Mokena Meteor Music

February 7 - February 13, 2020

Important Information from the Music Department!

There is a lot of information for our 8th grade band students below. Please read the Newsletter in its entirety.


The 2021 Disney Trip Registration has been extended to February 10!! Current 6th and 7th grade band students wishing to go on the trip MUST register by February 10. The same goes for any fan packages. Up to three need-based scholarship will be offered by the Music Boosters. Information about the scholarship will be available next week. If you have already put your deposit down for the trip, you are still eligible to apply. If you have not put your deposit down, but are interested in applying for a scholarship, your deposit deadline will be extended. See below for more information.


8th Grade Pep Band Step Up Night is TONIGHT. Please see below for more information.


There is an information meeting for 8th grade parents and students planning to continue in ANY music program at LWC on February 11 at LWC. Please see below for more information.


All 8th Grade Band students who are planning to continue in Band or Marching Band should complete an audition. Please see below for more information.


We will be hosting the IGSMA Choir Contest on Saturday, March 14. We will need adult volunteers. See below for more information.

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2021 DISNEY TRIP - DEADLINE EXTENDED TO FEBRUARY 10! See below for scholarship information

Exciting News! If you missed the registration deadline for the 2021 Disney Trip, the deadline has been extended by our travel company! The registration portal will remain open through February 10. If your child will be in 7th or 8th Grade Band NEXT YEAR and would like to attend, or if you would like to attend on the fan package, please go to https://www.mokenameteormusic159.org/disney-2021.html for more information.


Registration for the student and fan package has been extended to February 10.



Scholarships will be available


Up to three need-based scholarships are being offered by the Mokena Music Boosters. Students who have already submitted their deposit can still apply for these scholarships. Students who did not put in a deposit and would like to apply for the scholarship, can still do so. Your deadline to register for the trip will be extended until the scholarships have been awarded. More information will be distributed soon.

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IGSMA Choir Contest - Saturday, March 14 - HELP NEEDED

Our Music Boosters will be hosting the IGSMA District Choir Contest at Mokena Junior High on Saturday, March 14. In addition to our own choir performing, we will be hosting choirs from 9 other schools. This is a large undertaking for our Music Boosters and a great opportunity to showcase our wonderful building and our dedicated music families. We are in need of your help! Even if you don't have a child in the choir program, we could use parent and student volunteers to help run the event. Service hours will be available for student volunteers. Please look for future communication about volunteering for this event.

February Dine & Earn - Portillo's

Go to Portillo's on February 13 between 5:00 and 8:00 pm to earn 20% for the Music Boosters. You must show their flyer! Why not buy your sweetheart a chocolate cake for Valentine's Day?
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8th Grade Pep Band Step Up Night

Please see the above flyer from Mr. Mroczek at Lincoln-Way Central inviting our 8th grade band students to Pep Band Step Up Night on Friday, February 7!


This is fun evening that our students have participated in over the years. Come out and have a great time playing fun stand tunes and hanging out with your future band mates!


If you have any questions, please contact Mr. Mroczek at cmroczek@lw210.org.

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Lincoln-Way Central Annual Music Information Meeting - 8th Graders ONLY

All 8th grade music students and their parents are invited to the Lincoln-Way Central Annual Music Information Meeting, scheduled for Tuesday, February 11, at 7:30PM (after the Music Boosters meeting). The LWC music faculty and music boosters will cover a wide variety of topics, including how to register, class selection, extra curricular activities, and more!


On a wonderful side note...zero hour will be no charge next year! Woo!


If you have any questions, please contact Mr. Mroczek at cmroczek@lw210.org or Mrs. Jackson at sjackson@lw210.org.

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LWC Band Audition Information - 8th Graders ONLY

Information and music for the 2020-2021 L-W Concert Band Auditions is now available.


Curricular Audition Process

  • The WW/Brass audition consists of five scales (marked on music), and 2 etude excerpts (marked on music).
  • The Percussion audition consists of a snare drum etude excerpt and a mallet etude excerpt.
  • Incoming freshman should prepare and record as much of the music as possible, but please tell them not to worry if they are not able to prepare all of it.

Audition Procedures

  • Auditions must be video recorded, uploaded to YouTube (one video), and a link submitted through the L-W Google Form (available February 10). The audition videos will be sent to a panel of outside judges for scoring.
  • Audition video submission will be accepted starting February 10th, and the window will close February 24th. Videos should be submitted following the instructions at the website listed below.
  • Auditions may be recorded at home or at school.
  • All students planning on joining band next year should audition. The audition will be used for concert band placement for next school year, as well as marching band part assignment and role assignment.


More information regarding how to complete an audition, as well as how to download the audition music/materials, can be found on our music website at the link below.


Website link: http://www.lincolnwaymusic.org/bandauditions


Please contact Mr. Mroczek at cmroczek@lw210.org with any questions.

Private Music Lessons - Highly Encouraged

It is not required that Mokena music students take private lessons. It is true, however, that the vast majority of students who do not take private lessons tend to have improper playing habits, and never reach their full potential as musicians. SECTIONALS ARE NOT A REPLACEMENT FOR PRIVATE LESSONS. There are still many benefits of private instruction over full band rehearsal and small group sectionals. If you are interested in getting your child private lessons on their instrument, please visit the following link: https://www.mokenameteormusic159.org/uploads/2/3/4/4/23449316/private_lessons.pdf


If you have any questions, please contact Mrs. Bussean or Ms. Beekman

THE LITTLE MERMAID

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THIS WEEK'S REHEARSAL SCHEDULE

Please note that students are responsible for their own schedules for Musical rehearsals. The schedule for rehearsals is posted in the band room hallway, and is updated every week in the Newsletter. Students should refer to their script to determine whether or not they are needed if they feel the information is unclear. I will always either list the song title or the scene we will be working on. This is their responsibility. Attendance is critical and ADVANCE notice should be given if a student will be missing. This INCLUDES other school activities.
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Musical Tech Crew Members

More information on who is in which group can be found in the next section. Our January/early February schedule is as follows:


Saturday, February 8 10:00 am - 3:00 pm - Buddy-Chum-Pals, Aquaholics, Sebastians

Thursday, February 13 - CANCELLED DUE TO MRS. BUSSEAN'S TECH WEEK FOR FROZEN


GROUPS TO BE DETERMINED...



Thursday, February 20 6:00 pm - 9:00 pm - Sebastians, Aquaholics

Saturday, February 22 9:00 am - 3:00 pm - Sebastians, Aquaholics, Buddy-Chum-Pals

Thursday, February 27 6:00 pm - 9:00 pm - Buddy-Chum-Pals, Ratatouille

Saturday, February 29 9:00 am - 3:00 pm -

Sunday, March 1 10:00 am - 3:00 pm - Possible

Thursday, March 5 6:00 pm - 9:00 pm -

Thursday, March 19 6:00 pm - 9:00 pm

Saturday, March 21 9:00 am - 3:00 pm

Sunday, March 22 - LOAD IN!!!!


Students should bring a sack lunch and drink to Saturday Crew meetings.


Please make sure to wear clothing that you don't mind ruining (we will be painting) and students must always have on closed toe shoes - no flip flops or slides. Students should bring screw guns if they have them and should ALWAYS wear eye protection (goggles).



Tech Week Mandatory Schedule


6:00 - 9:00 pm

Monday, March 23
Tuesday, March 24
Wednesday, March 25
Thursday, March 26


Students will be bused from MJH to LWC for these rehearsals. Students who have purchased dinners in advance will be fed. Students who did not pre-pay for dinners will need to provide their own dinners/drinks.


PERFORMANCES


Friday, March 27 and Saturday, March 28

These performances will take place at LWC. Times to be determined


Sunday, March 29

Time to be determined

MANDATORY SET STRIKE


Mandatory set strike and storage of equipment
We will start at LWC and then move things to MJH.

This is MANDATORY for all Cast and Crew members.

TECH CREW GROUPS!

SECTIONAL SCHEDULES

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Help Support the Music Boosters by Shopping Online!

Did you know that you can support the Mokena Music Boosters with every Amazon purchase you make at no cost to you? Any time you are shopping via Amazon, please consider using Amazon Smile for your purchases. Go to www.amazonsmile.com. You can select the Mokena Music Boosters to receive a donation on your behalf just by making your regular Amazon purchase through them. It doesn't cost you anything and helps the Music Boosters fund our programs. The AmazonSmile fundraiser is available year round - not just at Christmas time. If you have any questions, please contact Mrs. Bussean.

TONAL ENERGY APP - MUST HAVE FOR ALL INSTRUMENTALISTS!

TonalEnergy Tuner is an all-inclusive, easy to use application designed for individual practice and/or large ensemble rehearsals that aides musicians to improve sound quality and intonation.


Tuning, volume, articulation, release, duration, and steadiness are the key elements of developing a beautiful tone quality. TonalEnergy Tuner is the first multi-purpose application that allows users of all ages to understand and improve every aspect of their sound.

This app is especially useful to young brass players who struggle to find the correct partial. Oftentimes they think they are playing the correct pitch, when in fact, they are not. This can be very frustrating. This app can help students learn where the correct partial is and to hear when they are not matching the correct pitch.


In addition to its tuner capabilities, it has a built in metronome to keep students rehearsing with a steady beat!


We highly recommend that all students in our band program invest in this application if they have access to a device. It is well worth the $3.99 it costs. This is much more inexpensive than a separate metronome and tuner device.

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What is an IFA Account? (Formerly known as IBA)

You may hear the term IFA account and wonder "what is that?" An IFA account is an Individual Fund Account. Every student registered in Charms automatically has an account. Funds raised through IFA Fundraisers will be credited to your child's account and can be used to purchase any music related items such as booster fees, reeds, valve oil, and even music department trips, just to name a few! The current 6th and 7th Grade Band students are eligible to go on the 2021 Trip to Disney World! If your child is in 4th and 5th Grade, they will be eligible for the Disney trip in 2023. Start saving now!


IFA Fundraisers usually occur once per quarter and are not mandatory. We are currently running the Popcorn Fundraiser. 50% of the proceeds will go into your child's IFA account.

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Music Booster Meeting - February 18, 2020

Come out on Thursday, February 18, 2020 at 7:00 PM to the monthly Music Booster Meeting. The meeting will take place at Mokena Junior High School. Music Booster meetings are open meetings that anyone can attend. Come see what our Boosters are all about and how you can help support your child's music education. I look forward to seeing you there!

Did you know we have a Facebook page?

The Mokena Meteor Music Department has a Facebook page! It is a closed group, so please request to join! We post photos and information about what is happening in the Music Department. There is a link at the bottom of this Newsletter.
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FEBRUARY 2020

FEBRUARY


2/8 - LWC Jazz Festival

2/14 - NO SCHOOL - Teacher's Institute

2/15 - Solo Contest

2/17 - NO SCHOOL - President's Day

2/18 - Music Booster Meeting - 7:00 pm at MJHS

Mokena Meteor Music Department

Mokena Meteor Music Department

19815 Kirkstone Way, Mokena, IL, USA busseank@mokena159.org (708) 342-4870 mokenameteormusic159.org