Happy New Year!
I hope this message finds you all well as we come to the end of our Christmas Break. We will have a relatively light schedule of events for the next month with only a few band events coming up. Please read below for some important information of some of those upcoming events such as the UIL Solo and Ensemble, JH All-Region Jazz, Deadlines for the 2018 Florida Trip, and Tri-M Membership Applications. Please help us also remind students who took their instruments home over the break to bring them on Wednesday morning! If your student plays a larger instrument and it is more convenient, Mr. Williams and I should be around the Band Hall for most of the day tomorrow during our professional day.
UIL Solo and Ensemble:
UIL Region Solo and Ensemble contest will take place on February 16th in Robstown at Seal JH. HS and JH students are all allowed to participate and compete at this contest on either a solo, or ensemble of 3 or more members. Students are limited to two events for the contest. We began participating in this event again two years ago with HS, and then began including JH students last year. JH students compete for medals for First Division (Superior) performances. HS students who perform a Class I solo by memory, or in a Class I Ensemble, that receive a Superior rating at the contest advance to the UIL State Solo and Ensemble Contest held in Austin in May. We would like to see our students continue to be successful here!
Any student who wishes to compete must have their solo/ensemble chosen by next Tuesday so we can get students entered into the contest.
JH All-Region Jazz
Junior High All-Region Jazz auditions are done through a recording we will make to send in. Interested students should be sure to speak with Mr. Rash/Mr. Williams by Friday. Recordings will tentatively be made Wednesday, January 25th after school. Students who make the Jazz Band will travel to Goliad on Saturday, April 29th for the one day Clinic/Concert.
2018 Odem HS Band Trip to Florida
Currently we have only 20 students that have paid a deposit for the 2018 trip to Florida. Realistically we need to have 50 students minimum to make the performance at Disney possible. We need to sign contracts with close to final numbers in the middle of February for travel. I know I have spoken with many parents who have been holding off making deposits for various reasons. Due to the need to have a good handle on numbers we must have a deposit from every student traveling on the trip by February 1st. That deposit is $100 and we estimate the total cost of the trip to be $1,200/student. I do plan on running a fundraiser this Spring in conjunction with the Boosters to help raise funds towards this.
Please contact me if you have any questions or need more information. Payments are made to Owl Band Boosters via check/money order or we can do credit card payments (3% Fee involved). Every student Grades 8-11 are able to sign-up for the trip provided they remain in Band through the end of the school year of the trip.
All-Area Auditions
We have 10 students who have advanced to the Area round of auditions that will be held in Orange Grove this weekend. Those students will compete for their chance to perform with the All-State Bands in February. Students need to be at the Band Hall at 7:30am so we may depart for Orange Grove. They should bring some money for the snack bar, or snacks with them. We will stop on the way home for dinner which will be covered by the school. Students may be picked up early if that is their/your wish. Please contact me in regards to the procedure there!
Tri-M Honor Society Membership Applications
Last year we began a new chapter of the Tri-M Honor Society for music on the OHS campus. We will hold our membership applications for it this month with applications due to Mr. Rash by 4pm on Friday, January 27th. We will set the ceremony date for induction later this month. The basic requirements are that students have a 3.0 GPA and achieve a 125 points based on participation in various events/outside leadership/community service. It is my goal that this organization run at least one service event this spring.
This Week’s Band Hall Schedule
Tuesday: Directors around during the day for dropoff of instruments
Wednesday: Band Hall Open until 4:30pm for Practice
Thursday: Band Hall Open until 4:30pm for Practice
Friday: Band Hall Open until 4:00pm for Instrument Pickup
Saturday: All-Area Auditions – Students Report to Band Hall by 7:30am
Once again I hope you all had a great break, Happy New Year!