All 6/7/8 Grade Band students should have submitted their Band Placement Assessment videos. Students will find out their ensemble placement on Tuesday and will receive their Sectional schedule at that time.

Cadet Band and the staggered Beginning Band rehearsals will start on TUESDAY!

Please read the Newsletter in its entirety as I often make changes to information.

Reminder, the junior high band students have a mandatory parade this SUNDAY. The Frankfort Fall Festival Parade will take place this Sunday, September 1. See below for the itinerary.

For the MIS Band Students, please be aware that much of the information contained in the Newsletters applies to MJH Music events. However, oftentimes I will include important information for MIS Music groups as well.

Most returning families have paid their music department fees - thank you. If you have not yet paid your child's Music Department fees, please be advised that your child is NOT fully registered for Band and will be unable to participate until all fees are paid in full. This includes Beginning Band. Please send in your payment PRIOR to the first day so your child is able to participate.

Students wishing to audition for ILMEA should turn in their form and payment no later than Wednesday, September 4. We cannot accept late applications. See the department website for more information: https://www.mokenameteormusic159.org/ilmea-audition-music.html

Choir starts this week! If you haven't signed your child up yet, please encourage them to join Choir!

You can still sign your child up this weekend! Follow this link to register: https://www.mokenameteormusic159.org/20192020-registration.html

As a reminder, choir meets immediately after school until 3:00 on the following days:

8th Grade - Monday and Wednesday

7th Grade - Tuesday and Wednesday

6th Grade - Thursday and Wednesday

Mrs. Cheney is excited to start rehearsals!

The Frankfort Fall Festival Parade will take place on Sunday, September 1. This is a MANDATORY performance for all 6/7/8 Grade Band Students. An itinerary can be found below. We are in need of parent volunteers to help hydrate our students during the parade. If you are interested in volunteering, please sign up on Charms.

Junior High Band/Choir and Orchestra students are encouraged to audition for the Illinois Music Educators Association All-Star Band, Choir, and Jazz Band. The ILMEA festival days are a great opportunity to play/sing wonderful music with some of the best young musicians in the Chicago-land area.

Registration for ILMEA Auditions is due by Wednesday, September 4th with the $8 audition fee. Late registrations will not be accepted. Registration information and music can be found here: https://www.mokenameteormusic159.org/ilmea-audition-music.html

This is a difficult audition, so students should only register to audition if they intend on spending a great deal of time practicing and preparing this music. They are competing with students from the greater Chicago-land area, so the competition is tough. I will be available for help if requested and scheduled, but the bulk of the music should be learned on their own.

The ILMEA District I Festival Audition date is Saturday, September 28 at Summit Hill Junior High School in Frankfort, Illinois.

If your student is accepted, the ILMEA District I Band/Choral Festival will be held on Saturday, November 9 at a location to be determined.

If your student is accepted, the ILMEA District I Jazz Band Festival will be held on Saturday, November 16 at Oak Lawn High School.

All 5th Grade Cadet Band students will start band on Tuesday, September 3 (after Labor Day). Sectionals for these students will begin later that week (a schedule will be handed out the first day). Band at MIS is 7:50 - 8:20 every morning (Monday - Friday) at MIS. Cadet band students may be dropped off at MIS no earlier than 7:35. No instruments are needed the first day.

The Beginning Band students will start on Tuesday, September 3 as well. Same times as the Cadet Students. Students in Beginning Band will start on a staggered schedule by instrument over the first several weeks. This allows for the director to spend focused time with each section before they all meet together as a band. The schedule is as follows:

Tuesday, September 3 - Flutes ONLY

Wednesday, September 4 - Oboes/Clarinets ONLY

Thursday, September 5 - Saxophones ONLY

Friday, September 6 - Trumpets ONLY

Monday, September 9 - French Horns ONLY

Tuesday, September 10 - Trombones/Baritones ONLY

Wednesday, September 11 - Percussion ONLY

Thursday, September 12 - Brass ONLY (Trumpets, French Horns, Trombones, Baritones)

Friday, September 13 - Woodwinds ONLY (Flutes, Oboes, Clarinets, Saxophones)

Monday, September 16 - Percussion ONLY

Tuesday, September 17 - Brass ONLY

Wednesday, September 18 - Woodwind ONLY

Thursday, September 19 -Percussion ONLY

Friday, September 20 - Brass ONLY

Monday, September 23 - Woodwind ONLY

Tuesday, September 24 - Percussion ONLY

Wednesday, September 25 - Brass ONLY

Thursday, September 26 - Woodwind ONLY

Friday, September 27 - Percussion ONLY

Monday, September 30 - FULL BAND!!

The Mokena Music Boosters are once again offering Dippin’ Dots to all of the students to be served at lunch once per quarter this year. The cost is $4 per distribution or $16 for the entire year. This year we are having everyone sign up to purchase Dippin’ Dots electronically with a google form. Please find the link below to take you to the form where you will fill out your child’s information and make the selections for the flavors for each of the 4 distributions. You then will have 2 options for payment. You c​​​​​​​an either send in your cash or check payment to school with your child in an envelope marked Dippin’ Dots with your child’s name, grade, and homeroom or you can pay electronically by following the link to charms and paying with paypal. All Dippin’ Dots orders are due with payment by September 9th.

If you are paying by check please make the payment out to Mokena Music Boosters.

If you are paying by Paypal, please follow the link at the end of the google form to the charms login. If you currently have a child in the music program, use your Charms login information, otherwise login as mokenamusic under the parent/student tab followed by the password mokena159. Click on the online store, select Dippin’ Dots, and then change the quantity to appropriate number of distributions you are paying for (4 if doing all year for one child). There will be a $2 fee assessed to paypal payments. If you are paying for multiple children, you can purchase all dippin’ dots in one transaction in the store.

Please remember to send in payment or pay with Paypal right away. Failure to receive payment by September 9th will result in cancellation of the Dippin’ Dots order.

Dippin’ Dots Google Form: https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSdAOQ7zlSuqI-atuxOG8tNyc4j50cCCny3N4llGveKMrSb6yg/viewform?usp=sf_link

Charms link for Paypal payment:https://www.charmsoffice.com/charms2/login.asp

If you have any issues, please contact Mrs. Maves at shelleyamaves@yahoo.com.

Please come out and support the Mokena Music Boosters on Tuesday, September 24 at Freddy's! A percentage of the proceeds will go to the Music Boosters General Fund to support our music programs.

While the District puts out a school supply list, the Band program is not included in that list. So what supplies does your child need for participation in the band program? Here is a list of suggested supplies by grade level:

Beginners:

Instrument

Book (Methods of Success Book 1)

Flutes - Cleaning Cloth

Clarinets - Reeds, cork grease, cleaning swab

Saxophones - Reeds, cork grease, cleaning swab

Trumpets - Valve oil, slide grease, cleaning cloth, cleaning snake, mouthpiece brush

French Horn - Rotor Oil, slide grease, cleaning cloth, cleaning snake, mouthpiece brush

Trombone - Slide Grease, cleaning cloth, cleaning snake, mouthpiece brush

Baritone - Valve oil, slide grease, cleaning cloth, cleaning snake, mouthpiece brush

Percussion - Bell Mallets, Drum Sticks

Cadets:

Instrument

Book (Methods of Success Book 2)

Flutes - Cleaning Cloth

Clarinets - Reeds, cork grease, cleaning swab

Saxophones - Reeds, cork grease, cleaning swab

Trumpets - Valve oil, slide grease, cleaning cloth, cleaning snake, mouthpiece brush

French Horn - Rotor Oil, slide grease, cleaning cloth, cleaning snake, mouthpiece brush

Trombone - Slide Grease, cleaning cloth, cleaning snake, mouthpiece brush

Baritone - Valve oil, slide grease, cleaning cloth, cleaning snake, mouthpiece brush

Percussion - Practice Pad, Bell Mallets, Yarn Mallets, Drum Sticks

Concert Band:

Instrument

Books (Methods of Success Book 2 & Habits for a Successful Middle School Musician)

Flutes - Cleaning Cloth

Clarinets - Reeds, cork grease, cleaning swab

Saxophones - Reeds, cork grease, cleaning swab

Trumpets - Valve oil, slide grease, cleaning cloth, cleaning snake, mouthpiece brush

French Horn - Rotor Oil, slide grease, cleaning cloth, cleaning snake, mouthpiece brush

Trombone - Slide Grease, cleaning cloth, cleaning snake, mouthpiece brush

Baritone - Valve oil, slide grease, cleaning cloth, cleaning snake, mouthpiece brush

Percussion - Practice Pad, Bell Mallets, Yarn Mallets, Drum Sticks, Stick Bag

All Wind Students should have a lyre and flip folder for parades

Symphonic Band:

Instrument

Books (Habits for a Successful Middle School Musician)

Flutes - Cleaning Cloth

Clarinets - Reeds, cork grease, cleaning swab

Saxophones - Reeds, cork grease, cleaning swab

Trumpets - Valve oil, slide grease, cleaning cloth, cleaning snake, mouthpiece brush

French Horn - Rotor Oil, slide grease, cleaning cloth, cleaning snake, mouthpiece brush

Trombone - Slide Grease, cleaning cloth, cleaning snake, mouthpiece brush

Baritone - Valve oil, slide grease, cleaning cloth, cleaning snake, mouthpiece brush

Percussion - Practice Pad, Bell Mallets, Yarn Mallets, Drum Sticks, Stick Bag

All Wind Students should have a lyre and flip folder for parades

Other Supplies Required for ALL Students:

Binder (at least 1")

Page Protectors

Dividers

Pencil Pouch

Pencils

Yellow Highlighter

Pink or Orange Highlighter

Blue or Green Highlighter

The Directors are also always looking for donations of Tissues, Paper Towels, Clorox Wipes, Hand Sanitizer, Sandwich size Ziploc Baggies, Gallon size Ziploc Baggies. We appreciate any donations you are willing to send in with your child. Thank you!

I hope this helps with making sure your child is prepared for band this year.

Mokena Music Boosters are preparing for the 2019-20 school year events and are in need of your help stocking the Concession Stand supply cabinet. It is still not too late to donate!!!

Thank you to all the families who donated so far!

If you haven't donated already, we are asking each Music family to donate one item based upon the first letter of your student's last name.

If you were unable to bring your donation in to the back to school nights, your child can also bring the donation to their morning band practice.

Last name beginning with D, F & U - 24 cans of orange soda (Sunkist or Crush)

Last names beginning with K & Z- 24 cans of Sprite, 7-Up or Sierra Mist

Last names beginning with I, P & W- 24 bottles of water (16 oz)

Last names beginning with A, L & N- 24 cans of Coke or Pepsi

Last names beginning with R, V & X- 24 cans of Diet Coke or Diet Pepsi

Last names beginning with J, M & Q- 12 bottles of Gatorade (12oz)

Last names beginning with B & O- 12 bottles of ICE Sparkling Water

Last names beginning with E & S - 24 cans of Mountain Dew

Last names beginning with C & T-24 cans of Root beer

Last names beginning with G, H, & Y - Snack items (small bags of chips, cookies, crackers, pretzels, etc) Multi-packs of individual lunch sized snacks

Any questions please feel free to email Mrs. Wagner, our Hospitality Chairperson, at rwags579@gmail.com

Thank you for your support of your student's Music programs!

Please see the following Important Dates to Remember for Music students at MIS and MJHS. Please note that all performances (including parades) are mandatory for junior high students and will count as a test grade. If you know your student is unable to attend a performance, please let the directors know as soon as possible and fill out an absence request form: https://docs.google.com/forms/d/1GSAICK-Logi_gB-pKMoMpaeSpbcf8ZSCHyzOcN4ZdIs/edit

Please mark these dates on your calendar!

The Lincoln-Way Marching Band would like to invite our current (and interested) 8th grade students/families to an Informational Meeting for the 2020 LWMB Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade trip on Tuesday, September 17, 2019 in the Lincoln-Way East Auditorium. This meeting is for all current 9th, 10th, and 11th grade LWMB students/families, as well as all current 8th grade music students/families.

The meeting will begin at 7:30PM.

The meeting will cover the most up to date information about the trip, including the most current itinerary and cost per student.

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 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.

If you know that your child cannot attend a performance, please let your director know as early as possible and no later than two days prior to the event. If we do not receive ADVANCE notice of the absence (except in the case of sudden illness), you will not be eligible for a make up assignment.

All absence requests should be submitted through our department website at this link: https://www.mokenameteormusic159.org/absence-request-form.html

This absence request is not for rehearsals or sectionals, only performances.

Below is a short video walking you through how to sign into your child's Charms account for the first time.

You may hear the term IBA account and wonder "what is that?" An IBA account is an Individual Bank Account. Every student registered in Charms automatically has an account. Funds raised through IBA 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 Disneyworld! If your child is in 4th and 5th Grade, they will be eligible for the Disney trip in 2023. Start saving now!

IBA Fundraisers usually occur once per quarter. We will be offering one very soon. Keep watching for information.

Come out on Tuesday, September 24, 2019 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!

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.

SEPTEMBER

9/1 - Frankfort Fall Festival Parade - Mandatory for 6-7-8 Grade Band Students

9/2 - NO SCHOOL - LABOR DAY

9/3 - First Day of Beginning Band (staggered schedule by instrument)

9/3 - First Day of Cadet Band - No instruments the first day

9/4 - ILMEA Registration Forms Due - optional for 6-7-8 Grade Band/Choir Students

9/9 - First Day of Sectionals for MIS Band Students

9/17 - Macy's Meeting at LWE - For 8th Grade Students interested in joining LWMB in high school

9/24 - Music Booster Meeting

9/28 - ILMEA Auditions - optional