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Concert Choir Auditions – RESCHEDULED for Saturday, Feb. 15.

Dear Parents and Students:

Due to the loss of this week of school, the Concert Choir Auditions previously scheduled for this Saturday, Feb. 8, ARE NOW RESCHEDULED FOR NEXT SATURDAY, Feb. 15th. Students may sign up for their audition time on Monday, when classes have resumed. If a student is unable to audition on Feb. 15th, I will be available for audition appointments next Wednesday and Thursday.

Thank you for your flexibility and understanding. Please help me spread the word to those who may not be checking email.

Stay warm,

Amy Krinke

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Titan Pride Update, January 29th

Hi there! Hope you are staying warm. I can’t believe it is almost February, and yesterday we celebrated the 100th day of school. May will be here before we know it.

Washington DC Trip 2015
In case you missed our email yesterday (Tuesday) from Mr. Mosier, we are in danger of needing to cancel the trip. The staff will have to make that decision THIS Saturday based on the number of people “officially” registered for the trip. This means you have paid $50 to Music Celebrations International by Friday, January 31st at 11:59pm. The registration form itself can be taken care of later. In order to make this a viable and memorable experience for all (and to prevent a price increase), we must have enough students going for the performance to be what it can be. Please take care of this today if your child plans to go with us next spring. Here are the online payment instructions:
(See attached file: Online Payment Instructions)

Playing Tests
As mentioned in previous emails from me, the members of the Symphonic Band, Concert Band, and Percussion Class all have WEEKLY playing tests. In Percussion Class, we do them live. In Symphonic and Concert Band, students are expected to record their tests on CHARMS. The students know how to do this. Please encourage your child to stay on top of this, as many students are forgetting to do so, and their grade is slipping quickly.

Marching Band to perform at February 25th Basketball Game.
Please add this date to your calendar to prevent work conflicts, etc….All members of the marching band are to attend and perform. Logistical information to follow.

District Solo/Ensemble Contest
This is a state organized solo and small ensemble festival that is hosted by the staff here at LSWHS. It occurs on Saturday, March 22nd for all band students. Every member of the Concert Band, Symphonic Band, and Percussion Class are required to participate as a soloist OR as a member of a small ensemble. Some students have chose to participate in both, which is great. Rules state that participants can enter two solos (on different instruments), and/or two ensembles. Currently, students are working with Mr. Harrel and I on selecting the music for this contest. Students will need to work at home and at school (before and after) to prepare. SOME class time will be devoted to this, but not enough to prepare for the contest. If the student earns a 1 rating at this contest, he/she is eligible to compete at State Solo/Ensemble Festival on Friday, May 2nd.

State Large Ensemble Contest
As mentioned in previous emails and in the band handbook (online at titanmusic.org), the Concert Band and Symphonic Band will be performing at the State Large Ensemble Contest, which is also hosted by the staff and parents here at LSWHS.
The Concert Band will perform on Wednesday, March 26 and the Symphonic Band will perform on Friday, March 28. In addition, the percussionists from the Concert/Symphonic Band are rehearsing after school on Thursdays in preparation for their performance on Wednesday, March 26.

Both of the above mentioned contests are hosted by the staff and Music Parents at LSWHS. This takes an enormous volunteer base. You should receive emails, via CHARMS, from Nancy Shaeffer concerning volunteer needs and how to sign up.

Marching Band Camp Schedule 2014
For those families with 9th-11th graders, attached you will find the marching band camp and drumline camp schedules for the upcoming season. Please get these dates in your calendar now to prevent conflicts over the summer. It is VERY important that all members are at the required camp(s) for the success of the season. Please schedule vacations and other camps around these dates. Thank you for supporting the Titan Pride Marching Band.
(See attached file: 2014 Marching Band Camp)

Have a great end to your January!

Clifton D. Thurmond

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Titan Pride Update, New Year edition

Happy New Year Titan Pride Family,

I’m sure you have missed my weekly emails, so I decided to stay in touch with some new bits of information and exciting news! As always, feel free to email me or Mr. Harrel with any questions or concerns.

Pep Band at Basketball Games
We will NOT be performing at tonight’s game, as your student should have told you. In lieu of that, we will be performing at the basketball game on Tuesday, February 25th. Please add this date to your calendar as all band members are to attend and perform.

All-State Band and Jazz Band
We are excited to announce that four of our band members were selected to be members of the Missouri All-State Band or Jazz Band. Please congratulate the following students the next time you see them, this is a huge accomplishment and they auditioned against over 1000 other high school band students in the state for these positions.

Shayla Brown, piccolo (alternate)
Courtney Bingham, 1st chair english horn
Allyssa DeJarnette, 3rd chair clarinet
Isaiah Carter, jazz vibraphone

Percussion Orchestra
This is a percussion ensemble that includes all percussionists in the Concert or Symphonic Band. They rehearse outside the school day every Thursday through March.
If you have any questions concerning this ensemble, please direct them to me or Mr. Will Braune (the director of the ensemble). His email address is will.braune@leesummit.k12.mo.us

Percussion Class
Students enrolled in the 3rd Hour Percussion Class are also working as a percussion ensemble in preparation for District Contest in March. Each student is required to take a solo to contest, as well as participate in one of our two percussion quintets. All rehearsals are during class. Please encourage your student to be practicing at home regularly.
In addition, I have asked that all students in this class have their snare stand (from home) in class every day starting THIS Monday. If they don’t have one, they are to purchase one, either online, or at a local music store. (Shining Light Music in downtown LS is a good option)

Solo/Ensemble Contest
All members of the band will be performing either as a soloist OR small ensemble member at MSHSAA District Contest (which we happen to host). This occurs on Saturday, March 22. More on this later, but please make sure this is in your calendar to prevent conflicts from arising.

Washington DC 2015
In case you haven’t heard, the music department is taking a trip to Washington DC in March of 2015. To make paying for this trip as easy as possible on you, we have devised a payment schedule running from February 1st of this year through February 1st of next year. Any student wishing to go on the trip MUST be registered through Music Celebrations International by February 1st (which is only a few weeks away). Please stay on top of this. We also need several parents to go as chaperones, so, if interested, you will need to register as well. Here is the information you need to get registered for the trip (you can also find it on titanmusic.org). Note: Absolutely NO Payments will be handed in at school, all will be handled through the company organizing our trip.
(See attached file: Individual Registration Form – Lee’s Summit.pdf) (See attached file: Online Payment Instructions.docx)

Have a GREAT weekend!

Clifton D. Thurmond
Director of Bands, Lee’s Summit West High School

Individual Registration Form – Lee’s Summit.pdf

Online Payment Instructions.docx

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Washington DC trip 2015

I hope that everyone had a great Christmas and New Years! I’m personally refreshed and ready to start a new year.

As I’m sure you’ve heard from your students that the music department is going on a trip to Washington DC on March 12-17, 2015.

Here’s some trip background to those new to the music program. Every other year the music department goes on a big trip outside the state of Missouri, so far all of them have been in the United States, to perform in venues that are a once in a life time opportunity. Trips have been made to Chicago, Los Angeles and last year was to New York City. Each student has two opportunities during their high school career to go on an exciting music trip.

Who’s eligible?
– Students must be enrolled during the 2014-15 school year in one of the following: orchestra, band or concert choir.
– Chaperones. We’ll need many parents to go on the trip.

I’m attaching the PowerPoint presentation that was shown to the students and at a music parents meeting. This gives you a snapshot of what the teachers have worked hard to put together and while not everything is set in stone at this point it also gives you an indication of how exciting a trip like this is. The students will be performing at one venue, at least, in addition to a clinician from top teachers in the Washington DC area, they’ll also be going on a tour around DC via subway and there are many places to explore (free!). A possible White House tour is also being investigated.

Please refer to the PowerPoint presentation (DC Trip Presentation) or the Individual Registration Form — Lee’s Summit found at http://titanmusic.org/2013/12/04/washington-d-c-trip-information/ for the payment schedule. The refund policy is on the Individual Registration Form — Lee’s Summit found at the titanmusic.org website. Payments can be submitted two different ways, either by mailing in the payment or paying online — both instructions are on titanmusic.org and on CHARMS in the Washington DC folder. If you pay online you don’t need to mail the Registration Form.

Student account money can be used towards the trip cost. Please verify through CHARMS that your student has money in their account prior to submitting the Request to use Student Account Funds that can be found in CHARMS or from the music teacher. We’re also working on an online submission form that can be used. If for some reason you cancel going on the trip the money used from the student account for trip payment will be returned to the student accounts.

The music teachers have been working very hard to make this trip an opportunity for each of the students to perform at a place they might not otherwise get to perform and have a once in lifetime experience.

No money should be turned into the music teachers or the music parents, all payments go directly to Music Celebrations. Student account usage requests will go through the music parents.

If you have any questions please let me or the music teachers know. There will be more information shared at each music parent meeting as well.

Brent Grigsby
LSWMP President
lswmusicpresident@gmail.com