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Additional Information... 2011-2012 Season
August 26, 2011 Milford Junior High School Band Students and Parents, As the MJHS Band concert season approaches I would like to welcome all MJHS band students to another exciting year in the world of instrumental music. MJHS band students will have a variety of performance opportunities throughout the school year. Last year's MJHS band had a very busy and successful year. We had numerous students chosen for the District XIV JHS Honor Band, and had many successful concert performances. We had over sixty students participate in the OMEA District XIV JHS Solo and Ensemble Contest. The culmination of our year was the outstanding performance by the Milford Junior High School Concert Band at the 2011 Ohio Music Education Association District XIV JHS Concert Band Contest held at Mt. Healthy HS. The MJHS Concert Band received a Superior Rating, the highest possible rating, from the judges. This was a tremendous honor for our band program and community. These extraordinary accomplishments are an example of the very fine students involved in the Milford Band program. Last year was a very exciting year, and I expect another year of excellence to be displayed in 2011-12. I would like to welcome the Seventh Grade Band members to MJHS. As most students have probably already noticed, the demand and expectations of band members increases dramatically in the seventh grade year. Seventh Grade Band members will continue to expand their musical knowledge and performance skills. And we will fine tune many aspects of their performance, which will lead to a more mature sounding ensemble. Private lessons would be a great supplement to the band program in order to assist the students with the more challenging musical requirements of Seventh Grade Band. Seventh Grade Band members will have many new performance opportunities which I hope most students will take advantage of during the school year. The performance skills of our Eighth Grade Band will continue to progress throughout the school year. Rehearsal and home practice demands will intensify as we prepare the Eighth Grade Band members for high school level music. This will include a few after school rehearsals in April and May in an effort to prepare for the OMEA JHS Concert Band Contest. Private lessons would be a wonderful supplement to the band program in order to assist Eighth Grade Band members with these challenges and in their preparation for high school level music. We have planned a few activities which will provide the eighth grade students a chance to mingle with the high school band students in an effort to ease the transition into the high school band. We hope to relieve as many anxieties as possible before the eighth graders move on to the high school band program. The 2012 MHS Marching Band Camp dates are included in this packet. Please review these dates and mark your calendar now! We look forward to the Eighth Grade Band members participation in the Milford High School Band next year! One of the most valuable opportunities we offer our band students is our private lesson program. Almost every successful band program has a large percentage of their students involved in a private lesson program. This is an opportunity for the student to work individually with a professional musician of their particular instrument. We have one of the finest private lesson teaching staffs in the Cincinnati area. Most of our private instructors are from the world-reknowned University of Cincinnati College-Conservatory of Music. Many of our instructors perform regularly with professional bands and orchestras. And as an added bonus, most of the instructors will teach their lessons at Milford High School and/or Milford Jr. High School instead of requiring you to travel to their homes for lessons. If there are financial concerns, students can apply money from band booster sponsored fundraising events toward private lesson fees. Please consult milfordbandboosters.org for more information. I hope the majority of band students at the Junior High will take advantage of this wonderful opportunity. For more information, please see the attached sheet. An item of great importance I would like to explain is my grading policy. Grades will be derived from participation and effort, weekly practice charts (which must be signed by a parent/guardian), quizzes and tests. Home practice is a vital ingredient for students to be successful in all of these areas. Students should be practicing 30-45 minutes per day at home in order to make necessary progress. In order to earn an "A" on their weekly practice charts, the students must compile a total of two hours or more of practice per week. Please refer to the attached practice chart guideline sheet for more information regarding practice charts. Tests and quizzes will be used for chair placement and assessment purposes. Tests and quizzes also give the band directors the opportunity to listen to the students individually, and give them individual suggestions to assist with their musical progress. The participation and effort grade is derived from a few different responsibilities. This includes the student arriving to class prepared with their instrument, music, and a pencil. If a student's instrument is being repaired I require a note from a parent/guardian in order for the student to be excused from that class. The participation and effort grade also includes how well the student has prepared the assigned music for each particular day, his/her effort while in class, and concert attendance. Every student has a crucial role in our organization and we work diligently to prepare for our concerts. I have included a list of concert dates at the close of this letter. Please put these dates on your calendar now! Only very extreme emergencies will be excused from a concert performance and this notification should be submitted as far before the concert as possible. Students need to plan on attending all concerts. Also, parents and students are strongly encouraged to use edline as a method to stay updated on band grades, and to check milfordbandboosters.org for updated and various information regarding the Milford band program. Concert attire will be the following: Boys will wear a solid black long-sleeved button-up dress shirt, black dress pants, black socks and black dress shoes. Girls will wear a solid black dress, or plain black shirt or blouse with a black skirt (knee-length or longer) or black dress pants, and black dress shoes. Jeans and tennis shoes are not proper concert attire and are not acceptable. Our performances are very special events, therefore I expect band members to dress appropriately for our concerts as described above. I am looking forward to another exciting and rewarding year with the MJHS Band. I am confident that those students who become involved and work enthusiastically will find band a truly rewarding and enjoyable experience. Sincerely, Paul Schrameck 2011-2012 Dates for the MJHS Band
* Required performances for all 7th and 8th Grade Band members |
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Milford Band Boosters,
P.O. Box 204,
Milford, OH 45150-0204
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