| Tawas Area Bands |
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May 14th, 2013 Good morning Band Parents! Here’s a quick rundown of what we have going on, some new announcements, and some new exciting things planned for Band Camp! Add Comment Good morning Band Parents and Students! Just wanted to send a quick email regarding some important upcoming events! We have a busy month ahead of us with graduation, awards night, the Fine Arts Festival, and even a 6th and 7th Grade Awards in June! Today: Our last day of Drum Major Tryouts (makeup day due to many have sporting obligations Friday after school). May 3rd: Band Camp Money and Health Forms Due to Mr. Akers! May 7th: Fine Arts Festival 6-8 pm We will be having a variety of performances from Jazz Band to Percussion Ensemble to Choir to Drama! I'll have specific performance times for each group later this week. May 9th: Band Booster Meeting 6 pm in the library. This is a very important meeting as we are appointing many people to new positions and are still looking to fill a few so come and help out1 May 23rd: Jazz Jambouree Concert---Jazz Band only! May 27th: Memorial Day Parade and Ceremonies---Tawas City Cemetary 9 am, Dock Ceremonies following, followed by the East Tawas Cemetary Performance. May 30th: HS Band Awards Night-Town Square in Tawas City 7pm. We will have a short concert from 7-7:30 pm followed by awards and dessert for our 8th-12th Grade Band Students. May 31st: Art Stroll in East Tawas: Jazz Band/Perc ensemble students only! June 2nd: Graduation Ceremonies HS 2pm. Call Time 12:30 pm Want to help out? I can use some assistance with the following: -Updating Band Student Contact Information from Band Camp Forms -Chaperoning the upcoming concerts -Transporting equipment to the Town Square for Awards (I'll need a truck to haul the band trailer) -We'll have quite a few positions opening up this year for Boosters from Ways and Means to Uniform Chairperson, so email me if you'd like to help and be sure to come to the next Boosters Meeting! -And many more---just let me know you're willing to help and I'll put you to work! And thanks to our parents who helped out this past Friday at the Band Council Party! It was a lot of fun and a great team building experience (and yes, there has even been some footage leaked from the party of me doing a few Smurf Dances...) Have a great week everyone! Mr. Akers "Ask Not What the Band Can Do For You... Ask What You Can Do For Your Band..." ~John Kennedy [paraphrased, of course...] Band Council Party PicsThis past Saturday we had 3 Band Students travel down to Lapeer East High School to perform for the MSBOA State Solo and Ensemble Festival. Congratulations to David Ramsdell and Heather Britt for earning a Superior Rating on their French Horn Duet, to Heather Britt for earning an 85 on her Proficiency 1 Soprano Saxophone Solo, to Cole VanderVeen for earning an 85 on his Proficiency 3 Alto Saxophone Solo and also his Bari Sax duet with Taylor Huitema from Oscoda which earned a Superior Rating, and to Heather Britt for earning an 81 on her Proficiency 3 French Horn Solo. Also, please congratulate Cole VanderVeen on being nominated for the MSBOA Youth Arts Festival! After his duet with Taylor Huitema this past Saturday, Cole and Taylor are invited to to perform as an Outstanding Small Ensemble. The two musicians will now submit an audition, which will be reviewed by a panel of judges who select which Ensembles will perform during the Collage Concert on May 11th. 
Here's the Schedule for State Solo and Ensemble in Lapeer, MI. P010 8:08am Heather Britt - Proficiency III Solo - French Horn (#16178) P005 9:20am Heather Britt - Proficiency I Solo - Soprano Sax (#22403) P005 11:03am Cole VanderVeen - Proficiency III Solo - Alto Sax (#16778) P010 2:52pm Heather Britt - Ensemble-Duet - French Horn (#16537) P008 3:15pm Bethanii Cloutier - Ensemble-Trio - Bb Clarinet (#16540) Below are directions to Lapeer East High School. Please plan accordingly for the drive :) Click "View Larger Map" for the detailed directions.
Here is a link to the letter I sent home last week in case it didn't make it's way home... Festival Letter for HS and 7th Grade And below you'll find all of our Chaperones that I had volunteer so far (if I missed anyone, feel free to text or email me), the updated info for them (arrival times, duties, etc). I also have some important Scholarship info that you need to know about. Click READ MORE below...  This past Saturday a number of High School Band students traveled to Clare High School for the District IX Solo and Ensemble Festival.The following students received a Superior Rating for their performances: Here are the times for S & E Performances. Please make note of these and if there are any conflicts, email me and let me know ASAP and I will contact our District Chairperson and see what can be done. I know the snow days have been affecting rehearsals and I will do my best to arrange my schedule to make time to work those students, but YOU DO NEED TO BE PRACTICING ON YOUR OWN! There is no way that you can have a whole solo prepared in the 2 - 3 hours that I will be working with you after school, so be diligent in your practicing. Please be flexible with moving around after school practice times---with the snow day (and possibly another tomorrow with freezing rain coming...) we'll have to do some more juggling around. Regardless of what happens or what Michigan weather throws at us, I know we will all pull together and get the job done and represent our Tawas Braves well this weekend! 
The latest rehearsal schedule for S & E practice times next week is on the Calendar (tab above). If there are conflicts, please email asap and we'll try to resolve them. I did my best to work around work schedules, sports/athletics, etc. As soon as I have the Performance times for S & E I will post them. Have a great weekend and Happy Half Day! ~Mr. Akers From the Desk of Mr. Akers... January 11th, 2013 Dear Band Parent, Congratulations on having your student get accepted into the MSBOA District IX All Star Band! It is quite an honor to have your student representing Tawas Area Schools at this event. Here are the details of the All Star Band: Where: Houghton Lake High School, 4433 West Houghton Lake Dr, Houghton Lake, MI 48629 When: January 25th and 26th Friday Rehearsal: 6 pm - 9 pm Saturday Rehearsal 9 am -12 pm Performance 2 pm: Parents are welcomed and encouraged to attend! You’ll want to arrive about 1:20 pm to get a good seat and take pictures before the performance. Departure: 1 pm Friday afternoon from the High School Band Room We should arrive in Houghton Lake about 2:30 pm to check in to our Hotel, hang out at the pool (the hotel next door has a waterpark), have dinner, and then go to Rehearsal at 6 pm at the High School. What to Bring:
As of right now I am all set for chaperones but I will make calls/emails if for some reason I need a few more. Students will be riding in a van with either myself, Cyndie Britt, or Lynn Waite to Houghton Lake. All parents are encouraged to come to the performance and students may ride home with you. Please check out before leaving with your student so I know that you have left after the performance. Akers Cell: 517-250-1513 Chaperones: Mr. and Mrs. Akers Cyndie Britt Lynn Waite Hotel Contact Info: Comfort Inn Houghton Lake 989-422-7829 (Directions are below) To download a copy of the letter passed out in class, please click here. Map to Hotel Click on VIEW LARGER MAP for directions and to see on Mapquest | Contact Info
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