Mokena Meteor Music
May 24 - May 30, 2019
Important Information from the Music Department!
Please be sure to read it in its entirety as it is updated regularly.
ONE MORE WEEK TO REGISTER YOUR CHILD FOR BAND AND/OR CHOIR!
REGISTRATION IS AVAILABLE ON THE WEBSITE!!!! ALL REGISTRATIONS AND PAYMENTS ARE DUE MAY 31!!! Go to https://www.mokenameteormusic159.org/20192020-registration.html to register your child for band and/or choir for next year.
The Symphonic Band and Concert Band students will be participating in the Mokena Memorial Day parade on Monday, May 27. Students will meet at MIS at 9:15 and should be picked up at St. John's Cemetery around 11:30. I have attached the itinerary below. We will need a few parent volunteers that day. WE ARE IN NEED OF CHAPERONES TO HELP WITH THIS EVENT.
The end of the year is fast approaching! The last day of Choir is today, May 17. The last day for Beginning Band and Cadet Band will be Friday, May 24. Any student using a school-owned instrument, will need to check that instrument in with their director on that day. If your child wishes to keep a school-owned instrument over the summer, we will need the serial number of the instrument and a photo of the tag on the instrument on that day.
The last day for Concert Band and Symphonic Band will be Tuesday, May 28. Students will not need their instruments that day as we will be cleaning out lockers and packing up the room for the summer. Any student using a school-owned instrument, will need to check that instrument in with their director on that day. If your child wishes to keep a school-owned instrument over the summer, we will need the serial number of the instrument and a photo of the tag on the instrument on that day.
As summer begins, many instruments get tossed into a corner or put away in a closet. Please make sure your child is practicing regularly over the summer months. There is an article below about the importance of practice over the summer. Please read the article and discuss with your child.
Summer is also a great time to get in some private music lessons. There is information below about finding a teacher for your child.
Summer Band will begin on Wednesday, June 26 from 9:00 - 10:00 in preparation for the 4th of July Parade. Summer Choir begins on July 22 from 10:00 - 11:00. The summer band/choir schedule can be found on our department website here: https://www.mokenameteormusic159.org/summer-bandchoir-2019.html or our main calendar can be found here: https://www.mokenameteormusic159.org/calendar.html
Band/Choir Registration for 2019-2020 School Year Ends on May 31!
Registration for Band/Choir for the 2019-2020 school year is open NOW! All registration will be done online and will be due by MAY 31. Students who have money owing on their account will be prohibited from registering for next year until their account is paid in full. All students registering will need to make their fee payments at the time of registration unless prior arrangements have been made with the directors. Students who are not up to date on payments will not be registered for the ensembles until payment is made (this includes summer band/choir payments, books, school-owned instrument rental fees, etc.).
Here is the link to registration: https://www.mokenameteormusic159.org/20192020-registration.html
If you have any questions, please contact your director.
Memorial Day Parade Itinerary
Schedule for Concert Band and Symphonic Band for Remainder of School Year
As we are wrapping things up for this year, the Concert and Symphonic Band students will have an altered morning band schedule for the remainder of the school year. Please note, this does NOT affect Beginning and Concert Band students. Those students will attend morning rehearsal as usual through May 24.
For Concert and Symphonic Band students, we will be doing morning workshops. 8th Grade students may or may not attend these workshops. It is up to them.
Friday, May 24 - FULL BAND and GUARD - Outside to march - dress appropriately
Monday, May 27 - MEMORIAL DAY PARADE - See Itinerary above
Tuesday, May 28 - LAST DAY OF MORNING BAND - No instruments - Locker Clean out and return school-owned instruments
If you have any questions, please contact your director.
Junior High Band Audition Information
All 6th - 8th grade band students will be auditioning at the beginning of next year for placement in either Concert Band or Symphonic Band for the next school year. These bands will no longer be separated by grade, but instead, will be separated by skill level. This will benefit all students as they will be placed in an ensemble that is appropriate for their level to promote student growth. Hopefully this will alleviate students feeling overwhelmed by music that is too difficult. Also this will provide the challenge that some students need to continue progressing on their instrument.
Students have already received the scale and etude excerpts that they will be performing for the audition. If your child did not receive either of these items, please have them contact their director. These auditions will take place at the beginning of the school year and students will submit their best video to a Google form. We will have outside judges ranking the students and they will be placed in the appropriate ensemble. This is not something that the students should stress about, but they should take it seriously. If a student chooses not to submit a video, they will be placed in Concert band.
In December, students will have the opportunity to submit another video for the possibility to move to Symphonic band if their ability level determines that that is an appropriate placement for them.
Audition music can be found here: https://www.mokenameteormusic159.org/junior-high-band-audition-music.html
If you have any questions, please contact your child's director.
Practicing Over the Summer? Yes! You Should!
SUMMER NEWSLETTERS
Summer Newsletters will be more sporadic than they are during the school year. I will always email families to let you know when there is a new Newsletter. You can also check our department website for the latest Newsletter or to review past Newsletters. The link to the Newsletters is here:
https://www.mokenameteormusic159.org/weekly-newsletter.html
If you have any questions over the summer, please reach out to me via email. I will be checking my emails often.
Have a great summer!
Do I Still Owe Money to the Boosters?
Please check your Charms account to determine if your child has an outstanding amount due to the Music Boosters. Students will balances owing on their account will be unable to register for any music activities next year until their account is current.
If you have any questions, please contact your director for help.
ALL PAST DUE MONEY MUST BE PAID IN ORDER TO REGISTER YOUR CHILD FOR NEXT YEAR. IF YOUR CHILD OWES MONEY, THEY WILL NOT BE ABLE TO PARTICIPATE IN BAND OR CHOIR FOR THE 2019-2020 SCHOOL YEAR UNTIL IT IS PAID IN FULL.
Help Support the Music Boosters by Shopping Online!
The AmazonSmile fundraiser is available year round - not just at Christmas time. This is a great way to support our music programs without any 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.
This is available year round. If you have any questions, please contact Mrs. Bussean.
Private Music Lessons
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
MUSIC BOOSTER MEETING - MAY 28, 2019
Come out on Tuesday, May 28, 2019 at 7:00 PM to the monthly Music Booster Meeting held at Mokena Junior High School in the Library. 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!
May, 2019
5/24 - Last day of Beginning Band and Cadet Band
5/27 - Memorial Day Parade (all 6/7/8 band students and color guard - MANDATORY)
5/28 - Last Day of Concert Band and Symphonic Band
5/28 - Music Booster Meeting 7:00 pm
5/31 - Music Department Registration and Fees Due
Mokena Meteor Music Department
