Grapevine Middle School
Pony Band
April 1st, 2021
Dear GMS Band Families,
Beginner Students: Thursday rehearsals begin next week on Thursday, April 8th from 3:30-4:30pm. See details below.
Symphonic and Honors Band Students (and BEGINNER Percussion): Next Tuesday, April 6th is an Asynchronous Day for our 6th and 8th graders to the 7th grade STAAR test. We WILL have rehearsal at 3:30-5:30pm for all Beginner Percussion, Symphonic and Honors Band students. If transportation is a problem getting students up to the school for the rehearsal at 3:30pm, please let us know so we can try to help.
Spring Concert and Concert Music Contest Plan
Please review the material in the next section below for your designated band student regarding the Spring Concert and Concert Music Contest. Since we cannot have a live audience for the Spring Concert and Concert Music Contest, we will create a Spring Concert recording. In order to do this, we will have rehearsals for all students. Please mark your calendars for the rehearsal dates/times indicated below.
Solo Contest
The Brass and Woodwind Solo Contest on Saturday, May 8th at Grapevine MS. Percussionists will be on Saturday, May 8th at Grapevine High School. Parents will be able to attend this live performance in-person by following safety protocols!!! Students who are in private lessons will perform their solo for a judge in a classroom just with the judge and that student's family members. Unfortunately, WebEx will not be available. If anyone is not in private lessons, and would like to perform a solo, they will be given a class solo. We will have to pay for judges, piano accompanists and awards, so we will charge a small fee to offset costs. Normally this fee is included in the band fee at the beginning of the school year and we did not include it this year. We will send detailed information when we get closer to the date.
Outstanding 7th and 8th Grade Band Students
Congratulations to the following students!!! Their picture is displayed in the Fine Arts Hallway for the one more week.
Outstanding 7th Grade Band Student: Jessie Hernandez
Outstanding 8th Grade Band Students: Lauren Chalmers & Arlo Hewitt
ALL STUDENTS: Instruments and Band Binders need to go home every day to practice and for cleaning purposes. It is imperative that all students practice as much as they can. They need a lot of repetition and we do not want to lose the momentum, so please remind your student to keep up with their practice routine (posted in Canvas modules). Here is a practice guide for parents to help your student at home.
As always, it is an honor to be your student's band director!
Sincerely,
Mrs. Gish, Mr. Holmes & Mr. Drewry
Curriculum & Rehearsal Schedule
Honors and Symphonic Band
Band Member Challenges are optional for the rest of the school year and may be turned in the Canvas Module section. We will be turning our focus to the Contest Music and will be meeting every Tuesday beginning March 23rd for a combined rehearsal from 3:30-5:30pm. Sectionals will no longer occur, but 1 weekly combined rehearsal will begin after Spring Break. Virtual students who wish to participate in the Contest and Spring Concert Recording will need to arrive on campus by 3:45pm. We respect your decision as a family on whether your virtual student participates in the Contest and Spring Concert Recording. All in-person students will report to the band hall at 3:30pm.
In order to have a successful contest and concert performance, students must attend every Tuesday rehearsal. Safety protocols will be in place at all times. There is one Track meet on a Tuesday, and we have already told the students they will do the Track meet for that day. Our Contest date is Tuesday, April 27th and our Spring Concert Recording Date is Tuesday, May 4th. We will release a recording on our Spring Concert Date, Friday, May 7th, through Canvas for parents and family. Please mark your calendars for the following dates/times.
Tuesday, April 6th 3:30-5:30pm
Tuesday, April 13th 3:30-5:30pm
Tuesday, April 20th 3:30-5:30pm
Tuesday, April 27th Concert Music Contest 3:30-5:30pm
Tuesday, May 4th Spring Concert Clinic and Recording 3:30-5:30pm
Friday, May 7th Spring Concert Recording Release via Canvas
Beginner Band
Beginners have Karate Belt lines to complete. Click here to see the Karate Syllabus. Normally, we meet after school when approaching the Spring Concert. This year we will be creating a recording for our Spring Concert and will send it out through Canvas for parents and friends to hear. We have decided to spread out rehearsals instead of meeting a few days in a row like we normally do. Teaching beginners virtually and in-person has been difficult, and we have decided the best way to make our performance successful is to have rehearsals on Thursdays from 3:30-4:30pm beginning Thursday, April 8th. This will allow time for all of our students to rehearse together at the same time and for all of us to have a successful Spring Concert Recording. We invite our virtual students to participate but also will respect the decision you all make for your virtual student and family. Virtual students who wish to participate will need to arrive to school by 3:45pm. All in-person students will report to the band hall at 3:30pm. Please mark your calendars for the following dates/times.
Thursday, April 8th 3:30-4:30pm
Thursday, April 15th 3:30-4:30pm
Thursday, April 22nd 3:30-4:30pm
Thursday, April 29th 3:30-4:30pm
Thursday, May 6th 3:30-4:30pm Spring Contest and Recording Session
Friday, May 7th Spring Concert Recording Release via Canvas
Daily Practice
Students have access to a Daily Routine (Google Slide) at the top of every Canvas Module to maintain daily practice. Suggested Daily Practice for Advanced Band: 45-60 minutes.Suggested Daily Practice for Beginner Band: 25-30 minutes. Here is a practice guide for parents to help your student at home.
April Birthdays
HAPPY, HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO OUR APRIL BAND STUDENTS!!!
Carter Nesta, April 8th
Abigail Armbruster, April 9th
Natalie Garcia, April 10th
Dean Coffey, April 20th
Amazon Smile
We have an Amazon Smile account set up, so that we can receive donations based on Amazon purchases. Participants need to select "Grapevine-Colleyville Band Booster Club" as your charitable organization on Amazon Smiles and then simply login to www.smile.amazon.com when making your regular Amazon purchases.