Band Notes - Week of October 6

General information that applies to all students and parents can be found towards the top of every newsletter, while information specific to your child's ensemble can be found in that particular section by scrolling all the way down.

Feel free to contact a director if you have any questions and our contact information is at the bottom of this newsletter. Thanks for reading!

Please click here to see all of the Band Events for this new school year in order to plan your family's activities. Remember, performances are a required part of our curriculum, so please contact a director ASAP for any conflicts.

Click on this link to sign up to become a district volunteer and complete the background check. Even if you have done this before, this process must be repeated every school year: Parent Chaperone Sign-Up. Please sign up for volunteer opportunities on your CutTime MagicLink.

We want to interact with you on social media, so be sure to Like, Follow, and Subscribe on all of the following platforms you use:

• YouTube Channel
• Parent Square Group
• Facebook Page
• Instagram Account
• Band Website
• Google Photos Album
• SoundCloud Channel
• Smore Newsletters

In the Belton MS Band, we form a partnership between teacher and student where both share responsibility in their musical development. Our team of teachers include middle school directors, private lesson instructors, high school directors, and even hired clinicians, masterclass teachers, and adjudicators. We also strive to communicate and produce strong partnerships with parents since their support is vital in their student's growth.

To that end, we as the teaching team provide Introduction, Comprehension, and Demonstration to students for their instruction. However, each student has a responsibility as well to facilitate Repetition in the form of practicing daily for at least 25 minutes, 5 days per week.

This means that instruments go home everyday to practice the concepts, patterns, and music that we go over daily in class. This leads to student Mastery of their music and ultimately of their instrument. Students have homework everyday in Band as they practice their instrument in preparation for performances and to continue their musical growth. Reach out to a director if you would like more information on how to better help and support the musical growth of your student.

Click here to see the Calendar page of our website to find all of the current events, including special rehearsals, contests, and performances for the whole school year. We provide this so you can plan your family's activities. Remember, performances are a required part of our curriculum, so please contact a director ASAP for any conflicts. Be sure to view the List of Band Events that can be found clicking on the link.

Your student's first sit-in concert is coming up next week in the BMS Cafeteria! Students should arrive by 6:15pm already dressed in their Band Uniform, which consists of their band shirt tucked into jeans with closed-toed shoes - young gentlemen should also wear a belt. Due to a volleyball game happening at the same time, please use entrance H-7 to enter the Cafeteria to avoid having to buy a ticket (see map below).

A "sit-in" concert is where students sit alongside their parents and families rather than on a stage. We want to make their first performance as stress-free as possible!

• Woodwinds will bring their case to the Cafeteria and assemble their instruments there
• Brass will assemble their instrument in the Band Hall and leave their case in their band locker
• Percussion students will set up and perform in the main Band Hall with their families

All students should be seated ready to go by 6:25pm, and the concert will start promptly at 6:30pm. As for all performances, here is the grading rubric the directors will use to determine your child's grade for the performance:

• Be Punctual - Students need to be in their spots ready to perform no later than 6:25pm (25%)
• Be Prepared - Students should have all of their supplies and materials, including their binder and music along with their well-maintained instrument (25%)
• Be Prepared - When they arrive at school by 6:15pm, students should already have on their band uniform, which is their band shirt tucked into jeans with closed-toed shoes (gentlemen should wear a belt - 25%)
• Be Disciplined - Students should always be on their best behavior and set the example for proper concert etiquette, which includes remaining silent while someone is playing or speaking, remaining seated throughout the performance, and applauding appropriately (25%)

As you can see, students have the potential to do very well for this major grade! If students are Punctual, Prepared, Disciplined, and Relentless, they will automatically Be Superior. These Five Guidelines of Success dictate all of our procedures and philosophy of the Belton MS Band. We are very excited for this first performance of the 2025-2026 Beginner's Ensemble! Please invite any and all family members to attend this first concert experience, as all of our performances are free. If you have any questions, please contact your child's director via ParentSquare.

Students should take their instruments home daily and we expect them to practice 5 days a week for at least 25 minutes. Students may also practice before school in the Band Hall starting at 7:30am every school day.

Parents, we implore you to help set up a consistent practice routine at home for your student. Students will not improve their musical skills on their instrument without practice outside of regular class time. The directors, we will teach your student what and how to practice, but we need your help in establishing when and how much they practice. The more they practice, the better they will get faster. Please review the How To Practice and Weekly XP Chart attachment below:

Students received their Region Pass-Off sheets as they prepare and practice for the upcoming TMEA All-Region Auditions on Saturday, November 8 in College Station. This is our most individually-competitive event we do all year long so we expect students to work diligently in getting their music passed off on a consistent basis.

Each pass-off counts as a major grade and can be done a little at a time. Students may pass their music off with a director, lessons teacher, or (new this year) submit a video via Schoology to the assignment. Here is the list of pass-offs and their respective due dates with the goal of Correct Rhythm, Correct Notes/Fingerings, & Correct Articulation/Stickings:

1. Pass-Off 1 Due September 5: Winds - Memorized Concert Bb, Eb, & F Scales and Percussion - Mallet Etude m. 1-8
2. Pass-Off 2 Due September 12: Winds - Etude 1A (first half of Etude 1) and Percussion - Snare Etude m. 1-20
3. Pass-Off 3 Due September 19: Winds - Memorized Concert Ab & C Scales and Percussion - Timpani Etude m. 1-8
4. Pass-Off 4 Due September 26: Winds - Etude 2A (first half of Etude 2) and Percussion - Mallet Etude m. 9-14
5. Pass-Off 5 Due October 3: Winds - Memorized Chromatic Scale and Percussion - Snare Etude m. 21-35
6. Pass-Off 6 Due October 17: Winds - Etude 1B (second half of Etude 1) and Percussion - Timpani Etude m. 9-18
7. Pass-Off 7 Due October 24: Winds - Etude 2B (second half of Etude 2) and Percussion - Mallet Etude m. 15-20
8. Pass-Off 8 Due November 7: Percussion Only - Snare Etude m. 36-54

Sectionals will start on Monday, August 25 until Friday, November 7 one day after school per week from 4:00-5:00pm. All students in both Symphonic Band and Wind Ensemble are required to attend one sectional per week from 4:00-5:00pm for a weekly grade.

Mondays

• Flutes in Ensemble Room with Trahan

Tuesdays

• Clarinets in Ensemble Room with Trahan
• Tubas in Band Hall with Pulley

Wednesdays

• All Saxophones in Ensemble Room with Trahan
• Percussion in the Band Hall with Smith
• Horns in the Orchestra Room with Pulley

Thursdays

• Trumpets, Trombones, & Euphoniums in Band Hall with Pulley

Oboe, Bassoon, & Bass Clarinet: During regular class with a director - nothing after school required

Students are expected to "Be Punctual" and arrive seated with all materials and ready to rehearse at 4pm sharp or their grade will be affected. Students 1-5 minutes late will have their sectional grade reduced to an 85. Students who are late 5-15 minutes will have their grade reduced to a 70. Students arriving more than 15 minutes late will receive a 50.

Email: beltonmsband@gmail.com

Website: beltonmsband.org
Call/Text: 254-262-3050

Address: 1704 Sparta Road, Belton, TX, USA

------------------------------------------------------------------------

Facebook: facebook.com/beltonmsband

YouTube: youtube.com/beltonmsband

Instagram: instagram.com/beltonmsband