Odem Bands Schedule: Week of 3/28 – Pre-UIL Concert Thursday

I hope this message finds you well! We will be having a very busy week this week with the Odem Bands! Before I get to our main information about the week I would like to share with you that for the second consecutive year Odem-Edroy ISD has been named as one of 476 Best Communities for Music Education Nation Wide! Only 42 Texas Districts were given this Distinction this year! We are proud of our program that also includes our outstanding Elementary Music Program headed up by Mrs. Muncy!

The main event of this week will be our Pre-UIL Contest Concert on Thursday evening. All students in the Odem JH Symphonic Winds, Odem HS Screeching Owl Jazz Band, Odem HS Symphonic Band, and Odem HS Wind Ensemble must perform this evening as we prepare for our upcoming UIL Contest for the concert bands. Please see additional information below on times and how we’re going to work with freshman baseball as well. Friday morning we have a pep rally for the Odem HS Special Olympics. Finally Saturday morning the Screeching Owl Jazz Band will perform at the Texas A&M University Kingsville.

The concert will begin at 6:30pm at the Odem Cafetorium with the Odem JH Symphonic Winds. Those students should be at the Band Hall to warm-up at 6pm. The Screeching Owl Jazz Band will join this concert performing at 6:55pm (Report to Band Hall by 6:25pm). The Odem HS Symphonic Band will perform third at 7:30pm (Report by 7pm) and the Odem HS Wind Ensemble will perform at approximately 7:55pm (Report by 7:20pm). This is an important performance for us as we evaluate the final adjustments we need to make in our performances leading into our contests. For all involved students this is a mandatory graded performance. Failure to perform at this concert may result in students being removed from the UIL Performance and being given an alternate assignment.

Please note that due to the half-day and Special Olympics Pep Rally on Friday it is imperative that we move all of our equipment back after the concert. We need every student to pitch in to bring back our equipment so it is safely back in the band hall that evening.

Ladies: Black Blouse, Black Slacks, and Black Shoes

Gentlemen: White Button Down Shirt, Black Slacks, Black Socks, and Black Dress Shoes. Gentlemen should wear a tie, preferably solid navy blue.

Ladies: Black Blouse, Black Slacks, and Black Shoes

Gentlemen: Black Button Down Shirt (open collar one button), Black Slacks, Black Socks, and Black Dress Shoes

Friday morning the Odem HS Band will perform for the Special Olympics Pep Rally at the New HS Gym. HS Band Students should check into their first period teacher and then immediately report to the Band Hall.

The Screeching Owl Jazz Band will perform at the Texas A&M University Kingsville Jazz Festival on Saturday. Students need to report to the Band Hall by 6am Saturday. It is imperative that students arrive on time as we are the first group to perform that morning at 8am. We will stay as a group at the Jazz Festival until 1pm when the guest artist (Trumpet Player Dan Miller) clinic concludes. At that time we will stop somewhere for a bite to eat. Students should bring some money for lunch. T-shirts are also available as souvenirs from the Jazz Festival.

We are going to then come home with the students. If any parent/student would like to attend that evening’s jazz performance tickets should be available that night. Admission to the evening concert is $7 per ticket. I may be able to pick up tickets that morning if you know you are interested. Please contact me if that’s the case. Awards and ratings for the festival are announced at the intermission of that concert. Performances are at Jones Auditorium at Texas A&M University Kingsville.

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Friday is the deadline for payments for our Carnegie Hall trip. Please check your statement balance that will be going out this afternoon. PLEASE ONLY LOOK AT THE TRIP BALANCE on the statement. Please ignore the miscellaneous ledger and the full balance at the bottom it is not correct. We’ve had a glitch from fees since the beginning of the year. I apologize for the confusion this has caused for a few people.

Trip Payments as always may be made with Checks, Money Orders, or Online with Credit Card via Charms. It is imperative that these final payments are made this week so we may finalize all of our plans for the trip.

Please remember we will have our recording for final approval on Saturday, April 9th, at 1pm. We will follow that recording session with at mandatory trip meeting at 3:00pm for all students and a parent. Chaperones will have a mandatory meeting at 4:00pm.

Monday: After School Practice until 4:20pm

Tuesday: Color Guard Practice until 4:45pm

Wednesday: Color Guard Practice until 4:45pm

Thursday: Pre-UIL Concert 6:30pm

Friday: Special Olympics Pep Rally 8:30am

Saturday: TAMUK Jazz Festival Performance at 8am, TAMUK Jazz Concert 7:30pm

As always please let me know if I may be able to answer any questions or concerns!

Mr. Steven Rash

Director of Bands

Odem High School

www.odembands.org