Dear Band Students

Congratulations on being accepted into the Memphis Area Honor Band! There were 13 students showing interest and selected from Appling.

The event is at Overton High School next weekend – January 26-28. Although students are already “in” the honor band,they must audition on a prepared piece (All-West music, Solo/Ensemble music, or something appropriate from your book. Percussionists are encouraged to play something on snare, bells, and timpani.Although I know 6th graders are not incredibly comfortable on timpani yet and don’t have to play that if they aren’t prepared), major scales (memorized), and sight reading to be placed in one of three bands and to see what chair they receive. Do your best to work on these!

Three bands will be formed among students. The first band will play more difficult music and consist of mostly older students, while the second band and third band will play easier music and consist of mostly 6th/7th graders. I would love for the majority of students to strive to be in the top group.

Students will rehearse Thursday after school into the evening, all day Friday beginning in the morning through to the evening, and Saturday morning. Please see below for complete schedule. They will put on a concert on Saturday at 1 p.m.

Students will gain experience from working with another director and from playing with other students from other schools. It is hard work and practice but always a fun learning experience for our kids (and looks good on college scholarship applications down the road).

Students selected for the Memphis Area Honor Band must arrange for transportation with Sarah Matthewsand a set group of parents will help transport them to the appropriate locations. Please sign up for available times to help with transportation on the attached permission form below.Sarah Matthews should be present at most all times in my place as I will be at UT Martin honor band with some of our students. Mrs. Matthews’s contact information is as follows if should need to reach her: Phone (901) 849-0628 E-mail:

In the past, we have always had parents help take turns driving to and from school and to lunch and dinner. If we have enough drivers, we usually go to Oak Court mall for our Thursday and Friday meals because it is close and the kids can have a little time to walk in the mall. It is possible that due to time constraints Thursday evening we will have dinner brought in for them to eat in the lobby. Please be sure you child has $7 to contribute for Thursday’s meal.

If there are not enough drivers for lunch on Friday, then the students can bring a sack lunch and eat in the auditorium lobby or we will bring in their lunch again on Friday, however, chaperones are needed to be there to watch them. Please be sure they have money for lunch on Friday and Saturday as well.Students will also be responsible for their meals. There will also be concessions on sale in the auditorium lobby. Please volunteer help with chaperoning or car pooling. Our students can only participate if I have some help from the parents.

Some have already turned in, but if not, please turn in your $25 participation fee (cash or check made payable to Appling Band) so that we can get one check from our treasurer to send to the Overton Band. Please turn in the permission slip and this fee no later than next Tuesday (1/19) so that we can coordinate the carpools, get the check from the treasurer and also so that I can e-mail Overton’s director if students cannot attend.

Students will need to come to the band room after school on Thursday. Mrs. Matthews and other parents will help supervise students until you leave at 3:30.Students can use this time to practice or do homework and it is a good idea to bring a snack from home (no concession stand will be open at Appling). Registration and auditions start at 4:00. We will probably need at least 4 parents to drive if all 13 students participate. I will getSarah Matthewsto register our students and be in charge of the registration check that I will give her. Then students will wait in the auditorium and warm-up and practice until their name is called to go audition. They will audition on prepared music, scales and sight reading. We will probably plan on bringing in the students meals on Thursday (parents will take orders and you will give them your $7) or your child can bring a sack dinner because there won’t be much time after auditions to eat. At 6:30, everyone will meet in the auditorium and sit with their bands while they announce who is in each band and announce the seating placements. Students will rehearse Thursday night until 9:00. We will carpool back to Appling Thursday night and should be in the back parking lot around 9:30…. Please sign the form below if you can help drive from Overton to Appling.

Student MUST ask for make up work early for Friday and make sure to complete it. Friday’s rehearsal starts at 8:00a.m.,but students must arrive by 7:45. Please wear your band t-shirt on Friday so that we can represent ourselves well. We will need to meet at the Appling and leave from no later than 7:15 am– again I will need at least 5-7 parents to help drive students there. They will rehearse from 8:00-11:00. Lunch is from 11:00-1:00 – if we have enough drivers, we will take them to the Oak Court Mall to eat, or, if not,we will have their meal brought in or you can bring a sack lunch. At 1:00, students will rehearse again until 4:00 and then have a pizza party(provided for free)/jazz band performance from 4-6. We will need parents to help transport students back to Appling at 6:00p.m.; pick up will be at 6:30 in the back parking lot.

On Saturday, we will meet at Appling at 7:45 to carpool to Overton for an 8:30 rehearsal, which is scheduled until 10:30. Students will then break for lunch. We will most likely carpool and go back to the Oak Court Mall for lunch, where students can change(BLACK & WHITES) for the concert after eating. There was no information given to me this year regarding concert attire, so please wear your black/white concert uniform. We will return to Overton with the students for warm-up at 12:30 and the concert is at 1:00.

Please turn in the permission slip and write whether or not and when you can help with car pooling and I will keep you updated by Wednesday of next week on what I find out through these forms. Please turn this form and your $25 registration fee (cash, check made to Appling Band) in no later than Tuesday morning 1/24. Thanks, and I know that you will have a great experience!

Mrs. Sanders

Student Name ______Grade/Instrument ______

I give my child ______permission to participate in the Memphis Area Honor Band. I understand that he/she must make up all work missed and must have exceptional behavior so as to represent Appling well. He/she understands that Mrs. Sarah Matthews will be in charge due to Mrs. Sanders being at UT Martin. I understand that he/she may be riding with another band parent and I will not hold them responsible if an accident should occur. I understand that I must help out with transportation if my child is to participate.

Parent Signature ______

Emergency contact and # ______

E-mail address (if volunteered to drive…so I can e-mail you your assigned time) ______

Student Signature ______

Please check which times you can help with transportation and how many students you can carry so that I can help organize this. I will need your driver’s license number and insurance information to have on file.

Thursday after school from Appling to Overton (3:30) ______

Thursday dinner (possible) (5:00-6:30) ______

Thursday night – pick up 9:00 from Overton ______

Friday morning to Overton (Leave Appling by 7:15 a.m.) ______

Friday lunch (11:00-12:45) ______

Friday home back to Appling from Overton (6:00)______

Sat. morning to Overton from Appling (leave by 7:45) ______

Sat. lunch (10:30-12:30) ______

Can you stay with kids during any of the rehearsals? When? ______