1/9/11 UPDATE

Congratulations to the 10 JA Band members who participated in the MAIS CONCERT BAND CLINIC this week: Annie Campbell, Will Tribble, Jace Stanley, Grady Fisher, Caroline Burford, Aaron Dallaire, Tyler McClellan, Christian Burford, Hannah McCowan and Chase Oswalt.  

The two clinic bands were directed by Dr. Craig Young, the Director of Bands and Head of the Instrumental Music Department at Mississippi College, and Jennifer Sills, Assistant Band Director at Stone High School.

Out of 85 students from independent school band programs around the state, 8 of our students earned spots in the first band, with Annie Campbell and Aaron Dallaire earning first chair positions. Congratulations to all the students for representing JA well. The clinic concluded Saturday with fine performances by both bands at the final concert.

A few photos from clinic rehearsals:

SECTIONAL REHEARSALS

Sectional rehearsals for concert season will begin this week. All rehearsals will be from 3:00 - 3:45 in the band hall, and will continue until the Concert Band Festival in April, with the following schedule:

Monday - Trombones
Tuesday - Clarinets & Percussion
Wednesday - Trumpets
Thursday - Flutes
Friday - Saxes

Any exceptions to the schedule will be announced in the weekly blog update.

IMPORTANT DATES

Please ensure you have the following dates marked on your calendars:

March 22 & 29 and April 5 - Full Band Rehearsal in the PAC, 7:00 - 8:30 pm

April 8 - MAIS Concert Band Festival, JA PAC, 9:00 am - 3:00 pm

May 10 - JA Band Program Spring Concert

May 19 - JA Band Program Awards Ceremony

JACKSON INDEPENDENT WINTER GUARD

The Winter Guard will rehearse this week on Tuesday, January 11, from 3:30 - 7:00 in the gym. The guard's first competitive event will be January 29, Field Day at Pearl HS.

 

1/2/11 UPDATE

Over 90 students from independent schools around the state will be participating in the MAIS Concert Band Clinic January 6-8 at the Regency Hotel. The following JA Band members are registered for the clinic:

Caroline Burford
Christian Burford
Annie Campbell
Aaron Dallaire
Samara Dallaire
Grady Fisher
Tyler McClellan
Hannah McCowan
Chase Oswalt
Jace Stanley
Will Tribble

The Clinic begins with registration and auditions Thursday afternoon beginning at 1:00. Attendees will be excused from school Thursday afternoon and all day Friday.

All students will be staying at the Regency Hotel, where all clinic activities will be held. Participating students will receive a detailed itinerary and other information this week.

Families and friends are invited to the final concert on Saturday, January 8, at 2:00 pm in the Regency Hotel Ballroom. 

JACKSON INDEPENDENT WINTER GUARD

The members of the Jackson Independent Winter Guard finished their holiday break with a four-hour rehearsal today. Their first competition will be the Field Day event at Pearl HS on January 29. They will be competing at several Mississippi Indoor Association events throughout the season, including Championships on April 2 at Ridgeland HS. They will also travel to Birmingham, AL, February 25-27 to compete at the Hoover HS Southeastern Color Guard Circuit event.

12/12/10 UPDATE

Thank you to everyone who attended the Christmas Concert on Tuesday evening. All the groups performed well, and it was a good opportunity for the JA Band families to get together before the holidays. Thanks to Trey Waltman for sharing these photos.

Thank you also to Sim Dulaney for the slide show, to Stacy Overstreet and her students for providing the readings, and to Martha Ray for organizing refreshments for the reception after the concert.

We have several students who have indicated they plan to attend the MAIS Clinic January 6-8 but have not yet sent payment.

It is not too late to sign up; however, all clinic attendees need to bring a payment of $65, made out to JA Band, by Wednesday of this week.

Each student was given a letter to bring home, describing the clinic, including information about auditions for placement in one of the two bands. Please let me know if you have any questions or would like me to email you a copy of the informational letter.

12/5/10 UPDATE

Please join us for the JA Band Program Christmas Concert this Tuesday, December 7, at 7:00 in the beautiful JA Performing Arts Center.

The concert will be a multi-media experience, with performances by the Sixth Grade Band, the Jazz Band, & the Concert Band; readings by JA Drama students of Ms. Stacey Overstreet; and video interludes provided by JA teacher and technology coordinator Mr. Sim Dulaney, including the new slideshow video featured to the right. Refreshments will be provided at the conclusion of the concert.

Sixth Grade Band members should be in their seats on the stage in the PAC by 6:45. Attire for the concert will be Sunday dress up (coats and ties for the boys, pants or skirts knee length or longer for the girls).

High School Band members should be in the PAC by 7:00. Attire for high school students is black for the boys and dark pants or skirts (knee length or longer) for the girls.

UNIFORM TURN-IN

All band students need to turn in their band uniforms Wednesday or Thursday of this week. All uniform parts should be clean and hung neatly in the uniform bag (with name tag), with gauntlets. Students keep their own shoes and gloves. The uniform bags should be hung on the rack at the front of the band hall, and the student's name should be checked off the list in the band hall office.

The 2011 MAIS Concert Band Clinic will be held at the Regency Hotel January 6 - 8. We expect about 100 students from independent schools around the state. It is open to any band member in grades 7-12, and we encourage our student musicians to participate.

Clinic participants will be placed into two bands, based on auditions at the beginning of the clinic Thursday afternoon. For the auditions, each student will play a short prepared piece (30 sec - 2 min), two major scales, and a sight reading exercise. All students who audition will be chosen for one of the two bands, and we will help our students prepare.

Cost per student will be $65. We will cover the rest of the clinic expenses, including lodging, but they will need to bring enough money for meals other than the complimentary continental breakfast at the hotel, and the pizza dinner on Friday night. There will be a lunch available in the hotel restaurant for about $7. We will try to coordinate transportation among our parents for some of the meals, if necessary.

All clinic events, including auditions, rehearsals, social events, and the final concert, will be at the Regency. Even though this is a "local" event for us, all students are required to stay at the hotel and participate in all scheduled activities. This is an opportunity for these student musicians to share not only rehearsal and performance time, but also some more relaxed activities. Cammie and I will be staying at the hotel to monitor our students during the clinic.

Here is the schedule of events:

Thursday, January 6
1:00 - Audition warmups in the auditorium
1:30 - Auditions begin in posted rooms
5:00 - Dinner Break
6:30 - Seating of Bands
7:00 - 10:00 - First Rehearsal

Friday, January 7
Complimentary Continental Breakfast at Hotel
8:00 - 11:00 - Rehearsal
11:00 - 12:30 - Lunch Break – Lunch available at hotel
12:30 - 5:00 - Rehearsal
5:00 – 6:30 – Free time
6:30 – 9:00 – Pizza dinner and evening entertainment at the hotel

Saturday, January 8
Complimentary Continental Breakfast at Hotel
8:00 - 12:00 - Rehearsal
12:00 - 1:30 - Hotel checkout, lunch break
2:00 - Final Concert

If your student wishes to participate in the MAIS Clinic, please send a check for $65, made out to the Jackson Academy Band, by this Friday, December 10. 

JACKSON INDEPENDENT WINTER GUARD

The Jackson Independent Winter Guard began their season in earnest on Saturday, with a 12-hour rehearsal to learn this year's show. Show designer Lenny Westmoreland and instructor Ashleigh Bradley were in town from North Carolina to work with the girls.

A couple photos from the rehearsal:

 

The guard members worked very hard to learn the complex show, which features the song, The First Time Ever I Saw Your Face, by Leona Lewis. Their competition season begins on January 29, with Field Day at Pearl High School.

11/21/10 UPDATE

Congratulations to JA Guard members Annie Campbell and Samantha Hill for earning spots on the Mississippi Lions All-State Band on flag after callback auditions on Saturday at Pearl HS. Annie & Sam are two of only 16 guard members (and the only representatives from independent schools) from around the state who were chosen as members of the Lions Band after two rounds of auditions. Abbi Thomas was named an alternate as a dancer, and Caroline Burford also earned a spot at callback auditions as an eighth grader.

PRESIDENT'S REPORT - Martha Ray

Please mark your calendars for the next JA BAND BOOSTER meeting, which will be Tuesday, November 30, at 6:00 pm in the Band Hall. We will discuss the Christmas Concert reception and review where we are to date and future plans.

Happy Thanksgiving to all JA Band families!

Please mark you calendars for the Christmas Concert on December 7. The Sixth Grade Band, Concert Band, & Jazz Band will be performing.

11/14/10 UPDATE

Congratulations to the Jackson Academy football team for earning their second consecutive MAIS State Championship on Friday against MRA. The JA Band members can be very proud of their contributions to fostering the JA spirit on campus and beyond, by playing at pep rallies, games, and other activities, such as the parade on Friday morning.

The 2011 Jackson Independent Winter Guard held their first rehearsal on Saturday, learning drill from 9:00 - 4:00. We wish the girls well as they prepare for their season.

Good luck also to JA Color Guard members Annie Campbell, Abbi Thomas, Samantha Hill, and Caroline Burford as they prepare for Mississippi Lions All-State Band callback auditions on Saturday at Pearl HS.

 Please be sure to mark your calendars for the JA Band Program Christmas Concert on December 7 in the beautiful JA Performing Arts Center. The band has begun to work on some great arrangements of holiday tunes for the concert. As always, the concert will be the first opportunity for the Sixth Grade Band to perform for families and friends.

We encourage all band members to consider participating in the MAIS Concert Band Clinic January 6-8, 2011, at the Regency Hotel in Jackson. Last year's clinic was canceled because of icy weather, so many of our students have not had the opportunity to participate.

The MAIS Clinic brings together students from independent schools around the state to spend a few days learning and rehearsing with experienced clinicians. The Director of the first band will be Dr. Craig Young, Director of Bands at Mississippi College. (Please click on his name for more information about Dr. Young.) The second band will be directed by Ms. Jennifer SIlls, Assistant Band Director at Stone High School and a saxophonist with the Mississippi Wind Symphony.

The clinic begins on Thursday afternoon, January 6, with short auditions to determine placement in one of the two bands. The students rehearse and socialize together Thursday evening, Friday, and Saturday morning; and the event concludes with a concert for the public on Saturday at 2:00.

All students stay at the Regency and are chaperoned by Mr. and Mrs. Carter. The cost per students will be $85 plus hotel cost (approximately $35 per student, with 4 students per room).

More details and sign-up information will be posted in the coming weeks.

11/07/10 UPDATE

Congrats to the JA Raider football team for a great game Friday night, and best of luck in the Championship game at 6:30 Friday at Mississippi College. The JA Band WILL be participating at the game, but we do not yet know all the details. We will post a blog update and send an email in the next day or so when we have that information.

As we have not yet had time to begin Jazz Band for the year, students will not perform at Raider Night from 5-7 on Tuesday, Instead, a jazz group consisting of JA Band instructors and other friends of the JA Band will perform. We will have a few students at the event to talk to visiting guests, and any interested students are welcome to attend.

We will begin working on concert music in class this week, specifically holiday tunes for the Christmas Concert on December 7. Please mark your calendars and plan to join us for this event, featuring the Sixth Grade and Concert Bands.

Best of luck to JA Color Guard members Annie Campbell, Abbi Thomas, Samantha Hill, and Caroline Burford as they prepare for Mississippi All-State Lions Band callback auditions on November 20.

PRESIDENT'S REPORT - Martha Ray

Thank you!  Thank you! Thank you!  I really can't thank you enough for all of the support you've provided as JA Band Boosters during marching season.  From purchasing Band Booster football passes and selling magazines to showing up to help with the mat and equipment on Friday nights and at competitions, you've been there and have helped make the 2010 marching season successful for the JA Band! It's been a lot of fun!  And, we have more fun (at a less hectic pace) to look forward to through the end of the year and during the Spring semester.

 

The Band Booster board will be meeting in a few days to evaluate our financial situation and to plan for the remainder of the school year. If you have any suggestions or anything you'd like for us to consider, please let Terri Fisher, Hope Burford, Frances Anne Dallaire, or me know. I'll send you an update once we've met and try to keep you informed.

 

I look forward to seeing you Friday night at 6:30 in Clinton!  Go Raiders!!