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Latest Titan Pride Update

Greetings!

There is a lot of information to pass on, so please make sure you read this in its entirety.

ALL REMAINING BALANCES FOR BAND FEES ARE DUE TO MR. THURMOND BY TUESDAY, OCTOBER 14TH.

NEW CALENDAR EVENTS!
Wednesday, October 23rd
The band will be playing at the annual Dig for the Cure Volleyball Game, right here at LSW in the Fieldhouse. Students will be receiving a shirt to wear to this event. Families are encouraged to attend. The event raises awareness and funds for Breast Cancer Research, via the Susan B. Komen Foundation. It’s a wonderful event for us to be involved, and I’m excited we’ve been asked again to play. I will have a better idea on time on next week’s update, but wanted to make sure you had this put in your calendars right away to prevent conflicts from arising.

Monday, November 4th
Announcing the date for the Band Banquet. On Monday, November 4th, we will be having our annual end-of-season band banquet at Garozzo’s in Lee’s Summit. More information to follow, but again, I wanted you to get it on your calendars now. This event is for all marching band members and their families.

Tonight
Football game vs RayPec, call time is 5:30pm (5:15 for seniors)

Tomorrow, VERY IMPORTANT MESSAGE
Tomorrow is Race for the Future on our campus, where hundreds of people will be running a 5K to benefit the students of the LSR7 School District. Our parking lot here will be slammed.
Your ONLY access to the parking lot is the SOUTH entrance. You will need to drop your student off at the back door early enough for them to get their instrument and get to the soccer field THROUGH a crowd of people.
Here is the itinerary again for reference: Bronco Invitational
The Week at a Glance

Monday
Band Council Meeting, 7am
Drumline Rehearsal, 2:30pm (this is in place of the Thursday afternoon rehearsal, since we don’t have school that day)

Tuesday
Band Rehearsal, 5:55pm
All students should be dressed in their marching band shoes and rehearsal shirt (navy).

Friday
Football Game vs Truman, call time is 5:30pm (5:15 for seniors), dressed in marching band shoes, black socks, and black uniform shirt.
This is also Senior Night, where the seniors from band, football, and all spirit squads are recognized for their commitment to the programs. Parents should receive information concerning this via mail this coming week.

Saturday, 10/19
UCM Festival of Champions
Please review the attached itinerary for this festival. It will be a long day.
I am selling tickets to this event for any family members traveling to Warrensburg for our performances. This ticket will gain you access to all events for the entire day. In addition, part of the ticket price will be given back to the band IF you buy the ticket through me prior to Friday, 10/18 at the ballgame. Tickets are $13 per person (children included). You can send money with your child any day next week or take care of it at the football game next Friday.
Remember, we get 20% of the money back for the band program, so please consider purchasing from us instead of at the gate.

UCM Festival of Champions
Have a great Friday!

Clifton D. Thurmond

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Titan Pride Update for October 7th

Happy Friday Eve,

An outstanding performance given by the band last Friday AND Saturday. We were awarded a 2 (Excellent) rating and given the Outstanding Music Award for the competition.

Goings-on for this week:

Monday
Band Council Meeting – 7am

Tuesday
Band Rehearsal – 5:55pm to 9pm
NOTE: Orchestra Winds/Percussion will be released early enough to dress/prepare for concert, Mr. Mosier is aware of the conflict and we are working on a plan of action
All students in black marching shoes and navy rehearsal shirt

Thursday
Morning Sectionals – 6:50am – Flute/Clarinet/Baritone/Trumpet
Drumline Rehearsal – 2:30pm

Friday
Early Release Day
Morning Sectionals – 6:50am – Sousaphone/Saxophone/Mellophone
Football Game – call time is 5:30pm
All students with black marching shoes/socks, gloves, and black uniform shirt
We will load the equipment trailers after the game again, please plan accordingly for pick up

Saturday
Bronco Invitational – All Day – call time at LSW is 9:15am (Race for the Future will be going on, so please be aware of parking/drop off difficulties)
Contrary to years past at this competition, we WILL be bussing to LSN after a short rehearsal at LSW, AND bussing home after the awards
I would like to ask that ALL students stay with us for the duration of the festival, probably about 1.5 hours after the performance, as we will stay in the stadium to observe the last few bands as an educational activity. Students can be picked up at LSN around 5:30pm OR at LSW around 6pm
Here is the itinerary for the day:

Bronco Invitational

A continued reminder that Symphonic/Concert Band Auditions are rapidly approaching (October 28-29) Please be encouraging your son/daughter to be preparing diligently at home.

Have a great weekend!

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

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First Fundraiser

Hello Music Parents,

Time for Fundraisers! Most of your kids came home with a packet but some have not.  They will get them tomorrow.  For our first fundraiser, we will be selling Otis Spunkmeyer cookie dough and pizza!

To Start I want everyone to know that fundraisers are OPTIONAL.  However, this is a great way for your child to earn money to put in their individual music  accounts.  The money can be used for fees, choir dresses, trip payments etc….
About this fundraiser:

1. It will run till Oct. 14.  ALL ORDERS AND MONEY ARE DUE ON OCT. 14

2. Money has to be collected at time of ordering

3. Checks made payable to: LSWMP

4. All items are $16 and they make a profit of $6.40 on each item.

5. The orders will be delivered the week of Nov. 3.  Will have the exact date later.

Heads up for future fundraiser

In November we will be starting a new fundraiser.  I hate that they fall so close together but I wanted to fit one more in before Christmas.  It will be a fundraiser selling summer sausages and cheese, chocolate candies and a few non food items.  More information to come.

If you have any questions, please feel free to email or call me.

Thanks ,

Andrea Kaiser

LSW Music Fundraiser Liaison

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Titan Pride Update This Week

Happy Weekend!

I hope all is well in each of your households.  Well, we are ready to hit the homestretch of the marching season.  We have four weeks of competition season remaining, and we are excited to take it to another level tomorrow with our first time out.  Hope you will come support the kids, sit together as a community, and bring some noise to the stands when we are performing.

Park Hill Festival – TOMORROW
I made a mistake in a previous email.  The event tomorrow is at Park Hill High School (NOT Park Hill South).  Here is the itinerary again for your use:

As far as the weather forecast goes, we will be going either way.  The event will be held indoors at the middle school there on campus IF rain warrants it.
Make sure your child remembers the following:

  • Black Titan Pride tee shirt
  • Black socks
  • Black marching shoes
  • Athletic shorts (no jeans) for underneath the uniform
  • A jacket, it could be chilly in the morning

Students will be fed a light breakfast and a full lunch.

We encourage family members and friends to attend and watch the competition, but please be aware that there is an entry fee of:
$8 Adults/General Admission
$6 Seniors (55+), Military
$5 K-12 Students (with ID)
FREE Children 5 and under 

Monday, Sept 30
Band Council Meeting – 7am

Tuesday, October 1
Mandatory All-District Band Auditions Meeting – 7am
This is for any student wishing to audition for All-District Band (this is a requirement to earn a music letter)

Band Rehearsal – 5:55pm

Thursday, October 3
Sectionals – Clarinets, Flutes, Trumpets, Baritones

Friday, October 4
Sectionals – Mellos, Saxes, Sousaphones

Symphonic Band/Concert Band Auditions (4th Hour Students Only)
The date for auditions has been set for October 28 and 29.  They will occur during class AND before/after school.  Students have the audition material and should be practicing regularly.  If for some reason, they don’t have a concert instrument, please ask them to see me in the band office before school one day.

Have a great week!

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

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Weekly Titan Pride Update

Happy Friday!

Had a great week preparing the band for performance tonight, I hope you are all there to support them in their efforts. The band needs to be in the band area changing into uniform at 5:30pm tonight. Help them to remember their black shirt, black socks, marching shoes, and gloves. Have them eat before they arrive.

Next week at a glance:

Park Hill Marching Festival, Saturday, September 28th
Please refer to the attached document as the itinerary. We will be leaving early in the morning and arriving home in the early afternoon. This will work very well for those attending the Homecoming Dance that night. Look next week for information from our Band Student Council discussing suggested items to bring on competition trips.

Park Hill Festival

If for some reason, you need to pick up your son/daughter at Park Hill South HS before our departure time for home, please make sure I have a notice of this (in writing please) no later than Thursday, September 26th.
Monday
Morning Sectional for Clarinets

Tuesday
Marching Band Rehearsal
This is a VERY important rehearsal with us having a competition at the end of the week. Encourage your child to come prepared with the 1st and 2nd movements memorized and ready to rehearse efficiently that evening.

Recorded Playing Test #2
In the same way that we collected playing tests a couple of weeks ago via CHARMS, students now know that they have a playing test covering the 2nd movement due on TUESDAY. Please encourage your child to send their best effort, after it has been practiced several times, as this is necessary to the progress of the band as a whole. On our last test, several students simply went home, pressed record, and played through their music once (in some cases, it sounded very unrehearsed). They received an “A” on that test if they turned it in on time, regardless of the quality. For this test, we will grade based on the same, but this time including quality (whether or not the part is learned and played correctly). If it is not, we will ask the to redo the test.

Thursday
Morning Sectionals for Flutes, Trumpets, and Baritones
Homecoming Parade
For the parade, we will be taking a bus from LSWHS to downtown LS around 1:30 to prepare for the parade. The parade begins at 3:30pm and all family members, friends, and other public are encouraged to attend and line the streets in support of all the students participating in the parade. Students are to wear shorts, tennis shoes, and their Syndrome (grey) shirt to school that day for our uniform. Students will then ride the bus back to LSWHS and need to be picked up at 4:15pm

Friday
Homecoming Football Game
This is the only game of the year that has a slightly different schedule for us as a band. Because of the homecoming festivities at halftime, we will perform our show during POSTGAME. Please stick around and support the band after the game has ended.
After the performance, we will head back up to the building and load our equipment trailers with instruments and uniforms before students leave so we are prepared to leave on time in the morning.

Hope you have a great week!

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

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Band Info for the week ahead

Greetings!

Congratulations to the Drumline for taking first place in their division at the Drummit at the Summit competition this weekend. You guys did a great job!

Some notable items for the upcoming week:

Tuxedos: All men in band will need a tuxedo for concert band season. Yvonne Bechtold will be at the school on Monday from 6:30pm to 8:00pm to fit and distribute tuxedos. If your son does not have his tuxedo, please stop by the school during this time to pick it up.

Football: Friday night LSW will host Blue Springs. The call time for all band members is 5:30. I suspect the crowd will be huge for this game. With the movement of the student section to where the music parents previously sat, I’m not sure where we will gather. I would recommend getting there early and cheering loudly for the Titan Pride Band (and the football team too)! As always, we could use some music parents in the band room before and after the game to assist with uniforms.

Marching Festival: I also wanted to forward some information about the upcoming marching band competition season. Information about each festival can be found in the following links. The websites will be updated with the actual performance schedule when it gets closer to the date of the festival.

We believe we have enough drivers signed up to drive the trailers to each of the competitions; however, it’s always nice to have back-ups. If you have a truck and would be willing to drive to a competition, please let me know and I’ll add your name to the volunteer list. We are also looking for a small portable generator to use for some of the competitions that go late into the night. Please let me know if you have one that we can use.

Park Hill: http://www.midwestmarching.com/2013/parkhill2013.htm
Lee’s Summit North: http://www.midwestmarching.com/2013/lsn2013.htm
UCM : http://www.midwestmarching.com/2013/ucm-foc2013.htm
Odessa: http://www.midwestmarching.com/2013/odessa2013.htm

Pictures:
B Johnson Photography works with a lot of the marching festivals and posts pictures of the participants. Her website is http://www.bjohnsonphotography.com/. Here is a link to pictures from Drummit at the Summit

Jeremy Flowers is a music parent who is a professional photographer and has been taking pictures at a variety music events. Here’s the link to his Facebook page.

Thanks again for everything each of you do to support the band!

Nancy Shaeffer
Instrumental Liaison

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Thanks!

Good evening,

Thank you to everyone for coming out and supporting the Ice Cream Social.  It was a record fundraising event.  Please pass along to any friends and family that came a thank you for their support as well.  We met the matching fund donation of $2500 from Modern Woodman of America.  Also a special thank you to all of the volunteers that made this event possible.  I know that we can improve this for next year so if you have constructive criticism/feedback please let me know.

Our Drumline just participated in the Drummit at the Summit and took 1st place in the Gold Division!  Congrats to all of those students, it’s great to see their hard work paying off.

It’s with regret that I announce that our Treasurer has resigned.  As a result the music parents are in need of someone(s) to step up and help with this.  If interested please contact me and we can discuss the position.

I’d like to have a work day for the trailer on Saturday, September 21st, around 9am.  The main reason for this is to figure out the best method for the drumline and the band uniforms and equipment to fit into the trailers.  This will allow the students to pack the trailers quicker after home games for the competitions the next day.

Upcoming dates:
Sept 20 – Home football game
Sept 26 – Homecoming parade
Sept 27 – Homecoming football game
Sept 28 – Park Hill marching festival
Oct 3 – LSWMP meeting

Go Titans!

Brent Grigsby
LSWMP President

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NOAH GELLER Violin Master Class at UMKC

Saturday, October 12, 10 a.m. White Recital Hall

Adjunct Professor of Violin, and Kansas City Symphony’s recently appointed Concertmaster, Noah Geller, will present a FREE master class in White Recital Hall, James C. Olsen Performing Arts Center from 10 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. on Saturday morning, October 12, 2013.

Noah Geller, winner of many competitions, and a former member of the Philadelphia Orchestra, joins the excellent faculty of the Conservatory of Music & Dance, and looks forward to building a fine class of talented violinists at the Conservatory. The class is free and the public is invited to attend. No tickets required.

All area violinists are invited to attend. If you wish to be considered to perform for Mr. Geller in the class, please email: Carter Enyeart, String Coordinator for an application form.