Bedford MS Bands

Butter Braids Arrived Wed. March 18 –

The butter braids have arrived. The students will need to keep them in a freezer until they can be delivered. Our hope is to have the money collected and turned in by Friday, April 3.

I can’t begin to express how appreciative I am for all that participated. The support was tremendous and the kids will benefit from all the hard work. Thank you for all your help and dedication.

BNL Wind Ensemble and Jazz Ensemble Auditions  –

The BNL Wind Ensemble and Jazz Ensemble audition materials are available. 8th grade students can take advantage of many opportunities to receive help with the audition material. Students can stay after school or come to the band building during adviser time when I am available. We’ve got some very strong candidates and the process is upon us. There is more information and a form that needs signed available at the band office. Students do not need to audition for the White Band (freshman band), the Red Band or the Marching Band. Good luck!

Student of the Month –

The Related Arts Team at BMS is selecting a student of the month during the 2014 – 15 school year. The band student for the month of February is Allie Morris.

Allie has been the model of effort and courage the past couple of months. She has taken on great challenges as a band student and has exceeded my expectations every time. Allie has worked hard to become a very strong clarinetist and musician. She has been a joy and pleasure to work with. Hearing her play and seeing her work so hard brightens my day.

Congratulations to Allie and thanks for your dedication and drive. I am very proud of you.

Annual Big Splash Trip on Tuesday, April 13 –

I have been so impressed with our bands. Our next event is a trip to the Big Splash Water Park to reward the band students for playing at the concerts and rehearsing so well. The cost is $25 and it covers supper at the water-park, swimming and buses. Everyone that participated in either the fall cookie dough fundraiser or the spring butter braid fundraiser can deduct $5 from the cost for helping with the fundraiser and pay just $20. We hope to leave at 4:15 pm and return around 9:00 pm on Monday, Apr. 13. We are going on a week night in order to rent out the entire facility for just the BMS Band Dept. We will be only people in the water park, along with the Big Splash lifeguards and staff. Here is a link to more information and a permission form: https://bedfordmsband.com/big-splash-info-2013/. The permission form and fee were due to the band office by Thursday, April 9.

6th Grade Band Fine Arts Festival April 21 –

I am excited to announce the 6th Grade Band will be combined with the bands from Shawswick and Oolitic to perform at this year’s NLCS Fine Arts Festival. The festival will be at the BNL Performing Arts Center from April 20th to 23rd.

The 6th grade band will perform on Tuesday, April 21. The students will ride buses to BNL the morning of the performance to rehearse together for the concert that night.  That night the students will report to BNL at 6:30 pm to prepare for the concert at 7 pm. Information was passed out in class. Here is a link to the information and form: https://bedfordmsband.com/6th-grade-fine-arts-festival-information/. Permission forms are due April 15.

After School Lessons –

I am available many days after school for free lessons. There are often playing tests for the bands during class time. The students are welcome to practice in our practice rooms. Mr. Appelman and I can float around to help them with the music they are working on. The week after spring break I plan to be available after school on Monday (March 30), Tuesday (March 31) and Thursday (April 2) until 4:30 pm.

Have a Great Spring Break!

Butter Braids Arrive Wed. March 18 –

The butter braids are arriving at 1:00 pm on Wednesday, March 18. It will take a little time to unload the truck and organize everything in the band building. Students can pick up orders at the end of the school day or parents may return before 7:00 pm that night to pick up the orders. The students will need to deliver these right away or put them in a freezer until they can be delivered.

I can’t begin to express how appreciative I am for all that participated. The support was tremendous and the kids will benefit from all the hard work. Thank you for all your help and dedication.

BNL Wind Ensemble and Jazz Ensemble Auditions  –

The BNL Wind Ensemble and Jazz Ensemble audition materials are available. 8th grade students can take advantage of many opportunities to receive help with the audition material. Students can stay after school or come to the band building during adviser time when I am available. We’ve got some very strong candidates and the process is upon us. There is more information and a form that needs signed available at the band office. Students do not need to audition for the White Band (freshman band), the Red Band or the Marching Band. Good luck!

8th Grade Bands to Perform March 17 –

The 8th grade bands have been invited to perform with the Oolitic and Shawswick Bands on March 17 at BNL. The BNL Directors have put together a great evening that will feature the BNL Wind Ensemble, BNL Jazz Band, and the combined 8th grade Concert Bands. It will the first time the 8th grade bands have been combined to perform.

The students will ride buses to BNL the morning of the performance to rehearse together for the concert that night.  That evening the students will report to BNL at 6:30 pm to prepare for the concert wearing a festival shirt and blue jeans. The concert will begin at 7:00 pm.

After School Lessons –

I am available many days after school for free lessons. There are often playing tests for the bands during class time. The students are welcome to practice in our practice rooms. Mr. Appelman and I can float around to help them with the music they are working on. Next week I plan to be available after school on Monday March 16 until 4 pm.

Have a great week!

Annual Butter Braid Sale Started Feb. 12 –

Butter Braid time has rolled around again. This band fundraiser is the most anticipated and profitable fundraiser of the year. People are always asking about this sale. The kids are not required to participate, but if we could get participants to just sell 3 – 4 butter braids we will have a tremendous sale. It takes a lot of resources to keep a program of nearly 300 operating and this sale is a big part of meeting that need.

The sale will run from Feb. 12 to Feb. 24. The delivery is set for Wednesday March 18.  There is also a chance for sellers to earn a $1000 scholarship.

Still Not Too Late For IU Young Winds – 

The 2015 Indiana University Young Winds program has just begun. It is a program designed for middle school instrumental students as a supplement to the instruction they receive in school. The program focuses on small-group lessons as well as a full band experience for students surrounding the Bloomington campus. It is a wonderful program. Many of our students have participated over the years. I can’t speak highly enough about this opportunity and the benefits of participating. More information is available at www.music.indiana.edu/precollege/year-round/wind/. The program meets on Saturday mornings this spring and has a $15 registration fee and $75 program fee.

8th Grade Tubing on Feb. 20 –

The 8th grade tubing trip to Paoli Peaks will be after school on Friday, Feb. 20th. The 8th grade band members look forward to this trip every year and we have a great time.  The fee is $30 to cover tubing costs, pizza after school, and bus transportation. Students that sold the cookie dough fundraiser in the fall pay $20. Parents will need to fill out, initial the arrows, and sign the Paoli Peaks tubing release form. The release form can be found at http://paoli.peakresorts.com/cmsfiles/file/Tubing%20Release%20Form.pdf

After School Lessons –

I am available many days after school for free lessons. There are often playing tests for the bands during class time. The students are welcome to practice in our practice rooms. Mr. Appelman and I can float around to help them with the music they are working on. Next week I plan to be available after school on Tuesday Feb. 10 until 4 pm.

Have Great Week!

Congratulations To Our Solo & Ensemble Participants –

64 of our 7th and 8th grade band members participated in the ISSMA Solo and Ensemble Festival and I am so proud of them all. Our students combined to bring home 63 Gold Medals and 1 Silver Medal last Saturday.

Annual Butter Braid Sale Started Feb. 12 –

Butter Braid time has rolled around again. This band fundraiser is the most anticipated and profitable fundraiser of the year. People are always asking about this sale. The kids are not required to participate, but if we could get participants to just sell 3 – 4 butter braids we will have a tremendous sale. It takes a lot of resources to keep a program of nearly 300 operating and this sale is a big part of meeting that need.

The sale will run from Feb. 12 to Feb. 24. The delivery is set for Wednesday March 18.  There is also a chance for sellers to earn a $1000 scholarship.

Still Not Too Late For IU Young Winds – 

The 2015 Indiana University Young Winds program has just begun. It is a program designed for middle school instrumental students as a supplement to the instruction they receive in school. The program focuses on small-group lessons as well as a full band experience for students surrounding the Bloomington campus. It is a wonderful program. Many of our students have participated over the years. I can’t speak highly enough about this opportunity and the benefits of participating. More information is available at www.music.indiana.edu/precollege/year-round/wind/. The program meets on Saturday mornings this spring and has a $15 registration fee and $75 program fee.

8th Grade Tubing on Feb. 20 –

The 8th grade tubing trip to Paoli Peaks will be after school on Friday, Feb. 20th. The 8th grade band members look forward to this trip every year and we have a great time.  The fee is $30 to cover tubing costs, pizza after school, and bus transportation. Students that sold the cookie dough fundraiser in the fall pay $20. Parents will need to fill out, initial the arrows, and sign the Paoli Peaks tubing release form. The release form can be found at http://paoli.peakresorts.com/cmsfiles/file/Tubing%20Release%20Form.pdf

Student of the Month –

The Related Arts Team at BMS is selecting a student of the month during the 2014 – 15 school year. The band student for the month of January is Jenna Blackwell.

Jenna is a great musician and plays the clarinet. Jenna stepped up to perform in place of a missing trio member the day of the ISSMA Solo and Ensemble Festival. Jenna helped the trio achieve a Gold Rating and also performed her own solo to achieve an additional Gold rating.

Congratulations to Jenna and thanks for taking the time to help your classmates out on such short notice. I am very proud of you.

After School Lessons –

I am available many days after school for free lessons. There are often playing tests for the bands during class time. The students are welcome to practice in our practice rooms. Mr. Appelman and I can float around to help them with the music they are working on. Next week I plan to be available after school on Monday Feb. 9 until 4 pm, Tuesday Feb. 10 until 4 pm and Thursday Feb. 12 until 4:00 pm.

Have a great week!

Good Luck to Our Solo & Ensemble Participants –

Many of our 7th and 8th grade band members have signed up for the ISSMA Solo and Ensemble Festival and I wish them the best of luck. The festival will be held at Bloomington HS North on Saturday, Jan. 31, 2015. Any cancellation announcements will be aired on 103.7 (WFIU) and posted on the Bloomington North Band website (www.bhsnbands.com).

Good Luck to Our IU Young Winds Participants –

We have 6th, 7th, and 8th grade band students signed up to participate in the Indiana University Young Winds program. I wish them the best of luck as they begin this incredible endeavor tomorrow. I can’t speak highly enough about this opportunity and the benefits of participating. More information is available at www.music.indiana.edu/precollege/year-round/wind/. The program meets on Saturday mornings this spring and has a $15 registration fee and $75 program fee.

8th Grade Tubing on Feb. 20 –

The 8th grade tubing trip to Paoli Peaks will be after school on Friday, Feb. 20th. The 8th grade band members look forward to this trip every year and we have a great time.  The fee is $30 to cover tubing costs, pizza after school, and bus transportation. Students that sold the cookie dough fundraiser in the fall pay $20. Parents will need to fill out, initial the arrows, and sign the Paoli Peaks tubing release form. The release form can be found at http://paoli.peakresorts.com/cmsfiles/file/Tubing%20Release%20Form.pdf

Have a great week!

After School Lessons for Solo & Ensemble –

Mr. Appelman and I are available many days after school for free solo & ensemble lessons. Solo and ensemble festival is coming up on January 31 at Bloomington High School North. Our students are welcome to practice in the practice rooms while we will float around to help them with the music they are working on. Next week I plan to be available Saturday, Jan. 24 from 9:30 am to 12:00 pm, after school on Monday Jan. 26 until 6:00 pm, Wednesday Jan. 28 until 6:00 pm, Thursday, Jan. 29 until 6:00, and Friday Jan. 30 until 4:30 pm. Students performing at the upcoming Solo and Ensemble should try to stay some afternoon to rehearse solos or ensembles. Our accompanists will also be available at different times during the week to rehearse with the soloists. I’ll let the students know when the accompanists are available.

Solo & Ensemble Times –

The students performing at the Solo & Ensemble Festival on Jan. 31st have been told their performance times. We will remind them again next week.

Indiana University Young Winds – 

The 2015 Indiana University Young Winds program begins soon. It is a program designed for middle school instrumental students as a supplement to the instruction they receive in school. The program focuses on small-group lessons as well as a full band experience for students surrounding the Bloomington campus. It is a wonderful program. Many of our students have participated over the years. I can’t speak highly enough about this opportunity and the benefits of participating. More information is available in the band building and at www.music.indiana.edu/precollege/year-round/wind/. The program meets on Saturday mornings this spring and has a $15 registration fee and $75 program fee.

Have a great week!