CMS Band And Orchestra

Jazz Band Page

NEW UPDATES (11/14/18)

COURTYARD CONCERT ON FRIDAY!!!!

Call time is 8:30. We play from 9:00-9:20 outside the band room. It will be chilly on friday (I grew up in upstate NY, I refuse to call 55* “cold”). Wear your Jazz T-Shirts & Jeans.

NEW UPDATES (10/8/18)

Just a reminder we are NOT having a Courtyard Concert this Friday. FCA has our room reserved for their monthly huddle this Friday. We WILL have courtyard concerts on November 16th (right before Thanksgiving Break) and on December 20th (right before Winter Break). Details will be available soon. 

NEW UPDATES (9/25/18)

You will find the October Newsletter/Bonus here in about 2 weeks.

Jazz Band’s Courtyard concert scheduled on October 12th has been cancelled. FCA is holding their first huddle of the year on 10/12. We will have a Courtyard Concert on November 16th – the Friday before Thanksgiving break – to replace the October date.

NEW UPDATES (7/31/18)

I hope everyone is enjoying the last few weeks of summer! Please read below carefully.

  1. Orchestra Students! Mr. St. Jean is your new teacher. I will be removing the orchestra information from this page after the 2nd week of school. 
  2. Check your schedules carefully!!! There have been several changes to my classes (more information below). If you do not have a band class come see me!!! Orchestra students should do the same thing. I no longer have access to the orchestra rosters, I have no way of knowing who is in the classes. 
  3. If you think you were not given the proper band or orchestra class: PLEASE LET ME KNOW!!!!
  4. Band schedules may shift after the initial printing, and after the 1st 2 weeks of school.
  5. Right now the Wind Ensemble and Symphonic Band are in the same class period. I’ve made a request top have some of our Band 2 (Symphonic Band) students moved to a Band 1 class period so we can better serve their musical growth.
  6. If you have any questions regarding your schedule, please see me or email me.

When do we play? Jazz Band, Symphonic Band, and Wind Ensemble will begin playing on Wednesday the 15th or Thursday the 16th. Guitar (Small Change Strummers is our name) will begin playing about the 3rd week of school (I’ll have a better idea by the 1st day of school). Beginning, Concert, and Cadet Bands (that’s periods 5,6,7) Will begin playing in 3-4 weeks. The Instrument selection process takes 3-4 weeks depending on class sizes. I do not know when Orchestra will begin playing. That will be up to Mr. St. Jean. 

The 2018-2019 Music Calendar will be available soon. 8th graders (and the 7th graders in 3rd period) Should plan on an evening performance on Friday, September 7th. That is our annual Middle School Night at Boone HS. More details soon!

NEW UPDATES (6/7/18)

I hope everyone has enjoyed the start of their summer. I’ve actually been at school every day of the summer so far. The Nichols Clan will finally take some downtime in NY & NJ next week to visit family.

Notes for returning players

  1. Returning 7th & 8th-grade students. PLEASE look carefully at the blue coarse selection papers that were sent home on 5/25.
  2. Returning Students should be in either Band 2 (7th graders) or Band 3 (8th graders). I know for a fact that several of the course codes on the blue papers are incorrect. Jazz Band is Instrument Ensemble 2 or 3.
  3. Orchestra students should have Orchestra 2 or Orchestra 3.
  4. Several students returned my encouragement letters. You will not have the correct band classes. Those letters never made it to the guidance counselors. (that mistake is on me).
  5. Several students do not have the correct band/orchestra classes or are missing band & orchestra entirely. I’ve sent my list of corrections up to the guidance counselors.
  6. I encourage you to contact the guidance counselors next week. I believe they will be doing schedules next week so you can be sure to be in the correct band/orchestra class(s). A parent call will get things adjusted MUCH faster than a teacher request. The more students we fix in June, the easier our August will be. 
  7. PLEASE keep practicing. Playing your instrument is a GREAT way to break summer boredom.
  8. PLEASE be sure to read a book or two!!
  9. If you have any questions – please email me. I’ll be answering them all summer – even when we hit the beach. 

Notes if you are new to the CMS Band & Orchestra program

  1. For our newest beginners: WELCOME ABOARD!!! I will have some specific updates on the webpage for you soon. Until then – feel free to email me with ANY question you might have.
  2. If you are an experienced play joining us from another school: WELCOME TO CONWAY!! Please shoot me an email so I can make sure you are in the correct class(s).

For our Orchestra students

I do have big news, but I’ve not been given permission to share it yet. Remember what we said in class: There IS an orchestra, it will be taught in a room on campus, and it will be taught by a music teacher. As soon as I am able to let you know the specifics, I will post them here.

NEW UPDATES (5/24/18)

End of the year close-out.

Friday is the last playing day of the 2017-2018 school year. Tuesday & Wednesday next week will be non-playing days. Jazz band has two performances on Friday morning: Our Final Courtyard Concert at 9:00, and the 4th Elementary School Visit during 1st period. Please arrive at school by 8:30 to help set up our performance space. We will wear jazz band t-shirts and jeans (no shorts please!!!) Below are several items to keep us running smoothly the last few days.

  1. Our Exams will be finished by the end of the day today. As I type this – only 6th period is left to test. I’m mostly sure that the exam scores will be on their report cards.
  2. ALL playing assessments (Band Karate & Skill Checks) must be completed by 4:30 on Friday
  3. ALL personal instruments need to be taken home at the end of the day on Friday.
  4. ALL lockers need to be cleaned out by 4:30 on Friday.
  5. Any notes for excused absences from the concert need to be turned in my Wednesday morning.
  6. 6th & 7th graders who wish to sign out their school instruments need to fill out the OCPS Prop-4 & OCPS M-4 forms before the instruments can go home. I will have the forms available in class on Friday.
  7. PLEASE practice over the summer!! If we play for the last time in class on May 25th and you next play on August 15th, you will lose most (if not all) of the musical growth we achieved this year.
  8. 8th graders who need school instruments should communicate with their HS band director.

NEW UPDATES (5/18/18)

The end is near! Next week we have the band spring concert on Monday night in the cafeteria. Friday morning we have the final elementary school visit and courtyard concert for jazz band. We have final exams Monday-Thursday next week (more on that later).

I want to thank everyone for getting through this busy week of performances. The Evening of the Arts was a great success! I am already planning EOTA 2019! Jazz Band was VERY busy this week with 3 performances in two days!

Enjoy your weekend!! BUT don’t forget to study for the CFE’s and practice your music for Monday”s concert!!!! Jazz band’s exam is first thing Monday Moring!

NEW UPDATES (5/10/18)

NEW UPDATES (5/10/18)
We still have 6 performances on the calendar. Read the letters, please!!!
Evening of the Arts 2018
WE HAVE HOW MANY PERFORMANCES NEXT WEEK

NEW UPDATES (5/7/18)

Jazz band Set Lists as of 5.7.18
Band students are in a bit of a lull this week as there are no performances. Orchestra has their Spring Concert on Tuesday!!! I’d like to move the call time to 6:00 for Tuesday night. Because of testing schedules, we’ll be missing about 1/3 of Orchestra 1 & about ½ of Orchestra 2. If we can meet at 6:00, we can do a quick run of our music before we move to the cafeteria.

NEXT WEEK is VERY busy. We have the chorus concert on 5/15 (ECO), ES Visit #3 (Jazz Band) & Evening of the Arts on 5/16 (Orchestra & Jazz Band), Academic Awards on 5/17 (Jazz Band), and the Conway Farmers Market on 5/20 (Orchestra).

Band Karate for all SB/WE/BB/CB is due this Friday (This Thursday for 8th graders). Students need 6 completed by 4:30 on Friday.

Jazz Band Skill Checks for the remainder of the year will be bonus based. If you do a solo in a performance, you will get the points.

Orchestra will have one more Skill Check the week of 5/21. Details will follow after we have the bell schedule for the CFE exams.

CFE review sheets will be ready by the end of the week.

NEW UPDATES (5/2/18)

Below is the info for the Thursday night & Friday morning performances.
Concert Notes for 5.3 & 5.4
Thursday set list
Pre-Show
Go Daddy-O, Fat Burger (2 solos), Peter Gunn, All About The Blues (if needed), Mercy (1 solo)
Show
Brain Sprain
*Mr. N Talks to the crowd
Tequila (3 solos)
 
Friday set list
Pre-Show
Go Daddy-O, Fat Burger (2 solos), Peter Gunn, Mercy (1 solo), Pink Panther (with the cuts)
Show
Brain Sprain (this may be moved to pre-show), *Mr. N Talks to the crowd, Tequila (3 solos)
**We may need to adjust the order of music on the fly**

NEW UPDATES (4/25/18)
PLEASE be sure to read the 4/11 & 4/2 updates on the main page. 
Here is the newest (and hopefully final) jazz band performance schedule & Set Lists.
Jazz band Set Lists as of 4.25.18
May Concert Information 2018
May Fine Arts Calendar 17-18 3.0

NEW UPDATES (4/16/18)

PLEASE be sure to read the 4/11 & 4/2 updates on the main page. 

STOP THE PRESSES!!!!
JAZZ BAND HAS TWO DATE CHANGES!!!!
(ok – too late. The calendar was already printed)
Guidance and Administration have changed two of our dates!
Academic Awards is now on THURSDAY MAY 17th!!!
ELEMENTARY SCHOOL VISIT #2 IS NOT ON MAY 4th!!!!
We don’t have a date for that one yet.

April.May Concert Memo 2018 2.0

NEW UPDATES (4/11/18)

Notes for Friday’s 5th grade performance. We will load onto the stage after school on Thursday. FCA is using our room on Friday, we will be unable to move in & out of the room until 9:20. We will set up the stage during the FCA meeting, reset the room after the FCA meeting, and warm up & perform on stage during 1st period.  

NEW UPDATES (4/4/18)

This is the first of MANY updates. The April & May concert letter. Please note that we are NOT performing at Boone on April 17th. 

NEW UPDATES (2/12/18)

Concert Info for the Barnes & Noble performance on Wednesday, 2/14.

We’ll load up my van right after school at 3:00. I will bring the drums, bass amp, piano, folders, and music stands.  Students will be responsible for bringing their own instruments.  Please arrive at Barnes & Noble between 5:45 & 6:00. We’ll unload & set up at 5:45. I’d like to warm up & tune at 6:00. We’ll start our 1st set at 6:25, we have about 28 minutes of music. We’ll take a break at the end of our 1st set. Please note that it’s very important that no one plays during the break, not just to be sure our chops are fresh for our second set, but other events are happening during our break. I’d like to have everyone back in place by 7:05 so we can begin our 2nd set at 7:10. We’ll finish around 7:40, load up our equipment and call it a night.  Concert dress for Wednesday will be our jazz band T-Shirts and jeans. I have to mention this: This performance is a testament to the work that the band has done this year. I never pictured the band being this ready for a long set list until April or May. I’m now confident enough that we can perform two full sets with a week’s preparation. Please let me know if you have any questions about Wednesday night.

B & N Set List (with Solos)

Brain Sprain
All about the Blues (Roman, Declan)
Beauty & the Beast
Mercy
Cute
Killer Joe (Leah, Declan)
Blue Trane (Nic, William)
Fat Burger (Jayden, Sebastian S)

NEW UPDATES (12/18/17)

We have a TON of performances this semester. Recruitment tour, Academic Awards, 5th Grade Parent Night, 5th grade visit to Conway, 2 or 3 courtyard concerts, Boone HS Jazz Under the Stars, and our spring concert. Stay up to date with everything going on. An Updated calendar will be posted soon!

NEW UPDATES (12/18/17)

Thursday’s Courtyard Concert will be the final performance of 2017. It will also be the last class playing of 2017 (you SHOULD practice between now and December 31st!!!)

I sent this note home today
WHAT: Courtyard Concert (Rain or Shine)
WHEN: Thursday 12/121 – 8:40 call time (to set up) we play from 9:00-9:25.
WHERE: Outside the band room doors
WEAR: jazz t-shirts, jeans, festive hat (etc.)
Set List: Linus & Lucy, Jingle Bells, Up on the Housetop, Deck the Halls, We Wish You a Merry Christmas, Funky Old St. Nic. Solos TBD

Be there or be square Daddy-O.

\NEW UPDATES (11/28/17)

THE BARNES & NOBLE PERFORMANCE HAS BEEN POSTPONED!!! Ms. Rothfield needs to change the date of the B & N Spirit Night, and it will now be after Winter Break. once she picks a date, we will see if we can make it work. 

OUR DECEMBER 21st COURTYARD CONCERT IS BACK ON THE SCHEDULE!!! It has been become a tradition at Conway MS, that the last playing of the calendar year (i.e. the final notes of 2017) are played by the Jazz Band for the pre-winter break CYC. We will set up outside the band room, begin playing at 9:00, and finish playing at 9:20/9:25. We will play our two holiday tunes from the 12/13 concert and 3-5 other pieces that we will begin rehearsing on December 14th. my goal is to play all holiday music for this performance.  Our Jazz Band T-Shirts will be in on December 12th, so we will wear them on the 21st. 

NEW UPDATES (11/27/17)

READ THE MAIN PAGE!!!!

We have a new performance on December 20th. We will be playing for Conway MS’s Spirit Night at Barnes & Noble. Details are thin but plan on being available from 6;00-8:00 that evening. I still want to keep our traditional Cortyard Concert that we do before Win ter Break. I would modify our B & N music set so we cold do it with Rythm Section (even partial rythm), and a few wind players. I would make it optional, as we have a performance the night before.  More details about December 20 & 21 will be available soon. 

A few days after Pulse, several HS teachers got together to record their students singing Beautiful City from Godspell. The concert attire I’m envisioning is what the students & teachers in the link below are wearing. Any Orlando United shirt will work too. I’ll be wearing my purple one.

 

NEW UPDATES! (8/28/16)

 

Listening Recommendations

There are hundreds of artists out there. This is a very small list to get you started.

Big Band: Glenn Miller, Big Phat Band, Maynard Furguson Big Band, Buddy Rich Big Band, The Army Blues
Combo: Dave Brubeck Quartet, Jazz Messengers
Saxes: Charlie Parker, John Coletrain
Trumpets: Dizzy Gilespie, Miles Davis
Trombones: Slam Stuart, Stan Kenton
Guitar: Pat Metheny, Les Paul
Piano: Dave Brubeck, Chick Corea
Bass: John Patituchi, Dave Holland
Drums: Joe Morello, Phili Joe Jones, Steve Fidyk