz band is planning on performing on a nursing home tour on Thursday Dec. 17.  We will need parents to help transport students and equipment and plan to leave at 1:00.  Jazz Band students need to wear all black for their uniform.

 

If any 6th grader or 7th/8th beginner is still interested in auditioning for honor band, we will be having a second round of auditions on Wednesday 12/16.  All instruments are still "open" with the exception of flutes.  Students need to know scales #1-6 on their scale sheets as well as work ahead in their book (I will ask something from #70-100 in book one for 6th grade and something #40-70 in book two for 7th/8th grade) and I will ask them to sightread something in level three Smart Music sightreading exercises and/or with sightreadingfactory.com.  Interested students need to plan to stay after school on Wednesday 12/16 until 4:00 and I will assess them. 

 

I hope everyone has a great week!

Mrs. S.

 

 

We have had a very difficult few days here at Appling.  On Wednesday, we lost one of our 8th graders and part of our band family.  Justin Henson played trumpet in the 8th grade band and was in our 5th period class.  Yesterday was very sad as we mourned his death and students payed tribute to him by writing messages on music stands - one to give to the family and one to keep in the band room to remember him by.  Please continue to keep the Henson family and our Appling students and teachers in your thoughts and prayers.  The visitation will be 3-4 with funeral service following at 4:00 pm at the High Point Funeral Home at 3788 Summer Ave.

 

Thank you to all of the students who helped pay tribute to our veterans at last week's performances.  Select 7th and 8th grade students rehearsed hard on music and performed for the city of Bartlett Veteran's day ceremony and the heroes for heroes luncheon last week.  Thank you to all of the parents who helped transport equipment, help with set up and tear down,chaperoned at the mall on Wednesday, and helped with pizza on Thursday.

 

We are busy preparing our holiday music for the upcoming concert on December 14.  The concert is at 6:30 pm at New Hope Christian Church and will be for all three grades and jazz and honor bands will also perform.  Students will need to wear concert black - white shirt (with tie for boys), black bottoms, black socks and shoes and Santa hats are optional.

 

Corky's pick up will be this Monday November 23 from 1-4:30.  Poinsettias will be delivered on Monday November 30 from 1-4:30. 

 

Please check Smart Music assignments and know that the next set of assignments is due on Wednesday November 25 so that I can listen to them during the Thanksgiving break.  These assignments are to prepare our 7th and 8th graders for the All-West TN band audition music and scales and to prepare our 6th graders for their holiday concert.   Please spend time on these and only submit your best work.  Remember that full recording credit will only be given for turning in on time and spending time on it with the best of your ability.  Practice Practice!

 

If anyone is interested in attending the UT Martin Honor Band weekend event, please fill out the online application that is linked to this webpage.  Students must have our school address and phone (3700 Appling Rd.  Bartlett, TN 38133 (901) 373-1410 ), my email address ([email protected]), and their parent email address, their personal email address, and their mailing address.  They must also answer the questions given and then there will be an e-mail sent to me for me to give my recommendations.  This is open to any 7th and 8th graders and looks GREAT on a resume to apply for college scholarhips in the future.  They are very selective, but if you are chosen, you will participate in a three day weekend Jan. 21-23 - will audition there for seating (but will already be "in" the group), rehearse for two days, and put on a concert.  There is a $45 registration fee plus the cost of hotel for two nights so it should be around $100-125.  The deadline to apply online is Dec. 2 so do not delay if you are interested. 

 

I hope everyone has a good weekend.  Please let me know if you have any questions or concerns.

 

Angela Sanders

 

 

For those participating in the Veteran's Day group, we will have rehearsal on Monday 11/9 until 4 and will have rehearsal Tuesday only if needed (jazz band will rehearse if we don't).  Students will perform on Wed. 11/11 for the City of Bartlett Veteran's Day ceremony in Veteran's Park next to Freeman Park.  We will need help with percussion equipment and stands and will meet at Appling at 8:20 am.  Everyone else will meet there at 9 for setup and warm up and we will begin performing at 9:30.  Come dressed in your band shirt and jeans and if it is cold, wear something under your shirt if you can rather than over your shirt.  We will perform prelude music and the ceremony will start at 10 where we will perform the Star Spangled Banner and one other selection.  We will play postlude music, take a group picture, and will need help tranporting equipment back to the school.  Some students will go to Wolfchase mall for lunch but we will need chaperones and will stay in groups.

On Thursday students will be called at approximately 10 am for the Heroes luncheon and will perform for all three lunch periods.  Students again will wear band shirts and jeans.  We will need parents there to help serve pizza after we perform (school and boosters are sharing expenses of this.... no charge).  Students should be back in class around 12:20 and should make up all work missed. 

Please e-mail me at [email protected] if you have any questions or if you can help with our equipment on Wed. or with our pizza on Thursday.

If you have not signed up for the remindme.com text message system for our different band groups, please do so.  This is a great way to communicate any announcements that we may have.  To join each group, text the following message to 81010 or (218)264-0472:

6th grade: @wildband1

7th grade: @wildband2

8th grade: @wildband3

Honor band: @623e0

Jazz band: @applingj

 

 

                                                                                                                                                                  October 25, 2015

Dear 7^th/8^th grade band students:

                  We will be performing at the Appling Middle Open House  Tuesday night 10/27. The band will play at 6:00 in the gym followed by the strings at 6:20 and the chorus at 6:40. I would like all band students in the band room for warm up no later than 5:30 so that we can go through the Star Spangled Banner as a group since we will have not played together as 7^th and 8^th graders. I will plan to have chairs set up in the gym but will need help moving percussion and stands down to the gym after our warm up/run through and while we do some tuning (about 5:50…. Parents may can help with this please). We will then walk as a group to the gym. Both groups will play Star Spangled together, then 7^th grade “Dance of the Jester” , 8^th grade “Pit and the Pendulum” (or another song depending on Monday's rehearsal), 7^th grade “Bluesville”, and then 8^th grade “Fright Night”. When students are not performing, they should be listening to the other group and will be an outstanding audience. Everyone will need to pitch in to take equipment back to the band room and not disturb the string performance or choir performance getting ready in their room.

Students will be wearing their band t-shirt and jeans for this event. Even though this is an informal concert, it is counted as a concert grade and taken seriously. The seventh grade band had a very good rehearsal last week and don’t forget that 8^th grade will have a required rehearsal this Monday 10/26 until 4:00 (and will be having refreshments to celebrate Marlee’s birthday :)  )

If you plan on eating Chik-Fil-A dinner or go to the book fair, you may do that after our performance. We are going to be awesome! Keep practicing hard and let me know if you have any questions at [email protected].

Angela Sanders