Here are some of the new school year Marching Band activities scheduled so far:

09/05/08 - Home Football game (band members to assemble at 5:30 in the Band Room)
09/12/08 - Pendleton Roundup Parade
09/19/08 - Home Football game (band members to assemble at 5:30 in the Band Room)
10/13/08 - Battle of the Marching Machines in Ontario
10/18/08 - EOU Homecoming Game (band to assemble at 12:30 in the Band Room)
10/24/08 - Home Football game (band members to assemble at 5:30 in the Band Room)
11/11/08 - Veterans' Day Parade - downtown La Grande

Come back to this blog frequently to check for updates and additional details.

We needed to make some changes to the sign-up sheets.  Following is the schedule for Wal-Mart and Safeway as it stands right now.  We will be calling parents and students next week to try and fill all of the slots.

An uncensored bootleg excerpt ...

Hi Folks - there have been so many changes lately I thought I would put out An Official Schedule for this last week or so:

Saturday May 31:  Graduation - be in band room in  concert dress at 9:15 am.  Required for all.

Monday June 2:  Jazz sets up at Lovelands, 7-7:30am.   Play service at 10am.  Pick up equipment at lunch

Monday June 2:  Monday Night Community Band concert, Riverside (free extra points for those who still need them)

Tuesday June 3:  Jazz final concert Max Square 4-5:30 pm

Saturday June 7:  Meet at Legacy Ford 9:45 am, in appropriate clothing of your choosing
                           Then March to Hog Wild Days Parade which begins at 11am.
                           Then March back to Legacy to do our thing once again - Required
                           Jazz  plays at Legacy 2pm-3 or 3:30 or so.
                           18 and over Test Drive Cars - designate the $20 to LHS Band!!!!
                           Up to 300 test drives net $20 each - bring older siblings, grandparents; and other family members, bridge clubs, social networks and trained monkeys!

Download this file for details on a Hog Wild Days fundraising offer from Legacy Ford.  (The file is in Adobe PDF format and requires that your browser has the Adobe Reader plugin installed or that you have the free Adobe Reader software, available from Adobe.)

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We finally threw a party that people wanted to come to!  Thanks to some great donations and excellent student help, we were able to add $1,003.00 into our bank account from the yard sale. Our Saxophone Quartet played (see clip) and garnered a music gig for themselves.  It was a good day for all.

We sold two cases of chocolate over the weekend.  If any of you would like to buy it at cost and stick it in your freezer for summer camping trips or whatever, please get in touch.  Otherwise I'll be eating chocolate for a very long time.  Some candy bars and lots of chocolate covered almonds are left.

The Awards Banquet date has been changed to Tuesday, May 27th @ 5:30.  Because of the hour, it was decided that finger foods were in order rather than desserts only.  Your student will be signing up for hors'doeuvres, veggies, fruit or desserts.  Chips are o.k. too, I just forgot to add that. Also, the FIREWORKS sign-up sheet will be passed around at this time.

There will be one last BB meeting on Thursday, June 5th @ 7:00. We will reviewing this past year and deciding which fundraisers to tackle next year.

Kim

The date for the AWARDS DESSERT has been change from May 20 to May 27 and the time will be 5:30!  The location is the same - LHS Commons.  Please change your calendar.

The Awards Dessert is fun, meaningful, and the whole family is invited.  Please plan to attend and share a little time with our band students!

We had a low turn-out for the Auction, but it was a fun day anyway.  Doug Hislop did a great job of entertaining the people who were there and we had some very faithful bidders. We succeeded in earning the BB's roughly $3,900.  There were lots of things that we would all change, but not too bad for a first try.

The Yard Sale has been moved to May 17th. The hope is that the students will take the lead in this, the parents will be there for support.  We plan on meeting in the band room at 4:00 on Monday with all interested students and form a plan of action.  If you have experience with this, we could use your help.  In the meantime, here are the guidelines as of today!

Yes on clothing BUT,  be mindful of quality (no rips, no stains, not too worn-out and no old shoes).
Give your estimated value on any item donated, so the students have something to go by.
You may drop things off at my house (1005 I Ave) on Sunday, May 11th or after school M-F this next week.  Turn east off of 4th St. Grey house on the left.
The Yard Sale will start at 8:00am and go until 5:00pm on Saturday only.

Hope to see some of you at 4:00 in the band room on Monday.

Kim

Hi all!  In culmination of all the outstanding clinics, lessons and performances we have enjoyed by members of the Oregon Symphony Orchestra, the ENTIRE orchestra will be here May 9 & 10.

At 9:30 and 11:00 on May 9 will be the concerts for ALL of the students in the La Grande School District and Cove School District.  Imbler will also be bringing all of their students.  We have not had any response from Elgin nor Union at this point though they have been invited.

As a major recipient of these favors, La Grande needs to furnish several adult volunteers for the following times:
- Friday May 9, 8:30-noon, 7 people during the student concerts
- Friday May 9, the lunch hour to help feed catered lunches to the orchestra on the 
   auditorium stage
- Friday May 9, 1:30-3:30, 3-4 people during rehearsal with the orchestra, our students,   
   and community members.
- Saturday May 10, 9:00-noon, people during rehearsal with the orchestra, our students,   
   and community members.
- Saturday May 10, 6:30-8:30 pm, 7 people during the public concert.

I would be very proud to have some representation from our LHS Band parents!  Our students have been very privileged this year!

Email  me if you will make some (more) time to help us all:  jhowell@lagrande.k12.or.us

Thank You one and all!!
Jh

A Night of  Polka Dancing
Where: Central School Gymnasium
When: Saturday, April 19th
Time: 6-8pm
Admission - $5 adults, $3 students

Band Box Jam
Where: LMS Commons
When Thursday, April 24th
Time: 6:30 - 9:00pm
Admission - $1 and a chance to win a 50/50 pot of cash

Please be thinking of fancy desserts you might bring to be auctioned off during the evening.  Sign-up sheets will be passed around Monday, April 21.

The auction snowball is gaining momentum:

1.We have started soliciting donations from local businesses and have been getting a very positive response. Robin Nickel took 9 students downtown on Saturday and will be scheduling other donation days in the next couple of weeks. We need one more parent to help supervise this effort.

2. We will be having homemade ice cream sandwiches at the concessions booth, along with the usual hotdog fare. Cindy Pridgen is organizing this part of the auction and will need assistance. 

3. Sheryl Jonasson will be driving students around the valley to wineries, golf courses and all out lying areas, drumming up donations.

4. There will be LIVE MUSIC an hour before the auction (12-1) while people are viewing the merchandise.

5. We have a great auctioneer, Mr. Doug Hislop, who has agreed to donate his time.  The Hattans and the Creechs will be assisting him.

6. Stacy Shown has offered to design Thank you posters and lunch, gift certificates for donors.

7. The website is ready for donations, so donate away if you can.

There will be lots of opportunities for students to earn more $$ for their band accounts in the next few weeks. Many, many auction details can be done by the students. Also, we thought, if the students are up for it, we'll let them organize and carry out the yard sale with parental support and we'll split the proceeds with them 50/50. Our half of the profits will go into the uniform fund and the students will divide theirs equally among participants.

Kim

Thara Memory is one of the clinicians all three bands will be work-shopping with on tour.  I have known Thara for about ten years now, and nothing, easily lift-able from the web says enough, so I thought I would just throw out a couple of tidbits.  Thara is a composer, trumpet artist, conductor and teacher extraordinaire.

His student jazz band consists of high school students from all over Portland who come to Pacific Crest Community School after school and pay tuition there.  Thara views the program as vocational training for people who are going to play music for the rest of their lives.  His bands have been winners at nearly every jazz festival entered, have been the only high school selected to perform at the Monterrey Jazz Festival, have more than once been one of the 18 flown back to the Kennedy Center as finalists in their annual Ellington competition, and have spent two weeks in Korea, expenses  paid.

When I called Thara Friday, April 4, his band had just played at the University of North Texas jazz competition.  U. North Texas is one of the top 5 premier collegiate jazz programs in the nation.  Following their performance, one of the brass instructors came into the hallway to tell them that if ANYBODY in that band wanted to attend that school he would furnish them a full scholarship.  Sounds like they played well...

Thara suffers diabetes and in the summer of '07 had his right leg amputated below the knee as well as parts of the fingers of his right hand (think trumpet artist).  When I spoke with him in January '08 he was tentatively scheduled to lose most of the remaining usable fingers on that hand.  He is working hard at becoming proficient using his left hand for trumpet valves.  He also shared how well he was doing emotionally and spiritually.  In his words "I finally realized that I had a choice.  I could sit around and feel sorry for myself, or I could consciously decide what I wanted my legacy to be.  Now that keeps me going all the time."

At the end of January, Thara released a new double-disc CD entitled Chronicle, four years in the making.  Four years filled with many changes.  He has generously given us permission to post two of the tracks from the album on this blog.  If you like what you hear, you can order the CDs from www.CDbaby.com   (Spend some browse time there too, they have a fascinating inventory - and are independent artist friendly - check out Dan Ostermann, aka Mr. Riddims).  Enjoy, and thanks Thara, for your friendship.

Well, another year's milestone - we finished the Symphonic Band playing tests for the quarter.  This has been a longer-than-one-quarter project and represents a substantial challenge for this level of experience.  I was quite pleased with the class - everybody played the test (rare), and over half the classed exhibited a considerable amount of personal growth  (translate:  PRACTICE).  For the curious, there were 10 A-range, 5 B-range, 6 C-range, 2 D-range and NO F's this time.

The grading followed quite closely the standards set out in the Handbook and included on the second page of each quarter's grading sheets.

It MUST correlate to the unusually large amount of respect accorded this year's Symphonic Band by their peers in this year's Wind Ensemble!

Wow!  It was a bit chaotic, but by commandeering the choir room and the auditorium we managed 6 master classes for 1 1/2 hours this morning and it was OUTSTANDING - not only world-class musicians, but world class people as well!
Twenty one of our students took advantage of this opportunity - hungry learners. 


The quintet performed two works for the Wind Ensemble class, then sat in with our sections and played with us, then I gave them time to make improvements in the people around them, and of course they had quite a lot of advice.  Their input on the Bacchanale which we will perform side by side with the Symphony on May 10 was  invaluable.

3rd block they worked with Mr. Cahill's english class  in the auditorium.  The project was, very loosely put, musical response to students' short fiction  works which Mr. Cahill had sent them a couple of weeks ago.  I don't know yet exactly what transpired but the musicians  really enjoyed it, and by all reports so did the class.

And after lunch were private lessons (easily worth $50/hour on the market) for six students, three of whom are heading for State Solo on the 26th of this month.  As I worked in my office during the lesson time I  could everyone at once except the flutes in the Auditorium, and I was taken with the incredible energy they were investing in our students.  The quantity and quality of information was profound and I experienced a wash of gratitude and appreciation for them being with us and being so involved.

Thanks again to the Oregon Symphony folks and to ArtsEast!  I would be neglectful if  I didn't also mention my appreciation for my colleagues here at LHS who graciously gave up some precious class time on pretty short notice.

Jh

Band Tour - Attached you will find the newly completed Band Tour 2008 Itinerary!  I will also make available enough copies of the itinerary for each student AND their parents - ask your student for one or swing by the band room.

MANY thanks to Jim Kemp for all the time and effort he has put into the best deal on rooms, and ALL non-music details of this trip!  He has been a life-saver.

As you will see, we are going to be very busy.  There may be more workshops on this trip than any in the past 20 years - I have to confess I was a little surprised, when all of the older students I talked to were excited about this!  Their drive to improve is gratifying to say the least.  If I can squeeze in the time this weekend I will create a tour packet of information intended to enrich this experience with a little more background on the people we will meet and the events we will attend.  IF I get this finished I will post it here as well.

We are enjoying excellent parent involvement all this year, and Tour is no exception - we will be traveling with 12 adults counting my self and Jane.

We will be reviewing my behavioral expectations in class prior to departure, but if you want to have your own family discussion as well, here is my viewpoint:  

- I do not clutter our lives with excess rules.
- The ones I do set forth I expect to be respected.
- In ANY group, when we can operate from a place of mutual respect, life is better
- There are 361 better days this year to make poor choices, than on one of my trips.
- You can ask many upper classpersons how our relationship and community climate   
   changes when these are not respected...
- When in doubt, ASK FIRST
- I believe very strongly in the quality of people in this band program and have no doubt that in their own way they will change our world  for the better. It is my goal on every trip that EVERYONE we touch as a group has a better day.

Here is looking forward to lots of fun, lots of learning and at least some sleep!

Just before Spring Break we all attended the NE Oregon District band festival, hosted this year in Pendleton.  

It was one of those wonderful experiences when Symphonic Band performed at least as well as they ever have in rehearsal if not better.  I was delighted even more when our clinician came onstage and gave many specific compliments to the group on exactly the concepts we have been working toward soooo tediously.  I thank them for all that patience and willingness to work.  Now we are going to take some time to sight read and select the next round of music for our last concert

Wind Ensemble was the highest scoring ensemble of the day and qualified to for an automatic slot at State Band Contest on May 7.   Under this adjudication system, the minimum qualifying score is 75 (NOT percentage based!) and it takes at least two qualifying scores at the same event, by certified judges (they must re-certify every 5 years).  Wind's scores were 77, 81 & 85.
Congratulations to them and now more work...  Whereas many bands will play the same program at State, I prefer to do at least mostly new pieces.  We are reading through many pieces this week and will be having a selection discussion on Friday, May 4.
In addition there is that tough piece we selected to perform with the Oregon Symphony on May 10...

A few Yard Sale requests that you may need to know in advance.

1. I would like everything that is brought to my house to have a price tag on it.
2. I would prefer not to have clothing unless it is something special.
3. The Yard Sale will only be on Saturday.
4. On Sunday (Mother's Day), leftover items will be available to any band associated person for a donation of their choosing. 
5.On Monday, I'll be ordering a dumpster, so no item so big I can't hoist it into the dumpster.

If anyone with experience in Yard Sale etiquette wants to clue me, I'm all ears....

Kim

Hello,

I have lots of things to report:

#1. There has been a change of  LOCATION....due to janitorial fees at LMS ($150 - $200), we have  decided to hold the auction in the Commons at LHS. All else will stay the same.

#2. We will soon have our own WEB site with an Auction link and a Blog link. You will be able to see what is up for auction and make your own donation.  There will be no bidding on-line.  If you wish to add a picture to a donation, you will need to deliver a photo by hand or upload it to us in a certain format, there will be instructions on the site.  EONI is donating hosting privileges to support the Boosters.  Lawrence Hathaway designed the site for us.

#3. DONATIONS.  We will be organizing an effort to gain support from local businesses. This will be  on top of your own efforts, so please let me know who you have asked, so we don't bother them twice.  ESD can make 11" X 17" posters for us for $.50 + $.50 for lamination.  The idea is to list the donors in the middle of the poster and then put them up around town to help advertise the Auction.  If there is someone with graphic art skills, we could use your help in designing the poster.

IMPORTANT:  We need a few "high value" items to advertise on the posters to help draw people in.(I hope most of you saw the 4-H Radio Auction pull-out in last weeks Observer).  If anyone has ideas in this area we could use the donations in the next couple of weeks.  We would like to have them on the posters as well as advertise them in the paper two weeks before the Auction.

#4. We will  need STUDENT help with both the Auction and the Yard Sale. Our current thinking is to offer the students who participate a percentage of the proceeds.  This $ will be divided equally amongst their band accounts.  The Auction could make quite a bit of money, we thought 10% of proceeds would be fair.  They will work much harder during the Yard Sale and the proceeds will be less, so 25% was decided on. 

Have a good Spring Break and don't forget to Spring Clean!  I'll post the url for our site as soon as it is ready.

Kim

Band Booster Meeting, March 6, 2008

Meeting was called to order by Kim Hathaway at 7 pm in the LHS Band room.

Present: Kim Hathaway, Theresa Gustafson, Jim Howell, Kirk Creech, Kathryn Creech, Denise Hattan, Jim Kemp, Joella DeVillier, Cindy Pridgen, Greta McAlister.

1. Wreath report - Theresa Gustafson:  The Lions rejected 82 of the 482 wreaths the kids made. Theresa has been unable to get details from the Lions about the nature of the dissatisfaction. However, they apparently have not been happy with the wreaths the last couple of years, so it is doubtful the band will be asked to make wreaths this coming year. Theresa pro-rated the earnings for each student who made wreaths. They actually earned 80% of what they should have earned based on the number of wreaths they made. The group agreed this was the only way to calculate the earnings. We can’t credit money that we do not have to the kids. Jim Howell will talk with Ray Hyde, of Lions Club, to try to get the story. It is possible that the Lions are simply having trouble selling the wreaths and it has nothing to do with the quality. The group discussed the adult oversight needed for wreath construction, the new adults present this year, the possibility of “wreath-making training” if we make wreaths next year.

Kim has been researching the possibility of the band making our own wreaths. We know where to purchase the greens. We have the equipment to construct the wreaths and it belongs to the band (tables, etc.) If we made our own wreaths, we would keep all of the profits. This year, the Lions sold the wreaths for $18 per wreath and the students made $5 per wreath. They would make a good bit more if we sold them ourselves.

 
2. Chocolate Sale – Kim Hathaway: There is still $1000 out. The students sold $960 worth at Walmart/Safeway plus their own sales. We have about 6 cases left. Half of the sales revenue is profit for the band. We may sell chocolate at the upcoming planned Polka Night and Auction. Teresa passed around the students’ individual band accounts spreadsheet (this reflects the pro-rated wreath amounts but does not yet include chocolate sales) and the kids’ chocolate sales spreadsheet.

 3. Auction and Garage Sale – Kim Hathaway: The band will hold an auction as a fundraiser for the uniform fund. Date: May 4, Sunday afternoon. We need advertising for this event. There will be a garage sale at Kim’s home Saturday, May 10^th . The garage sale is also a fundraiser for the uniform fund. The hope is that people will bring donations by for the auction and for the garage sale. Kim will put details about these events on the band blog soon. La Grande Auction is donating their services to run the auction. There will be no consignments – donations only. Jim Howell suggested that Kim send out a weekly email to the families regarding item donations. Adults will be needed to assist with the auction. The students should be able to run the garage sale.

 4. Band Tour – Jim Howell and Jim Kemp – Band Tour to Portland will be April 9-12 Brief description of the trip:

Wed April 9^th – Larry Johnson, former assistant-principle horn with Oregon Symphony and one of the Wallowa Lake camp producers, will work with the band. The band will attend part of a rehearsal of the Portland Youth Philharmonic Wind Ensemble which Larry directs, and some of the older students may be able to play with them.

Thurs am: Jazz festival at Portland University. The jazz band will participate. They will have 25 minutes  to perform on stage and a 25 minute clinic and a sight reading session. Jim Howell says this is a great jazz festival. A nationally known composer is commissioned to write the song for sight reading to insure that no-one has ever seen it, and then the band will have that piece of music to bring back with them. Watching the jazz festival will hopefully encourage other kids in symphonic and wind ensemble to give jazz ensemble a try.

Thursday afternoon: Lunch then a backstage tour of the Schnitzer concert hall, and watch part of an Oregon Symphony rehearsal.

Thursday night: Broadway production of “Sweeney Todd.”

Friday morning: 2 ½ hours with trumpet artist, composer, conductor, educator, Thara Memory at a Cleveland high school. He will do a 45 minute clinic with each band, symphonic, wind ensemble, and the jazz band.

Friday afternoon: Workshop with Ed Higgins, Portland State. He judged our bands last year and has been interested in working with them. He will work with both symphonic and wind.

Friday late afternoon: Back to hotel,  Crowne Plaza in Lake Oswego, for some free time.

Saturday morning: Some early free time, then 11-1 concert band workshops with Dave Becker at Lewis and Clark College, tour or  campus.

Saturday Market. Grab lunch, hang out at Powell’s Books and possibly the Portland Rose Gardens.

Saturday night: Oregon Symphony Concert! (Dress Up!) Depart Portland after concert. Expected arrival in La Grande will be 2-3 a.m. Sunday.

Jim Howell noted that this will be a very busy band tour. The older students have expressed that they want to do more playing on tour, and they will on this tour. There is also the possibility of a small exchange concert on the way to Portland, perhaps in Hermiston or The Dalles. Not yet decided. So we do not yet know the departure time for Wed April 9^th.

Jim Kemp noted that rooms need to be finalized and Oregon Symphony ticket #s as well. We can turn back 3 tickets if need be. 13 adults are signed up to go as chaperones, which is all we have rooms for. The room rate is $88 per room with a hot breakfast included.

5. Polka Night: Jim Howell: planned fundraiser for band general fund – currently searching for a date and venue. Possibly at Central School Gym, possibly April 19^th. Polka band will play. Jack G. will provide polka lessons. There will be a charge to get in the door and we will sell dessert - cookies and chocolate! Carla Arnold and others are playing accordion with the polka band. It will be a fun and affordable evening.

Meeting adjourned at 7:50 pm.  Minutes prepared by Joella DeVillier.

As most of you know, our uniform fund is currently at $0.  We have 4 years to come up with about $30,000.  In an attempt to start our fundraising off with a bang, we are planning two nearly-simultaneous events: 
--An Auction at the Middle School on May 4th,
--With a Yard Sale at my house on the following Saturday. 

We know that a past Philly Group earned $12,000 by doing this, so we have high hopes.  For donations to the Auction and Yard Sale, we are looking to you and to people you know who might like to support us. By discussing this with your friends and family, perhaps employers or people you do business with, we hope to be able to come up with enough good quality, high value items for success. It will be up to ALL of us to make this happen.

Following is a list of possibilities/big dreams to help get you thinking:

Adventures - horseback ride, motel stay, plane ride
Art work - sculpture, paintings, student artwork
Auto related -
Boating/Fishing supplies -
Books - Cookbooks, Gardening  books, Craft books.(We'll  auction  by the box full)
Building material - lumber, load of cement, stepping stones.
Camping gear -
Children's Furniture - car seat, high chair, back pack.
Collectibles -  a box of beanie babies, fine china.
Fitness Equipment -
Food - a side of beef, deer meat, homemade jam.
Furniture in good repair -
Games with all of the pieces, in good condition - (to auction by the box)
Gift certificates - hair cut, restaurant, massage!
Gift Baskets - join forces with a couple of friends and create a sensation.
Hunting gear -
Landscape/Gardening - top soil, gravel, tools, plants.
Miscellaneous -
Musical instruments/books -
Service Coupons (students too) - lawn mowing, window cleaning, cookie of the month, dog sitting, car washing, musical performance, etc.
Tools -
Quilts/Hand-crafted blankets -

La Grande Auction is donating their time and crew to this event.  The auction  will be held on Sunday because our auctioneers are 7th Day Adventist.  This means we will have all day Saturday, May 3rd to set up and accept donations from you. If you will be gone that weekend you may drop things off at my house in advance.  If you need help transporting something, we'll arrange for that.  YARD SALE items can be dropped at my house on that same Saturday or the following week by Friday. I live just two blocks past the Middle School, so it won't be out of your way.

We are looking into having a Web presence for the Auction. In the mean time, I need a description of the item being donated and an estimated value to put into a database. If you could e-mail me with that information as soon as you have items, that would be great. There will be a booklet  handed out to auction attendees and we also need to know how many things are being donated.  La Grande Auction mentioned that we would need at least 3 hours worth of items to make it worth peoples time.

Finally, we will not have consignment items at the Auction.  The auctioneer feels that if he is donating his time, everyone else should be of the same mind.  If you would like to do consignment at the Yard Sale, we could manage that.

I'll be sending updates to everyone on Fridays to help keep us on track.

Thanks!  Kim
 

On Saturday, March 1st, anyone interested in helping plan the May Auction and Garage Sale will meet at:
1005 I Ave. (east of 4th) at 10:00am. More info? Call 963-3786 (Kim)
If you need to bring kids (playroom) or dogs (fenced yard), it's o.k.


A Band Booster Meeting is scheduled for March 6th @ 7pm in the Band Room.  The agenda:
1) What direction we need to take with the wreath fund-raiser.
2) Chocolate Drive $$ status.
3) Auction developments
4) Band Tour in April

It is Progress Report time already!  There are some grades listed for Jazz Ensemble and for Wind Ensemble but not for Symphonic Band.  This does not mean we haven't progressed, but neither have I given any tests.
We were scheduled for terms tests last week, but I began to feel that rehearsal time was more important  for this Thursday's concert.  Terms I and II tests will be Friday the 29th.
Rehearsal today (26th) after school for Symphonic and Percussion will be an attendance grade, as will the concert.
Symphonic members should also diligently on "Scherzo" in the green book.  This is a major playing grade and must be played for me by April 4.
I hope this clears up the confusion of "No Grades" in Symphonic Band!
jh

A New Event that is not on the year calendar has been created as part of the Oregon Symphony Orchestra Community Music Partnership.

Gregory Vajda, Resident Conductor for the Oregon Symphony Orchestra will be in La Grande March 3-5, and has agreed to rehearse Wind Ensemble from 3:25 to 5:00 on March 3, in the band room.   Mr. Vajda's responsibilities include conducting all symphony rehearsals up until the few days prior to a concert when Carlos Kalmar arrives in town.  Mr. Vajda happens to be a clarintetist.

Please work on clearing calendars for this date.  The same offer as last night stands for Symphonic Band - if they want to lurk in the room the entire hour and a half, they can put down 3 extra points earned outside of class.


Opportunity, as they say, is what we make of it.  I cannot stress enough the world class musicians and musicianship with which we are privileged to work this year!  Thank You once again to the Oregon Symphony, the Ford Family Foundation and ArtsEast for making this possible!

Ashley, Marina, Myra at Wal-Mart

A parent asked me recently what Band Tour was for, if it was just for fun.  The answer is, it is for education AND for fun. 

Without divulging too much at this point, we have scheduled a backstage tour with Oregon Symphony music director and part of a symphony rehearsal, a jazz festival a University of Portland, observe/participate in a Portland Youth Philharmonic Wind Ensemble rehearsal, a workshop for both concert bands at Lewis & Clark College with Dave Becker and an Oregon Symphony concert featuring clarinet soloist Sharon Kam.  Almost nailed down is a workshop with Portland State University director of bands Dr. Ed Higgins.  A couple more activities are in the wings but not definite enough to share yet...

I strongly encourage everyone to go, it is fun, intense and lots of learning in a few days.

Parents, I would like ten chaperons of mixed gender, so please check your work schedules and consider going with us April 9-12!

Brochures and registration forms are now available for Brass @ Wallowa Lake and Woodwinds @ Wallowa Lake camps.  The first three of 85 slots are now filled for brass camp, and one for woodwind camp.

At the state music educator conference last weekend in Eugene obtaining brochures was a hot topic, and we had them available at four different exhibitor booths, and probably dispensed  upwards of three hundred of each to music teachers and all-state students. 

Therefore, I anticipate a rush of registrations and encourage you to REGISTER EARLY!  It would be painful to have to turn down one of our own!

If you have ever seen this film, I would wager that you still remember it.  Director Godfrey Reggio, score by renowned composer Philip Glass, 1st  in a trilogy of films.

Koyaanisqatsi is Hopi for "life out of balance".  The film is one hour, twenty seven minutes of music and visuals, no dialogue.  Filmed in the pre-digital age, this work stands alone still as powerful and innovative.

I recently purchased all three films, expressly to share with my students.  We will be showing this one this Wednesday from 2:20 -  3:50 in the AV Auditorium.  Some extra points will be available.

After Wednesday, if anyone would like to check this out for their personal viewing we could arrange that.

Films #2 & 3 are pending the results of this experiment!

The  Ragtime piece we commissioned Philip Neuman to arrange IS HERE!  Wind Ensemble will be reading it this early this week!  Thanks again to those who contributed to this fun project!  I have looked over the score and I'm excited.  It is a beautiful and subtle work.

The 2nd week of February we will have our 2nd visitation from the Oregon Symphony musicians.  This time the Brass Quintet will be in town.  We do not have LHS time with them this round per se, but Dave Bamonte (trumpet) and Aaron LaVere (trombone) have agreed to arrive early enough Monday the 11th to rehearse Wind Ensemble from 3:30-5:00 pm. 

The Percussion Trio will be at LHS Tuesday afternoon the 12th, doing a  health class session on wellness and drumming, facilitating a drum circle.  They will work hands-on with foreign language classes on latin dance rhythms, and at 3:30 will do a workshop with our percussionists, and we  have invited EOU students (4 of them).

On February 12, at 7:00pm the Brass Quintet will give a public performance in the LHS Auditorium.  The cost is $3 for adults, $1 for students of any age.  It will be sensational!

Thursday, February 7, Symphonic Band will spend the day in Baker City mixed together with their 2nd concert band and working with guest clinician Joel Williams from Fruitland, Idaho.

The music for the day is Cumberland Gap, The Great Locomotive Chase, A Yorkshire Ballad, and Our Heritage March.  It should be a great day!

We will leave before 8 am, work all day, have dinner together, and give a short end-of-the-day concert at 6:30 pm in the Baker City High School auditorium.  Weather permitting, parents are more than welcome to come down and get a tast of what we did all day!

The itinerary is attached!

It is ALREADY 3rd Quarter!  Attached, you can find the 3rd Quarter Assignments & Dates as well as the Grading Syllabus with required events dates!  Another Terms test coming up for everybody, a must-practice playing test for Symphonic Band, Bandfest Essay for Wind Ensemble etc.

I am excited  for all groups to perform this coming Tuesday!  They have all made great progress since our last public appearances (roughly Veteran's Day).  We have enjoyed unusually large publicity from KCMB and The Observer and that is a plus!

To enhance the program,  I willl review the concert dress subject.
Guys - Black DRESS Pants (no  jeans etc)
         -  Black socks, Black DRESS shoes (no tennis shoes)  We have marching shoes                  and shoe polish that can be borrowed Tuesday DURING THE DAY.
         -  White DRESS shirt, long sleeved (no T-shirts, Polo Shirts)

Ladies - Black dress PANTS or LONG (ankle) black skirt
           - Black dress shoes with NO OPEN TOES
           - Black socks or stockings

Percussionists:
          - As above except BLACK TURTLENECK rather than white shirt.  I own                      several (XL) if borrowing is necessary.  (7pm Tuesday will be too late to ask)

If you do not own these items, I suggest shopping the second hand clothing stores first.  I do have a few white shirts and black pants (very few) in the uniform room if absolutely necessary but the warning is,  they are probably not your size....

Remember - concerts a visual.  The goal is to look nearly alike in order to offer less distraction to the audience.  It is NOT a fashion statement or contest!

Thanks again for your support and hard work!  I  look forward to seeing you all next Tuesday!

Jh

As I hope you are all aware, La Grande and Cove are sharing a two year outreach program from the Oregon Symphony Orchestra.  Visitations began last week with a string quintet at LHS after school Tuesday the 7th, and a half day on the 8th.

In February the brass quintet and percussion trio will be in town.  Whereas LHS doesn't officially have any scheduled brass quintet time until March, two quintet members will be rehearsing Wind Ensemble from 3:30-5:00pm on Monday February 11.  The brass quintet will be performing a public concert in the LHS Auditorium February 12 at 7:00 pm.  The percussion trio will be at LHS all afternoon on the 12th as well.

March 4 the brass quintet will be performing in Cove at a Cove Band fundraising dinner if you want to see them again.  March 5 they will spend all morning at LHS.  I will be negotiating more rehearsal time...  The woodwind quintet will also be at other schools on these days.  We are trying to make opportunity for these musicians to coach LHS soloists who will be performing at District on the following Saturday.

April 1 will be the woodwind quintet concert in McKenzie at 7:00 pm.
They will be at LHS all morning April 4.

May 10 is of course the Big One - full symphony orchestra including a piece that many of our students will be performing mixed in with the Oregon Symphony, another including vocalists, and one including Youth Symphony and possible Grande Ronde Symphony members as well.


Thanks to Jane Howell at ArtsEast for writing the final grant and for being the sponsoring organization!

I am concerned at  the HUGE numbers of procrastinators that may not get this doubly weighted playing test done.  I  have waited with plenty of spare time every day before school and at lunch and even during 4th block and since Break was over only 16 students have come in to play their tests. 

Every day I invite, cajole, announce and threaten to little avail.  I will be gone at noon this Friday with Wind Ensemble and Thursday the 24th also heading for state music educators conference in Eugene.    I WILL be around after school after Teacher Access Polka rehearsal Wednesday.

Please have a conversation of encouragement with your student about GETTING THIS DONE.  Being a semester long project, there is little left of substance that will change in the next few days....

Music is EVERYWHERE - check this out!

www.youtube.com/watch?v=hpfYt7vRHuY&feature=related

We are gearing up for our next fund raiser.  Our students will be selling "The World's Finest Chocolate" beginning February 1st and ending February 15th.  We will be sending home one case of chocolate bars (50) with each student who would like to participate.  This gives them a chance to sell to family and friends.

There will also be sales tables set up at Wal-Mart and Safeway on the Saturday before Valentine's Day (Feb. 9th). 

The chocolate that is sold by the individual will be credited to your child's account.  The Wal-Mart/Safeway proceeds credit will be divided equally among the participants.

We will need some parent support on Saturday, February 9th.  There will be two-hour shifts starting at 9AM and ending at 5PM. Each entrance to the store will have a card table set-up with 3 students allowed at each table.  If you would be able to help that day, please let me know.

We also need:
1. To borrow one card table
2. Someone to oversee the Safeway operation (making sure all shifts are covered and there is enough chocolate at all times)
3. Someone to design 4 large posters to hang on each card table.  If you need art supplies, let me know or save your receipts.
 
That's it!  We have a profit goal of $3000.  If you need more details about the chocolate, you should contact Kim Dowell (thedowellclan@aol.com)

Kim Hathaway

In the purchase of band t-shirts, sweatshirts, etc, we always end up with a few extra and/or unclaimed shirts.

We  have for sale to the first taker the following items:

1  Medium Band Tshirt    $9.00

1  2XL       Band Tshirt    $9.00

1  Large     Band  "Hoody" sweatshirt  $20.00

1   XL       Band hoodes sweatshirt w/ full length zipper  $20.00

If you are interested, let me know.  Or better yet, bring me the money and take it away!

JH

 

Band Booster Minutes

December 6, 2007

Present: Mr. Howell, Greta and Kelley McAlister, Denise Hattan, Cindy Pridgen, Teresa Gustafson, Kim Hathaway, Sheryl Jonasson

 Treasure’s Report by Teresa Gustafson

 Total Band Booster fund:                 $6094.20

Earmarked for uniforms:                  $1776.18

Remaining BB balance:                   $4318.02

 

249 Account:                                     $558.54

       (paid for U of I tickets, t-shirts, and rooms for jazz workshop)

$900 from the BBF was expensed to pay for Oregon Symphony tickets (Band

Tour)

50/50                                              $376.30 net

USO:

$1690 gross (ticket sales and donations) $290.12 expenses,

                                                     $1399.88 net

The National Guard no longer sponsors events at the Armory. Teresa will call to get cost of renting the Convention Center next year.  Ideas for future “USO” locations and dates will be considered. There was discussion on changing what we might change to bring more people in…menu, advertising, pricing.

Holiday Wreaths:  It was thought that roughly 460 were made!! We did a better job of using the greens, with much less wasted this year. The process went very well with excellent participation from students and parents.  There was a suggestion made to change 2008 wreath making hours by shortening them on week days and lengthening them on weekends…possibly 4:00pm – 8:00pm on week nights and 10:00am – 4:00pm on Saturday and Sunday. More to follow.

Chocolate Bars!!

The profit is figured by doubling the sales of the bar.  If one bar sells for $2.00, BBF makes $1.00.  If one bar sells for $1.00, BBF makes $.50.  The group thought it wise to start with a manageable number, rather than order a huge number and then eat the profits…a possible $3000 goal was discussed. The sale will be from Feb 1-15. With permission, students will be bringing home chocolate to sell to family and friends, plus, there will be an opportunity to sell at Wal-mart and Safeway on the weekend of Feb. 9/10. More to follow.

Quilt Raffle

Cindy Pridgen is putting a quilt together with a friend and is donating costs and labor. Tickets will be sold by students at different venues…Hog Wild Days, Auction etc.  This will be pure profits for the BBF.  The goal is to have a picture of the quilt available for ticket buyers.  The completion timeline is loose and the date of the raffle has not been set.

 Auction - Sunday, May 4, 2008, 1:00pm

Proceeds go to the uniform fund. The location is TBA, one possibility would be the Middle School Commons. The BB discussed advertisements as a way to raise money from local business establishments.

 Garage Sale is planned for the following weekend to sell leftovers from the Auction.

Polka Night

Mr. Howell will be putting together a Polka Band.  He has discussed this with Carla Arnold and she is totally with us on the idea and will help make it happen.  It will be sometime in the spring. It is a simple fundraiser that the students are excited to be part of. Dance lessons may be available. More to follow.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

I felt that the Jazz workshop with the Baker City band and Dave Glenn was a great success.  Dave and Jeff  Sizer are both such fine educators and jazz musicians, just being around them is a bit contagious.

Those who want to improve thier jazz improv skills received LOTS of information and new ways to utilzed exiting information.  It is always a bonus to have a workshop that we can take home something concrete to work on and with to help reach goals.

A few photos are in the photo heading of the main page!

I felt that the Jazz workshop with the Baker City band and Dave Glenn was a great success.  Dave and Jeff  Sizer are both such fine educators and jazz musicians, just being around them is a bit contagious.

Those who want to improve thier jazz improv skills received LOTS of information and new ways to utilzed exiting information.  It is always a bonus to have a workshop that we can take home something concrete to work on and with to help reach goals.

A few photos are in the photo heading of the main page!

Tomorrow, Dec.5 Dave Glenn from Whitman College will be working with the combined LHS and Baker City HS jazz bands all day.  He is a great teacher and awesome player. 

If you want to see what happened we will be giving a free and very short concert Wednesday at 6:30 pm in the LHS auditorium.  You are invited!

January 18 & 19 Wind Ensemble will travel to the University of Idaho Bandfest for a Friday evening workshop with UI Faculty and a full day of great music by invited high school bands, UI student and faculty groups and the UI Wind Ensemble.

We currently are working on a rooming list and have nobody signed up as chaperons.  If you would like to join us please let me know.  We leave noonish Friday and return 11-ish Saturday night.

Chaperon Safety Rating:        Excellent      Fair      Good      I'd-Stay-Home

This is a normally well behaved group with occasional lapses (read:  last year, state band trip)

Just a reminder that YOU are invited and encouraged to attend an LHS Band Booster meeting this Thursday, Dec.6 at 7:00 pm in the band room.  Please try to attend!