St. Jude Band Blog

Dear Band Parents:

First, I want to wish all of you a Happy New Year. I hope your holiday was a blessed and restful one.  I am still receiving compliments from all our performances last fall (Special Persons’ Day, Pep Rally and the Christmas Concert).  I am so very proud of all our young musicians and I look forward to continuing to move forward to nurture the musical talents of your young musician(s). We will resume class this Thursday, January 5^th with the Jazz Ensemble and the Beginning Band. Only the Advanced Band will meet on Friday. We will be on our regular schedule next week.

Our next big goal for this upcoming semester is our annual Solo and Ensemble Festival in February.  Students will prepare various solos and ensembles and will perform these for adjudication.  Students receiving a superior rating, receive a medal.  You will receive more information about this event shortly, as soon as the date has been finalized.

The Catholic Schools Office has asked our Jazz Band to perform in the Mall, January 21, for the Catholic Schools Showcase. Our Jazz Band will perform from 11:30 – 11:50. I will be getting more information on this performance to you when I receive it, but it looks like we will be performing on the first floor by the escalators. Students will need to report to the mall by 11 AM.

I also want to remind my jazz band students, that auditions for EBR Middle School Honor Jazz Band are Saturday, January 14, from 10:30 – 12:30 at Sherwood Middle School. This is open to students in the 6^th – 8^th grades. The audition material will be: (1) the same scales you prepared for the concert band audition, (2) Basie’s Blues, and (3) Hot and Humid. We have worked extensively on Basie’s Blues. I will spend the next couple of Jazz Band rehearsals on Hot and Humid, as I plan on performing both songs in the mall anyway.

Remember that you can (and should) keep informed about our band by visiting our very own St. Jude Band Blog.  Yes, it’s like a website but only better because you can comment and add your input. Check out the site at www.stjudeband.edublogs.org.

Band fees of $200 for the spring semester are due now.  Please make checks out to Kevin Andry.

We thank you ahead of time for your continued support and look forward to a terrific spring semester.

Musically yours,

Kevin Andry, PhD.                                        Neil Nelson

Director of Bands                                           Assistant Director of Bands

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Dear Band Parents and Students,

Don’t forget about our concert Monday evening (6:30). Please have students at school no later than 6 PM. Percussion students need to report for 5:30 so we can run through their ensembles before the concert. I will need a  couple of dads 0r moms to help move risers from the stage after the choir’s performance. In an efforts to make the kids really feel special on this important event, we will be having a reception following the performance. I am asking woodwind players to bring a small bag of cookies and brass and percussion players to bring one 2-liter bottle of soda.  The choir will be bringing cups and brownies/fudge. We would also appreciate some volunteers to help serve this after the concert.

I am looking forward to a great performance!

Doc

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Dear St. Jude Band Parents:

It is time to share a positive progress report with you about the ongoing success of our band program and the important contribution that your child is making to the ensemble. We cannot begin to tell you just how delighted we are with the enthusiasm and focus of the band. We are indeed blessed to have such musically talented children at St. Jude and this is only the beginning of some exciting times ahead as they explore a communication level designed to encourage creativity and self-expression.

THANK YOU for the important support you have offered to this success via your encouraging words, attention to home practice, and getting your child to class on time.  You simply cannot imagine how important these factors are in the growth and development of the St. Jude band.  You are a key element in our ability to continue at our current positive pace.  Please encourage your child to practice at home.  Daily practice, even in short doses, is preferred over long practices only one day a week.

We are looking forward to musically sharing this good news with the entire community at our annual Christmas concert on Monday, December 5 at 6:30 pm.  Students are to dress appropriately for this concert (Boys wear a dress shirt, slacks, and a long tie.  Girls wear a dress, skirt, or a nice pants/blouse combo).  Students should be in the gym no later than 6:00 PM. The concert will begin with our honor choir.

Remember, you are the most important audience to your child.  Our personal invitation is extended to you and your entire family to be on hand for this festive occasion.

We thank you in advance for your cooperation and we extend to you our best wishes for a most blessed Holiday Season.

Musically yours,

Kevin M. Andry, PhD                                                      Neil Nelson

Director of Bands                                                            Assistant Director of Bands

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Dear St. Jude Parents and Students,

Mr. Neil is out of town for his brother’s wedding. We have been very fortunate to be able to have Miss Abby Lyons help out in his absence this week. However, she will not be able to help on Thursday and Friday. So, we will have beginner band only on Thursday. No jazz band.  I will need to cancel Friday’s rehearsal all together because I have to assist at the Senior Retreat  for St. Michael High School.  We will return to our regular schedule next week.

Musically

Doc

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Dear Advanced Band Parents and Students,

We started our Thursday Jazz Band rehearsals this morning. I know I originally said that we would begin jazz band rehearsals in October, but since our beginners have gotten off to a great start, I decided to begin jazz band a week early. I know, I told the students but I forgot to let the parents know. Sorry about that.  Anyway, Jazz Ensemble is open to all students in my Advanced band program, regardless of instrumentation or experience.  I hope to see many more of you next Thursday.

Thanks

Doc

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Dear St. Jude Band Parents and Students,

I am writing to  inform you about the East Baton Rouge Parish Honor Band auditions. The honor band is open to all 6th, 7th, and 8th, graders in the parish. Students who earn spots in this honor group perform in concert with other top musicians from around the parish on Friday November 11.  We are very fortunate to have had many St. Jude students represent us at this event in years past and I expect we’ll see a nice representation of St. Jude students in this years honor band.

Auditions for the honor band will be held on Saturday, October 29 at Sherwood Middle School. All of our Advanced band students have been working on this music in class. I will be submitting names of students who will be auditioning by the end of this week.  There is a $10 fee to audition for this. Please make all checks out to Kevin Andry, as I will submit one check for all our students. If you have any questions about this event, please don’t hesitate to contact me.

Musically,

Kevin “Doc” Andry

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Dear St. Jude Advanced Band Parents and Students,

You should have received a letter from me about our Annual St. Michael High School Band night. If not, here’s an electronic copy:

Dear Parent(s),

I would like to extend a special invitation to your child to join the St. Michael High Marching Band for its annual Band Night.  This event has really grown in popularity over the past few years and provides an opportunity for parochial band students throughout the Diocese to join the St. Michael High School Band, Flag Corps, and Dancers for one of our home football games. I am sending music to your child’s band director in advance so that they can practice this before the game so the young students can perform some of the “stands” music with the St. Michael High School band!

The date of the performance is Thursday, October 6.  Here’s how the evening’s festivities will take place:

• You are to provide transportation for your child to Olympia Stadium (Perkins and Kenilworth) at 5:30 pm.

• You and your child are invited to join the St. Michael Band, Dancers, Cheerleaders, Flag Corps, and their parents as they tailgate in the parking lot before the game.  Our Band Boosters’ organization will be providing jambalaya dinners for all in attendance.

• At 6:15, all the students will assemble their instruments and will prepare to march into the stadium to sit with the St. Michael High School band for the duration of the game. Musicians will not have to pay to enter the stadium.  Parents who wish to attend will have to purchase tickets to enter the stadium.

• The young musicians will sit with the St. Michael High School band and will perform several easier selections with the high school group.

• Your child will be dismissed in the parking lot near our buses when the game is over (approximately 9:30).

• If you are dropping your child off and are not staying, please assign a responsible adult from your child’s band class to keep an eye on your child throughout the duration of the game.

Because this event is on a Thursday (school night) I will dismiss children with their parents after the halftime performance by my high school band.

Please RSVP the number of people from your family who will be in attendance so I can make sure we have enough jambalaya for everyone.

Thanks,

Doc

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Dear Band Parents and Students,

Our young musicians have been performing well at this point in the year.  We are working on all-parish honor band material, pep band material, and a really cool song that we will play for Grandparents (Special Person’s) Day and at our Christmas Concert called “Drums of Daruma.” I wanted to let you know about our performance of our Advanced Band at this Friday’s Pep Rally.  If you can make it, the performance begins at 2:30. I hope to see many of you there.

Musically,

Doc

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Dear Band Parent(s),

I want to take this opportunity to welcome all of you back to the St. Jude Band.  I hope that your summer vacation was enjoyable.  It seems like it was only last week when we gave our end of the year Spring Concert.  Our summer breaks seem to get shorter and shorter.  How very proud you must be of your child’s progress on his/her instrument!  The personal discipline and commitment have paid off many times over.  It is apparent we have found a very talented musician in your family.  BRAVO!

Band classes will again be taught this year from 7:30 am until 8:15 am and will start Tuesday, August 16.  Your child will meet with the advanced band Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, and Friday of each week.  For the first week, we will have class Tuesday through Friday. We will begin our normal four-day week August 22. We are excited to announce that we will continue our voluntary jazz ensemble day on Thursdays, beginning in October, once our new beginners have a strong foundation.  We welcome all instruments (flutes and clarinets too) to our jazz program.

I want to take this opportunity to introduce you to my new assistant, Neil Nelson, who will be teaching at St. Jude with me this year.  Neil has just completed his master’s degree in music at LSU and has both band and string experience. I am looking forward to having Mr. Nelson on our staff!

Tuition for the fall semester will be $200 and is due by August 30.  Please make checks payable to Kevin Andry.  If you have any questions or concerns, you may call or email Kevin at home (755-7065) (kandry1@cox.net). Also remember that we have our own blog at www.stjudeband.edublogs.org.

We want your child to enjoy all the growth in terms of personal self-esteem and self-worth for his/her educational career.  Group participation is the key to making this a reality, and there is nothing that brings out the sense of personal contribution quite like the feeling of BEING IN THE BAND!

Again, we encourage your communication in this important step forward.  Whatever assistance we can provide is yours for the asking.

Musically yours,

Kevin M. Andry, Ph.D.

Band Director

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Dear St. Jude Parents and Students,

The Honor Choir and Band plan on having a small reception after our Spring Concert.  Here’s what we need from you:

All percussionists, please bring a bag of 30 – 50 cups.

Brass players bring one two-liter soda.

Woodwind players, bring some type of treat (cup cakes, cookies, or brownies).

Thanks in advance and enjoy your holiday.  We’re looking forward to our concert on the third.

Doc

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