Mokena Meteor Music

January 10 - 16, 2020

Important Information from the Music Department!

Welcome back and Happy New Year!


Winter Symphonic Band Audition submissions are due TODAY by midnight. No late submissions will be accepted. See below for more information.


We will be holding an informational meeting for any 6th or 7th grade BAND student who is interested in going on the 2021 Disney Trip on Tuesday, January 14 at 7:00 pm in the MJHS Band Room. More information is below.


On January 15, consider support the Music Boosters with this month's Dine and Earn at Mod Pizza. More information is below.


Our Third IFA Fundraiser information in below.


Choir Step Up is Tuesday, January 21. Information can be found below! PLEASE SUBMIT YOUR T-SHIRT SIZE IN THE LINK BELOW!


Our next Music Booster meeting is Tuesday, January 28 in the Learning Center at MJHS. Please come out and see what the Music Boosters are all about!

Welcome Ms. O'Donnell!

Big picture
Hello! I am so excited to be working with your students for these next few months! I am originally from the Tinley Park area and attended Victor J. Andrew High School before attending ISU. I am a flute player and while at ISU I was in both concert band and the Big Red Marching Machine as well as playing in pep bands and several chamber groups. I can't wait to work with your students and also learn from them as I complete my student teaching experience!
Big picture

2021 DISNEY TRIP INFORMATIONAL MEETING

The next Disney trip is tentatively scheduled for January of 2021. This trip is open to any current 6th or 7th grade BAND student (they will be in 7th/8th grade next year). There is an informational meeting scheduled for Tuesday, January 14, 2020 at 7:00 p.m. in the MJH Band Room to discuss the trip including a tentative itinerary, performance/clinic opportunities, costs, how to apply IFA funds, payment schedule, fan package, etc.


If you are interested in your child attending this trip, please plan to attend.

Choir Step Up Event - January 21!

Tuesday, January 21st is the Lincoln-Way Central Choir Step-Up Night for all MJH choir students!

Here's the schedule:


5:30: Arrive at LWC in uniform - Auditorium Entrance at the Southwest corner of the building. Parents can drop off and then come back later for the concert.
5:30-6:00: Pizza dinner (provided by LWC) - students are permitted to bring their own water bottles.
6:00-6:40: Warmup/practice on stage, meet Mr. Bultman, and learn about Choir at LWC
7:00: Concert for Parents with performances by Mokena, Martino, and Lincoln-Way Central


LWC will be giving all of the choir students a t-shirt at this event.


Please select a t-shirt size for your choir student by filling out this form: https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSdLZCjc3ghJV7EEryvjEbB7M6dtOh15mpyu3R_meR583EY-Uw/viewform?usp=sf_link.

Winter Symphonic Band Audition Information!

Students that would like to audition for Symphonic Band (that are currently placed in Concert Band) can submit an audition video by Friday January 10th.This is optional for students and completing the video does not guarantee that they will move up to Symphonic Band. Once we receive the video submissions, they will be given to outside, impartial judges to assess the students based on their performance. Please email the video to Ms. Beekman by Friday January 10th at midnight.


Audition Materials:


1. Measures of Success Book 2- 5.14 Radetzky March @ 96-100 bpm

2. ILMEA Junior Scale Sheet-Lines 1-4 (all notes tongued) @ 70-90 bpm


Please email Ms. Beekman (beekmant@mokena159.org) if you have any questions.

January Dine & Earn

On Wednesday, January 15, Mod Pizza will sponsor a fundraiser fupporting the Mokena Music Boosters. Please join us at Mod Pizza located at 651 East Lincoln Highway in New Lenox on that date to support your music students! The event runs from 10:30 am - 9:00 pm. Just show our flyer and mention the Mokena Music Boosters. 20% of your order will go directly to the Boosters

Thank you for your support!!!

Big picture

Third Quarter IFA Fundraiser!

It's time for another optional IFA fundraiser for the Music Department! The Music Boosters offer quarterly IFA (Individual Family Account) fundraisers for students wishing to add money to their account. These monies can be used for future music department purchases such as, registration fees, books, travel (ie DISNEY!).


Students can sell Lou Malnati's Frozen Pizza Certificates. Each coupon is good for one frozen deep dish (cheese, sausage, pepperoni, or spinach only pizza) to be picked up by the customer at any Lou Malnati's location, including Arizona, Indiana and Wisconsin. Certicates are $13 each with $5 going back to your student.


These IFA fundraisers are not mandatory but are a good way for students to build their funds. Choose to participate in all of them or pick and choose fundraisers that appeal to you.


If you have any questions, please contact Mrs. Grant or Mrs. Zielinski at kirstenandlisa2019@gmail.com.

Big picture
Big picture
Big picture

MOKENA MUSIC BOOSTERS NEED YOU!

Do you miss volunteering at the grade school?

Do you want to be more involved but don’t know how to because maybe your student is getting older and there’s not as many volunteer opportunities.

Come to the Music Boosters!

It’s a great way to stay involved behind the scenes

If you have a student in band or choir you are already a member!

We are in need of volunteers for the following areas:

Treasurer

(2 year term beginning June 2020)

Hospitality

Uniforms

Dine & Earns (beginning June 2020)

Dipping Dots’

Afraid you don’t have the time to commit to a position? Grab a friend and do it as a team! If you are interested, please contact one of the Music Directors

Please join us for our next meeting on Tuesday, November 19 at the MJHS Library





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

Big picture

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.
Big picture
Big picture

Musical Tech Crew Members

Here is the tentative schedule of when we will meet. We will assign which set pieces we will be building later. Students will be assigned to Groups and will only need to attend when their group is scheduled. This will help alleviate students not having enough work to do at a given build time. The students chose their groups and came up with group names. More information on who is in which group can be found in the next section. Our December schedule is as follows:



Saturday, January 11 10:00 am - 3:00 pm - Sebastians, Aquaholics (NOTE TIME CHANGE)

Thursday, January 16 6:00 pm - 9:00 pm - Turtles, Ratatouille

Saturday, January 18 9:00 am - 3:00 pm - Sebastians, Buddy-Chum-Pals


GROUPS TO BE DETERMINED...

Thursday, January 23 6:00 pm - 9:00 pm

Thursday, January 30 6:00 pm - 9:00 pm

Saturday, February 1 9:00 am - 3:00 pm

Thursday, February 6 6:00 pm - 9:00 pm

Thursday, February 13 6:00 pm - 9:00 pm

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

Thursday, February 27 6:00 pm - 9:00 pm

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

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


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

Big picture

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.

Big picture

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.

Big picture

Music Booster Meeting - January 28, 2020

Come out on Tuesday, January 28, 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!


We are in serious need of someone or more than one person to take over the Treasurer responsibilities next year. If we do not have someone to take on this role, we will be unable to operate the Music Boosters. Please consider giving some time to take on this very important and crucial role.

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.
Big picture

JANUARY 2020

JANUARY


1/6 - FIRST DAY BACK AT SCHOOL - NO MORNING BAND OR SECTIONALS

1/7 - FIRST DAY OF BAND/SECTIONALS AFTER BREAK

1/14 - DISNEY Informational Meeting for current 6/7 grade band students

1/15 - Early Dismissal - NO SECTIONALS

1/20 - NO SCHOOL - MLK Day

1/21 - LWC Choir Step Up Night

1/25 - Solo/Ensemble Pre-Contest

1/28 - Music Booster Meeting 7:00 pm at MJH

Mokena Meteor Music Department

Mokena Meteor Music Department

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