Hello Jenison Band families,
We are obviously in uncharted territory with a three week mandatory shutdown. With spring break happening immediately after those three weeks, it will be at least four weeks before we will be able to be back together with our band students. This time away has many ramifications for the upcoming weeks and months, so in this email we will try to provide all available information.
Band Booster Meeting
The Booster meeting scheduled for next Tuesday, March 17 is cancelled. Our next meeting will be held on Tuesday, April 21 at 7:00 in the media center. Our mandatory Marching Band Parent Meeting is tentatively scheduled for Monday, May 18 at 7:00 in the high school auditorium (not the JCA).
Sub Sale Pickup
Sub Sale pickup is scheduled for Thursday, March 19. Instead of the high school cafeteria, pickup will now be at Kris Shavinski's house: 8689 Willow Run Dr. Please plan on picking up your sub order between 5:00-6:30 pm. If you absolutely can not make this work, contact Kris at 307-4642.
Upcoming Playing Tests/Auditions
All our 8th-11th graders have received materials for their playing tests/placement auditions for the 2020-21 school year. For our woodwind and brass players, these auditions may now be submitted online through the Google Classroom set up for their band class. Students should upload a single video which includes all four components of the exam (chromatic scale, rhythm studies, etude #1 and etude #2). This is an option; all these students will still have the opportunity to take these playing tests live once we return to school if they prefer. Woodwind auditions will occur during band class. Brass players have signed up for after school audition times on Monday, March 30; percussionists have signed up for after school auditions on Tuesday, March 31. These auditions will now take place on the Monday and Tuesday of our second back to school. (So if we return to school on Monday, April 13, brass auditions will happen on Monday, April 20 and percussion auditions will happen on Tuesday, April 21.)
Google Classroom Assignments
Students in all three concert bands were informed that there will be Google Classroom assignments posted throughout the break. These assignments are not required for students to complete, but they are strongly encouraged. The assignments will help guide students' practice in preparation for our spring concert.
Jazz Band and Percussion Ensemble
Jazz band and percussion ensemble rehearsals that have been scheduled between March 16 and April 12 have been cancelled. Both groups will return to a normal rehearsal schedule as soon as possible. Students are strongly encouraged to prepare their parts and practice. Mr. Palma and Mr. Justice will send out updates via Remind.
The Sound of Music/Bazany Senior Scholarship Recital
The following is VERY tentative information. Our JHS production of The Sound of Music is likely to be rescheduled for the week of April 27. Since our Bazany Senior Scholarship Recital was scheduled for Monday, April 27, we are tentatively rescheduling that performance for Monday, May 11 at 7:30 at the JCA. We will provide more definitive information on these performances once the schedules are set.
Spring Concerts
At the moment, no changes have been made to the May calendar of band and orchestra concerts.
Marching Band Paperwork/Deposit
We will distribute our annual packet of forms and information for the 2020-21 Marching Band season as soon as we return to school. The $100.00 deposit payment will be due on Friday, May 8.
Color Guard Auditions
We will hold clinics/auditions for our 2020 Color Guard on Monday, May 4 and Thursday, May 7, 6:00-9:00.
We appreciate your flexibility and understanding during this challenging time. We will sincerely miss seeing your students and making music together over these next few weeks, and we look forward to returning to JHS soon.
If you or your students have questions or concerns, please don't hesitate to reach out.
Dave Zamborsky - dzambors@jpsonline.org
Seth Justice - sjustice@jpsonline.org