Monday, May 30, 2011

Finals Spring 2011

The last week of the 2010-11 school year is upon us!  For schedule details, go to the Pioneer HS website.  I will not be holding extended finals.

Summer Instrument check-out- students who wish to check out an instrument this summer must be enrolled in a band or orchestra class for the fall.  I will make contracts and once those are returned signed, I will allow the student to take the instrument home.

Summer Lessons- I will be offering private lessons to brass players on Wednesday afternoons at PHS.  Lessons will be just $20 per half hour.  Contact me ASAP if you are interested.  I can make referrals for students who would be interested in lessons on other instruments.

Wind Ensemble graduation info reminder- non-senior Wind Ensemble students will be performing at Graduation on Thursday evening, June 2.  We will meet at the band room at 4:15 to ride the bus over to the Rose Garden.  The ceremony will run from about 6-7:10.  Students will have 10 minutes after the ceremony for time with friends, then will be required to load our equipment back onto the truck.  We should arrive back to PHS at 8:15.  Boys are required to wear slacks and a collared, button up shirt (tie optional).  Girls may wear a skirt, dress or pants and top, but the skirt length must be appropriate, and cannot be sleeveless or spaghetti straps.  Jeans, flipflops, t-shirts, etc. are not acceptable.  Students who do not dress appropriately or miss this event will have a deduction in their grade.  Students may arrange independent transportation to or from the graduation.  Any student not riding the bus either way MUST give me a note stating who will be responsible for the student.  I must have that note in class Thursday morning!  Remember, parking is terrible, you should plan to park at Lincoln HS (on Dana Ave @ Brooklyn Ave) and allow at least 15 minutes from parking to arrival at the performance area.  Students should bring water, hat, sunblock and sunglasses as we'll be in the sun for the duration of the ceremony.

Grades for Beginning Band, Concert Band and Jazz Band are complete.  Wind Ensemble and Orchestra grades should be complete by Tuesday evening.  Any questions regarding grades must be directed to me before finals are done on Thursday!  I will not revisit grades after graduation.

Our last Music/ Drama Booster meeting will take place Tuesday, May 31 at 7:30 in the Faculty Dining Room.  We need as many parents as possible to turn out as there are several areas of leadership we need filled for next year.  We have had a solid and growing group of parents this year- won't you join us?  We will need a rep for bands and orchestras, as well as club leadership positions.

Sunday, May 22, 2011

May 23-27

We have made it to the last week of classes of the 2010-2011 school year!

This week, all students who have not yet played their final/ audition will do so.  Beginners, Concert Band and Orchestra students who have already played their final will turn in their school instruments or take home their personal instruments after completing the final.  I also hope to have all grades mostly complete by Friday afternoon.  Any student with makeup work (listening logs especially) should get that turned in this week.

Come out to the PHS Choir concert on Tuesday night at 7 in the PAC!

Jazz Band will play at the senior awards night on Thursday, May 26.  Call time is 5:00 for setup.  Seniors should report at 5:30.  We play from 5:30-6:00, then seniors go to the awards and non-seniors go to the band room for a pizza dinner (provided).  After the ceremony, we'll play again while families are milling about the quad.  I anticipate we'll wrap up by about 8, but it all depends on how long the ceremony goes.

The last meeting of the Music/ Drama Boosters will take place Tuesday, May 31 at 7:30 in the Faculty Dining Room.  We will need as may parents as possible as there are several key roles which need to be filled.  Please don't miss out!

Wind Ensemble will play at the graduation on Thursday, June 2.  We will take a school bus from PHS at 4:15 and return by bus to PHS at approximately 8:00.  Students should wear summer formal- boys in slacks and a collared button up dress shirt.  Girls may wear a summer dress or skirt, but it must be appropriate length (at least to the knees when seated).  No jeans, shorts, flip-flops or t-shirts may be worn.  Students with school instruments who do not return a summer check out form MUST return to PHS and check in their instruments after the graduation!  NO EXCEPTIONS!

Summer Instrument checkout-  students signed up for band next year who need a school instrument over the summer will be able to check out instruments.  I'll pass out contracts by the end of this week which must be signed and returned by the final.  Students who return the contract will be able to take home a school instrument for the summer.

Summer lessons- I'll be offering summer lessons for brass players at a reduced rate of just $20 per half hour lesson.  We will meet on a weekly basis at Pioneer.  For more info or to sign up, contact me soon.

Sunday, May 15, 2011

May 16-20

Did you see the 2011-12 ensemble lists yet?

Finale Concerts are this week!  Beginning Band, Concert Band & Wind Ensemble will perform Wednesday the 18th.  Call times are; Wind Ensemble 6:00, Concert Band 6:15, and Beginning Band 6:30.  String Orchestra, Symphony Orchestra and Jazz Band perform Thursday the 19th.  Symphony students will rehearse at 5:45, Jazz Band students call is 6:15.  Both concerts are at 7:00 in the PAC.  Use our facebook event page- here for bands- here for orchestra and jazz- to invite your friends and family!  After the concerts, students who have not yet played their audition will play their audition as their final.  I can take about 5-8 students per period, and will start with volunteers, but once those run out, I'll just call students up- be ready!

Live Review forms are due this week!  Be sure to check out the Live Music page for more info!

Students who participated in the Simply Delicious fundraiser- your items will be delivered to school Friday at about 2:30 (after school).  These items are delivered frozen, so you must arrange to get the items distributed on Friday!

Jazz Band has been asked to perform at the Senior Awards night on Thursday, May 26.  We will perform from 5:30-6:00, break for the awards, then play after the awards ceremony.  We will provide a pizza dinner to the non-seniors during the ceremony.  After the ceremony, we will play while those in attendance are socializing in the quad.

Graduation is Thursday, June 2!  All non-seniors in Wind Ensemble are required to perform.  This will be part of the students' final grade.  Students will not be in concert black, but rather in summer resort casual.  Boys in slacks and a collared shirt (long sleeves encouraged), girls may wear skirts or dresses (appropriate length) or pants.  No students may wear shorts or jeans!  We will ride over on a school bus at about 4:30 for the ceremony which is at 6:00.  Students may ride home with their parents following the ceremony if they check out with me first, but any student with a school instrument without a summer contract MUST return to the school to return the instrument!  The bus will return us to PHS immediately following the ceremony (by 8:00).  We'll be out in the sun, so I encourage students to bring water, hats, sunglasses and sun block.

Friday, May 13, 2011

2011-12 PHS Ensemble Rosters

Congratulations to all who auditioned!  I look forward to working with such a strong group of student musicians next fall.  Students are listed alphabetically by section within each ensemble.

Please note- if you have not yet auditioned with me but signed up for a band or orchestra class, you will automatically be placed into Beginning Band.  Those who still need to play for me can do so either before June 2, or during registration week at the end of summer.  I will be able to make ensemble placements as needed.

Saxophones- As I've mentioned to each of you, I have many sax players and have had to shift some students around within the sax section to maintain the strongest possible sections and ensembles.

For those looking to expand their musical skills,  I need more trombone, tuba and horn players!  I'd be happy to loan you a school instrument this summer and give you lessons.  Students who switch to an instrument where there is more need have a better chance of moving up faster.

Sunday, May 8, 2011

May 9-13

Congratulations to Concert Band, Wind Ensemble and Orchestra for their performances this past weekend at the CMEA festivals.  Special kudos to the Orchestra for earning three 'Excellent' ratings in their performance and a 'Superior' for their sight-reading!  Thanks also to all the parents who chaperoned and drove students and equipment- without parent help, we would not be able to be successful.

This week will be a quiet week as we work towards our final concerts.  Any students who need to do make up work for their listening journals, or who may still need to play their audition with me need to do so right away.  I will be publishing the 2011-12 PHS Ensemble lists on Friday afternoon both here and on the display near my classroom.  In order to insure accuracy, all students who plan to play need to audition!  On that note, I have an abundance of saxophone players who have auditioned- more than I can use effectively.  If you are a sax player and you would like to broaden your musical horizons, I need low brass players!  If you are willing to switch now, I can get you started with an instrument and possible lessons through the summer.  More info about this will be posted when I post the lists Friday.

Beginning Band, Concert Band and Wind Ensemble will give their end of year concert on Wednesday, May 18.  Orchestra, full orchestra (all strings and select wind & percussion) and Jazz Band will perform on Thursday, May 19.  Both concerts are at 7:00 in the PAC.  Performances are free and open to the public, though we will, as always, solicit donations.  Invite your friends with the facebook event pages!

Live review forms are due by the end of next week, Friday, May 20.  I have listed several performances that may be suitable for you to review on the Live Music page.

Wednesday, May 4, 2011

CMEA Orchestra UPDATE

It has come to my attention that it would be easier for many families to drive their student directly to Independence HS on Saturday rather than coming to PHS first.  If you plan to drive your student directly to Independence, I need a note from you stating that ASAP (not later than in class on Friday).  Students are not to drive themselves and students may only travel with their parents.  For those who meet us at Independence, we will meet at 10:15 am outside the theater.  Students who meet us there must bring their own instrument!

Carpool info- We still need several more parent drivers!  Several students brought driver forms home today.  If you are able to drive, please get that filled out and returned tomorrow.  You can also download the Parent Driver form here if your student did not bring a form.  Please confirm with me that you will drive and how many seats (excluding yourself) are in your vehicle.  For students traveling by carpool, we will meet at PHS at 9:20 am.

Performance info- Students should arrive to their call time (9:20 @ PHS or 10:15 @ Independence) dressed in their performing attire with their instrument.  I will collect all music in class on Friday and bring that box.  The performances are free and open to the public.  We have a scheduled warm-up time, then our performance, then sight reading, then our group photo.  We should finish at Independence at 12:15.

Directions- Independence HS is located at 1776 Educational Park Dr, but DO NOT use GPS or an online map to get you there as it will put you in the wrong place on the campus!  From 680 north, exit McKee west or left (toward 101) then turn right on N Jackson Ave.  You will turn left into the parking lot on your left before the football field.  From 101 north, exit McKee east or right (toward 680) then turn left on N Jackson Ave.  You will turn left into the parking lot on your left before the football field. 

Sunday, May 1, 2011

May 2-6

CMEA festivals are this week!  These are the most significant musical performances of the year, and students have an opportunity to demonstrate the best of what they have achieved this year.

CMEA Wind Ensemble and Concert Band festival is Friday, May 6.  Students will meet in the band room by 5:15 dressed in their performing attire, ready to go.  The only students who will not ride the bus are the several students at swimming league finals who have already made arrangements to get to Gilroy HS separately.  After the performances, all students will ride back to PHS on the buses at about 11:15.  There will be a snack bar there if students choose to buy dinner, but students are encouraged to eat before we leave PHS.  I do need one parent to drive to Gilroy as we may not have enough under bus storage for some of our equipment.  If you have an SUV or van, and are able to drive, please let me know.  You do not need a driver form as you will not be driving students.

CMEA Orchestra festival is Saturday, May 7 at Independence HS.  We do not have a bus, so we will travel by carpool to the performance.  We will meet at PHS at 9:30, and depart shortly after that.  We will be finished there by about 12:15 and return to PHS at that time.  We will need 8-12 parent drivers.  If you have turned in driver forms, you are good to go, if you need driver forms, I can send them home with your student.  We need as many drivers as possible with vans and SUV's so that we have seats for students and space for instruments.

Students who did not turn in their Simply Delicious fundraiser order and money need to do so Monday!  All items will be dropped of at PHS on Friday, May 20 for delivery.  Items will be frozen and will need to be delivered promptly on that Friday afternoon.

Reminder that several students and parents are signed up to work at the Music in the Parks festival at the Santa Cruz Boardwalk on Saturday May 7 and the 14.  Those workers who are confirmed must show up for their assigned date according to the details that I'll provide for each weekend.  I do still need one more parent for Saturday, May 7.  If you have questions about this, contact me.  I will provide the final details for this weekend in the next few days.

Our end of the year concerts are May 18 and 19.  Beginning Band, Concert Band and Wind Ensemble will perform Wednesday the 18th while Jazz Band, String Orchestra and full orchestra will perform on Thursday the 19th.  Make sure you make arrangements to attend these performances and bring friends and family!  Concerts will be at 7:00 in the PAC and admission will be free, though we will be collecting donations.

Auditions for the 2011-12 school year are complete.  If you or someone you know was unable to attend these auditions for any reason, please contact me and I will arrange a time for you to play for me.  You can expect ensemble lists to be posted on Friday, May 13.  Any musician who is new to the program and does not complete an audition will be placed in Beginning Band until I can asses his playing level.