PANTHER BAND SCHEDULE
WEEK OF
DEC 4-DEC 9
1ST a big THANK YOU to all that made a smooth weekend happen with both the game and Jazzin’ With Santa/Mattress Sale! Both events went well due to the hard work of our band boosters and committee chairs and all the volunteers (including our students). We are super proud of our jazz kids…such pros and for Jefferson and Garcia Middle School Jazz groups for coming out and participating! If you came out I hope you had a great time and thanks for your support.
We need to congratulate the students that auditioned for Region Band this weekend! What a showing of hard work and talent! The O’Connor Band students first earned 50 TMEA ALL DISTRICT CHAIRS several weeks ago. On Friday and Saturday they earned 34 TMEA ALL REGION BAND CHAIRS…20 ALL FRESHMAN REGION BAND CHAIRS…20 ALL AREA BAND CHAIRS AND 12 ALL REGION ORCHESTRA CHAIRS. That does not include the 10 ALL REGION JAZZ CHAIRS AND 1 TEXAS ALL STATE BAND MEMBER already named! We will honor these students at the Holiday Concert on December 19th. Congrats to theses talented kids, their parents, private lesson teachers, master-class teachers and directors.
(The Texas Music Educators Association sponsors individual competitions every fall that culminate in the selection of the All-State Bands, Choirs and Orchestras that perform at the annual TMEA convention in February.
The now 33 Texas regions hold the first level of competition and the top students advance to the Area level held in January. In each of the new Areas, a designated of the top students are selected to All-State. At each level of competition, students perform for a panel of 5 judges in a blind audition where judges are screened from sight and do not know which students are performing. Just as in other head to head competitions in Texas, each judge ranks each student in comparison with each other and the lowest total of rank points is first chair! The All-Region Bands perform in a concert in the middle of January each year, but the Area Band is for qualification purposes only. The All State groups rehears for 3 days in February prior to their performances with internationally acclaimed conductors and educators!
Interesting note: Placement in Texas All-State is indicative of being ranked in the top ½ % of all music students in Texas and the top 2 % nationwide! The past OC All State students are honored in our band hallways with two hanging frames listing the year they made All-State. Annually OC band students earn the highest % of chairs in the Region Jazz & Band since the school opened!)
This week the musical kids will rehearse every day after school (Mr. Ramos will provide them with a schedule). Mr. Pemberton will send the GUARD schedule out as well. Students that made the All-Region Orchestra will not be able to go the game as they have their concert Saturday. All other students are expected to attend.
Playoff Game (HOME at Alamodome vs Lake Travis)
WE WOULD LIKE AS MANY KIDS TO WEAR SANTA HATS AS POSSIBLE TO THE GAME (YOU CAN FIND THEM FAIRLY CHEAP AT PLACES LIKE H.E.B. AND WALMART ETC…)
1. We rehearse THURSDAY AND FRIDAY morning at 7:30 am (Including GUARD) with a pep rally also on Friday in the morning.
2. Game day schedule will be as follows:
1 pm arrive on campus and change
1:30 pm head out to load buses
1:45 pm depart for the Alamodome
2:30 pm arrive at Alamodome
4 pm game starts
ETA departure back home 7:15 pm with arrival back on campus between 7:45-8 pm
HAVE YOUR RIDE READY TO PICK YOU UP!!!!
YOU MUST EAT A BIG BREAKFAST AND LUNCH BEFORE YOU ARRIVE ON CAMPUS!!!