DMS BAND Weekly Newsletter!
WEEK 13 : October 31-November 4
- DMS Band: Week At A Glance
- ALL BANDS:
- Halloween Dance: How'd it Go?
- Morning Band: ONLY students who cannot practice at home
- COFFEE AND COCOA Fundraiser
- Rehearsal Techniques and Rehearsal Detective Policy
- Beginner Bands Info (Holiday Concert Dates, Note Name Speed Test Info)
- Concert & Symphonic Bands Info (VETERANS DAY PERFORMANCE, Holiday Concert Dates, Honor Bands/All State, Orlando Trip Update)
- DMS CALENDAR PDF - subject to change as events are added
- WEEKLY AGENDAS
This Week: At A Glance!
Tuesday
Wednesday
Thursday
Friday
Halloween Dance was a success!
Thank you to all of you who made it possible by volunteering, donating, bringing your student or just purchasing a ticket. We are so grateful for such a supportive, enthusiastic and wonderful parent association who LOVES these kids so much!
I think many students at our event truly had a wonderful night to remember! I know there are bumps to work out for the future (including finding a way for more to attend!!), but overall our evening went smoothly, the kids (and teachers!) had a blast and we made around $5,000 for our band program! Hooray!
Shout out to our concessions parents and chaperones for your generous servant's heart and patience for MILES! We appreciate you so much!
Thanks, again!
A procedure reminder:
PLEASE TALK TO YOUR STUDENTS ABOUT THIS! Students are NOT allowed to carry their instruments class to class.
Here are band's daily operating procedures with regard to instruments:
- Students can only bring their instruments to the band room once the 8:05 bell rings.
- They have until 8:15 to drop their instruments off before the tardy bell!
- Students are not allowed to leave their last block class to come to the band room early - UNLESS they're in the STEM building for their last block class. Please remind students to think through their week and ask his/her teacher if they can leave early. We currently have TOO MANY students leaving early from last block when they don't need to.
Morning Band
ONLY for students who cannot practice at home!
If you cannot practice at home for any reason, the DMS Band directors offer morning band as an at-home practice alternative. This will begin Monday, 10/31.
Morning Band Rules:
Students must have an approved Band Pass Application to receive a pass. (Ask Mrs. Rhoades for one of these to take home and get signed!)
Students must have a Band Pass in their possession and display it for the monitoring teachers in the hallway to attend Morning Band.
Students with a pass are allowed to come to the band room at 7:40 until the 8:05 bell.
Students who attend morning band will utilize the time to practice their instrument and record playing tests - not socialize, ask questions, horseplay, etc.
If a student breaks one of the rules, the directors will take away their morning band privilege for the remainder of the year.
Bedsheets are IN!
Please make sure your student gets these picked up this week! If the order is too big, please arrange a time with the band directors to retrieve those from the school.
Coffee and Cocoa Fundraiser!
Rehearsal Techniques and Rehearsal Detective Policy
Rehearsal Techniques Grades
Each day, students are required to have their binder, Tradition of Excellence book, instrument, planner, and a pencil at their seat! All students are expected to sit with proper posture, hand position, and technique and participate fully in each class. Each day is worth 5 points and the students will lose points if one or more of the criterion above is not met. If your student is missing points, please see comments in Powerschool for an explanation!
Rehearsal Detective Grades
They must fill out a Rehearsal Detective worksheet that counts for their daily 5 points. If the student fails to use DMS Ties (writing standards for the school), answer questions in the worksheet, or is disruptive during class, they risk losing points for that day.
The Directors check and input these assignments into a spreadsheet each Friday, tracking who is consistently missing their instruments AND the effort they put into band class.
Our program has had a HIGH number of forgotten instruments in the last several weeks.
Please make sure your student is remembering their instrument daily.
It is the standard expectation for students to have their instrument daily, and rehearsal techniques are an insufficient replacement for gaining valuable playing time daily!
Beginner Band
Holiday Concert
Holiday Concert Decoration Help
Note Name Speed-Tests
Tuners, Tuners Apps and Websites for Students
Apps (all require purchase but are worth it!):
- Tonal Energy Tuner
- Bandmate Chromatic Tuner (only available on Apple)
- Cleartune
Websites:
Tuners (Purchase a clip-on tuner pick-up and they can use it during class!):
- Korg CA-2, or TM-60 or CA-50 Tuner
Veteran's Day Performance
Thursday, November 10th
Please read carefully below!
ONLY SYMPHONIC BANDS 1 AND 2
- November 10th, 2022 DURING SCHOOL!
- *REQUIRED PERFORMANCE*
- Sym 1 will perform during D Block (First Block)
- Sym 2 will perform during E Block (Second Block)
- All students will wear dress clothing (either concert black or red, white, and blue *themed* clothing, not any flags or gimicky patterns!) If you have any questions, email Rhoades/Merritt.
- No jeans/tennis shoes.
- We will send out information for parents who wish to attend once we have received instruction from the principals.
Holiday Concert
All State Band and All District Band
All State Band is an auditioned group that makes up the best of the best students in the state of Alabama! It will meet at VBC in Huntsville on April 27th-29th, 2023. This school absence will be excused.
All District Band is an auditioned group that makes up the best of the best students in our district - District 1. It will meet at Grissom High School on February 17th and 18th, 2023. Students will not have to miss school on that Friday, but can be excused for the last block of the day if preparation time is needed for the family.
- Symphonic Band 1 students are expected to audition.
- Symphonic Band 2 students are HIGHLY encouraged to audition.
- Concert Band students are encouraged to audition as well.
- Extra time on the audition material in private lessons will be a huge help in preparation for these auditions!
Auditions for All State will give your student the opportunity to qualify for All District as well! They are the same audition. Results will come out for each group following the audition on January 28th.
MS HONOR BAND OPPORTUNITIES
WHAT is an Honor Band??
Students can apply or be nominated for honor band festival weekends which, much like the All State honor band in April, celebrates the accomplishments of hard working middle school band students.
The students meet, audition for placement (chairs, parts) and then rehearse for two days or so. At the end of those two days, the students put on a high quality concert performance with a group of people and a conductor they just met! It's a great learning experience. The students experience new music, make new friends with similar interests and work under a well-know (sometimes famous) composer, conductor or band director!
Sometimes these events are very selective and students will not be accepted, but often times the more events you do, the more likely you are to be accepted to others!
The concerts are unparalleled! Please try to attend.
ALL lodging, costs associated with the event are up to the families. The directors sometimes help register students, but parents must attend the events with their kiddos.
Thanks!!
Middle School Honor Bands:
The University of Alabama (UA) - Tuscaloosa, AL
Applications online - Deadline for applications: 11/7 *NEXT WEEK!!*
Honor Band Dates: 12/8-12/9
Auburn University - Auburn, AL
Applications online - Deadline for applications: 11/20
Honor Band Dates: 2/2-2/4
In addition to the finale concert at the end of the festival, students will hear performances by the AU Concert and Jazz Bands.
NOTE: The same clinician will be offered at both UA and AU honor bands - Mr. William Owens - a very well known and knowledgable band composer.
Absences for these events (pending acceptance to these events) will be excused absences from DMS.
Note: Students can't participate in both UA and UAB events as the dates conflict, unfortunately.
DMS Holiday Concert: 12/5 for Con/Sym classes
DEADLINE FOR APPLICATION - 11/7/22
Honor Band Dates: 12/8-12/10
DMS ORLANDO TRIP - UPDATES
Deposits were due last week! Late Deposits have been placed on the waitlist.
Agendas for each class. Please scroll and make sure you are looking at the correct class agenda!
October Calendar!
CHARMS Login
Band Wishlist!
DMS Band Website
Discovery Middle School Bands
Email: info@dmsbands.org
Website: www.dmsbands.org
Location: 1304 Hughes Road, Madison, AL, USA
Phone: 256-837-3735
Facebook: facebook.com/DMSBAND