BMS Band Receives UIL Sweepstakes Award!

On Thursday, March 21, the Blanco Middle School 7th & 8th Grade Varsity Band competed at UIL Concert and Sight-Reading contest. The music contest was held at Cuero HS in Cuero, TX. The band performed three concert selections: Marzo Zingaro by Randall Standridge, Colliding Visions by Brian Balmages, and Danza de España by Carol Brittin Chambers (who currently resides in San Antonio). The band received a Division 1 "Superior" rating for their concert performance. 

The band also received a Division 1 rating in the Sight-Reading portion of the contest. In this contest, the students have to perform a piece of music they have never seen or heard before. All three judges scored their performance as "Superior." One judge commented, "Wow, you make very mature sounds! A well-taught band! Bravo!"

The band was awarded with a UIL Sweepstakes trophy for receiving Division 1 ratings in both events. This is the third consecutive year the BMS band has received the highest honor of Sweepstakes. The middle school band is directed by Mrs. Danette Conard with assistance from BHS band director, Mr. Jon VanOmmeren.

BLANCO MIDDLE SCHOOL BAND
UIL Concert and Sight-Reading Contest
March 21, 2019
SWEEPSTAKES AWARD

Fiesta TX Trip Info

7th and 8th Grade Band students will be going to Fiesta TX on Thursday, April 18 (the day before Good Friday holiday). This is just a fun trip to reward the kids for a year of hard work.

Letters were sent home last week about our annual Band Trip. Here is a link to the letter if you haven't seen it. The bottom part of the form and a minimum deposit are due by this Friday, March 8. 

Admission ticket to the park will be $35. Optional meal tickets are $10. If your child has a season pass, the cost will be $5 to cover transportation and parking fees. Suggested payments are included in the letter, but they are just suggestions. If you want/need to pay a different deposit amount, you can. Of course, you may also choose to pay for the entire trip in one payment.

The last day for any payments will be Monday, March 25 so we can order the tickets at a discounted rate and receive them in time.

Pre-UIL and UIL Performances

Pre-UIL Rehearsal / Concert at BMS Cafeteria

Wednesday, February 27, 2019 from 4-6pm

We have a guest clinician from Lake Travis ISD coming to work with the band students after school. This is a required rehearsal for all 7^th-8^th grade band students that are competing at UIL. We will give a pre-UIL concert for parents, friends, and teachers at 5:45pm, and then students will be dismissed after everything has been packed away. 

Pre-UIL Contest at Cuero HS 

Thursday, February 28, 2019 (all day)
Wear current band t-shirt and blue jeans. Bring lunch money. All eligible 7^th and 8^th grade UIL Varsity band students (not alternates) will be attending.

Pre-UIL Schedule:

8:30am – Meet in the band hall for a rehearsal

9:45am – Load bus and trailer.

10:00am – Depart Blanco MS.

11:00am-12:00pm – Lunch in San Marcos. Choices are Whataburger, McDonald’s, or Zaxby’s

1:30pm – Arrive at Cuero HS.

2:15pm – Warm-up in Cuero Band Hall.

2:40pm – Pre-UIL contest performance. This is open to the public. Parents may come and watch.

3:30pm – Depart for Blanco.  (possible stop at Buc-ees in Luling)

6:30pm – Approximate return time to BMS.

UIL Concert and Sightreading Contest (the "real deal")
Thursday, March 21, 2019 (all day)
UIL Schedule (tentative):
8:00am - Meet in BMS Band Hall for quick rehearsal and tuning.
9:15am - Load buses and depart for Cuero.
12:00pm - Arrive at Cuero HS.
12:35pm - Warm-up on stage.
1:00pm - Concert Performance. (open to the public)
1:25pm - Sight-reading portion of the contest. (not open to the public)
2:00pm - Receive judges' scores and load buses to return home. (stop at Buc-ees in Luling)
5:00pm - Approximate return time to BMS.

Christmas Concert this Friday!

Blanco 7th-8th Grade Band Christmas Concert

Who: All 7th-8th grade band students

What: Christmas Concert (featuring BMS 6th-8th Grade Bands)

Where: BHS Cafeteria

When: Friday, December 14 at 6:30pm (students need to be there by 6:15pm)

Dress: Nice, dressy, festive clothes. 

Cost: FREE!

Invite all your friends and family! See you there! 

Happy Holidays!

8th Grade Performance - Band Together to Fight Drugs - October 26th

Every year, the 8^th grade band is invited to a Varsity football game to play alongside the HS Band. This year, that game will be Friday, October 26^th here at Blanco Stadium. This is a great opportunity for our 8^th grade band to experience what it’s like to be in HS Band. Join us as we "Band together to fight drugs!" during Red Ribbon Week! Please mark your calendars! 

Uniform for the game performance will be the new Middle School Band T-shirt with Blue Jeans. (Shirts are supposed to arrive Monday or Tuesday next week.) 8^th graders will be admitted into the game for free with their band shirt and instrument.

Students will need to report to the band section of the stadium at 7pm. They will play with the HS band in the stands for the first two quarters. At halftime, they will go on the field and perform (standing, not marching) with the HS band. After halftime, the band has 3^rd quarter off for concessions (bring money).  If 8^th grade band students are at the stadium, they must remain with the band until the end of the game. They will be dismissed after they perform the School Song. Students may get signed out by their parent after halftime if they need to leave early. If leaving early with someone else’s parent, you must get that cleared in advance with the MS Principal.

Students usually share music with the high school students, but you are encouraged to purchase your own lyre and flip folder. Having your own flip folder/lyre will make it easier to see the music, but it is not required.  Here is an example of a flip folder https://www.wwbw.com/Grover-Trophy-10-Window-Flip-Folio-Folder-473722-473722000000000.wwbw. Here is an example of a lyre https://www.wwbw.com/Giardinelli-Alto-or-Tenor-Saxophone-Lyre-J13375-J13375000000000.wwbw. They also make flip folders for trumpet and trombone that clip onto the bell of the instrument https://www.wwbw.com/DEG-A16-HC260-Trumpet-Lyre-450278-450278000000000.wwbw. Flutes have flip folders/lyres that attach to their arm https://www.wwbw.com/DEG-A16-HC225-Flutists-Friend-Flute-Piccolo-Lyre-450275-450275000000000.wwbw. You can purchase these online (wwbw.com, amazon, etc.) or at music stores (Music & Arts, Hillje, etc.).

8^th graders that help out with the HS football team should plan to perform with the band at halftime. 

If you have any questions, please contact Mrs. Conard at danette.conard@blancoisd.org.

Band Book, Binders, and Supplies

All 7th-8th grade students should have all the required supplies for band and bring them to class every day:

• Black Binder (with pencil bag and pencils, 5 tab dividers, plastic sheet protectors, paper
• EE Book 2
• Instrument
• Accessories 

Limited supplies (such as reeds and valve oil) are available for purchase at the BMS Band Hall.

Students are expected to have their own copies of all music that is handed out, and their name should be on each piece of music. Replacement fee for lost music is 25 cents/page.

60% of the final band grade is based on daily classroom participation, which includes showing up with all your stuff!

Fiesta TX Band Trip Info

On Friday, April 27^th, the BMS Band will take their annual end-of-the-year Six Flags Trip. This is a fun trip to congratulate the Band for all their great performances and hard work this year. The cost for this trip will be $40 (includes admission to the park, one meal, and transportation). If you have a season pass, the cost will be $15 (includes one meal and transportation). Parents and guardians are allowed to accompany their children for the same cost. We plan to get to the park at 10:30am when it opens, and we plan to arrive back to BMS around 5:30pm. Students leaving the park earlier must have parents sign them out.

We will be splitting up the cost into two payments in order to make it easier on those families that need it. If you have trouble covering some or all of the cost, there is assistance available; however, you must contact me ASAP if you should need help. Any students that did not attend UIL and are not passing their classes will not be allowed to attend. Also, due to the fact that we will buy tickets early to get a discounted rate, there will be no refunds available. Tickets are valid until January 2019.

You may choose to pay for the entire trip at once, or you may follow this Payment Schedule:

Friday, April 13^th                   $20 Deposit ($15 with Season Pass)

Monday, April 23^rd                 $20 Final Payment (without season pass)

Make checks payable to: Blanco Middle School

If you have any questions, please contact me. Thank you!