Marching Band Audition RESULTS
05/17/2018
Veteran students/parents – Below is the email I just sent to our incoming freshman parents/students. I don’t think much needs to be different since you’ve all been through this before. However, please do read the information as a reminder of summer conditions and such. Also, I would like to mention that I spoke to our students at length today in class about the increased competition standard. There are less students in competition band this year in our efforts to set our students up for success at competition venues and in consideration of our program culture and resources.
I also spoke to our students at length about leadership selections and announced student leadership in the Football Band Membership document. I am very impressed with all of the students who went out for leadership! There were so many capable individuals. I had to make some tough decisions while weighing LOTS of different aspects of not just the candidate, but the members of their sections as well in order to best determine what the staff and I believe will be best for the band.
I am very excited about this coming year!
I know everyone has been waiting to see the lists of our “Football Band” and “Competition Band”. I apologize for the delay. I’ve been doing my best to give everyone an opportunity to work things out in order to be a part of our program, we just finished percussion auditions, and I also wanted to finish our “Leadership Council” selections (veteran students who will serve in leadership roles). Attached are two separate lists in a zip file folder. These have been posted in the high school band room and will also be posted outside the band room at BMS.
The “Football Band” list includes everyone who has gone through our audition clinics and will have a spot in the football half-time show. The “Competition Band” is smaller and includes those who will perform at competitions. Students who are not in the Competition Band are welcome and should attend the competitions with the whole of the band for the hugely educational and highly enjoyable experience that competitions are. (Again, this only includes 3 out of 15+ performances throughout the season. Other than competition performance, all students will do everything together.)
I have not received everyone’s registration fee yet. Please get this fee turned in to the money box on my office door at the high school band room by the end of this week. This ensures that your student will have a spot in the show.
A NOTE LOOKING AHEAD TO BAND CAMP:
PARENTS – it is very important that your student takes time this summer to get acclimated to the heat. (i.e. Spend time taking walks/jogs/runs in the neighborhood or at the park late morning or early evening and practice doing the things we did during audition clinics.) Every year, we have students who start band camp without having done anything outside all summer long. This is detrimental to their health and detrimental to their success with the rest of the group because they have to sit out a lot. With that said, please know and trust that we take care of all of our students with plenty of breaks especially when we are outside, and we’ll have a nurse (and usually other parents) on hand to help. Marching Band is an athletically involved activity with all kinds of different students, including those who are not otherwise athletically-inclined. You will be amazed at the positive transformation your student will make over the course of band camp! It will be very fun, exciting, and positively challenging. (Our student leaders will likely be reaching out to your student for (a) summer get-together(s).)
I will send an email later this summer about some things to be prepared with as we get closer to camp, like a gallon water jug, suncreen, appropriately clothing, etc. By that point, our upcoming 9th grade students’ information should be moved up to the HS Charms database.
I look forward to having you and your student with us in the high school band family!
Jacob Souder
Director of Bands
Posted in Marching Band