FOOTBALL GAMES

Members of the Symphonic Band and Concert Bands will perform at two Spillane home games this year. The first game will be the 7th grade game on October 2nd and the second will be the 8th grade game on October 9th. After the October 9 game there will be a chili dog supper and concert for the families of the band members in the Spillane Dining hall at 7:00 PM. Band members should wear their new band shirts and blue jeans/pants as a uniform. Bring those sunglasses, it's going to be sunny. We will all practice together in the dining hall from 2:40pm until 4:10pm then "march" out to the stadium and sit in the stands. The band will finish outside around 6:30pm and will need to help return equipment to the band hall. Meal tickets will be sold by band members before the event.

FUNDRAISER START

We will kick off our annual performing arts fund-raiser on October 19th. The product delivery will be after Thanksgiving. This year we will be selling pre-portioned frozen Ottis Spunkmeyer Cookies! Interested in volunteering for the band? The fundraiser is a great way to get started. Just e-mail one of the band directors for more information on volunteering with the Spillane Band.

HONOR BAND AUDITIONS

On October 22th selected members of the Symphonic Band will participate in the CFISD Honor Band audition at Aragon MS located at 16823 West Rd., Houston 77095. We will travel by school bus to Aragon but you are responsible to pick up your child at Aragon. The audition should be finished by 7:00PM. Results will be given by Mr. Harrington the following day in band. A permission form is required for this event. Permission forms will be passed out the week prior the event. This is a preparation audition for All-Region Band auditions in November. Students who earn a chair in Honor Band do not practice with an actual band, but will receive a patch instead.

REGION BAND AUDITIONS

On Saturday, November 3 members of the Symphonic Band will participate in the TMEA Music Region XXVII Junior High All-Region Band Auditions (JHARB) at Hopper Middle School. This is an all day event and students will receive a permission form as well as an itinerary the week prior to this event. Students who earn a chair in this prestigious organization will be
required to attend a section rehearsal on Tuesday, November 27th and a rehearsal on Friday, November 30th and another rehearsal followed by a concert on Saturday, December 1st. GOOD LUCK!

Solo and Ensemble Contest

In January, band students are preparing for the CFISD Solo and Ensemble Contest at Cook Middle School on the weekend of February 1st and 2nd. This is for members of Concert Bands 1 and 2 as well as members of the Symphonic Band. Students enrolled in lessons will receive a solo in November to start preparing for the contest. All 7th and 8th graders will receive an ensemble to prepare for the contest. Any student who receives a first division from the judge will receive a medal that can be worn at band concerts and contests. Information will begin to come home in late November to prepare you and your child for this event.

UIL for Concert Band 1 is April 4th or 5th
UIL for Symphonic Band is April 11th or 12th
This is our state evaluation process for bands in Texas. We will begin preparing music in January for the concert portion of this contest and we have been preparing for sight-reading since the first day of beginning band. We will receive our times and days approximately 2 weeks prior to the contest. In preparation to this event Spillane performing band students will participate in a pre-UIL practice (March 11 for Concert Band 1 and March 27 for Symphonic Band) event sponsored by the district. We will also host a pre-contest concert at Spillane (March 25 for Concert Band 1 and April 1st for Symphonic Band). Parents are encouraged to attend any and all of these events.
Please mark these events on your calendar.

Each year members of the bands will get a spring trip. This year, all band students will be able to participate in the Splashtown day in May (weekend). Also, member of Concert Band 1 and 2 will go to the Cypress-Falls Festival of Bands on May 9 or 10. The Symphonic Band will go to Galveston and perform at the 1894 Galveston Opera House. While in Galveston, they will go to Moody Gardens and have lunch on the Strand. Any time we take students away from school for almost any reason, whether it is to play or just for fun, they must be passing all classes and eligible.