Spooky Notes!

Happy Halloween!

This week has been eerily excellent in the Howar Band World... Wednesday and Thursday were amazing rehearsals with a TON accomplished and I'm really starting to get excited about the upcoming concert in December! Way to go junior high banders on your hard work this week!

This quarter we are working on rhythms and time signatures as a band. We're working hard on tapping our feet while we work on rhythmic exercises. This week's rhythm sheets were a little on the easy side, so the good news is that next week's rhythms will be a bit harder. Each week we'll be tackling new rhythmic ideas and working to coordinate our feet with the beat. We'll also hopefully start exploring a variety of time signatures, too. By the end of the quarter we should be a lean, mean, rhythmic reading machine!

We also changed the day of the week that our practice sheets are due. These sheets are now due on Wednesdays. I'm hoping that putting this due date in the middle of the week will help with our memories so we don't forget over the weekend! Let's get those questions answered with complete sentences!

I'm very pleased with the HJH Jazz Band after our second week of rehearsals. It sounds like this is going to be a good year to get into the groove!

And in other news, the CHS Flag Team did an outstanding job on Wednesday night with their performance with the CHS Marching Band. Congratulations on ending an amazing season in the chilly October air! Congrats to the CHS Football team for advancing to the next level...can't wait for the game on Monday night! The WHOLE CHS Band will be there playing Pep Band to cheer them on!

da da da da da da da daaaa HEY! GO BIG REDS!!

How much fun!

Hey! Just catching up on a few things here...been VERY busy but VERY good :)

1. CAN'T wait for the costume show, CHS! Friday night is predicted to be a bit on the chilly side, that is, until the CHS Marching Band takes the track for their costume halftime production and heats things up! Way to go CHS football on making the playoffs AND getting home field advantage...SO...if you missed the CHS Marching show at halftime of the Homecoming game and heard how awesome it was or just want to see it again, we'll do de ja vu at halftime of that game on Wednesday, October 29. Rock it CHS colorguard!

2. As chilly as it's been in the band room all day today (anyone who came to a Tuesday lesson can tell you that), it warmed right up when the HJH Concert Band met today. WOW! Great job sight reading today and I can't wait to dig into Novena this week!

3. Centerville music page's guest book...I hadn't checked it for awhile. Guess I've been missing out on some of the fun...looks like the HJH kids have a contest going trumpets vs. tubas... If you haven't checked in awhile, do so! Sign up, be heard!

Vocal concert tonight at 7:30...break a leg if that includes you, I'll be there checking out how the HJH choir is doing this year (and CHS, too).

JAZZ BAND at HOWAR starts tomorrow! Be there all you cool cats!

Possible New Mascots under consideration for the HJH Band

5. Numerous dead bugs...and spiders!
4. Little drumline frog...
3. CHIPMONK! (Yes, now you may put your things away...)
2. Kangaroos that say BUZZ BUZZ...not MOO!
1. Eighth Grade Drummers!!

Tardiness in Blogging...Sorry Guys!

Well, it's not because good stuff hasn't been happening that I have been late in my blogging, it's because TOO MUCH good stuff has been going on that I haven't had time to sit still at the computer long enough to blog (unless I've been working on other stuff at the computer). So...much to catch up on!

First, congratulations to the CHS Marching Band and a successful homecoming weekend performance! I have heard many rave reviews from folks at Howar and am now passing them on to you! Way to go! Thriller was AWESOME! Only one more show to go!

A HUGE congratulations to the six HJH students who auditioned for honor band last week. Lei Alena D., Shelby R., Alesha D., Jeremy S., Megan A., and Jesse S. all did a great job representing our program in Indianola and I'm so proud of each of you for all of the hard work and extra effort that went into preparing those auditions. Lei Alena D. and Jeremy S. will be representing us in the Blue Band and Shelby R. and Alesha D. will be representing us in the White Band in November. Way to go!

Chair placements are ongoing at HJH this week at lessons. We're also busy in preparations for our winter concert.

Jazz Band at Howar will begin next week and students who are interested should have gotten information sheets today, anyone who did not get one can find one online on my page later tonight. (Anyone whose pet goat ate it on the way home can also find another one there.) I'm starting to look forward to jazz band beginning and seeing who is interested this year!

What's Coming Up in October??

1 - SCIBA Junior High Honor Band Auditions will take place on October 7th. GOOD LUCK!

2 - CHS Homecoming complete with halftime performance by the CHS marching band!

3 - HJH Jazz Band to begin mid-month. Further information will follow next week!

4 - CHS "Halloween" performance to conclude the home football season.

5 - IHSMA All State Auditions. Good luck to our high school friends who will be trying out!

6 - CONCERT BAND REHEARSALS!! We're going to rock that winter concert!