Band Newsletter #23

All-City Band seats 22 members from WSHS!
(Contributors: Dr. Nail, Mr. Griffiths, edits by Jesse Seeley)
As we all know, WSHS has an excellent music program. But it should not be taken for granted when so many excellent students take the extra time and effort to apply, audition, and then MAKE the All-City Band. So below we provide you with those students who should be recognized for securing a spot on the coveted All-City Band: Congratulations to ALL of those that made the finals and also to those that auditioned.

The 2008 Salem All-City Band members, listed alphabetically by instrument:
Bassoon - Anna Stipe (first chair), Callie Harris
Bass Clarinet - Dakota Robbins (alternate)
Clarinet - Haili Hodsdon, Josh Hettwer, Caitlin Nichols, Jessie Cummins
Euphonium - Eli Heide
Flute - Maria Weir (first chair), Jessica Yang, Katherine Lownsbery. Alternates - Kelsey McKinnell, Kylie Phillips, Megan Gorman
Oboe - Michael Morgan (first chair), Jesse Wertz
Percussion - Robert Harris (first chair), Brendon Seeley, Alauna Perry
Saxophone - Adam Nielsen (baritone), Zack Chong (alto sax alternate)
Trombone - Matt Hettwer (first chair)
Trumpet - Josh Fletcher, Lynn Robinson, Ryan Tuttle. Alternates - Molly Muller Horn - Larysa Pavelek
Tuba - Kenneth Wilson, Matthew Garney

Rehearsal Schedule for All-City
Contrary to what was published in previous weeks’ newsletters, below is the updated rehearsal schedule from Dr. Nail. The previously published schedule was lifted from the “Events Calendar” which was issued as an estimate earlier this year and is no longer valid. The below schedule is attached to this e-mail in the event you just wanted to print it out that portion for the refrigerator J.
1/30 Sectional 4 - 6 p.m.
2/6 Sectional 3:30 - 6 p.m.
2/14 Rehearsal 6 - 9 p.m
2/15 Rehearsal 8 a.m. - 3 p.m.
2/16 Rehearsal 8 a.m. - 2:30 p.m.
2/16 Concert Warm-up 6 p.m.
2/16 Performance 7 - 9:15 p.m.

Titan Jazz/Concert/Basketball Band Basketball Gig
(Contributor: Mr. Griffiths and Alyson Baker)
Basketball Band—Next gig is Friday, Jan. 25 — Call time will be 5:15 p.m.

Winter Ensemble Rehearsal—on no school Friday, Jan. 25
(Contributor: Alan Keown, Jesse Seeley)
This is just a reminder that even though there is no school, we ARE having rehearsal Friday (Friday, Jan. 26) from 6 – 9 p.m. Also, if you haven't turned in your CD sales money or unsold CDs tomorrow is your last chance, otherwise your the $40 will get added to your fair share/account fee. Let’s not let that happen.

Thanks! Let's have a rockin' rehearsal! Thanks! Alan Keown

Reminder: Upcoming Band Boosters Meeting — Jan. 28 (upcoming Monday)
(Contributor: Vickie Tuttle, edited by Jesse Seeley)
One final reminder to please mark your calendars for the next Band Boosters meeting Monday, Jan. 28 at 7 p.m. in the Band Room! This meeting is NOT ONLY FOR the existing Boosters/Board, but is also intended and FOR any and ALL parents with musicians in any of the music programs at WSHS. ALL PARENTS ARE WELCOME AND ENCOURAGED TO ATTEND! Parents’ input is VITAL! We need your input to make the programs better, improve on the processes and activities that your children become involve in, and also entertain parents’ and students’ ideas of executing the operation behind the scenes and the making of these champions. So please plan on attending this meeting. If you’d like to step forward for a position ON the Band Booster Board, THIS is the meeting you must attend. We try to keep the meetings to an hour, but they will many times go to 1.5 or 2 hours, depending on the number of topics discussed. Thank you in advance for your consideration to attend this very important meeting. If there are any questions, please contact Kami Hettwer or Vickie Tuttle).

Looking forward. . .
(Contributor: Jesse Seeley)
Just a reminder and as stated in the chart below, these are excerpts from the original and now dated “2007/2008 Events” calendar issued several months back now. So thank you to those that read this and bringing it to the editor’s or co-chairs attention. If you feel any of this section may be inaccurate (as it was last week on the All-City schedule) please do not hesitate to ask the questions. Several upcoming events still have items to be worked out, so please contact one of the co-chairs (Kami Hettwer or Vickie Tuttle) for any future event should you have any questions.
1/25 - 1/27 OMEA, All-State Band, Orchestra
2/9 Willamette Jazz Festival
2/16 All City Concert
2/21 - 2/23 Lionel Hampton Jazz Festival

Editor’s Corner — So you want to successful?
(Contributor: Jesse Seeley, WSHS newsletter editor)
As a first in a series, I wanted to address the success factor and hope many find this interesting. Parents — you might even make sure your children are at least reading the newsletter, maybe even for just THIS part. I think they too will find this helpful, enlightening, possibly entertaining. Students — if you have parents that are the ones that don’t read this, invite them to your world as I will be highlighting the hard work put in by students, ESPECIALLY those in the music business during their scholastic years. It also might be the site of the remainder of the year’s articles on a possible trivia contest or some other thing that we might come up with for some fun. Maybe we’ll even make students, parents, AND staff eligible to win something? Stay tuned for that later though.

Now that the finals are behind us I hope you have a little time for this extra read. The topic of success means different things to different people. But one thing is certain, how students succeed today is a very good barometer of how well (and quickly) they will succeed tomorrow. I’d like to keep this week’s article as brief as possible, but also timely for a couple of events happening this weekend — more on that later. But first a thought for the day on this topic — this author doesn’t necessarily hold the reins to success, but he led so many to MULTIPLE successes and also is the owner of some of the world’s best quotes on the topic and can be applied in our everyday lives, but especially hits home for our musician students:

The dictionary is the only place that success comes before work.
HARD work is the price we must pay for success.
I think you can accomplish anything if you're willing to pay the price.
Author: Coach Vince Lombardi

Some of that hard work is already paying off — for those FEW that made it to this weekend’s OMEA state event — Congratulations (again)! That is just ONE example of how hard work is paying off. Earlier in this article we congratulated those 22 musicians that made it to this year’s All-City Band; yet another example of how hard work pays off (OK, some of you students might not think it was so hard –J) but there was some hard work that preceded these events, and it has taken YEARS! To all of the students at WSHS, in particular the music department students: KEEP UP THE GREAT WORK in all of your studies!

Finally, another event that is happening this weekend hits pretty close to home for some. The great success story behind this has connections to, guess what? Marching Band! You’d probably never think that marching band was more than just a bunch of hard work: “Repeat this!” “Repeat that!” Over, and over and over, and over…and OVER again! For what??!?? some might ask. You all know what YOU do it for, it’s also an intrinsic value that most students in all high schools can’t, or won’t EVER relate to — but that’s their loss. Being called a “band geek” or made fun of because of one thing or another has no doubt happened to many a high school musician. Kids are cruel — it just so happens those type of kids are also the not-so-smart ones, and probably not paving their way, building or opening the doors to success. So in a way, to this author anyway, you are some of the bravest of the high school students because you CAN (and no doubt have) put up with some of these cruel comments. To many of us parents you are OUR heroes –J.

Below I thought you’d all like to actually see a little bit on what this other event is that is happening this weekend. As it turns out several of them too were band geeks, some with roots in the Drum Corps International that most of you are familiar with — the Major League of Marching Band. Some of you might also know that several members of this success story took their band geekiness to the highest of heights in the entertainment business. I’ll give you a couple MORE clues: The originals started out as street musicians and were true starving artists in the late ‘80s and didn’t even have a musical education. They remained somewhat obscure until a popular series of Intel commercials over 10 years ago; they give unique autographs if you’ve ever had the chance to meet one of them…

And for you Choir folks reading out there? Listen through the video below — there is a section (just past the 2:50 mark) on what a former choir singer can do also. (By the way, she kind of looks like Mrs. McIntyre’s younger sister -J). The singer’s name is Annette Strean. These are all the clues you get now! Some of you already know who I’m talking about. So please take several minutes to be entertained at the link below. I think you will enjoy what some band geeks turn out to be. You might say that this is the ultimate pit orchestra!

This ultimate pit orchestra will be in Portland this weekend (26th), but it is somewhat price-prohibitive. But more information can be found at: "How to be a MegaStar". To be part of this group takes EVERY bit of not only a musical education, but many other forms and disciplines that you are learning in school today and college tomorrow. Even to become a backup group/player for this act now requires the most rigorous musical talent and is highly competitive, albeit lucrative for those that DO make it. It very well might be one of YOU to join the group in a couple of years J For the brave: www.bluemancasting.com/blueman_requirements.php