RedDevilBandandChoir

ANNOUNCEMENTS

All grades are up to date on Powerschool. If you have any questions, please contact Mr. Lane through email or through his cell phone.

The GMS Band and Choir Skating Party will be Friday evening, October 19th from 5 PM until 7 PM at the East End Skating Rink on Mt. Moriah. Parents, come join the fun, put on some skates and skate with us. You can look forward to doing the Hokie Pokey, the limbo, Cat and Mouse and many other fun activities on the Skating Floor. If you can be a chaperone, please contact Mr. Holland at 870 - 0053. Tickets are $5 per person.

All information for Band and Choir is on Mr. Lane’s or Ms. Ward’s edublog.

The Band and Colorguard Practice Schedule for this week is:
W - Red Devil Concert Choir at 7:29 AM
W - Colorguard only
Th - Full Marching Band, Drumline, Colorguard, Banner Carriers and Field Commanders
F - Jazz Band and Drumline

SIXTH GRADE BAND

We have begun our Sixth Grade Band after school rehearsals. Our next rehearsal will be on Monday, October 15th from 3:15 PM until 4:30 PM in the bandroom. Roll will be taken at each rehearsal. If your child misses too many rehearsals, they will not be allowed to perform with the Sixth Grade Concert Band. These Monday rehearsals will continue every Monday from now until Christmas.

Our first Sixth Grade Band Concert will be Tuesday evening, October 23rd at 6 PM in the GMS Cafeteria. All band members need to be in their seat in the bandroom no later than 5:45 PM for warmups. The uniform of the day will be black pants, black socks, black shoes and their red band shirt. Parents, you don’t want to miss this concert. It’s always a good one. Hear such classic songs as Hot Cross Buns, Mary Had a Little Lamb, Twinkle Twinkle, Lightly Row and many others. Come hear our Superstars.

We have begun passing out the Sixth Grade Band shirts. If you child has not received theirs yet, they should get it sometime this week.

Practice sheets with no less than 70 minutes are due each week to Mr. Lane as part of your child’s grade

Private lessons are highly recommended for all band members. They really help build your child’s confidence and make them a Superstar in class. If you are interested in getting private lessons for your child, please contact Mr. Lane for a list of those people that offer private instruction.

RED DEVIL CONCERT CHOIR

Choir is off to a GREAT start. They will also be performing on Tuesday night, October 23rd at 6 PM in the GMS Cafeteria.

Uniforms for choir are being ordered now. If you have not ordered yours yet, please contact Ms. Ward immediately.

Watch for Ms. Ward’s emails with a complete list of choir information and practices.

There will be Red Devil Concert Choir rehearsal every Wednesday morning at 7:29 AM in the Choir Room. Don’t be late.

All West Tennessee Honor Choir Tryouts will be held Saturday, October 27th, at Cordova Middle School. Check with Ms. Ward to get your child’s tryout times.

SEVENTH AND EIGHTH GRADE BAND

Our marching band is off to a great start. To participate with the marching band, your child must play their music by memory for Mr. Lane and attend all marching rehearsals after school. We will only practice marching this week after school on Thursday.

Practice sheets with no less than 70 minutes are due each week to Mr. Lane. This is part of your child’s grade.

Private lessons are highly recommended for all band members. They really help build your child’s confidence and make them a Superstar in class. If you are interested in getting privat lessons for your child, please contact Mr. Lane and get a full list of those people that teach private instruction.

All West Tennessee Honor Band Tryouts will be Saturday, December 8th at the University School in Jackson, Tennessee. We are off to a GREAT start on the music. Have your child sign up with either Mr. Lane or Ms. Ward for extra help on their music. Ms. Ward and Mr. Lane have been working with your children in class on their All West music. Please remind your child that they must know by memory all 12 of their major scales and their chromatic scales. Look for more information and a map coming at a later date.

Parents, we will be checking out the marching band uniforms in the near future. Watch for emails to announce the exact dates. Uniforms must be checked out and signed by a parent or guardian. All marching band members must have all black marching shoes to be a part of the marching band. You can purchase these through the Booster Club or you can buy them at another store of your chosing. However, marching band shoes must be totally black for your child to be able to participate with the marching band.

Parents our first two parades will be coming up soon. They are the University of Memphis Homecoming Parade on Friday, November 2nd and the Veteran’s Day Parade on Friday, November 9th, at 10 AM in downtown Memphis. Look for an information letter and permission note coming home with your child in the next few days as soon as Mr. Lane gets all of the details. Chaperones will be needed for both events.

Eighth Grade Night with the Germantown High School Band is coming up on Friday night, October 26th. This is the Whitehaven game. Look for more details about this as Mr. Lane gets them. Band members participating will need to be at the high school band room no later than 6:15 PM in their blue jeans and red band shirts. They will also need to bring their instrument and music and they will play in the stands with the high school band during the game.

Saturday, October 27th, there is a Band Marching Festival at Cordova High School. I am urging all of our band members to attend, particularly our Eight Grade Band Members. As soon as I get the details and times, I will get them out to you. We will not be participating in this event. I would just like for all of our band members to see what High School Marching Competitions are all about and we can all come out and support the Germantown High School Varsity Band. Mr. Byrd, the high school band director has told me that the Varsity Band will probably perform around the 4 PM to 5 PM hour. Look for more details.

WOW!!!!!! Will it ever get cool? Our kids have really been working hard in our after school marching practices but it sure has been hot. Parents, next time you go to the grocery, please buy some water for the band. We are trying to give all of our kids water after each practice, particularly until it cools down some.

COLORGUARD

Colorguard will practice every week on Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday after school. The Colorguard is looking good and almost has their first routine learned. Practices on Monday and Wednesday will be with their instructor and Tuesday and Thurday practices will be with the marching band.

Colorguard members must make every practice. If they miss too many practices, they may be removed from the colorguard squad.

Uniform sizing for the colorguard has begun. Uniforms must be checked out by a parent or guardian. Look for the exact date for the check out time to be coming in the emails.

Look for an information / permission sheet to be coming home with your child in the next few days for our first two parades which will be on November 2nd and November 9th. Chaperones are needed for both of these parades. The 9th is during school and the 2nd is right after school.

Have a GREAT week. See you at the practices.

John Lane and Jill Ward