Band Notes 8–6–2019

G James Miller
7 min readAug 6, 2019

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Greetings

A few Updates and announcements

Animation

I present to you — the FULL show! https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IvVjUhDWqZE&feature=youtu.be

Remind

The remind text message service is now charging a fee for larger groups, like ours. We are currently searching for a replacement and should have something in place bbefore Band Camp. Stay Tuned for more details.

THIS Wednesday

Basics this Wednesday — the weather looks rough — watch your emails/Facebook

We will fit for uniforms at the dungeon even if practice is cancelled

Guard Camp

August 13,14 & 15th, 5:30–8:30 for our pre-band camp Guard camp. We will start teaching work and drill during this time to attempt to get ahead of the game before the fall season kicks into full swing.

Shakespeare Day

Please keep September 7 & 8 open for Shakespeare Day.

BHS Band and Color Guard will organize teams of student volunteers to assist at the Shakespeare Theater Festival 2-Day Event on Saturday, Sept. 7th and Sunday, Sept. 8th. The Festival will run 9 a.m. — 9 p.m. each day.

Students will receive volunteer hour certificates that they, in turn, can submit to their school counselors towards the 60-hour, 1/2 credit opportunity.

Student teams will ideally commit to a 2-hour or 3-hour window of service on one of the days, but, of course, kids can always sign on for more, if they choose.

Band Accounts

From Mr. Larsen: We have created a new Google account for handling all student account requests. The new address that parents and students should use is bsbandguardacct@gmail.com

Band Camp — August 19–23

Please visit this link to learn more about Band Camp. I will paste the info below as well:

http://www.bunnellband.org/Site/Band_Camp_Info.html

Students with Balances

Please remember that students with an outstanding balance will not be permitted to participate in ANY activities, including sports, until your account is reconciled! You can still participate, but only AFTER your account is resolved.

Make a payment here — http://www.bunnellband.org/Site/Make_a_Payment.html

Inclement Weather

Over the summer, until Band Camp, the rule of thumb is — if your windshield wipers are on — then we are cancelled. This includes Guard and Marching Basics and all sectionals etc…

We will try the best we can to get the word out when we cancel.

Communications

Also — all students should register for the Schoology Page:

Go to: www.schoology.com then “Join Course” (not join group) and use this as your access code: V3RR-5QH8-HWFSX (you may have to create a FREE Schoology Account first).

Sectional & Caption Schedule

We ask that you make every effort to attend the sectionals if you are in town. If not, then you are excused…

Section leaders will reach out to members, however you can contact the section leaders for details & locations (numbers below)

Here is the summer schedule for Sectionals & Caption rehearsals:

  • Starting June 24th — Drum Sectional (Snares/Tenors/Basses Monday: 10am-12pm
  • Starting July 2nd — Clarinet Sectional Tuesday: 10am-12pm
  • Starting June 25th — Saxes Sectional Tuesday: 11am-12pm
  • Starting July 9th — ALL Woodwind Caption: Tuesday: 12pm-1:30pm
  • Starting June 26th — Flutes Sectional Wednesday: 4:30pm-6pm
  • Starting July 3rd — Trumpets Sectional Wednesday: 4–5:30
  • Starting July 3rd — Low Brass (Horns Bones Baris & Tubas) Sectional Wednesday 4:30–6
  • Starting July 11th — ALL Brass Caption Thursday: 2pm-3:30pm

Leaders Contact Info

Flute Section Leaders: Carolina Martinez: +1 (203) 343–2611

Clarinets Section Leaders: Brianna Nguyen: +1 (203) 540–8917, Rosanna Martinez: +1 (475) 298–8203

Saxes: Marquise Lawerence: (203) 212–7630, Hubert Jankowski: +1 (203) 814–4134

Trumpets: Joseph Lumasag: 203–908–5359, Sean Leclerc: +1 (475) 449–5144

Brass Caption Head: Sean Latham: +1 (203) 993–1406

Low Brass: Maurice Neri: (203) 522–8623, Miguel Fernandez: +1 (203) 556–2139

Drummers — Matt Gama: +1 (732) 704–0027, Dianna Cronin: 203–690–2712

Pit: Aditya Gowd: 959–777–7879

Percussion Caption Head — Ganine: +1 (203) 275–5220

Stay current with Fund Raising!

We have equipment to purchase, vendors & designers to pay… please stay current on your ad book sales & PLEASE turn in (send in) any ads the moment you get them!

Fall Marching Band 2019 Music

The Music has been revised! All other music is obsolete… This music supersedes all other versions. There are MAJOR changes — even since June 18 Practice. Please discard your older versions and go with this version.

https://drive.google.com/open?id=1VwMbbMa72OzLdidONNqq5aOIox7XjWq9

All FIRST year members should choose a 2nd or 3rd part.

Save ink & Paper — print only what you need!

Audio Files for each part are in the folder above as well. Individual files, with a click track, so you can play along and learn your part!

Full Ensemble Audio — https://drive.google.com/open?id=1ESfTc8O030EFk0PTnlJuL3rDDIbc8QpS

Ad Book (Cavalcade of Bands Program Book)

Sadly, the Bunnell Band is NOT fully funded by the B.O.E or the town (Very few — IF ANY — HS Marching Bands are funded anywhere in the USA). While they supply some support, it is simply not sufficient to operate a Competitive Program.

Some towns in our area, require their students to pay 2, to 3 to 4 times the amount that we require our students to contribute.

Band & Guard is free, provided you meet the annual fund raising goal, which is $455 (depending on the final BOE/Town Budget) for the 2019 Fall Season. The only time that you will have to pay “Out of Pocket” is when you don’t meet that goal using the provided fun raising tools!!!

The best fund raising tool, by far, is the Cavalcade Adbook, or Program Book. This is somewhat like a yearbook for the Band & Guard. Town Businesses will purchase “Ad Space” in return for a Tax Deduction (we are a 501(c)3 “not for profit” organization). In addition — many Family members will also purchase a “Good Luck” ad page for their child. Parents who purchase ads will also get a Tax Deduction as well. SO RATHER than paying out of pocket — purchase an ad and get the Tax break!

Please:

  • Turn is ads/checks AS SOON as you get them.
  • Ask family and friends to purchase an ad, get the tax break, and support you (or your child).
  • Try all sections of town, and into Shelton on Bridgeport Ave & Devon, just over the Bridge.

Sell to:

  • Doctor/Dentist/Orthodontist Office (especially if you are a patient)
  • Law Offices
  • Real Estate Offices
  • Insurance Offices
  • Restaurants
  • Gas Stations
  • Florists
  • Mortuaries
  • Local Businesses

Avoid selling to:

  • National Chains (Home Depot, Wallmart etc…)
  • Liquor Stores
  • Smoke Shops
  • Firearms Stores

Set a Goal and get out there and sell!

The Businesses know that we are coming —

Here is a sample script that students can use when asking a business to purchase an ad:

Hello, I am _________________________ and I’m here today from the Bunnell Stratford Marching Band, and I’m hoping that you can help me out.

I am hoping that you will purchase an ad for the Cavalcade of Bands Program book. This ad is 100% Tax-Deductible, and your generosity will help me reach my goal of representing our Town.

Please complete this form now, and if you don’t mind — writing a check today as well.

Thank you!!!

Here is the form that you will need — https://drive.google.com/open?id=1oaEvf381gZFwHLcdRuZ5-BkY8G92hpUV

See a Sample Ad Here — http://www.bunnellband.org/Sample_Ad_Page.pdf

You can also purchase an ad online here — http://www.bunnellband.org/Site/Purchase_an_Ad.html

Learn more about the ad-book here — http://www.bunnellband.org/Site/Ad_Book_Info.html

PLEASE:

• Please sell as many ads as possible, as 100% of the ads will go to the students’ accounts.
• Your family members may also take ads as well.
• Ads can be from out of State.
• Ads are Tax Deductible

All ads must be turned in by Oct. 3, 2019.

Band Camp Information — August 19–23

Band Camp Info -

Begins August 19. Monday through Friday (Friday is an option) — 6:45am — 4pm.

There will be a Family picnic on Thursday evening around 5pm.

More details to follow…

Band Camp Checklist:

Please Bring:

__ Any ads for the Cavalcade Ad Book/Fund Raising (at least $150)

__ Comfortable Sneakers (NO flip flops or Sandals)

__ Lots of Water (Water Bottles on neck strap)

__ Snacks

__ Sunscreen

__ Bug Repellent

__ A Baseball Cap/Hat

__ Sunglasses

__ Lunch (no one is permitted to leave the campus)

__ Instruments (Extra reeds/oil etc)

__ Music

__ Guard Equipment

__ 3 Ring Binder

__ Highlighter Pen

__ Pencil

__ A Prompt Arrival! (Please be at the door to the band room at 6:45am, as we start promptly at 7am)

Don’t worry if you are missing anything, or if you don’t have everything memorized — we will make sure everyone is complete on Monday at camp.

A few more things:

Please do not bring anything valuable such as jewelry, or cash.

Students may not visit any other part of the building.

Soda machines may or may not be available to students.

Restrooms are in the Band Room Hall & the lobby.

ALL students will need to clean their area (especially after lunch) every day.

Parents should drop off and pick their children up in the parking lot near the tennis courts, as to keep the single lane driveway clear.

The main Gymnasium is off limits to all.

Please also remember that all students should have their first $150 in fund raising completed for this week as well. Students who have a hardship may speak with the director to establish a plan.

A typical day at Band Camp would look like this:

6:45am — report to the side door of the school where the band room is.

7:00am — section leader/staff/officer meetings.

7:15am — full band meeting

7:20am — stretching/warm ups/basic marching on the field, percussion on their own.

8:00am — Start drill sets. Goal — learn one song each day. Water breaks along the way.

12pm — lunch

12:30pm — Sectionals.

1:15pm — Full music ensemble in the band room.

2:00pm — drill on the field. This is where you put the music into the drill sets you learned that day.

3:45pm — clean up/meetings.

4:00pm — dismissed.

Students should make every effort to show up to camp with their music memorized. If you are a first year member and having trouble memorizing — DO NOT WORRY — we will help you at camp. This is the time of the year when, typically, students get anxious about starting HS. PLEASE, make an effort and attend the camp — if you are still hesitant at the end of camp, we will work something out — BUT please do not drop band at this point! Every member who receives this email will have a spot and is needed!

Ninjas — we need some students, younger siblings of current members usually work best, to be “Ninjas” to help move equipment etc… these students should also attend camp.

Thank you!

J. Miller

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