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!!

10/31/10 UPDATE

Congratulations to the JA Band for earning the following awards at the Bands of America Super Regional in Atlanta on Saturday:

Outstanding Music Performance, Class A
Outstanding Visual Performance, Class A
Second Place Overall, Class A

The JA Band earned their highest score at a BOA event in the past four years. On one of the components of the total score, the Ensemble Visual Performance, the band was ranked fourth overall among the 34 bands at the event, placing them higher than nine of the twelve finalist bands, including perennial powerhouse Kennesaw Mountain.

We are extremely proud of the students for their hard work and dedication throughout the season, making their performance in the Georgia Dome their best of the year.

Thank you to all the band members for their exemplary behavior on the trip as well. They were fine representatives of the band and JA wherever we went.

Many thanks to all of the parents who came along on the trip to help by chaperoning students; loading, transporting, and moving equipment; checking rooms; and many other tasks.

Here are a few of the photos that are now posted in the online photo gallery, which can be reached by clicking the PHOTO GALLERY link in the menu bar above:

JA Guard members Annie Campbell, Caroline Burford, Samantha Hill, & Abbi Thomas in the dome Saturday night after hearing that they had earned spots at callback auditions for the Mississippi All-State Lions Band:

A few from the warmup and performance:

 

The crowd during prelims at the Georgia Dome:

A few photos from a fun day at Six Flags on Sunday:

JA BAND SCHEDULE FOR THE WEEK OF NOVEMBER 1-5, 2010

Monday - Thursday - Rehearsal 2:00 - 2:45

Friday - Rehearsal 2:00 - 2:45, Home football tournament game vs. Presbyterian Christian at 7:00 - students report at 5:30 in half uniform

10/24/10 UPDATE

Congratulations to the students for a fine performance at the MAIS Marching Band Festival Saturday. The JA Band received straight Superior ratings from all judges, with the highest numerical score of the day among all bands. The adjudicators had many positive comments about the band's performance. One of the band judges, Wes Parker, from NC State University, commented on the strength of the show concept and the way it was executed. Chris Moss, from Madison, WI, saw the show both Friday night and Saturday and complimented the band on the consistency of their performances. This strength should serve them well in Atlanta next weekend.

Thank you to all the parents who helped at the Festival, with special kudos to Hope Burford for spearheading the volunteer effort. It was great to see many of the parents of our younger students helping out. Everything went smoothly, and we heard many positive comments from the visitors to the JA campus.

A few photos from the football game Friday night, thanks to the Clarion Ledger, where several of them were printed on the front page on Saturday:

 

 

 
JA BAND SCHEDULE FOR THE WEEK OF OCTOBER 25-31

Monday - Rehearsal 2:00 - 4:00

Tuesday - Rehearsal 2:00 - 2:45, Color Guard 4:45 - 5:30, Full Band 5:30 - 7:00, Parent Field Crew 6:30 - 7:00 - VERY IMPORTANT REHEARSALS

Wednesday - Rehearsal 2:00 - 4:00

Thursday - Rehearsal 2:00 - 4:00, Parent truck loading 7:00

Friday - Atlanta trip - details below

Good luck to the JA Band members who will be having their MS Lions Band auditions taped on Monday: Bryant Hutchins, Samantha Hill, Caroline Burford, Abbi Thomas, and Annie Campbell

BOA ATLANTA TRIP

We will distribute and discuss the guidelines for the trip with the students this week. Here is a link to the informational handout: STUDENT ITINERARY

Please take a few minutes to look over the handout and discuss it with your student. A few important reminders:

- Please ensure your student has everything he or she needs for the trip, including all uniform parts, black band t-shirt(s), all black socks, band shoes clean and polished, and all instrument parts

- Students will need approximately $60 in meal money (lunch & dinner Friday, dinner Saturday, lunch & dinner Sunday), plus money for any souvenirs or other items they may wish to purchase. Please discuss with them the need to budget their meal money on the trip. Chaperones can assist with this if requested.

- Report time to the Band Hall on Friday morning with everything needed for the trip is 6:30 AM. It is important we depart on time to avoid traffic delays and stay on schedule. The complete itinerary for the trip is included in the handout linked above.

For those parents who are not able to join us on the trip, a live webcast of the event will be streamed through the BOA Fan Network. Click on this link: SUBSCRIBE, and scroll down for the pay-per-view option for Atlanta. The cost is $19.95. The JA Band's performance time is 11:15 am on Saturday.

Also, there will be professionally recorded DVDs available for purchase. Here is a link to the information: MR. VIDEO

We are looking forward to a great trip. Please let me know if you have any questions.