Congratulations on a great year so far. Have a great break and get some rest!

See you in 2010!

GREAT CONCERT!

Great Job at the Christmas Concert Last Night!

Each band did and outstanding job. Your work paid off! Keep up the good work!

Fruit sale... finish.

If you have not sold fruit or wish you sale more, you still have a little time to do so.

Fruit forms are due on November 9, 2009. Please turn them in to Mr. Libscomb in the career tech building. Be sure to have your money in an envelope with you name clearly marked. Also, check your form to make sure that your name is clearly marked, as well as your band period.

8th grade scales

Students and parents....

We have been working on scales in class daily and have had pass-offs on several of them. Please be sure that scales become something you practice daily. They are very important for what we do. Pass-offs on this will be a major part of your band grade.

Congrats to the THS BAND!

Congratulations to the Talladega High School Band for the GREAT performance and representation of our band programs at the 2009 Prattville "Heart of Dixie" Band Festival. We are very proud of you guys!

Talladega High School Seniors and Drum major.

Congratulations to the Dega Darlins for superior ratings and a 1st place finish.
Congrats to Blake (Drum Major) for his Superior Rating.
And Congratulations to the ENTIRE THS BAND for the Superior Ratings you earned and the 3rd place finish! GREAT JOB GUYS!

ZEJH band members just look at what a great band you will soon be a part of. All of these students started right where you are now. With hard work and determination they are doing great things and so will you!

The importance of practice...

I was watching TV the other night and this segment just randomly came on. Well, I don't guess it was random I am sure it was scheduled, however, I had no clue. So as I watched it I realized what a great video it would be to post on the blog and discuss with the students. With the million tasks that we all have scheduled and the time that it takes, often times we think that practicing is something that can wait or we can pass on for the day. However, no matter the task practice is ALWAYS important. I hope you enjoyed the video.

GREAT JOB!

I must say what a great job the 8th grade band did today at the pep-rally and game. I am so proud of you guys. Not only was the playing very good, but the overall behavior of the group was simply outstanding. As a group you very easily and willingly made this a GREAT day and wonderful memory for you. I am excited to see what the rest of the year brings!

I have not mentioned the great job that you also did this past Friday night at the Pell City game. It too was a great accomplishment for you guys. A night that went very smooth.

I will post pics soon.

friday/saturday

Due to circumstances beyond our control, the ZEJH 8th grade trip with the high school band has been canceled. However the Friday night football game/tailgate party will be an event that we will participate in. We will meet at the ZEJH bandroom on Friday night at 6:00 pm. Typical games end around 10pm. (a phone will be available.)

Students should wear: Black pants, Black socks and Black band shoes with a red shirt.

See you there... it will be a GREAT night of fun!

Ellis Emerald Auditions

Information for Ellis Emerald Auditions will be going out later this week. Several students have shown interested therefore I wanted to update you. I am in the process of finalizing some details and will have that out as soon as possible. I am excited about the upcoming year and the interest that has been shown in this group.

Email

Many times a great way to get in touch with me at school is through email. Several people have sent me emails and been concerned that they did not go through. We have a 'very good' spam filter on our school email system. You may receive a message that indicates the message has been returned, however, the message goes to my spam folder and I receive it. After your first email this should not be a problem. If you continue to have this issue please let me know.

Thanks. Ms. Todd

last minute questions.....

Hi everyone!

I would like to start by saying that I am very proud of the turn out that we had for the instrument show on Tuesday, August 4, 2009. Many parents and students were present for answers to concerns and questions that they have had. I hope that everything was much more clear after you left the meeting.

If you missed the meeting and need to purchase an instrument please contact Gadsden Music at 1-800-264-7228 or call Ms. Todd in the bandroom at Zora Ellis for additional information.

There have been a few questions that keep resurfacing. I will answer these below .... hope this helps.

1.Can I buy an instrument online? You are more than welcome to explore options for instrument purchase. Keep in mind three things as you do this.

• You get what you pay for?
• If you don't recognize the brand there is probably a reason. (If you have questions about brands of instruments please contact Ms. Todd.)
• Check out repair options. (Students will at some point have a repair issue. Local dealers will not work on some instruments. If you have to send an instrument in to an online company and have it repaired it could take a long time to get it fixed; instruction time that your child misses.)

2. How much is a band book? Books can be purchased the first week of school during classtime. Books are $11 for all instruments except percussion which is $16. We use Standard of Excellence (enhanced edition) *checks should be made out to ZEJH

3. When can I pay band fees and how much are they? Band fees are $30.00 and the uniform fee is $60.00. You may pay this at the beginning of school or when the due date approaches. Students will receive an additional handout with this information on the first day of school?

4. Where do I put my instrument on the first day of school? Each band student may put his or her instrument in the bandroom daily upon arriving to school. On the first day however students will report to the lunchroom or Auditorium for a brief assembly. Students should report directly to their area and bring instruments to the bandroom afterwards. More information will be given on the first day of class.

5. What if band is not on my schedule? If band should be on your schedule and is not. Please call the front office at ZEJH and let them know ASAP. If on the first day your schedule is still not correct please let Ms. Todd and your homeroom teacher know. We will take care of this as quickly as possible.

6. When are Ellis Emerald try-outs? Young ladies that are in the band will receive information the first week of school regarding clinic and try-outs, which will be held in August. *in order to audition and join the Ellis Emeralds students must be in the band. For more information regarding this group please visit their blog (click here)

7. Where and how do I purchase reeds? We do not sale individual reeds. Students must purchase an entire box. The cost of Clarinet reeds is $25.00 for a box and Saxophone is $30.00. In the beginning students will go through reeds rather quickly, but as they find out what to do and how to care for them they will last long. Students should have four reeds in their case at all times. I recommend keeping the remainder of the box at home.

I hope you find this information useful. As always, if you have additional questions please contact me via phone or email.

Ms. Todd

Band Camp Pictures!

Hey Guys!

I put together a slide show of bandcamp pics. Apparently it takes FOREVER to upload so getting it on every single blog has been a slight issue. I put it on the Dega Darlin Blog simply because that is the one I clicked on first. Go there and check it out.

Enjoy!

Interested in seeing a drum corp performance up close and personal? You still have time.

Drum Corp season is quickly coming to an exciting end, but you still have a few options to catch a show either live or in a theater. Visit www.dci.org for ticket information. There is a show in Gadsden, AL, on this Friday, July 24, 2009 and a show in Atlanta this Saturday, July 25, 2009. Ticket information can be found on the dci website.

Click the picture above to see the trailer for the Quarter-Final LIVE broadcast in theaters on August 6, 2009. The closest showing for us is in Trussville, AL.

Grab some friends and go see for yourself! You won't regret it.

INSTRUMENT PURCHASE!

Instrument Purchase day is set for Tuesday, August 4, 2009, at Zora Ellis Jr. High Lunchroom.

Gadsden music will have instruments that students can take home that night. Parents may choose to buy instruments for full price (with a discount this night) or set up a rent-to-own program.

*the first months rent is due at this meeting.

If you have specific price questions please contact Gadsden Music Company at 1-800-264-7228. You may also want to visit www.gadsdenmusic.com.

If you already have an instrument you are not required to attend this meeting. Books will be sold on the first day of class. (Standard of Excellence Enhanced - $10; $15 for percussion)

Ever thought how cool it would be to start your own rock band? Jam Studio (click here) can give you the opportunity to experiment and do just that. It is a free online studio that helps you easily create tracks that you can play along with on any instrument. Beginning or Advanced it is entertaining to play around with.

Have Fun!

Graduation Performance

Thank you to those students that chose to participate in the 2009 THS Graduation Ceremonies. The band did a very good job and was a great representation during the entire event. If you will notice you can find an full length recording of Dr. Rice's speech on the right side of the screen; it includes a slideshow of pictures from the ceremony.

Enjoy.

See you at Band Camp 8th graders. (Or should I say 9th graders, it is now official, Congratulations! and Good Luck!)

Talladega High School 2009 Graduation Ceremonies

Attention All 8th Grade Band Students!

Graduation: Thursday, May 28, 2009

Location: Mary Dumas Stadium (In the event of rain, the ceremony will be moved to Harwell Auditorium; the band will not play. Only the original six tickets given by seniors will be recognized if the ceremonies are in Harwell. All additional audience members will be accommodated in the ZEJH lunchroom via live feed.)

Time: 7:00 pm (be in your seat in the ZEJH bandroom at 6:00pm)

Admission: Free (any parent attending must have a ticket. Tickets may be picked up from the Central office on Tuesday, May 26 or Wednesday, May 27, 2009; Tickets are free, however, you must have one in order to enter the ceremonies. Be sure to have proper identification when picking up ticket.)

Dress: Black pants, Black socks, Black Shoes and white shirt. (white shirt does not have to be your band shirt. Any appropriate DRESS shirt will be fine.)

We will be playing the Star Spangled Banner, Alma Mater and Pomp and Circumstance.

For any additional information please visit http://www.talladegacityschools.blogspot.com/

Instrument Placement

All 6th grade students at EACH elementary school will receive the opportunity to try all of the instruments in an effort to help them make a decision about 7th grade band. We are very excited about this opportunity and hope that the 6th grade students are as well. We began yesterday at Graham with a great group of 6th graders and will continue today. So far this has proven to be a wonderful experience for all involved. We will make our rounds to each elementary school by the first of next week.

If you student is absent on your instrument day and would like to schedule a time to come by the bandroom please feel free to call me at 315-5706. We want every student to have this great priveledge.

Thanks to Mr. Bailey for allowing me the time to visit each elementary school and provide this service in an effort to make our band program stronger!

Band Concert

Congratulations to the groups that performed on the band concert May 5, 2009. Each band presented a great performance. The hard work really paid off.

For each 7th grader this was the last concert for you as a beginner. Next year will be packed full of fun and excitement. There will be football games, the homecoming pep-rally, concerts, competitions, etc. I am looking forward to it, I hope you are too. I antcipate an OUTSTANDING YEAR!

8th graders.... we wish you well as you move on to great and better things. You have so much to give to everything that you do. You are about to move on to a different phase of life that has a lot of to offer. I am so exicted for you as you embark on this new adventure. I am also very proud of you. You have made your mark on the band program at ZEJH and for that you should hold your head high. You have made accomplishments and gained recognition that will be there long after you have moved on. I am sure you will do the same things but in a bigger and better way as you move on to Talladega High School. See you at Band Camp!

Ellis Emeralds.... What a great year you have had. Congratulations on everything. Moving up a class and then competing and getting so close to that medal.. such a great accomplishment. Finishing 4th in a class a step above where you started is quite an acccomplishment. For each 7th grader... see you next year.. for each 8th graders congrads on Dega Addition!

Presentation for 6th Grade Students!

Make photo slide shows at www.OneTrueMedia.com

Spring Concert '09

Spring Concert
May 5, 2009
7:00 pm/ THS Gym
Admission:$3 (adults) $1 (10 and under)

All ZEJH band members and Ellis Emeralds will meet in the THS Bandroom at 6:15 p.m. Please be in full uniform; Vest, black shirt, shoes and socks, bowtie and white shirt.

* Each student is responsible for all equipment and music.

Ellis Emeralds should wear their winter guard outfit.

The concert will last approximately an hour and 15 mins.

Don't forget about the BBQ dinner before the concert. (from Millers BBQ) See a band member to purchase a ticket. Tickets are $6 and will not be sold at the door.

*7th grade band practice will be after school until 4:30 on Wednesday, April 29, 2009 in the ZEJH bandroom. Ellis Emeralds; Due to a recent conflict I will have to reschedule your Thursday practice (TBA).

What a Gig!

On April 23, 2009, the Talladega High School Jazz Band was invited to perform for the International Motorsports Hall of Fame ceremonies. With great preparation, lots of anticipation and much excitement the group of young musicians took on this adventure with great enthusiasm. Much is to be said about the musical presentation and outstanding representation of the Talladega City Schools from this group of young people; it was truly outstanding.

A special thanks to Mr. and Mrs. Smith for their help providing dinner for the group, as well as Mrs. Rasco. Also to Dr. Frank Buck for his attendance and support at this event. It is wonderful to have such great support from parents and administrators in the Talladega City School System.

To see pictures Click Here

April in Talladega....Reminder

For those students that participated in the District and State band, don't forget that we have a performance on Tuesday, April 14, 2009, as a part of the April in Talladega Celebration.

Location: Harwell Auditorium
*We will meet in the bandroom at 5:45 PM

Dress: Band Uniform
Black pants (solid), black band shoes, black socks, white band shirt and bowtie

Music: Forward March and Dark Adventure.

See you Tuesday at School. Enjoy your long weekend and Happy Easter!

Thank you Talladega City Schools Foundation!

Tuesday, April 7, 2009, during 5th period at Zora Ellis the sounds of drums filled the air. The Talladega High School Percussion section assisted as the The Talladega City School Education Foundation delivered grants to recepients. Entering through our door with a large check were Dr. Horton, Mr. Campbell, Dr. Buck, Mr. Bailey, Mrs. and Mrs. Rasco, the THS drumline and Mr. McDaniel.

Each year the TCS foundation takes applications for Grants and they do their best to fill the needs of as many people as possible. We are very happy to be one of those wishes granted. Our grant was titled, A good foundation, where we asked for money to buy a much needed tuba.

Several other teachers in the system were awarded grants as well. At our school, Mrs. Armstrong, gifted teacher, was also awarded the grant for which she applied.

We have been very fortunate this year securing funds for several needed percussion instruments earlier in the year from a grant with Jim Pruitt and are very thankful to the foundation for granting us the opportunity to add another needed instrument to our inventory. As more opportunities arise we hope to acquire even more needed instruments for our program, better meeting the needs of our students, our school and our community.

Congratulations Ladies

Congratulations to the 8th grade young ladies that made the Dega Darlins Addition at THS. Robbyn, Mya, Jatonica, Morgan, Terencea, and MaKayla.

We are very proud of you.
(You can go to their blog by visiting our links on this page)

The Challenge...

Part of the challenge was making it this far and you did. Part of the challenge was only five days of rehearsals to fix things and you did. Part of the challenge was staying focused despite the late school start and you did. Part of the battle was giving it your best and you did.

I am so proud of the efforts that you put forth throughout this entire process. To receive ratings of 'superior' at district and then take on the challenge of state contest was a great accomplishment within itself. You are to be commended for you scores of "Good" at state contest.... because it was STATE contest. I am especially proud of the rating of "Excellent" that we received in sightreading; a challenge that we all took on together. To take on a challenge with such enthusiasm and determination says a lot about you both as a group and as an individual. I am certain that every single person involved learned something from the process and that is what it is really all about. I know I learned several things and had an experience with a great group of young people that I will never forget. The desire to do better and the slight disappointment of not doing as well as you hoped, means that there are great things ahead of you and you are headed in the right direction. Good things are happening and you are a major part of it. I was very proud to stand on stage with you on Monday!

I know that this adventure will help our program at Zora Ellis to grow and be something that you are proud of. I also know that as you leave Zora Ellis and go to THS that this will help you and the band that you will be a part of there. Congratulation's on such a GREAT achievement! I am VERY proud of YOU!

STATE CONTEST update 3/1/09

I know that most of you are aware that school will be delayed tomorrow. Dr. Horton has said for us to go ahead with State Contest plans as normal. We will delay 30 minutes.

Please meet in the Zora Ellis Bandroom at 9:00 for warm-up. We will depart at 10:00 a.m. (Please be in your seat at 9:00, not walking through the door.)

You should arrive dressed in BAND uniform (black vest, black band shoes, black socks, white shirt, don't forget your bowtie.)

Also, if you have not turned in your permission form be sure to have it with you on Monday!

Before you leave home make sure you have MUSIC and your INSTRUMENT!

Please talk to your friends and make sure they are aware of this information!

STATE here we come!

The amount of pride that I had on Friday as we performed on Stage at Gadsden High School and as I read the scores to our students afterwards is beyond description. A HUGE Congratulations is in order for the members of the ZEJH band that participated in District Assessment and received Superior ratings, which qualified them to move on to State! This is truly a great accomplishment, even more than you realize! Dr. Buck, also a former junior high band director stated, "I have state contest programs from every year dating back to 1956. I can find no record of a junior high band from this entire county performing at state contest other than performances by Talladega Jr. High in 1964 and 1965."

After working out a few kinks we have a spot and will travel to Briarwood Church in Birmingham, AL on Monday, March 2nd to perform at 1:00 p.m, yes, that is a week from tomorrow. All information will go out in class tomorrow! Due to honor band and other conflicts we have limited rehearsal time before the 2nd. Please use your time wisely and practice at home.

I am so proud of the accomplishments of our students and look forward to what they have to offer not only at Zora Ellis, but as they move on to the high school band next year. The Talladega High School Band also received superior ratings and will travel back to Gadsden on March 4th for State.

This will also be my first trip to state contest, as a director. I am so proud to be able to share this experience with such a great group of students. It is something I will treasure forever!

HONOR BAND AUDITIONS!

REMINDER!

Honor band auditions are on Tuesday, Feb. 24, 2009 at Talladega High School. They begin at 4:00 p.m.

Please turn in $5.00 audition fee ASAP.

Set up a time to pass off your scales for Ms. Todd before Tuesday.

Check your schedule. If you have a conflict with the clinic held on Feb. 27-28. You should not audition.

If you have questions about requirements see Ms. Todd.

Attention 8th graders!

8th grade band students,
The THS band and the Band Boosters of Talladega would like to invite you and your family to a BBQ dinner to get to know you and welcome you as an upcoming 9th grader. Mr. McDaniel will be available to answer questions and offer information about the outstanding band program at Talladega High School. This is a great time to learn a little more about the band and what is required as a member. I hope that you take advantage of this opportunity.

Location: Talladega High School Lunchroom
Admission: Free
Date: Tuesday, March 3, 2009
Time: 6:00-7:30pm

I will send home a handout and get numbers from you soon.

Band Practice...

We will have band practice for District Band on Thursday, Feb. 12th, after school until 4:30 p.m.

Please recall the rules on rehearsals and grading.

A detailed handout and permission slip will be given at this rehearsal for the district band trip.

See you there!

We are proud of you!

After two long weeks of hard work and the addition of new material, the Ellis Emeralds, Dega Darlins Addition and Dega Darlins traveled to Oak Grove, Alabama, on Saturday, February 7, 2009, for their second winter guard compeition of the season. The excitement of each group being promoted to the next classification and the anticipation to see where they would stack up against the competition proved to be a very rewarding wait. Each group had an outstanding performance.

The Ellis Emeralds came in a close 3rd, proving that no challenge was too much. The challenge of competing with several high school groups was something they were willing to take on full force and do with success.

The Dega Darlins Addition (a group of all 9th graders) competed in the Scholastic B classification where they were awarded 2nd place for their efforts.

The Dega Darlins astounded the competition and very proudly took 1st place under their new classification, Scholastic AAA.

For more information, pictures, and accomplishments please visit the indiviual group blog by clicking on the groups name.

The Ellis Emeralds, The Dega Darlins Addition and The Dega Darlins

District Honor Band

Cate Joseph was selected and attended district II honor band on Friday Feb. 6th, at Gadsden State Community College in Gadsden, AL.

What a great accomplishment as a beginning band student. Keep up the good work!

Hard work pays off!

A long trip, 12 major scales, 3 prepared pieces, sight-reading and a nervous wait led to great news for our very own Cate Joseph. We are very proud of her for trying out for the Alabama All-State band, especially since she is a beginning oboe player. What a great goal so early in a musician's life. I am so proud of the hard work that she put forth and the accomplishments that she has made so far. As a result of trying out for All-State, Cate Joseph was selected to participate in the District Honor Band that will be held in Gadsden, Alabama this weekend.

What a great representation of our band and our School!

Talladega County Honor Band

Audition Date: Tues., Feb. 24, Talladega High School, begin at 4:00.

Fee: $5 per student auditioning. Audition fee is due to Ms. Todd by Feb. 20th. You may bring your money any time between now and then. I must turn in the list on the 20th, please have your fee in by then.

Audition Requirements:
Jr. High Brass/WW: Concert F, Bb, Eb, and Ab major scales/arpeggios; Chromatic Scale Bb – Bb (one octave from memory); Sightreading, Tone Quality.
*students must pass-off their scales to Ms. Todd prior to auditioning, please schedule a time to do so.

Percussionist will audition on both mallet and snare drum: Mallets: Concert F, Bb, Eb, and Ab major scales/arpeggios; Mallet Sightreading; Snare Rudiments: Long Roll, Flamacue, 9-stroke roll, triple ratamacue, flam tap, flam paradiddle; Snare Sightreading.

This a great opportunity for our students to grow musically, meet other musicians from local schools and at the same time to make friendships that will last a lifetime. I encourage everyone to audition. Especially since the auditions will be held at Talladega High School. If you never try out you will never gain the experience to be successful at auditioning. It is just like anything else, it takes practice and preparation.

Upon making honor band the Clinic will be on Friday, February 28th and Saturday, February 29th at Zora Ellis Jr. High. The concert will be held on Saturday at Harwell auditorium. This is a great time to audition since it is right here in Talladega. Start working now.

Congrats to the Ellis Emeralds!

The Ellis Emeralds traveled to Pell City this past Saturday to compete in the first Winter Guard competition of the season, Field Day. They had a great day and in the end won 1st place in the cadet class. As proud as we are of them for the 1st place finish, we went on to discover that they did such a great job that the SCGC promoted them from the Cadet classification, that is made up of jr. high guards, to the Novice classification where they will compete against high school guards.

What a great Accomplishment. Congratulations ladies!

To see more pics and info click here to visit the Ellis Emeralds Blogspot.

Also, Congratulations to the Dega Darlins (click here to visit the Dega Darlin Blog)for finishing Second place and being promoted to Scholastic AAA classification and the Dega Darlins Addition (click here to visit the addition blog) for finishing 3rd and being promoted to the Scholastic B classification.

Great Accomplishments for such talented young ladies.

All-State Tryouts

Students auditioning for all-state,

With the break coming to an end, I hope that you have been practicing. The break flew by and all-state try-outs are quickly upon us. Auditions will be held at Jacksonville High School on Saturday, January 10, 2008. Yes, that is the Saturday after we return from the holidays. With the number of students we have signed up it will be the responsibility of the student/parents to get to the audition. I suggest that a few of you get together and carpool. Last year several students did this and ended up having a great experience.

Registration is at 8am. Students will sign up for a number, audition and after each student auditions the results for that section will be posted. Typically students audition and then go eat lunch, then come back to see if results are posted. Remember that if you do not make all-state you may make the District Honor band. They use the same audition for both.

You will receive more information about registration on the Tuesday we return to school.

I hope that each of you have had great progress practicing over the break.

(Before you go to the audition, each student participating must pass off their scales. The best time to do this is in the mornings. See Ms. Todd to set up a time.)