Happy New Year!  We hope that your families enjoyed some rest and recreation during our recent break.   Although school has recently resumed, we are off to a fast start, as you will read below:

High School Solo & Ensemble Event – Saturday, January 23, all day @ Perrysburg HS. Most of the band students (other than a small number with personal conflicts) are involved in one or more special numbers on this day.  Hopefully, your student took his/her instrument home over the holidays, as nearly all of the music was issued before break.   We have a record number of events – 85 – in all!  

The details include:

• Extra help:  Mr. Landry and I have been making ourselves available every day after school – students are welcome at any time to come in for coaching.
   
• Home practice:  Instruments should be traveling back and forth; for percussionists and others with large equipment, we can make arrangements here.
   
• Fees:  The fees were covered by you, the BGHS Band Boosters.  Because we have had such a terrific response, the fees ($14.00 per solo, $19.00 per ensemble) were well over $1,000 this year.  Therefore, we want to urge the students to use our resources wisely and prepare diligently!
   
• Coaches:  We have been able, with your support, to employ several of our BGSU graduate-student friends to serve as coaches (during 1st period) for our students.  Logistically, 2 adults cannot teach 80+ events, during the same class period, and be effective!
   
• Audiences:   Solo & Ensemble is open to the public, Saturday, January 23, with events scheduled from 8:00 am – noon and 1:00 pm to 5:00 pm.  According to the Perrysburg band, there are 1169 different events registered!  Parents, families and friends are encouraged to come and support their students.  
  However - please DO NOT take still pictures, videos, nor audio recordings  during the actual performance – your event will be disqualified.     Also, no phone calls or texts should be attempted during the performance, as a courtesy to the hard work and efforts of our musicians. 
   
• Schedule:  Solo & Ensemble is densely scheduled, with a new performance  beginning at ten  minute intervals, in every room.  There currently are a few conflicts within our schedule – we are working to resolve those.  Please be aware that a room can get off-schedule by 10-20 minutes, due to accompanist conflicts, etc.    Allow plenty of travel time, warm-up time in the gym and time to find your way around a very large school building!

 

To be early is to be on time, to be on time is to be late.

• Refreshments:  Food and beverages will be available for purchase all day in the Perrysburg “Commons”, provided as a fundraiser for the Perrysburg Band Parents.  Contest food prices are modest – most students should be able to eat for $5.00-7.00.  You also are welcome to take your student to lunch in the local area.
   
• Transportation: Many students prefer to travel to Solo & Ensemble with their families, so that they can adjust arrival & departure according to their events.  However, we will have a BGCS yellow bus available – students needing school transportation MUST complete a purple form and return ASAP.
   
• Security: Unlike “full” band contest, there are NO homerooms provided at this event – only a generic space in the gym.  Therefore, we are cautioning students NOT to leave unattended purses, $$$, phones, ipods, etc.  The large number of events (1169!)  translates into several thousand HS students under one roof!  Common sense needs to rule the day!

• Ratings and Awards: Ideally, the purpose of Solo & Ensemble is to set personal goals for music performance improvement.  For many students, their goal is the rating of “I Superior” and medals.  Realistically,   more students earn the rating of “II  Excellent” throughout the day than any other rating.   Students who are less well prepared will earn a “III Good”, a “IV Fair” or a “V Poor”.  Usually, our BGHS students have prepared and have done well –but - everyone needs to keep working! Take instruments and music home for the 3-day week-end and come see us next week for extra coaching!   
   
• Medal purchases:   You may see a sign for “medal purchases” at contest – DO NOT buy one, there!  The BGHS band Boosters will supply all earned medals during the May Band Awards Banquet. 

This may be our largest BGHS Band Solo & Ensemble enrollment, ever!

Please feel welcome to come and root for your son or daughter, as well as for their friends.

All events are open to the public!

More Band News……………………………………..

• Pep Band:  Many thanks to ALL who have participated!  We had over 40 current and alumni students on December 29 and 47 current students last Tuesday!   In addition to our usual snacks and door prizes, we now are able to award “Volunteer Hours” to all Pep Band participants.  Please join us FRIDAY, January 15 at 6:00 PM for the Bobcat Girls’ Game!
   
• Jazz Band: Our “Rise and Shine” rehearsals will resume after the January 23 Solo & Ensemble event.  Students will receive a rehearsal schedule at school.  Our next appearance will be MARCH 2, 7:00 PM.
   
• OMEA District One Honors Band Honorees:  This week we received word that all four Symphonic Band members who auditioned have been accepted! 
  They include:  Senior Jon May, trombone; Senior Shleah Whitlock, trumpet; Senior Leela Singh, flute and Freshman Katie Cochrane, clarinet.   This special performance is in late February – details will appear in future Blasts.  Congratulations to all!
   
• Band Store:  Thanks to those who already have sent in their $$ to pay for reeds, flip folders, etc.  When you receive grade cards, if there is a comment, “has store debts” ask your son or daughter.  Please remit cash or checks, payable to “BGHS Band Boosters”.
   
• Calendar
  • Friday 1/15/10  Pep Band
  • Monday 1/18/10   MLK Day, no school – We host a luncheon for the music teachers of OMEA District 1  
  • Tuesday 1/19/10   Band Booster Executive Board, monthly business mtg. 7 pm @  BGHS
  • Saturday 1/23/10  Solo & Ensemble @ Perrysburg HS, Roachton Rd.
  • Thursday 1/28 – Saturday 1/30  Band staff attending the OMEA State    Professional Development Conference, Cincinnati  

Into the Future:   Tuesday, March 2, 2010  7 PM    Mid-Winter Concert
                               Friday, March 12 OMEA  District Contest,  times tba