We have a lot to share this week as we prepare for the end of the year and our band banquet coming up at the end of the week. Audition materials were released on Google Classroom on Thursday. Auditions will include a video recording of all major and minor scales (full range scale sheets are attached to the audition materials and can be found in your blue book), as well as a live performance of a selection of your solo. Please speak with a band director if you have any questions about the audition, or the appropriate range for you to play.

This week we have, YAC Rehearsals (including Monday) and Leadership auditions (ongoing), and Band Banquet on Friday. Please see the link below to purchase banquet tickets (parents too!), and the YAC Section to verify your rehearsal and performance times. If the embedded google sheet does not appear on your device, please use the link in the section below.

We will not have a New Member Marching Camp this Monday, April 21st.

We also released our marching calendar last week and dates are being updated on our Google calendar. Please pay special attention to the summer band dates, and Football Game on Friday October 17th (school holiday). We will share further details about the calendar at the "Excellence is our Standard Night". This is the kick off to our marching season and will provide everything you need to know for next year. We have combined this event with our show reveal and both events will occur on May 5th. This was done to allow families to attend Academic awards on April 30th.

Lastly we will have Letter Jacket applications are due on Friday. Student YAC results will be added to their point totals. Please submit a form even if you need points from this event. Please see below for information regarding letter jackets.

We also ask that you check Google Classroom Regularly for updates relevant to your students ensemble. Weekly goals and expectations will be posted there. If you need help accessing your google classroom, please reach out to Mr. Garrison.

Be sure to check the calendar for Gems and GIP rehearsals in the coming weeks.

This Week

To Do This Week

Band Banquet

Marching Calendar

Letter Jacket Information

Spring Trip

Auditions

Graduation Band

Registration Day

YAC

Summer Band Camp Opportunities

Leadership Information

Handbook Forms

Remind

Attendance

Tickets for our Band Banquet will be available on the web store until Sunday, April 20th. I strongly encourage all families (the whole family!) to attend. The banquet is one part award ceremony, one part dinner, one part social event for our band family, and one part celebration for all our students have done this year. We have a lot to celebrate and want you to be a part of the festivities!

Qualification:

Students may pick up a letter jacket application on Tuesday April 15th to declare their eligibility for a letter jacket. Applications must be submitted by Friday, April 25th.

Packets Distribution and Collection:

April 29th (Tuesday): Letter Jacket Packets will be sent home with students who qualify. These packets should be reviewed by students and their parents.

Fitting Date and Time:

SSR will be coming to size and process orders on Monday, May 6th, at 3:15 PM. At this time, students will be fitted and will pay for their jackets on-site. Students will turn in their completed packets directly to the SSR team during the fitting. This process will help avoid issues with late packets or misplaced orders.

Our Spring Trip is approaching quickly. We will take all students in the Wind Ensemble and Symphonic Winds to Round Top on May 2nd to record at the Round Top Festival Institute. After our Recording, Students attending the trip will continue to the coast while students not attending will return to campus. We are anticipating a 3pm return to campus for those students not attending the Trip. Be on the look out for another email with the full itinerary this week.

Audition Materials were released in Google Classroom Thursday April 17th. Students will be asked to record their 12 major and minor scales with arpeggios, chromatic scale, and perform for a band director a portion of their solo.

Recordings will be due May 12th, and live auditions will begin the same day.

Please be sure to read the grading criteria attached to the audition packet below.

As we close in on the end of the year, we will begin to prepare for Graduation. The band performs as a part of the Graduation ceremonies, and students who place in the Wind Ensemble are expected to attend. Our tentative itinerary is below.

• 7:00 am - Band Hall Opens
• 7:30 am - Call Time (Concert Dress, Warmed up, Tuned)
• 8:00 am - Load Buses
• 8:15 am - Depart
• 8:30 am - Arrive at the HEB Center
• 8:45 am - Sound Check
• 9:00 am - Doors Open
• 10:00 am - Graduation Begins
• 12:00 pm - Graduation ends - Load Buses
• 12:30 pm - Arrive at GHS

Registration Day is a big event. May 21st (Returning Members), and May 22nd (New Members) you and your student will need to attend to register for the band, pick up their school owned instrument, be sized for their uniform, show top, show shirt, marching shoes, and summer uniform. To make registering simpler, we will be breaking down some steps to take in advance so that you can breeze through registration day.

Steps to take now:

1. Fill out the application at https://www.leanderisd.org/volunteering/
2. Pick a few events to volunteer for using the calendar above.
3. Set aside money for Band Fees. You will make final payments or finalize payment plans for student fees. Please let Mr. Garrison know if you have any questions about payments for the band.
4. Schedule a physical before May 21st, or sign up for a $25 physical with Impact Family Wellness provided at GHS the night of registration day. If you already have a scheduled physical after registration day please let us know the date.

We will also have a selfie station for you to take a picture with your student in uniform! Come dressed in your favorite band gear for your selfie.

Students will need to bring their $60 accompanist fee to their first rehearsal. This payment goes directly to the accompanist.

The LINK above contains rehearsal times on the first tab, and performance times on the second tab. Students, please check the confirmation box after verifying your times.

Solo preparation is an integral part of a musicians development and we are lucky to have some great accompanists to assist our students in this process. This form is now long over due. If you have not completed this form, it must be done by Monday. This allows our accompanists time to prepare the pieces you are playing before the concert.

Below are some options for Summer Band Camps. Band Camps are a great way to stay active over the summer and meet other musicians from around the state. If you have questions about band camps, reach out to your lesson teacher or band director.

General Band Camps

For all instruments. Kids work in a full band setting to prepare music for a band concert for parents at the end of the week! There are elective classes to take, they experience life on a college campus, and learn from world class music educators.

Baylor University Band Camp

Texas Tech University Band Camp

Texas State University Band Camp

Instrument Specific Band Camps

These camps are instrument specific and local to the Austin area. They will play with ensembles, learn instrument specific techniques, and work with world class educators.

Flutes - Flootfire Camp

Clarinets - Central Texas Clarinet Camp

Oboes and Bassoons - Bocal Majority Camp

Trumpets - Austin Trumpet Camp

French Horns - Austin French Horn Camp

Trombones - Austin Trombone Camp

Euphonium and Tuba - Teupha Camp

Percussion - Texas Christian University Percussion Camp

As we approach the midpoint in the year, we wanted to release some information about the leadership process for the year. Our Drum Majors will host the usual DM Clinics for those interested in the position, and we will begin our leadership process just before UIL. We will continue to update information here as we get closer to UIL.

All parents and students should sign up for our marching band remind. We have created a full marching band remind to ensure that all parents and students receive any updates during the marching season. If there is a change to the published schedule it will be communicated in this remind. To sign up text @grizmb to the number 81010 or add class @grizmb in your remind app. You will receive a welcome text or notification from Remind. If you have trouble with 81010, you can try texting @grizmb to (415) 749-9891.

We recommend using the text notifications as well as the app updates to ensure you receive messages from the band regardless of your wifi status.

Attendance at rehearsals is vital to the ensembles success. We have created an absence form (located below) for parents to fill out when their student will miss rehearsal. All absences must be submitted a week in advance for approval. Absences for illness should include documentation from a medical professional to be approved.

Students who have one or more unexcused absence will be subject to one or more of the following consequences:

Loss of primary marching spot

Loss of marching privilege for one game

Loss of attendance privilege at one game or social event

Loss of concert band assignment

Removal from the band program