Saturday, March 26, 2011

3/28/11 UPDATE

JA CONCERT BAND

Congratulations to the Concert Band for earning "I" (Superior) ratings from all the judges at the Central Mississippi Concert Band Festival last Thursday. It was a very good performance and an opportunity to receive valuable feedback as we prepare for the MAIS Concert Festival. 

Thank you to Mr. Bill Bunch for driving the band members and attending the performance, to the parents who were able to attend, and to the Boosters for providing lunch for the students.

There are two more evening rehearsals, 7:00 - 8:30 pm:

Tuesday, March 29
Tuesday, April 5


Congrats as well to JA Band members Annie Campbell and Caroline Burford, who participated in the Mississippi Symphony's "Side by Side" program, allowing them the opportunity to sit in on a symphony rehearsal and receive a backstage tour of Thalia Mara Hall.

MAIS CONCERT BAND FESTIVAL

The MAIS Concert Band Festival will be held on Friday, April 8, in the JA PAC. Here is the performance schedule:

Hillcrest Christian Middle School Band - 9:00
Jackson Prep Band - 9:30
Washington School Band - 10:00
Lamar Christian School Band - 10:30
Hillcrest Christian High School Band - 11:00
Copiah Academy Band - 11:30
BREAK
Starkville Academy Band - 1:00
Pillow Academy Band - 1:30
Jackson Academy Band - 2:00

Families and friends are cordially invited to attend the Festival. There will be no admission charge.

JACKSON INDEPENDENT WINTER GUARD

Best of luck to the JI Winter Guard as they compete at the MIA Championships this Saturday, April 2, at Ridgeland HS. 



35 guard groups are competing at the championships, including units from Madison, Brandon, Choctaw Central, Florence, Horn Lake, Pearl, Hillcrest Christian, Purvis, Warren Central, Booneville, Rebul Academy, Kosciusko, Clinton, Lewisburg, Olive Branch, Southaven, Hinds CC, Itawamba CC, Mississippi State, and DeSoto County.

Here is the schedule for Saturday:

1:00 - Report for rehearsal in guard t-shirts and black pants
3:30 - Finish rehearsal, load
5:00 - Arrive at Ridgeland HS, watch groups, dinner at concessions
9:00 - Performance time

 
The Jazz Band will perform at the Township Jazz Festival on Saturday, April 9, at 12:00. Here is the lineup for the festival (click on names for more information):

12:00 - JA Jazz Band
12:45 - Madison Central HS Jazz Band
1:30 - Terry HS Jazz Band
2:15 -
Latinismo
3:00 - Fusion All-Stars with Lisa Palmer
4:15 -
Jason Marsalis Quartet
6:15 -
The Vamps

Further details will be announced closer to the event.


UPCOMING EVENTS

Tuesday, March 29 - Full Band Rehearsal, 7:00 - 8:30, PAC
Saturday, April 2 - JI Winter Guard at MIA Championships, Ridgeland HS - 1:00 Report time, Performance time 9:00
Tuesday, April 5 - Full Band Rehearsal, 7:00 - 8:30, PAC
Friday, April 8 - MAIS Concert Band Festival, 2:00 performance, PAC
Tuesday, May 10 - JA Band Program Spring Concert, 7:00, PAC
Thursday, May 19 - JA Band Program Banquet, Colonial Country Club

Tuesday - Friday, May 31 - June 3 - Color Guard Camp
Monday - Friday, July 25-31 and August 1-5 - Band Camp

Sunday, March 20, 2011

3/20/11 UPDATE

JACKSON ACADEMY CONCERT BAND

The JA Concert Band will travel to Ridgeland HS on Thursday, March 24, to perform in the Central Mississippi Concert Band Festival. Here is the schedule for the day:

Morning - Band members bring concert black attire to the band hall before school
12:00 - Students dismissed from class, report to band hall to eat lunch and change into concert black
12:30 - Load school bus and depart for Ridgeland
2:20 - Performance time
3:20 (Approximate) - arrive at JA

Families and friends are invited to Ridgeland for the performance.

There will be no afterschool sectional rehearsals for the remainder of the year, unless needed.  

There ARE three important evening rehearsals for all band members, 7:00 - 8:30 pm, on the following dates in the PAC:

Tuesday, March 22
Tuesday, March 29
Tuesday, April 5


Please ensure your student is present and on time for these rehearsals.

JACKSON INDEPENDENT WINTER GUARD

Congratulations to the JI guard for their second place finish in their class at the Petal show on March 12. A photo of the hardworking guard members, as well as JA Band alumnus John Humphreys, loading the truck:


The guard's next rehearsal will be Sunday, March 27, 1:00 - 6:00.

The MIA Championships at Ridgeland HS will be on Saturday, April 2. Guard members will report at 11:00, in guard t-shirts and black pants. The performance schedule is still being finalized and will be announced in the blog next week.


The Jazz Band will perform at the Township Jazz Festival on Saturday, April 9, at 12:00. Here is the lineup for the festival (click on names for more information):

12:00 - JA Jazz Band
12:45 - Madison Central HS Jazz Band
1:30 - Terry HS Jazz Band
2:15 - Latinismo
3:00 - Fusion All-Stars with Lisa Palmer
4:15 - Jason Marsalis Quartet
6:15 - The Vamps

Further details will be announced closer to the event.



The MAIS Concert Band Festival will be held on Friday, April 8, in the JA PAC. Here is the performance schedule:

Hillcrest Christian Middle School Band - 9:00
Jackson Prep Band - 9:30
Washington School Band - 10:00
Lamar Christian School Band - 10:30
Hillcrest Christian High School Band - 11:00
Copiah Academy Band - 11:30
BREAK
Starkville Academy Band - 1:00
Pillow Academy Band - 1:30
Jackson Academy Band - 2:00

We are pleased to announce the adjudicators for the festival (click on names for a link to each judge's bio):

Elva Kaye Lance
, Director of Bands, Mississippi State University

David Willson, Director of Bands, University of Mississippi

Mohamad Schuman, Associate Director of Bands, University of Southern Mississippi

UPCOMING EVENTS

Tuesday, March 22 - Full Band Rehearsal, 7:00 - 8:30, PAC
Thursday, March 24 - Central Mississippi Concert Band Festival, 2:20 performance, Ridgeland HS
Sunday, March 27 - JI Winter Guard Rehearsal, 1:00 - 6:00, JA gym
Tuesday, March 29 - Full Band Rehearsal, 7:00 - 8:30, PAC
Saturday, April 2 - JI Winter Guard at MIA Championships, RIdgeland HS - 11:00 Report time, Performance time TBA
Tuesday, April 5 - Full Band Rehearsal, 7:00 - 8:30, PAC
Friday, April 8 - MAIS Concert Band Festival, 2:00 performance, PAC
Tuesday, May 10 - JA Band Program Spring Concert, 7:00, PAC
Thursday, May 19 - JA Band Program Banquet, Colonial Country Club

Tuesday - Friday, May 31 - June 3 - Color Guard Camp
Monday - Friday, July 25-31 and August 1-5 - Band Camp
 

Friday, March 11, 2011

CENTRAL MISSISSIPPI CONCERT BAND FESTIVAL

The JA Concert Band will be performing at the Central Mississippi Concert Band Festival at Ridgeland HS on Thursday, March 24. Here is the schedule for the day:

12:00 - Band students dismissed from class, eat lunch in band hall, change into concert black attire

12:30 - Depart for Ridgeland HS via school bus

2:20 - PERFORMANCE

3:20 (Approximate) - Return to JA

Families and friends are cordially invited to the performance.

Sunday, March 6, 2011

3/6/11 UPDATE

Thank you to the members of the JA Jazz Band for their well-received performance at the Features Pageant on Monday night last week. We received many compliments on the performance, including a thank you note from event coordinator Judy McKeigney.

The Jazz Band performance at the new McDonalds that was canceled Saturday due to inclement weather will be rescheduled for a future date.





With the short school week this week, here is the sectional schedule:

MONDAY - Trombones
TUESDAY - Percussion, Keyboards, Bass, Flutes, Clarinets, Saxes
WEDNESDAY - Trumpets

After returning from Spring Break, please ensure your student is at the Tuesday evening rehearsals, March 22, March 29, and April 5, in preparation for the MAIS Concert Band Festival on April 8. These important rehearsals are 7:00 - 8:30 pm.

The concert band will be performing at the Central Mississippi Concert Band Festival at Ridgeland HS on March 24, the Thursday after we return from Spring Break. Details about that performance will be posted when they are available.

Please mark your calendars with the following important upcoming dates:

March 22 - Full Band Rehearsal, PAC, 7:00 - 8:30
March 24 - Central Mississippi Concert Band Festival, Ridgeland HS, details TBA
March 29 - Full Band Rehearsal, PAC, 7:00 - 8:30
April 5 - Full Band Rehearsal, PAC, 7:00 - 8:30
April 8 - MAIS Concert Band Festival, PAC
May 10 - JA Band Program Spring Concert, PAC
May 19 - JA Band Program Banquet


SUMMER DATES
May 31 - June 3 - Color Guard Camp
July 25-31 and August 2-5 - BAND CAMP, 8:30 - 11:30 and 1:00 - 5:00 each day

 


Good luck to the JI guard at their next competition Saturday, March 12, at Petal HS. The schedule for Saturday:

11:00 - Report time
1:45 - Depart for Petal
4:30 - Performance


The MAIS Concert Band Festival will be held in the JA Performing Arts Center on Friday, April 8.

Concert bands from independent schools around the state will perform, beginning at approximately 10:00 am. The JA Band will have the last performance time of the day, tentatively at 2:00.

We are proud to announce the band judges for the festival this year (click on names for a link to each judge’s bio):

David Willson, Director of Bands, University of Mississippi

Elva Kaye Lance, Director of Bands, Mississippi State University

Mohamad Schuman, Associate Director of Bands, University of Southern Mississippi

Look for further details about the festival, including descriptions of the pieces the JA Band will be performing, after Spring Break.