TWIB Notes

Congratulations to all of the students in the Allen Band! The marching band earned a Division I (Superior) rating at the UIL Region 25 Marching Contest, earning a "1" from every adjudicator! We are so proud of the work of our students and we are looking forward to performing at an even higher level at the next event: the UIL Area J Marching Contest.

In order to have and maintain a high-quality band program, attendance from all members is essential. While the Allen Band follows all school and district policies and procedures, the following additional guidelines outline the attendance procedures and policies for the Allen Band during the Thanksgiving Holiday Break.

This form is specifically for absence requests for out-of-state family travel for the football games that will occur on November 19-21 and November 27-28.

This form is due before October 31st and will not accept responses after that date.

***Note that submitting an absence request is not an automatic excusal from rehearsal.

The SchoolPay link to make your deposit for the Spring Trip is below. Please be sure to make your payment before October 31st, no late registrations will be accepted.

https://allenisd.schoolpay.com/pay/for/AHS-Band-Trip-2027-Payments/SH7Qwx

Payments will be due at the end of every month, and the deposit for the trip is due on October 31st. The payment schedule is as follows:

The total cost of the Spring Trip is $750. You can make payments via SchoolPay and no late registrations will be accepted. This trip fee will cover transportation, lodging, contest entry, and some fun events while we are in Port Aransas/Corpus Christi. Students will be staying in condos with sleeping arrangements for six people. We will depart for Corpus Christi on charter buses on April 8th, spend three nights in the condos, and return on charter buses to Allen on April 11th. Our final itinerary is in the works and will be shared soon. We hope you can join us!

*TRADITIONAL UNIFORM*

ITINERARY

*BOO BOWL COSTUMES*

ITINERARY

*CONTEST UNIFORM*

ITINERARY

Please check your needed items for our upcoming performances.

• Water bottle with a strap
  
• Lyre if you play Clarinet, Bass Clarinet, All Saxophones, Mellophones, Baritones
  
• Eflip phone holder
• Black Vipers Marching Shoes
• Long Black Socks
• Allen Band Shorts (TRADITIONAL & CONTEST UNIFORMS)
• Long-sleeve blue uniform shirt (TRADITIONAL UNIFORM)
• Allen Dri-Fit t-shirt (CONTEST UNIFORM)
• Contest Show Top (CONTEST UNIFORM)
• Gloves

*Piercings need to be clear jewelry or studs

*For contest uniform - hair should be out of your face and off the shoulders

• Athletic shoes

• Must be able to perform the show without restriction including all choreography

• Must adhere to AISD dress code

• No masks or facial coverings

• No weapons

• Viability of the show must be preserved

• If no costume, athletic pants and allen dri-fit

• Costumes must be obvious - no ‘I’m dressed like a teenager’

• You still need all of your equipment - water, Eflip, instrument

Monday, October 26th

Weekly Pass-off: Region Etude Cut on MakeMusic

7:00am - 8:15am Rehearsal

Tuesday, October 27th

7:00am - 8:15am Rehearsal

5:30pm - 8:30pm Rehearsal

Wednesday, October 28th

No morning rehearsal

Thursday, October 29th

7:00am - 8:15am Rehearsal

Friday, October 30th

7:00am - 8:15am Rehearsal

Allen @ McKinney Boyd BOO BOWL (itinerary posted above)

Saturday, October 31st

9:15am - 11:45pm (itinerary posted above)

UIL Area Marching Contest (McKinney Stadium)

Monday, November 2nd

Weekly Pass-off: Region Etude Cut on MakeMusic

No Morning Rehearsal

Tuesday, November 3rd

7:00-8:15am Rehearsal

Wednesday, November 4th

No Morning Rehearsal

Thursday, November 5th

7:00am - 8:15am Rehearsal

HS Pep Rally

Allen vs Walnut Grove - Senior Night (itinerary posted next week)

Friday, November 6th

No Morning Rehearsal

Saturday, November 7th

Lewisville Drumline Contest

You will soon need the following items for concert season in your band class. Please prepare the following items:

• Black binder
  
• Dividers
  
• Pencil pouch w/ pencils
  
• Name tag for stand
  
• Tuner w/ clip
  
• Swab/grease/oil
  

Hand Wash in Cold Water, blot excess moisture, lay flat to dry.

*DO NOT PUT IN THE DRYER FOR ANY REASON! THEY WILL SHRINK!*

Write your name on the inside of the collar of your show top so it doesn't get mixed up

Students who receive a grade below 70 in any non-exempt academic course at the end of this grading period will become academically ineligible following the UIL-required seven-calendar-day grace period. Students that fail a class will become ineligible on Friday, October 2nd and will not be able to travel or participate in performances with the Allen Band. Texas Education Code requires students who fail a non-exempt course at a grade evaluation period to be suspended from extracurricular participation for at least three school weeks, with eligibility reviewed again after three weeks. Students can regain eligibility on October 9th at the grade check and all students are eligible during the Fall Break. While academically ineligible, students will not be permitted to perform with the Allen Band at football games, marching contests, parades, pep rallies, or other public performances. They will, however, continue to attend and participate in scheduled rehearsals. State law specifically allows an academically ineligible student to practice or rehearse with the group even though the student may not participate in a competition or public performance, and rehearsals remain part of the students' Allen Band course responsibilities. Certain advanced courses are exempt from the standard No Pass, No Play provision. We have posted the current Allen ISD list of exempt courses so students and families can determine whether a particular course qualifies for an exemption. Allen High School also maintains the current 2026-27 Academic Planning Guide and Student Handbook as district references for academic and extracurricular requirements.

Due to students being shifted into and between Advanced Music courses, we have decided to postpone the first Advanced Music assignment. Students will now need to complete the first Concert Critique by Friday, November 13th. Please see details about the assignment and course expectations in your Canvas courses.

Do not request to attend tutorials sessions during band rehearsals. You should contact your academic teacher to find solutions that don't conflict with rehearsal time.

Students will be marching, moving, and playing for the majority of their time and will need to have the following items:

• Instrument with all accessories

• Charged Device with Ultimate Drill Book, Beam, Geo, and SportsYou apps loaded and joined

• ½ Gallon water jug filled with ice water

• Athletic clothing, no jeans/jorts, no crocs, no boots
  

• Hat and sunglasses

• Sunscreen

• Deodorant
  

*Having supplies on a daily basis has an impact on daily grade assessments for students

This free event is on Sunday, October 25 from 1:00-5:00 pm at UNT. High School students playing oboe, english horn, bassoon, and contrabassoon will have the opportunity to perform in a masterclass setting with the oboe and bassoon faculty of the University of Texas Arlington, University of North Texas, and Texas Christian University. After the masterclasses, students will participate in a mock audition, with written feedback from the faculty. We moved this event earlier this year so that students will have more preparation time to apply the skills they learn to their playing.

We will accept walk-in/late registrations, but we ask that students plan on registering by October 19 so that we know how many students to accommodate. Students can register and find more information at the link below:

https://www.melissabosmaoboe.com/dfwdrasi

This is a new event at UTA, open to high school students of any wind, brass, and percussion instruments. Students will get the chance to perform and learn from UTA faculty in masterclasses over the etudes and get the chance to hear faculty play on a short recital. These masterclasses are on Saturday, November 7 from 9:00 am-12:00 pm for the TMEA-track students. There is a $15 fee to register which includes a t-shirt and a UTA swag bag!

Students can register and find more information at the link below:

https://secure.touchnet.net/C21611_ustores/web/product_detail.jsp?PRODUCTID=1859&FROMQRCODE=true

MakeMusic accounts will be set up for all winds and percussionists. We will use this software platform to help the Allen Band learn the All-Region music.

Students will be able to hear themselves, record themselves, and receive feedback on their performance. Students will be given as many chances as they wish to record themselves.

Please check the microphone on your Chromebook when you receive your district technology and make sure it is working. Non-functional devices will not be an excuse for incomplete recording assignments.

The TMEA All-Region freshman cuts are listed below, and the All-Region music is available in the Google Drive linked on the website.

The All-Region freshman cuts are the fall semester exam. Students are responsible for preparing this music throughout the semester. Students should expect chair tests, in-class performances, and MakeMusic assignments connected to this music.

Private lesson sign-ups are linked below.

All parents should fill out the Google Form, even if your student is already enrolled in lessons.

Private lessons are $24 per weekly lesson and are the strongest predictor of student success. Allen ISD has added many private lesson instructors on every instrument to make sure we can accommodate as many students as possible.