Sun Prairie Band Department News
December 13, 2020
Sun Prairie Bands - Highlights Fall 2020
- Members of the High School Jazz Program recorded a virtual big band and were featured as part of the 2020 Madison Area Music Awards. Click HERE to watch it!
- High School Wind Ensemble mentored Cardinal Heights 8th Grade Band
- Cardinal Heights 9th Graders created a Halloween Story w/ Sound Effects
- Cardinal Heights 8th Graders Virtual Escape Rooms
- Patrick Marsh 7th Grade Connection To Music Students in South Africa & Australia
- Prairie View 7th Grade Study of Prehistoric Suite by Paul Jennings
- Patrick Marsh 6th Grade Virtual Concert
- COMING SOON! -- PVMS 6th grade band “at home concert” on Monday, December 21 at 6:30 PM
6th Band Virtual Concerts
7th Band Exchanges
High School Visits
Wingra Woodwind Quintet & Wisconsin Brass Quintet Visit Rehearsal
How About This For Collaboration?
Celebrate the Holidays with Wynton Marsalis & Jazz @ Lincoln Center
Over the years the Sun Prairie Jazz program has benefited from our partnership with Jazz at Lincoln Center. This year has been especially difficult for arts organizations across the country and there is a small thing we can do here in Sun Prairie.
On December 19, the Lincoln Center Jazz Orchestra will present its annual Holiday Big Band Concert. This year, that concert is available to stream as a premier or on-demand through December 26th. A virtual ticket is $25. Click Here for Virtual Ticket . Your support benefits Lincoln Center and fills your home with great music by incredible musicians and people. We know that many are facing hardships in life and in finances. If you have the interest and means to support an organization that has helped shape Sun Prairie Jazz and music education around the world, please consider this support.
Band - The Next Generation, 2021!
Efforts are currently underway for current 5th grade students to consider joining band in 6th Grade. The 6th Grade Band Family Guide & Information Booklet is now available on the "Join Band" page of the band website and will soon be mailed out to all 5th grade families providing them with all of the details about joining band. In addition to this, members of the middle school band staff will make visits to all of the 5th grade virtual classrooms over the upcoming two weeks to show the video below as well as to answer questions.
Important dates regarding this process:
- January 27- 6th grade course registration forms due. Select “Band” as your elective choice.
- March 1- Top two instrument choices due by this date using the online band instrument se-lection form found at https://www.spbb.org/join-band-here.html
- March 15- Percussion online preparation workshop
- March 30- Percussion online auditions
- April 9- Final instrument selection confirmed with families
- August 9-13- Band Starts Now! Free Summer School Class (this will be the week your child officially starts in band!!)
Outreach Help - Former & New Band students Welcome!
Please reach out to any band directors with questions about how this could work at their school!
Sound of Sun Prairie Update for 2021!
Sun Prairie’s award-winning marching band, The Sound of Sun Prairie, is in a “holding pattern” as we navigate through the pandemic. We are still optimistic and hopeful about a potential Sound 2021 Season and have already laid the groundwork to get things up and running when and if we get approval. We wanted to let you know that we are thinking about Sound a LOT and look forward to the time when we can all be back together again making music and memories. Stay patient and stayed tuned! LOVE THAT SOUND!
- Mr. Gleason & Mr. Davison
What is Sound?
The Sound of Sun Prairie is a voluntary, extra-curricular marching band. It is comprised of 8-12th grade students who have an interest in performing with percussion and wind instruments or color guard. The purpose of the Sound of Sun Prairie is to provide an environment in which students can learn to work cooperatively toward common goals, the power of positive attitudes, personal responsibility, self-motivation, individual sacrifice for the good of the group, and striving to work to the best of one’s ability at all times. It is a student-centered organization that promotes personal growth and student leadership. The band’s philosophy is based on the belief that learning to be successful in marching band involves the same process as learning to be successful in other endeavors and that understanding the process for success is the most important part of attaining success.
Sun Prairie Students in 2020 WSMA Virtual State Honor Bands & Orchestras
Started in 1967, the WSMA State Honors Music Project provides musically talented students with an opportunity to rehearse and perform with the nation’s finest conductors in a professional, highly disciplined setting. Selected through a rigorous audition process, students are challenged to perform at their musical best throughout the short rehearsal period, which culminates, typically, with a performance in October at the Wisconsin State Music Conference held in Madison each year. This year due to the pandemic, students will meet, rehearse and perform virtually. For many of these young musicians, the WSMA State Honors Music Project offers the experience of a lifetime, creating friendships, memories and skills they take with them in whatever path they choose.
Middle School Honors Project:
Makenzie Martinez - Flute (Orchestra)
Asha Sundaram - Flute (Band)
Colin Leiterman - Flute (Band)
Caleb Retcheski - Bassoon (Band)
Evan McVeigh - Trumpet (Band)
Atticus Coen - Trombone (Band)
Miles Gleason - Tuba (Orchestra)
David Willey - Tuba (Band)
Nick Ruplinger - Percussion (Band)
High School Honors Project:
Matthew Anderson - Euphonium (Band)
Holly Fullerton - Horn (Orchestra)
Sydney Kostelac - Flute (Orchestra)
Lauretta Loesch - Tuba (Band)
WATCH the High School Honors Virtual Ensemble HERE
**Registration for the 2021 WSMA High School Honors Project has closed, however, registration is still open for the WSMA Middle-Level Honors Project. Please contact a middle school band director to get more information.
Mr. Sveum honored with State Music Award!
Mr. Sveum, former SPHS Band Director, was named the 2020 recipient for the Wisconsin Award for Excellence in Teaching Music.
The Wisconsin Award for Excellence in Teaching Music was created to recognize, reward and encourage excellence in music teaching by Wisconsin’s best professional educators.
We are honored and proud to call Mr. Sveum one of Sun Prairie's own!
Support Sun Prairie Bands When You Shop On Amazon!
AmazonSmile is a program that donates 0.5% of your eligible purchases on Amazon to a charity of your choice. All you need to do is start your shopping at smile.amazon.com. The donation will be made at no extra cost to you. The SP Band Boosters are a charity that you can choose. The KEY to this working is remembering to order using smile.amazon.com (not just amazon.com). This simple change can help us raise funds to support our band kids!
Here's how to shop AmazonSmile:
- Visit smile.amazon.com.
- Sign in with your Amazon.com credentials.
- Choose "Sun Prairie High School Band Boosters" to receive donations.
The Best Is Yet To Come!
Sun Prairie Band Department
Email: cpgleas@sunprairieschools.org
Website: https://www.spbb.org/
Phone: 6088347625