Odem Bands Schedule: Week of 9/24/2017 (Homecoming)
We have a very busy week this week with Homecoming Events, but I would like to begin by congratulating the 9 All-Region Members of The Screeching Owl Jazz Band!
These students made the All-Region Jazz Band: Joey Aguirre on Alto Saxophone, Breanna Sanchez on Tenor Saxophone, Abby Tovar on Tenor Saxophone, Clara Sanchez on Trumpet, Matthew Chavez on Trumpet, Lesley Barra on Tenor Trombone, Ethan Tracy on Bass Trombone, Christina Montoya on Drum Set, and Brandon Morin on Bass Guitar! Special congratulations to Breanna Sanchez and Christina Montoya for both earning 1st Chair in their auditions! Additionally Joey, Breanna, Clara, Matthew, Ethan, and Christina all recorded their Area Auditions for the final State Round of Auditions! Odem once again had the most Area Members of the bands of any 3A present at the audition! We are very proud of the students for representing Odem so well!
Homecoming
The first item with Homecoming this week is that we very much need to have more parents for this weeks game. I have heard a few people with concerns that they don’t have their handlers permit so they can’t volunteer, that is not completely the case. We have many positions in the concession stands that don’t require the permit. You also do not have to have a background check to volunteer in the concession stand. Please consider helping if you can. I believe that this game and the Taft game next week will be our busiest of the season. If you go to this link: https://www.charmsoffice.com/charms/parents.asp up at the top of the page there is a link ‘Volunteers’ at the top that you can select upcoming events to volunteer for.
Thursday will be the Annual Burning of the ‘O’ at 8pm at the traditional location. Students will go to the event from our practice site.
Friday will have the parade beginning at 2:30pm and I will follow the traditional route as far as I’m aware. The pep rally will follow the parade at Owl Stadium. Students will need to be at the Band Hall for Game Preparation by 5pm. We have to arrive earlier to the stadium to be ready for the Homecoming Festivities there. The game versus Santa Gertrudis will be begin at 7:30pm.
Upcoming Contests
As we approach October we are beginning to get schedules for our contests in October. I would like to give you a preliminary set of times for the contests as I know them. These can still change, and due to some schools being hit by Harvey I will not be surprised if there are a few changes. Hopefully this helps you a little as you make plans to attend.
October 7th, Goliad USBands Marching Showcase: 1:45pm Performance, 5pm Awards, we will then have a clinic with the judges following awards. We will be the 6th Band to be cliniced if all bands take advantage of the clinic format, but I do know that some of those bands will probably go home before the clinic. The clinic time will allow us to have time with the judges coming down to the field to work through the show with us. Having this feedback is imperative for our preparations through the season. Hopefully as we get closer to the event I’ll have a better idea of when we will conclude the clinic with the judges. Please guesstimate that we will be home by 10pm (hopefully earlier). Students may not be picked up from the contest until we have concluded the clinic with the judges.
One note on this contest, the price of the tickets that was sent out to directors last week was exceptionally high. The contest host was unaware that USBands had raised the rates of tickets, so we are hoping we can lower those ticket prices. I will let you know the final ticket price when I know them.
October 14th, Guest Clinician in the morning, Cuero HS Marching Contest in the evening: 5:30pm Performance, Awards at 6:30pm. We will be returning to Cuero two weeks later for Area Marching Contest so we are using this contest to get a feel for the new contest location. The morning we will have a morning clinic with a clinician we have used many times. We will feed the students lunch and then load up to go to the contest. Gate admission $5.00.
October 21st, UIL Region Marching Contest in Sinton: We will perform around noon I believe based on our draw and the entries to marching contest. When I receive the official schedule I will forward that information on to you. Ratings should be announced around 2pm then we will return home.
October 28th, UIL Area Marching Contest in Cuero: Based on our draw I believe our performance will be at 9:30-10am. This is tentative until the contest schedule comes out that week. Finals begin at 7:30pm that evening.
Should we advance to the State Marching Contest that will be held on Tuesday, November 7th at the AlamoDome in San Antonio.
Field Help
We will begin using our props for the show this week’s game. A river that runs from the front sideline to near the back of the field and a bridge will be added to help sell our show’s story. Between the props and our front ensemble equipment we need help both a half-time and at contests with getting the band onto the field. If you are available please consider contacting me or showing up the day of the contest. You can also sign-up to help at the Charms link. https://www.charmsoffice.com/charms/parents.asp
This Week’s Odem Bands Schedule
Monday: 6:30pm-8:30pm: Marching Evening Rehearsal
Tuesday: Band Halls Open until 4:30pm
Wednesday: 5pm-6pm: Evening Marching Rehearsal
Thursday: 6pm-7:30pm: Evening Marching Rehearsal
8pm: Burning of the ‘O’
Friday: 2:30pm: Homecoming Parade
5pm: Students at Band Hall
6:00pm: Parent Volunteers needed at Concession Stand
7:30pm: Game Begins
Thank you as always for your help and support!