It's been a while since I have written and there is a lot of news.
First, I would like to say "Thank You" to everyone who sent concerns via emails and phone calls or just stopped by to ask me, "How you feeling?" with regards to my heath episode on January 28.
Here is the short of it. I am happy to report that there were no blockages and with diet and exercise (how many of us have heard that before) but for this writer - it is going to be the "real deal" I will continue on with as much energy and enthusiasm for what I love doing the most, yes- annoying your children, particularly in the band program with my "true stories", "housekeeping announcements", "performance pressures" and those infamous "practice logs" - not to mention many other countless things that happen "A day in the life of an Alvirne High School Band Student" :-)
Cabaret AD sales are going just fine but don't give up and KEEP SELLING - I would like to remind everyone to check "other" blogs on this website with deadlines concerning Cabaret, Pasta Palooza and the Disney Trip.
A quick Cabaret ticket sales re cap:
- All seats are $12.00 no discounts no freebies
- Tickets will be sold to students first, Thursday, February 18, 6:30 – 8:30 PM. (If no school on 2/18, sales will be 2/19), 6:30 to 8:30 PM in the Music Room. First come, first served basis
- After 18 February, requests for tickets must be made by calling Mrs. Debbie Ouellette at 880-4014. When ordering tickets please specify show date and time, number of tickets, and preference to be as close as possible to main stage, chorus stage or jazz band
- You will be asked to send a self addressed stamped envelope (SASE) with payment
- When check is received, tickets will be pulled and sent to the requester in your SASE.
- Checks payable to AHS-FOM
- We will hold tickets at the door if pre-paid. No money – No ticket
- We will manage tickets as they do at the Wang Center. No swapping after delivery of tickets. No replacement of lost tickets
- Students do not receive 80% of ticket sales. 100% goes to the FOM general account.
OKAY, enough about Cabaret - what else has been going on...
This past weekend was the NHMEA Jazz All State. Immediately after school on Thursday Devan Lyman, Samantha Migneault (Honors Jazz Choir); Cindy Richard, Eric Mealey, Peter Dubois (Jazz Choir) and Jake Galloway, Matt Sidilau (Honors Jazz Band) boarded a bus for the weekend festival which was held at Pinkerton Academy in Derry NH. After checking into the hotel we headed to Cracker Barrel for some good food and fun conversation. I also had a chance to play checkers. Yes, I met the challenge. You will need to ask the student who challenged me what the outcome was. Let's just say - you can still call me, Master :-)
It truly was a lot of fun and you could tell by the conversation and silliness, (that sometimes is lost on children because our society wants them to "grow up" too soon )- how excited our students were. Arriving at Pinkerton, there was a general meeting for all participants then the students left for their rehearsal areas until 9:00 p.m.
Friday proved to be a long day beginning at 7:00 a.m with breakfast at the hotel and rehearsing from 8:30 a.m. - 7:45 p.m. with breaks and lunchtime built into the schedule.
Friday night we were treated to the Amanda Carr Quartet performance. Ms. Carr is a multi-styled vocalist/pianist that began early on in her teens in the rock and pop genre, but has in recent years focused on fresh interpretations of the Great American Songbook. Her 2005 recording, TENDER TRAP debuted on the National Jazz Charts at 55 and received 4-stars from All Music Guide. Back to the hotel at 9:30 p.m and lights out by 11:00 p.m.
Saturday morning came very early with a 6:45 a.m breakfast call. Students headed back to Pinkerton for their dress rehearsals and lunch. 12:30 p.m. the performing groups reported to their respective warm up areas and the performances began promptly at 1:00 p.m.
The students were very fortunate to have the quality of clinician that the NHMEA can bring to the Granite State. Our Honors Jazz Choir students were treated to Kirk Marcy, from Washington State. Our Jazz Jazz Choir students had the pleasure of working with Mr. Brent LaCasce, the Director of Music and Fine Arts chair at Fryeburg Academy in Maine. The band directors were also clinicians of note (no pun intended). Mr. Jeff Leonard, director of bands and the jazz program at Lexington High School (Ma) since 1983 conducted the Honors Jazz Band and Mr. Craig Skeffington from South Portland High School conducted the Jazz Band. A quick aside, the Alvirne Jazz Band played one of Mr. Skeffington's arrangements "Trofeo de Bolos". I would also like to thank the Alvirne Faculty members and students who took time out of their busy schedules to support the endeavors of our music students this past weekend.
I also know that Jake and Matt have their "true stories" that they would like to share with you. We should also be very proud of Eric and Sam who strutted their vocal prowess with solos.
This week the Jazz Band will be performing at Souhegan High School (check out the Souhegan Blog) and on Saturday it's time for Pasta Palooza! If you have never been, read the blog and call Maria Kraemer for tickets - I just hope they'll be a "heart healthy" dish for Mr. B. If not, I will have to cheat just a little bit :-)
Let's see have I forgotten anything?!? OH YEAH ! It's the beginning of the second semester - so make sure everyone turns in their practice logs and for the Jazz Band students - check your "Smart Music" accounts.
Time to get ready for Suuuuuuupppppperrrrrrrrr Boooooowwwwwwlllll Sunday! -
Hey, I could do that commercial!
Ciao,
Mr. B
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