2011 Marching Band Season post--already....

[golfgal]

Our band had their first new member rehearsal last night. The full band doesn't start practice until mid-July. The kids get their music on Monday and they announce the show name then too. Our kids were selected as squad leaders this year so they will be putting in some extra time on that. They are pretty excited for it all to start up again.

 

[marcyinPA]

We just turned in our uniforms a week or two ago, so not ready for the whole thing to start over again!

Section leaders deliver music the first week of June...they go to everyone's house and drop it off, meet new members.

Summer practices start in July- every Wednesday night if you can make it, and then band camp starts the second week of August for 3 weeks 8-2 and those are mandatory.

I'm not sure what all will be in the field show this year, but DS16 mentioned the Hawaii 5-0 theme song since they are Hawaii bound in November, and pep music will include "Forget You"...you know, the C-lo Green song....this should be interesting, as the song was originally titled "F U"....We'll see if the kids can keep it clean in the stands and if the song makes the cut after the first game!

 

[golfgal]

We just turned in our uniforms a week or two ago, so not ready for the whole thing to start over again!

Section leaders deliver music the first week of June...they go to everyone's house and drop it off, meet new members.

Summer practices start in July- every Wednesday night if you can make it, and then band camp starts the second week of August for 3 weeks 8-2 and those are mandatory.

I'm not sure what all will be in the field show this year, but DS16 mentioned the Hawaii 5-0 theme song since they are Hawaii bound in November, and pep music will include "Forget You"...you know, the C-lo Green song....this should be interesting, as the song was originally titled "F U"....We'll see if the kids can keep it clean in the stands and if the song makes the cut after the first game!

You have to wonder if the band director knows this . I don't think I would take a bet on this staying clean at a football game

 

[jen0610]

Band starts June 27th for us. They go 2 weeks prepping for the one and only parade we march in on July 9th, the local Three Rivers Festival parade. Last year they played Lady Gaga's Porker Face and the kids loved it. They are really hoping for another popular tune this year. The color guard had flags with the card suits Ace thru 10's on them.

The kids will get their music for our show then, so that for the next 3 weeks they can work on it at home, before the full blown season starts on Aug 1st. The show is called The Puppet Master. It's carrying on the similar theme from their wildly popular show last year. This is our directors 5th year at our school and he was very pleased with how much the kids loved and played the heck outta our show last year. It'll again have the jazz/funk feel to it.

This is going to be an interesting year for us. DS has always played the clarinet and for the last 2 years was playing the bass clarinet. For jazz band this year, they asked him to play tenor sax. Loved it!! They have several clarinets coming in with the freshman, so DS is going to get to continue playing tenor sax in marching band. Will be fun to see him in this new section.

 

[Pembo]

Stonehenge is our theme this year. The school year just ended so we're looking forward to the summer break. First practice is July 21.

 

[momof1princess]

DD13 will march with the HS marching band for the first time this fall! i have no idea what the music or "theme" is, but i'm SO excited! she was a band manager this past fall, meaning she lugged around a lot of equipment, lol. she had a great time and got a good taste of what being in the band is like, so i'm hoping all goes well!

 

[SydSim]

Just found out today that marching band will be marching forward. Because of budget cuts, they weren't sure that we would have band. The two other schools in our district got theirs cut. First band meeting tomorrow. First booster meeting - next week.

 

[Mary•Poppins]

We are just finishing our season ... The last parade was this past Monday for Memorial Day. Boy was it hot! They have to march up a big hill to get to the cemetery. One girl passed out

Uniforms get turned in this week. I am ready for a break. We start up again the first week of August. Last year my son had a solo that started the performance. The song was "Gospel John" and is name is John ... funny. Not sure what they are doing this year. I heard there are 30 more kids joining this year. Not sure where he is going to put them all when he instructs concert band. However ... we have the best band director in the world! (Yes, I am a little biased. )

 

[golfgal]

We are just finishing our season ... The last parade was this past Monday for Memorial Day. Boy was it hot! They have to march up a big hill to get to the cemetery. One girl passed out

Uniforms get turned in this week. I am ready for a break. We start up again the first week of August. Last year my son had a solo that started the performance. The song was "Gospel John" and is name is John ... funny. Not sure what they are doing this year. I heard there are 30 more kids joining this year. Not sure where he is going to put them all when he instructs concert band. However ... we have the best band director in the world! (Yes, I am a little biased. )

We don't march in the winter at all-that snow and cold stuff here . We are pretty much just a field show band but we do two parades each year-our hometown parade and the state fair parade because the kids get into the fair free.

 

[m&m's mom]

My DD is just finishing MS band and already starting HS practices. There will be 2 weeks of practices before the real fun starts on August 1st.
I am actually filling out a whole lot of forms and writing lots of checks tonight.

 

[golfgal]

My DD is just finishing MS band and already starting HS practices. There will be 2 weeks of practices before the real fun starts on August 1st.
I am actually filling out a whole lot of forms and writing lots of checks tonight.

That is when you know it really IS marching band season

 

[Katy Belle]

The Freshmen start August 1, band camp for all starts August 3. They wont get the music or even the name of the show until then.

Leadership Team members and Drum Majors were announced the last week of school.

The Band Boosters purchased a large semi trailor this week. In the past we have used box trucks. Volunteers will be getting the new trailor ready to go!

I'm looking forward to the season and cant wait to hear what the show is this year!

 

[golfgal]

The Freshmen start August 1, band camp for all starts August 3. They wont get the music or even the name of the show until then.

Leadership Team members and Drum Majors were announced the last week of school.

The Band Boosters purchased a large semi trailor this week. In the past we have used box trucks. Volunteers will be getting the new trailor ready to go!

I'm looking forward to the season and cant wait to hear what the show is this year!

WOW. That is late. Our kids get their music on Monday and are expected to have it memorized by the time band camp rolls around last week of July. The section/squad leaders have practices between now and then so they can practice the music. They have to test out on the music with the directors. Once band camp rolls around they spend most of their time learning their drill (field show). All I know is that our music is "classical".

 

[jen0610]

Had our marching band parent meeting last night. Had really good turn out.

The kids have been working on the music for the one and only parade we do. They are playing Dynamite by Taio Cruz. I know the song from hearing it on the radio, but when DS told me just the name of the song, I was clueless. He sang a couple of the lines and I knew it right away. After 4 days, they don't sound half bad. They did the same thing last year with Poker Face. It's a popular song NOW, so they get into it and have fun playing it.

The field show is The Puppet Master. The music is Evanescence and Hans Zimmer. Can't wait to see this combined. The kids are really stoked about Evanescence.

And for the first time, we have some guys in color guard. Not 1 or 2, but 4 of them. I really hope the drill writers take this opportunity to do some partner stunts that really need the strength of a guy to pull off.

 

[Allison]

We are doing music from LaNouba this year.

 

[marcyinPA]

Not much happening right now, except for my monthly check of $395 for his trip to Hawaii. Oh, and he made his appointment to get his uniform fitted. He goes in for that in two weeks. Luckily, it will only cost me the $10 drycleaning fee, since we have everything else we need.

He hasn't touched his music yet, which I am not happy about, but it's on him, not me. The first optional Wednesday night practice is July 13, so hopefully he'll pick up the trumpet before then.

I don't know all of the show music right now, but I do know one piece- Hawaii 5-0!

 

[golfgal]

The kids have had a few sectionals and have done a little, very little, practicing. Band starts in 17 days

 

[jen0610]

It has been such a whirlwind here lately.

The one and only parade was the 8th. On the 7th, as a preview they march thru the addition across the street. DS said he liked parade marching with the tenor sax much better than the clairanet.

Before we left the preview practice, I was double checking with the staff to make sure they didn't need any more help for the evening or in the morning. Head band mom started ticking off the items on her list. She was all covered, until she got to people for the school banner that leads the band in the parade. They still needed another body to help with that. DD14's hand shot up and she was bounching up and down to do it. The guard director was laughing as she said I don't have any clue where we can find someone this late in the game. DD was so stoked that she was going to get to actually get to help with the band.

Needless to say though, we had to hurry and go get her a paid of white shorts and she just going to wear my white sneakers. Got the kids to bed early as we had to be at the school by 7. All was going great until, I got woken up at 1 a.m. by DH bosses. DH was in the hospital. He had had a heart attack. I got DS16 up, just told him dad was in the hospital and made sure he had his phone ringer on and next to his bed. I just wanted to make sure that if I got stuck at the hospital, that I would have a way to wake them up. I did make it home by 5, so I just stayed up until it was time to get them up. All I told them was DH was in the hospital and that there wasn't anything they could do at the hospital, so they could just go ahead and do the parade, then come up to the hospital.

It was the best thing for them. It kept their minds off of their dad for a bit and let them both enjoy something they were both looking forward to. I was at the hospital instead of the parade, but that was ok. I DVR'd the parade and yea, both the kids were in the right spots to get on camera.

One more week off, before band camp starts. Hopefully these temps cool off, otherwise there are going to be some hot days.

 

[YodaGirl]

Aw! I miss marching band. I can't believe that it's been 13 years since I've been on my drum major podium!

Our band is finishing up their 3 week band camp today. They were supposed to have the show on the field by now, but they only have the opener done. They've been forced inside a lot due to the heat. Also due to the heat, they had several drop (who said that marching band was for wimps?) which left enough holes that they had to rewrite the drill halfway through camp.

 

[sduck]

Reading along, a little nostalgic. DD graduated two years ago. Started college and left the band. It looks as though she may join the dance team associated with the Marching band at her University. I'll have to slip it into the conversation tonight. Don't want to push her, but would love the experience to start back up. In the meantime, I'll live through the Mom/Dads here on this thread.