Snap!Raise
We will be launching our Snap!Raise fundraiser at the end of February. Last time we did this fundraiser we brought in nearly $30,000! Students will need to create accounts and add at least 20 email addresses for family members and friends. This is a direct donation drive, so no selling or buying anything, yay! This fundraiser is our biggest source of funding for our program (we do not receive a budget from the district or school for instruments or music) and so it is critical that everyone participates to the fullest extent possible. This fundraiser is being run by the Performing Arts Boosters and all students in Band, Orchestra, Guitar, Choir, and Drama will participate.
Festival Season!
Our first festival is on March 5th at Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts in La Palma. Orchestra and Festival Band will be performing. Final rosters of students approved to attend and perform will be published around the end of February. Preliminary itinerary (subject to change) is here. Parents and family are permitted to attend the festival and watch the performances. I have also attached the adjudication rubric so you can see how our ensembles will be evaluated by the judges. Any questions let me know.
Events!
Here is what's on the calendar for this week:
- Thursday, February 22nd - 5:00 to 7:30 p.m. - Honor Band & Orchestra Rehearsal at Benton
- Complete Calendar: https://bentonmusic.weebly.com/calendar.html
Advanced Orchestra Gig
I am pleased to announce that our Advanced Orchestra has been selected to perform at the annual Alliance of Schools for Cooperative Insurance (ASCIP) conference on March 8th at the JW Marriott Anaheim Resort. Many high-ranking District personnel will be in attendance and this is a great opportunity for us to showcase our program. Itinerary.
Other Attachments
- 2024-2025 Eligibility requirements for Advanced Band, Advanced Orchestra, and Jazz Band
- Student Leadership Application
Jazz Band
We are hoping to offer Jazz Band as an elective next year. If your student is interested, please make sure they request this class. We are looking for the following:
- 6-8 saxophones
- 4-6 trumpets
- 4-6 trombones
- 2 guitarists
- 2 bass guitarists
- 2 piano players
- 2 drummers
- 0-1 vibraphone players
- 0-1 auxiliary percussionists
Students who are interested in guitar, bass, piano, or drums please click here or see me in room 91 to receive a copy of the audition music. Audition video(s) must be uploaded at this location by April 7th.
In Other News...
Beginning on Tuesday, February 13th, teachers across the Norwalk-La Mirada Unified School District began adhering to our contractual obligations and not going above and beyond as we normally do. Hopefully this will only be temporary. Here is what this looks like for Band and Orchestra at Benton:
- Room 91 is temporarily closed before school until 8:30 a.m.
- Room 91 is temporarily closed during Nutrition
- Room 91 is temporarily closed after school no later than 3:05 p.m.
- Leadership lunch meetings are temporarily suspended
- Free, on-demand instrument repairs will no longer be provided until further notice
- Grading of assignments may take a bit longer than usual as grading will occur only during contracted prep time
- Festival Band rehearsals will go on as planned as I have determined that postponing or canceling these rehearsals would simply be too disruptive
- Honor Band & Orchestra are unaffected
- Please contact administration with questions or concerns
Many thanks for your continued support