Concerts are DONE!

Congratulations to all of my band students! I am so very proud of all of you! The concerts were fabulous. All of that hard work (and the gray hairs that you caused - you know who you are) paid off!
8th grade band students will rehearse during AM advisory period on Friday - if we have AM Advisory on Friday - so that we can prepare for Tuesday's field trip.
Enjoy your snow day!!

Parents, we are going to change a few things for the spring concerts. Stayed tuned for more information in the months to come. The dates will remain the same. Only the times will be changed.

CONCERTS

It's concert week!
Check your practice records for all the information that you need.
6th grade band concert is on Monday, December 13th. Students need to report no later than 6:30.
7th and 8th graders have a concert on Wednesday, December 15th.
Be sure that you are dressed in your black pants, CMS shirts - tucked in - and dark shoes. Use the bathroom before reporting to the band room.

6th graders have full band rehearsal during AM advisory on Monday morning! Don't forget to check in with your homeroom teacher before coming to the band room!

Hopefully, we will have the Yankee Candle orders by the 7th and 8th grade concert. I will post information as soon as the shipment arrives.

Enjoy the rest of your weekend.

Tests Delayed

I had a chance to tell my B day students, but did not have a chance to talk to A day students...the tests scheduled for the 16th and 17th are rescheduled for the 19th and 22nd because I will be out of state attending a funeral. Please be good for the substitute and do some extra practicing at home. See you on Friday.

Whoo-hoo!

I teach the best students in all of CMS! All of you are doing a great job! Don't stop practicing - instead of a great job, I expect a super job :-)

Speaking of great jobs...you were amazing at raising funds for the band program. We doubled the band's budget for the year! Thank you to all who sold or bought! The orders are on their way to Yankee Candle and will be in before Christmas. (I don't have an exact delivery date, but will let you know when the orders are on their way.)

Great start to the weekend!

Because of our two-hour early dismissal, I only got to see two bands today, but WOW! They were fantastic! 8th graders, you did an excellent job on "Allegretto" and "The Chipmunk Song". (Could those two songs BE more different?!) I was really pleased with how well you responded to my suggestions for improving sound. Trombones, thanks for getting the whole "round sound" thing! Drummers, you rocked! Saxes and trumpet, keep up the good work! The 6th grade beginning band was also rockin' on their sight reading of "The Night Before Christmas". I can't believe that some of you just started playing LAST MONTH! Keep up the good work, EVERYONE! Get some practice in this weekend. Hope to see some of you tomorrow at NHS for the "Beat the Teach" 5K.

So much to do...

Wow! The school year is speeding by! First quarter ends this week and it's nearly November which means crunch time for the musical and concerts. Hope everybody is ready!!

Test #4 is Monday (tomorrow) for A day students and Tuesday for B day students. Get those practice records signed and completed so that you get the highest grade possible!

Our fundraiser starts tomorrow as well. We will be selling Yankee Candle products once again. I'm very sorry to report that the catalogs are no longer scratch-and-sniff. The good news is that we get 40% of the sales, and that all sales made by band students stay in the band program. Think of it this way - if you sell $100 worth of products, you've bought a new song for the band! There are lots of cool things and it is the start of the holiday season...start thinking about presents. Remember, Nanas and Bumpas love candles!

Enjoy the rest of your weekend. I'm off to give Cleo and Big Dumb Dave their baths.

Test #3 is coming up!

Test #3 and Practice Record #3 are coming up next week: 12th for A days and 13th for B days. Be sure to practice and get those PR's signed.

The 13th is also Ms. Griwatz's 50th birthday! If you are near a dollar store this weekend, be sure to pick up some noise makers or party hats! It's going to be a BIG celebration!

Hope to see you all at the Northern High School TOB tomorrow night.

Interim Progress Reports

How were your interim grades? Not just your band grade, but all grades? Are you happy with your progress or can you do better? What do you need to do to achieve a higher grade? Do you need a better plan? Do you need to be organized? Do you need to work harder? YOU can do it! You have the resources and the tools to succeed! Talk to your teachers or fellow students to find the help you need. Plan your work, get it done, keep it organized, turn it in!

If it's your band grade that you want to improve, look at that practice record. Put the assignment in your agenda book. Set up a practice schedule. Add additional time to the practicing you're already doing. GET YOUR PRACTICE RECORD SIGNED!! The easiest way to increase your test grades by 10 points is to get your practice record signed and turn it in on the day it is due. I do not accept late or incomplete practice records. You are graded on completing the practice record - not the amount of time you practice! (Although...those who practice more, seem to do better...go figure!)

Like the sign in the band room says, "I don't give out grades, You earn them!" Earn the best grade you can. Have a good weekend. Practice!

8th grade ROCKED this morning!

I am SOOOOOOOO proud of how well you sight read this morning, 8th grade!! That was awesome! Keep up the good work. These Friday mornings are going to be A LOT of fun if they continue like today's rehearsal.

For ALL band students - remember that we have a TEST next week! Monday for A day students and Tuesday for B day students. Get those practice records signed and work on articulations and dynamics. Enjoy your weekend!

Friday: First 8th grade band rehearsal

Friday, September 24th will be our first 8th grade band rehearsal. As 8th graders, you get to perform more than others so we're going to spend Friday mornings together to get ready for those performances. We'll start this week on some tunes for our recruiting trip coming up on December 21st when we'll get to go to MES, and BAES and then on to McDonald's for lunch! It's always a fun day.

See you at 7:35 8th graders!

Test #1 is DONE!

I heard some AWESOME playing this week! Good job, everyone. Our next test is coming up fast - September 27th (A day) and 28th (B day). Make sure that you are practicing from your method books and getting started on that band music!

Don't forget about the free drum clinic tomorrow at Garrett Music Academy. Unfortunately, I can't be there but I'm sure it will be a lot of fun! There's also Artsfest going on at Annemarie Gardens. Check out all the music and dance performances as well as the cool art!

Free Drum Clinic - Saturday, September 18th

Former CMS student, now professional musician, Dominic Fragman will present a drum clinic at the Garrett Music Academy on Saturday, September 18th. See the poster in the band room for more information or copy and paste the following link to read more from the "Recorder".

http://somdnews.com/stories/09102010/reccov141119_32389.shtml

Great Week!! Next week - TEST!

What a fantastic week! Almost everybody seems to be getting used to the A/B schedule and most are bringing their instruments. (Use those agenda books, people!! It's okay to write in A/B on each day or write Band/PE if you need to.)
We have some winter concert music to practice in the intermediate and advanced bands and the beginners are sounding fantastic!

Don't forget to get those practice records signed and filled out. There will be a TEST next week! A day students have their test on Wednesday and B day students have their test on Thursday. Remember that Monday is a B day, you're off on Tuesday so Wednesday is and A day.

Let's see if we can get 100% of our practice records turned in! That would be AWESOME!!

Have a wonderful weekend.

First week with instruments: DONE!

Great job! By the end of the week, we had everybody bringing their instruments to class. Let's keep up the good work!! If you forgot your instrument once this week, your grade doesn't look so hot right now - but no worries! Bring your instrument both times next week (Tuesday/Thursday for B day students and Wednesday/Friday for A day) and your grade will shoot up!! There will also be a notebook quiz at some point next week. If you do what's expected (copy and answer the warm up) you'll do great!

Everyone sounded fantastic! I'm very excited about the music we'll be playing this year. Be sure to get your binders/folders for band as you'll have music to put in them next week!

Have a wonderful Labor Day weekend. Be safe and practice if you can.

Welcome, B day parents and students!

All "B day" students received their grading policies/expectations, assignments and first practice record today. I want to remind everyone that students need to bring their instruments next week: A day on Monday and B day on Tuesday. Remember that the books are needed...but if you don't have them next week, you will not be penalized. Get them as soon as possible. (You will need them for that first test on the 15th/16th.)

Have a great weekend! Do some practicing. Can't wait to hear you next week!

Welcome!!

Welcome back to all returning CMS band students and parents and a warm welcome to all new students and parents!
Today's "A" day groups received their grading policies, and the 7th and 6th graders also received their assignment/test schedule as well as a copy of the "A day" "B day" calendar. I recommend that everyone takes a couple of minutes to write in ALL due dates and concerts in their agenda books that were distributed on Wednesday. As a wise person once said, "We never plan to fail, we fail to plan". Let's be prepared and organized and have a fantastic year!

"A day" 8th graders, you will receive your assignment sheets and practice records on Monday.

You must have your instruments next week - Monday for A days and Tuesday for B days. The books are not as urgent. (I know that it says to have them by August 30th...it may be that you will have them ordered by then.) You definitely need your books to prepare for your first tests (Sept. 15/16) so get those books ASAP. If anyone has problems getting instruments or books, please email me through the school's email: cunninghamj@calvertnet.k12.md.us

Enjoy the rest of your week!

Are you ready?!

The band room is just about ready!
60 new chairs - no more bumpy uncomfortable chairs.
65 stands - 30 new.
New raised podium for your short teacher.
New director's chair.
New director's stand.
3 music folios.
SmartBoard.

I've been trying to figure out some storage issues...you'll see what I mean when you get to class. The rest of the building is also looking great! Grizzlewartz's room is just about put together - all 300 boxes of stuff!! See you next week!

New Band Room!!

Old CMS packed and labeled.

New Year, New School, New Stuff...

Summer is almost over and while I will miss sleeping in and spending quality time with Big Dumb Dave and Cleo Petunia, I am VERY excited about the new school year!!
Have you seen the new school?? It's beautiful! I was over on Monday and got to take a look at the band room. We have a whiteboard with staff lines, a SMART board, a SINK to clean out mouthpieces, and something I've wanted for the last 16 years....A FLAT FLOOR!!
In addition to the excitement of the new building and room, I'm also excited about our performances this year. As I was packing up, I started planning music for this year. Now, if I can just find the box that I packed that music in... 8th graders will be performing at the elementary schools for our annual recruiting trip as well as at Hershey Park. 7th and 8th grade band will participate in District Band Performance Assessment and EVERYONE will of course take part in the winter and spring concerts.
Enjoy the rest of your time off. Be sure to look for your instruments and dust them off :-) Remember, you do not need to bring instruments on the first day of school!
See you soon!!!