October 31- November 4

What an incredible concert last week!  Great job to those who performed and thanks to the parents who helped- we wouldn't have a successful program without everyone working to row the ship.

West Valley Jazz Festival this Friday!  Jazz Band will miss periods 1-4 on Friday for the festival.  Students will report in uniform to room 107 at the start of first period.  Parent drivers need to be in the front loop at 7:35 (to allow the before school traffic to clear) and we will leave by 7:45.  We will warm up at about 8:30, perform at 9:00, clinic immediately following, watch a bit then return to PHS for 4th period (by 10:35).  The following parents are going to drive- Carrillo, Grimaud, Higa, Smith & Kanga.

Our fall fundraiser kicks off this week!  We will again use the We Care Coffee Company to provide our group with the highest quality local coffee and food products.  There will be two main options that students have to earn money- traditional and online.  The traditional sale (grab bags) is the highest profit and works great for selling locally.  Students request a grab bag and sell all the items (6 bags of coffee, 2 bags of cocoa and 2 bags of cookie dough mix) for a set profit of 50%.  There is also a mini grab bag which includes only 2 coffees and 2 cocoas for 48% profit.  This form has all the info about the grab bag sale- return this form to participate.  The online store features a bigger catalog of items for purchase and can be shipped across the country.  The online store is live now and can be promoted here!

Our Veteran's Day Tribute performance is next week!  Wind Ensemble will have a required rehearsal with the choir Monday 11/7 during S period as well as a staging rehearsal Wednesday after school which will be required for students not in an in season PHS athletic practice or class.  The call time for performers will be about 6:00 (TBD).  If you plan to attend the program, you will want to arrive early as seating is expected to be at capacity- the concert will begin at 7:00.  Please take time to share the facebook event page with those who may be interested in our performance.

The second grading period has closed.  All grades will be posted by Tuesday after school.  If you find that you are still missing assignments or have excessive absences, come in so that you can make them up!  There are many students who are missing one (or more) assignment(s) and their grade has dropped because of it- don't let this happen to you!

October 24-28

Concert and Football week!
Join us for our Fall Concert on Wednesday night at 7:00 in the PAC- admission is free.  The PAC will not open to parents until about 6:40 pm.  This will be a great concert and I encourage you to invite friends and family.  The concert should be about 90 minutes long.  Students are to wear their formal performance attire- tuxes for the boys and dresses for the girls.  Call time for Jazz Band is 6:00, Wind Ensemble is 6:10 and Orchestra is 6:20.  Again, parents please note that the PAC will not be open for seating until about 6:40.

Speaking of tuxes and dresses- payment for these is now past due!  All payments should be made out to "Pioneer Performing Arts."  Boys who bought a complete tux owe $140.  Girls owe $65 for their dress.  All payments should be made to Pioneer Performing Arts as soon as possible.  If you have a question about finances, or need to pay over time or plan to participate in more fundraising, let me know.

We also have our fourth football game of the year Friday night.  Call time is 6:00.  Thanks to Ms. Cooper who will pick up the pizzas for the band students!  We will have just one game left- on Thursday, November 10, again with a 6:00 call time.  I know, this is a staff development day, but it is a required performance nonetheless.

Important Tour 2012 update- just over half of the families who have committed to the trip actually paid their deposit or turned in the tour contract.  The next payment for the trips is $150 and is due in just 2 weeks.  This means that those who have not yet paid will need to turn in $250.  If we do not get sufficient numbers to get their payments and contracts in, we may have to cancel the trip.  If this happens, all funds would be returned to the families.

The West Valley Jazz Festival featuring Gordon Goodwin is next Friday, November 4.  We will depart Pioneer just after the start of first period at about 7:45 am as we have a 9:00 scheduled performance.  We are awaiting word about a possible performance at Castillero.  If this happens, we will return to PHS at about 2:15, if not, we will return by lunch time.  The tickets for the Gordon Goodwin concert

Have you seen a concert for your Live Review yet?  If not, there is a San Jose Wind Symphony concert Sunday at 3:00 at Saratoga HS which would be great for band students to review.  Those students not in the Glue Factory, Fall Concert or Veteran's Day performances can complete a review at those performances for extra credit.  This will not count as a full credit review- just extra credit.


Finally, Wind Ensemble will present our annual Veteran's Day tribute performance in conjunction with the choirs and readings by select drama students.  The concert is titled "Uncommon Valor... beyond the call of duty" and is dedicated to those heroes who have been recognized with the Medal of Honor.  We are even scheduled to have a Medal of Honor recipient with us at the performance.  You won't want to miss this evening of great music and a stirring tribute to the heroism of those who dedicated themselves in service to our country.  Thursday, November 10 at 7:00 in the PAC. Admission free.

Bells Are Ringing!

Come out to the Glue Factory production of Bells are Ringing tonight, Friday and Saturday at 7:00 in the PAC!  Students who complete a Live Review of the musical will get extra credit!  Tickets are available at the door, arrive early.  Please turn in your review next week to get extra credit.

October 16-21

Our Fall Concert is next week- Wednesday, October 26 at 7:00 in the PAC.  Student call time will be between 5:45 and 6:15.  The program will include Orchestra, Wind Ensemble and Jazz Band and last approximately 90 minutes.  Click here for the Facebook event where you can invite your friends and family!

All the girls' dresses have been delivered and distributed.  Dresses will need to be hemmed for length, and may need slight alterations for sizing, but overall the fittings went well.  Please make payment of $65 to "Pioneer Performing Arts" as soon as possible.  The boys' tuxedos will be delivered this week and will cost $140.  Checks should be made out to "Selix Formalwear" on pickup.  Students planning to use fundraising, or to pay over time will be paying "Pioneer Performing Arts."  Please arrange payment as soon as possible.

Have you checked out the information about outside performances you can attend on the Live Music page?  Every student is required to complete one Live Review each semester.  Students who have been given an extra Live Review as an alternate assignment will have a "0" in the original assignment until the Live Review is submitted.  Contact me if you have questions about this assignment.

Many students who RSVP'd yes to our 2012 Tour have not yet turned in their deposit!  PLEASE- the deposit and tour contract MUST be turned in ASAP otherwise we will not be able to travel!  The second payment of $150 is due November 7 (just 3 weeks).  This means that every student and chaperone should have paid or fundraised up to $250 by that point!  If you have questions about the trip, or RSVP'd yes and need to change that information, please contact me right away!

Our Pep Band has been much more successful after they have had a chance to eat pizza at the games.  I need a parent who can pick up the pizza (about 10 of them) at the Costco on Almaden at about 5:00 and bring it to my room.  You do not have to order the pizza or pay for the pizza- just pick it up at about 5:00 and bring it back to PHS.  I have done this for the last 2 games but cannot continue this additional project on an already busy performance day.  If you can help with this, please contact me.  The next games are Friday, October 28 and Thursday, November 9

The Jazz Band will be performing at the West Valley Jazz Festival on Friday, November 4.  Details are TBA, but I will need 3-5 parent drivers for the day.  If you have your driver forms turned in to the office, and are able to drive- please contact me to let me know.

Did you do your Program Notes?  If not- get them turned in! Better late for a partial deduction than not at all for no credit.  Don't remember what that is?  Read the assignment info here.  (Only applies to Orchestra, Wind Ensemble and Jazz Band.)

Program Notes

Wind Ensemble, Orchestra and Jazz Band students are required to write program notes for our Fall Concert.  These are due this Friday, October 14.  Program notes should include a bit about the composer and a bit on the composition.  Information should be engaging to a non-musical audience and provide a bit of background and some insight in what to listen to in the performance.

Here is an example of what one could write about Frank Ticheli's piece, Amen

Frank Ticheli is one of the most prominent contemporary composers for band.  His works include those from younger bands to the most experienced.  “Amen!” takes on an upbeat, somewhat bluesy, gospel style, suggesting an impassioned preacher sharing some bit of good news. After an introductory “call to order,” our preacher (here the clarinet section) gives us the main tune over a series of simple, bopping quarter-note chords.  Later, the full ensemble bursts out in a fit of joy- the choir and the congregation have joined in, dancing and shouting in full agreement.  The good news is driven home in the concluding coda over a series of plagal (“Amen”) chord progressions, and one final joyful shout.

-Frank Ticheli (adapted)

Students should also include a brief personal statement about themselves and music.  This could be why they chose to play, what they love about playing or anything along those lines.  For example-

I love band!  I’ve been playing trombone since the sixth grade and can’t imagine life without music.  My joy is seeing young people learn about music and grow in their musical skills and develop their own love for symphonic music.

Orchestra as follows;
Allegro- 1st violin
Shepherd's Hey- 2nd violin
Four Royal Dances- viola
Lullaby- cello/ bass

Wind Ensemble as follows;
Belgian Paratroopers- A - DiLeonard
Sleepers, Wake- Dueck- Macdonald
Symphony #5- Macon- Z

Jazz Band as follows;
I Remember Stan- Robert, Ryan S, Natalie T
Jazz Police- David, Erica, Joseph

Love for Sale- Justin Victor, Elliot
Malaguena- Tatiana, Carl, Maria
Nardis- Alex, Steven, Ryan A
A Night in Tunisia- Mina, Mac, Meghan
Street Music- Jake, Noah, Natalie K

October 10-14

Thanks to the Pep Band for a great showing last Friday!  It seems like the pizza worked out well last week, so we will do the same thing this week- $5 and you get pizza and waters at the game.  This week there will again be activities after school for the members of the Pep Band.  Otherwise, the call time is again 6:00 for the game this Friday.

Have you paid your tour deposit?  Many who plan to go on our 2012 Tour have not turned in the deposit!  You MUST get your deposit turned in and your tour contract ASAP!  If you have questions, contact me directly after you check out the Tour 2012 page.

Jazz Band will participate in the West Valley Jazz festival with special guest Gordon Goodwin on Friday, November 4.  Details are TBA, but we will need several parent drivers who can get their PHS driver paperwork into the office and drive us that day.  Click here for more info about the parent driver/ volunteer driver forms.  Ideally, we will be able to perform for Castillero in the morning for a recruitment visit before going to West Valley for our festival performance.  Also, for students who requested tickets to the Gordon Goodwin concert that night, those are $5 each and I'll get those to you as soon as I get them.

I have updated the Live Music page with many performances that are coming up during the month of October.  If you get your review done early, turn in your form so I can grade it and you are done for the semester.  If you have to do an extra review as a make up assignment, make sure you plan to attend multiple performances!

October 3-7

Congratulations to the Jazz Band for a great gig at the Santa Teresa church festival this afternoon.  Thanks to Mr Carrillo, Mrs Higa and Mrs Smith for helping us drive during the event.

I will not be at school on Monday.  Students in Wind Ensemble, Jazz Band and Orchestra should be working in sectionals.  Students in Beginning Band should be working for their playing test.  Students in Concert Band should work on their football music.  As such, please make sure you have your tour contract and deposit on Tuesday.

Tour contracts are due Tuesday, October 4 (since I'll be gone Monday).  If you need a new tour contract, get yours here, along with all the tour information.

We will have our first Band Booster meeting on Thursday, October 6 at 7:30 in the band room.  Come find out ways that you can be involved and help out our program.  Big or small, we have so many ways to be involved that can suit your interests and abilities.

October is a big concert month.  Be sure and check out the many opportunities out there for Live Music on the Live Music section of my blog.  If you get out to a performance now, you can get your review turned in and not have to worry about it later in the semester as you get more busy.

Football resumes this month with games the next 4 out of 6 weeks.  A reminder about expectations- Football games are required performances for all students in Concert Band, Wind Ensemble and Jazz Band.  The only excused absence is for a student who is on varsity football or cheer.  I'm 'out of town' or I 'couldn't be there' are not excused absences and will result in a zero grade.  I encourage students to hang out in the band room after school Fridays as we have pizzas and games before most Football games.  The call time is 6:00.  The only reason a student should be late is if he is attending a practice for a PHS sports team.  Students who do not have time to eat before the game may eat during the game, but someone should bring the food to them.  As the concession lines can be very long and band students are at the game to perform, I do not dismiss the band for a break.  Students should plan accordingly and eat before the game or have friends or family drop off food.

Our Fall Concert is coming up quickly.  Wind Ensemble, Orchestra and Jazz Band will perform Wednesday night, October 26 at 7:00 in the PAC.  Call time for each group is TBD.  Be sure to invite family and friends to the first performance of the year.

Our Veteran's Day Tribute performance will be on Wednesday, November 9 at 7:00 in the PAC.  The Wind Ensemble will perform with the choir and selected drama students in this annual tradition which brings in hundreds of spectators from across the Pioneer community.  You don't want to miss this one!  Wind Ensemble students should plan on a required dress rehearsal that afternoon.  More info is TBA.