Alabama Symphony Orchestra Field Trip - 7th Grade Band!

The 7th grade band traveled to the BJCC in Birmingham today to see professionals at work. The orchestra performed a variety of works featuring: Sleeping Beauty; Tchaikovsky, Pizzicato Polka; Stauss, Symphony #1 (movt. 2); Shostakovich, The Unanswered Question; Charles Ives, Scheherazade; Rimsky-Korsakov and Harry Potter; John Williams. While all of the music was not recognized by the students, the skill and dedication that went into the performance was for sure. Students observed skills and techniques that they are learning and attempting to apply daily in class. What a wonderful trip this was. Congratulations students on your excellent representation of your school, your band, your parents and yourself!

The Annual Spring Band Concert will be held on Tuesday, May 6, 2008, at 7:00p.m. in the Talladega High School Gym. Admission is $3.00 (6 and under free). Prior to the concert the band will sponsor a Spaghetti Dinner in the THS cafeteria from 5:00-6:30p.m. Tickets may be purchased for $6.00 from any band student or winter guard member beginning Thursday, May 1, 2008. All proceeds will benefit the Talladega City Bands.

The concert will feature performances by:
The ZEJH 7th grade band
The ZEJH 8th grade band The "Ellis Emeralds"
The Talladega High School Concert Band
The "Dega Darlins"
The THS Jazz Band

Please come and support our young people as they showcase their talents. We are very proud of each and every one of them. The hard work and dedication that they put forth daily should not go unnoticed. See you there!

7th Grade Field Trip!

The 7th Grade Beginning Band will travel to the BJCC on Wednesday to attend a presentation by the Alabama Symphony Orchestra. We are excited for the students to have the opportunity to see professional musicians perform on instruments that our students have been trying to learn and perfect all year. The presentation will focus on "putting it all together", what it takes to present a concert and all that is involved. Some of our students will experience orchestral playing for the first time, how exciting!

All band students are to report to the bandroom at 7:45a.m. We will depart at 8am and return no later than 2p.m. The concert is at 10:00a.m. at the BJCC. We will stop for lunch on the way back; don't forget to bring lunch money! (Students do not have to wear school uniform, however, 'nice' dress is expected - no t-shirts and jeans.)

The majority of the 7th grade band students have turned in their forms and money, however, there are still a few that have not done so. If you have lost your form, forgotten about it, or simply need to turn yours in, please do so ASAP.

I look forward to having a fun filled trip with lots to be shared with your fellow classmates and friends when we return!

Don't Forget!!!

ATTENTION ALL 8th Grade Band Students! Registration time for High School is here! As you begin filling out your registration form for Talladega High School do not forget to check band on your form. If questions arise throughout the process about class selection or scheduling please feel free to ask Ms. Todd or Mr. McDaniel. After two years of hard work, we look forward to seeing each of you use your talents and accomplishments at an even higher level. Congratulations and Good Luck!

The Talladega City Bands presented 'what they have to offer' to all 6th Graders in the Talladega City School System on April 10, 2008. Below is a brief clip of the presentation.

ALABAMA STATE CHAMPS & SCGC SILVER MEDALISTS!

CONGRATULATIONS! to the "Ellis Emeralds" for their recent success at SCGC championships held in Nashville, TN, at Vanderbilt University on April 4, 2008, where they competed against groups from Tennessee, Mississippi, Alabama, Kentucky and Georgia. Anticipation, excitement and a considerable amount of nervousness filled the air as the "Ellis Emeralds" took the floor for competition for the last time for the 2008 Winter Guard season. The level of performance given by the young ladies did not go unnoticed among the parents, the crowd, other competing groups and the judges. Hard work, dedication and hours of practice presented a big payoff as awards were called on Saturday night in a gym full of young people eagerly representing their schools and band programs. The "Ellis Emeralds" were named as 2008 Alabama State Champions and also were awarded the Silver Medal in the Cadet Class.

What a great way to start a new adventure. The "Ellis Emeralds" have had a great first year and show a large amount of potential for future success. We look forward to seeing this group of young ladies excel and do even more in the years to come.

The "Ellis Emeralds" traveled with their sister group the "Dega Darlins". The "Dega Darlins" received 4th place after an outstanding performance as members of the Scholastic B Class. They came in 2nd among the groups representing Alabama; clearly, another great representation of the Talladega City Schools.

A special thank you to the Faculty and Staff of the Talladega City School System and Zora Ellis Jr. High for the support and encouragement that they have so eagerly offered. Also, a special Thank you to Brian McLemore and Rebekah Corn for all of their creative efforts and time and to Mr. McDaniel for all of his guidance and support.

The "Ellis Emeralds" will perform for the 6th graders at an in-school performance on Thursday, April 10, 2008 and at the Talladega City Schools Bands Spring Concert on Tuesday, May 6, 2008, both to be held in the THS gym.

Congratulations!

Congratulations to the Ellis Emeralds for a great performance this past Saturday. They traveled to Hoover High School to compete in their 3rd Winter Guard Competition of the season and represented Zora Ellis well. With a performance full of smiles, energy and dedication, the Ellis Emeralds happily took 1st place in the cadet class. They will travel to Nashville, Tennesse on Friday, April 4, 2008, to compete in their final competition of the season, SCGC Championships. They will compete against 6 other junior high groups in the cadet class, where the top three groups will receive individual medals. Good Luck ladies as you prepare and travel to Vanderbilt University. We are proud of you and know you will do your BEST!

If you would like to find out more about winter guard and all that is involved you may visit http://www.scgconline.org/.

Getting Back into the Swing of Things!

Spring Break is officially over. I hope that each of you had a great and relaxing Spring Break 2008. As we return to school, just a few reminders of how to get back into the Swing of Things!


1. Practice Routine..... It is important to have a practice routine. Set up a time each day that you practice. A little time is better than no time. Remember to practice things that you are not good at, not just the things you like to play. You must take your instruments home to practice, leaving them is the bandroom is not helping you, your band, or your band grade.

2. Morning Routine.... Those of you that come to the bandroom in the mornings, may certainly do so. Keep in mind that you MUST be playing your instrument. This is not a social time or homework time, its music time. This is also a good opportunity to get extra help from a peer or from Ms. Todd. Ask someone to help you with problems that you may be having.

3. Warm-up Routine.... It is important to develop an individual routine. You may draw from our class warm-up routine. Brass, do not forget to buzz and be sure that you are buzzing songs, scales, etc. with the correct pitches. Scales are a great thing to work into your warm-up routine. You may also use the orange areas in your Essential Elements Book for help. LONG TONES are very important in warm-up. Pick a scale, play it in long tones and listen carefully to your tone quality striving to make it better every time you play. (this is a good time to work on a scale that might be giving you problems, because you will be doing this slowly.)

4. Everyday Routine... You may have been out for Spring Break, but with school back in session please "Think before you Do". All of the rules are the same. Expectations have not changed and School is NOT out. Be sure that you quickly get back into the Swing of things by following rules and behaving properly. If you can't behave, you can't learn properly. Also be sure that you are doing your part in class and taking care of your equipment and music.

Lets get back into the Swing of Things quickly. We have a lot to do in the few months left of School. Lots of music and new concepts to learn, a few field trips to take and concerts to perform. WELCOME BACK!

MARCH is Music In Ours Schools Month!

March has been officially designated by MENC: The National Association for Music Education for the observance of Music In Our Schools Month (MIOSM®), the time of year when music education becomes the focus of schools across the nation. MIOSM began as a single statewide celebration in 1973, and has grown over the decades to encompass a day, then a week, and then in 1985 to become a month long celebration of school music. The purpose of MIOSM is to raise awareness of the importance of music education for all children – and to remind citizens that school is where all children should have access to music. MIOSM is an opportunity for music teachers to bring their music programs to the attention of the school and the community and to display the benefits school music brings to students of all ages.

The celebration continues to grow each year, reaching more and more students, teachers, musicians, and music supporters. Schools and communities throughout the country and overseas celebrate MIOSM with concerts and other activities. Classrooms, concert halls, civic buildings, clubs, parks, libraries, and shopping malls are just some of the arenas in which the public can observe the processes and results of music education.

Many times we don't think about real life musicans in everyday life how music education effected them when they were in junior high and high school. To hear a few comments from common artists and what they think about music education, click on their name.... Vanessa Williams, BoyzIImen, and Gloria Estefan. To view more artists and their comments click here.