Odem Bands Schedule: Week of 10/9/2017
I hope this message finds you well as we continue to march on into the month of October, one of the busiest months for us for the bands! Before I begin this weeks message I want to give a huge thank you out to Mr. and Mrs. McClellen and Mr. Hammack for helping to create our bridge for the show that we used this week for the first time. If you see any of these three please give them a big thank you for their hard work! I would also like to give a huge shout-out to all of our booster officers and volunteers at the games Thursday and Friday!
We began our season with a strong opening contest performance yesterday in Goliad at the USBands Marching Showcase. There the students earned 1st in their division and one of the highest scores overall for the day! They were also awarded all captions within their division as well!
This week we will continue to do everything we can to prepare for our upcoming UIL contests with a clinic on Saturday, and a contest in Cuero Saturday at 5pm. Both are required graded events for all eligible high school band members. Please help us make sure that your students are attending both those and the evening rehearsals! There are many strong bands in our area and most of the time the difference between a band advancing to Area Finals, and to State, comes down to individual students making certain to meet their responsibilities within the show.
Due to the clinic on Saturday morning we will be changing up the schedule this week a bit. We will rehearse Monday and Thursday from 6:30pm-8:30pm, but not on Wednesday evening this week. Saturday morning students need to report to the Band Hall by 8:30am. We are bringing in a very experienced clinician, Mr. Fullerton, in to come work with the students and need all students there.
Friday’s Game versus Skidmore-Tynan HS:
Students will need to report to the band hall by 4:45pm to depart soon after. We will have to unload the trailer and truck when we return so that we have all of our equipment for the clinic Saturday.
Saturday Clinic and Cuero Gobbler Marching Festival:
Traditionally we bring a clinician on the weekend prior to Region Marching Contest and skip competing on this weekend. Due to Area Marching Contest being held in Cuero for the first time however we feel we need to go through a contest there to work out any kinks in logistics and travel times. Saturday morning band students will need to be at the Band Hall by 8:30am. We will feed them lunch from Jason’s Deli at the end of the clinic and then be loading up and off to Cuero.
Our performance time at Cuero is 5pm, and we are the last of the 10 3A Bands performing at this contest. Due to the bands competing I consider this to be a very important snapshot as to where we line up with many of our biggest competitors at Area two weeks later.
With all of our competitions we are in need of an additional 4-6 parents to help with equipment on the field. We have at least one parent who has been helping that will not be able to the weekend of Area – so please consider helping if you can. You get a very unique perspective of the show and some of the work that goes into getting the band on the field! Additionally I am in need a few more parents to ride buses with us to contests and games. You do need a background check to ride buses, but not to move equipment at contests.
Awards for the Cuero contest are at 6:30pm and we will return home then. Students should bring some money to pick up food for dinner at the concession stand or on the way home we will stop somewhere as well.
Upcoming Events and Contests:
Saturday, October 14th – Clinic with Mr. Fullerton and Cuero Contest
Monday, October 16th – Clinic with Mr. Molina during Monday evening rehearsal
Saturday, October 21st – UIL Region Marching Contest
Monday, October 23rd – Clinic with Mr. Ewing and Mr. Molina during Monday evening rehearsal
Saturday, October 28th – UIL Area Marching Contest
Band and Guard Fees:
If your student has not turned in their Fall Band Fees ($35 for upperclassmen who did not order shoes, $75 for freshmen needing to order shoes) please do so this week. Guard had $100 that was due in August, with an additional $40 for a backpack that I want to get ordered this week. I will order for those ladies that have paid only.
Additionally Junior High Band Members should have paid their $25 Fall Band Fee as well. Please help us get all of those fees in! We are happy to take small payments if needed, please just contact myself or Mr. Williams.
Trip Payments:
October Trip payments are needed for the Orlando Trip. Also if anyone wants to add onto the trip this Friday will be the final day to put a deposit in! It is imperative we have payments made so we can pay this months bill to the travel company – we are currently short some.
This Week’s Odem Bands Schedule:
Monday: Evening Marching Practice 6:30pm-8:30pm
Tuesday: Band Hall Closed after school
Wednesday: Band Hall Open until 4:30pm
Thursday: Evening Marching Practice 6:30pm-8:30pm
Friday: Odem vs. Skidmore-Tynan
4:45pm Students Arrive
7:30pm Game Begins
~11pm return to Band Hall
Saturday: 8:30am Students Report to Band Hall for clinic
Noon Students Receive Lunch
1:30pm Depart for Cuero
4:15pm Warm-Up
5:00pm Perform
6:00pm Awards
Thanks for your help and support of these amazing students, we hope the season continues to build off of a great start!