Great Things to Like about 2007:

Great Parades!! Anoka, N. St. Paul, Payne, 2 Holidazzels.

Great Indoor Marching Concert!!!  Wonderful memories!! Lots of Hard Work!! 

Great work in all Bands!! 

Things to work on in 2008:

Freshmen/Varsity Jazz band desperately needs any trombone or piano players.  The ones we had left.

Keep up to date on your sign off sheets and practice, practice, practice!!!!

All Conference Band and Jazz Band concert at North Jan 15^th. Admission. Great concert, don’t miss it. The best band students in 8 high schools including ours. We will need parents to help with a bake sale that night. Please vol. and or bake something.  We need the money!!!

All Band Students are now preparing or should be preparing their Smart Solo for a first run thru in Jan. and a final present in Feb.  Double points for those able to perform at Contest on Feb. 23.

Ask your students about some grading procedure changes in concert band ( All involved) and Freshmen Band (some involved) I refer you to an earlier letter about my feelings dealing with grades.  It will change nothing about the way I grade in class. Questions, please feel free to call me. 651-748-6059.

Sincerely,

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November News Update

University of Minnesta Indoor Marching Concert Tickets

Almost 35 North high students and their parents are going to this event on Sat., Dec. 1 at Northrup Auditorium.  If you would like tickets go to this website: https://www.tickets.umn.edu/onlineumato/seatSelect.asp?WSadmissions::admission::performance_id=4C594599-3058-4D05-8084-A243ADA87F49

 If you wish to ride with us in our motor coach please call me at 651-748-6059 to reserve your ride.

North High Indoor Marching Band Concert

Mark your calendars: Nov. 19th.  Marching in the aisles, great Pop tunes, dancing around, having a good time, invite the entire extended family, 7:00 P.M. No admission, New t-shirt is the uniform.  Did you order yours?? All bands attendance required. It's a BLAST!!

Great Parent Conferences!!

It truly is an honor teaching your students!! After meeting many of you new ones with the return of the "old" ones,  the phrase " The acorn never drops far from the tree" really holds true. Well done, parents!!!

Chicago Trip

We have a great bunch of students and parents signed up.  If you care to change your mind, hurry up and get your $50 in;  space is running out.  Some hoped -for goals: two major performances/clinics, one college, one Vets.  Possible train instead of bus to Chicago. Trip to occur during our March vacation time. Leave 1st Sat. of the break and return on or before Wed.(leaves you the rest of the week to plan other things) Definitely do all the major attractions including huge Field Museum, Jazz Club, Chicago style pizza, Science and Industry, etc.  More very soon.

Sneeze Season Here

Help!!!!!  We have no budget for kleenex at all!!!  Please send as many boxes as you can afford. 

Parade Season Success

Anoka parade was an outstanding experience.  Third place finish: one point behind two summer marching program giants (Lakeville,etc.) .  The "race" that the parade became after the judging wasn't all that pleasant and a judge telling us the wrong info for the judging stand was not cool, but life goes on. Many thanks to the two or three mothers that have continually helped out with uniforms.  It made the students experiences go much better.

Mr B's Grading Philosophy

The two jazz bands that are now rehearsing are doing great!! Freshmen/varsity band don't forget; join us in the band room every Wed. for either late start or advisements. Our goal with these groups is to teach jazz improv and stylings and perform a lot.  If you have a performance idea in mind for one or both of our groups call me at 651-748-6059.  Our supreme goal is to play at the High School League Contest in April at White Bear High School. Please let me know at your earliest convenience if you have a conflict.  Jazz combo people be advised these come first.

Freshmen Band: We are going to try and save a wonderful band experience that budget cuts and forced schedule changes have tried to do away with:  Jazz.                         The concert band has been operating with added learning opportunities such as solos with "Smart" music computer software, ensemble playing (smaller groups, like instruments), pit orchestra, some drumline practicing opportunities, "Compass" Instrument software and sound track recording studio work along with jazz ensemble during their regular class time. 

 We are copying a Simley High School program since the beginning of the year, twice a week and it has been a good fit to date.  Each student is given independent work and is required to keep a log that I check periodically for grading purposes along with their completed project.  For the freshmen I am going to offer this opportunity once a week (Thursday) and continue it during advisements and late starts.  The jazz experience will include all percussion, all trumpets, all saxes, all low brass and some help in guitar and piano.  Flutes and clarinets will be allowed to choose from the other activities. 

We started today but my student assistant didn't quite understand how things work in the library where we do our computer work and did not get access to the machines we had reserved.  I promise that will not happen again.  Student maturity levels will have a lot to do with how well this works as with most any class and if I see that the educational expectations are not being met we will cease and desist these opportunities.  Grading on the portal will change to reflect these new areas.

 All Bands: The University of Minnesota's Golden Gopher Marching Band will be presenting their Indoor Marching Concert on Sat., Dec.1 , 7:00 P.M.  Tickets are $18, bus from North $5.  We usually take a bus full to this fantastic event.  Please turn in this amount by Tuesday, Oct. 15 if you wish to attend.  Space is limited, so hurry!

Congratts to all band members who participated in the North High Homecoming.  You were great! 

Anoka Halloween Parade Sat. Oct. 31.  Parade starts at 1:00 P.M.  We will arrive at 1:45 (back end of parade) Leave North Hi by 1:00P.M.  109 students have signed up to perform.  Way to go!!! More later.

Holidazzel Parades in Minneapolis: They want 30 or our best to dress up in their lighted outfits and perform on Thursday, Dec. 6 and Friday, Dec. 14.  Will have a sign up shortly. Fun times!!!

Bring all the relatives to North High Marching Band's Indoor Marching Concert on Monday, Nov. 19th. All bands required!! I told a freshmen band member the other day that if you have to keep asking if every single thing I ask you to do is required you are in the wrong place!

Chicago is on!!! 48 Students, 5 or more adults have their deposits in.  We will keep you posted on the great things we will do.

BB

Freshmen Band: We are going to try and save a wonderful band experience that budget cuts and forced schedule changes have tried to do away with:  Jazz.                         The concert band has been operating with added learning opportunities such as solos with "Smart" music computer software, ensemble playing (smaller groups, like instruments), pit orchestra, some drumline practicing opportunities, "Compass" Instrument software and sound track recording studio work along with jazz ensemble during their regular class time. 

 We are copying a Simley High School program since the beginning of the year, twice a week and it has been a good fit to date.  Each student is given independent work and is required to keep a log that I check periodically for grading purposes along with their completed project.  For the freshmen I am going to offer this opportunity once a week (Thursday) and continue it during advisements and late starts.  The jazz experience will include all percussion, all trumpets, all saxes, all low brass and some help in guitar and piano.  Flutes and clarinets will be allowed to choose from the other activities. 

We started today but my student assistant didn't quite understand how things work in the library where we do our computer work and did not get access to the machines we had reserved.  I promise that will not happen again.  Student maturity levels will have a lot to do with how well this works as with most any class and if I see that the educational expectations are not being met we will cease and desist these opportunities.  Grading on the portal will change to reflect these new areas.

 All Bands: The University of Minnesota's Golden Gopher Marching Band will be presenting their Indoor Marching Concert on Sat., Dec.1 , 7:00 P.M.  Tickets are $18, bus from North $5.  We usually take a bus full to this fantastic event.  Please turn in this amount by Tuesday, Oct. 15 if you wish to attend.  Space is limited, so hurry!

Congratts to all band members who participated in the North High Homecoming.  You were great! 

Anoka Halloween Parade Sat. Oct. 31.  Parade starts at 1:00 P.M.  We will arrive at 1:45 (back end of parade) Leave North Hi by 1:00P.M.  109 students have signed up to perform.  Way to go!!! More later.

Holidazzel Parades in Minneapolis: They want 30 or our best to dress up in their lighted outfits and perform on Thursday, Dec. 6 and Friday, Dec. 14.  Will have a sign up shortly. Fun times!!!

Bring all the relatives to North High Marching Band's Indoor Marching Concert on Monday, Nov. 19th. All bands required!! I told a freshmen band member the other day that if you have to keep asking if every single thing I ask you to do is required you are in the wrong place!

Chicago is on!!! 48 Students, 5 or more adults have their deposits in.  We will keep you posted on the great things we will do.

BB

Only How Many Weeks Left??

Second Official Band Letter of 2007-08

If you missed the first one go to www.northhighband.org It has all the concert dates, music pick ups, etc. 

Open House Rehearsal Thursday, Aug. 30^th , 1:00-4:00P.M.

Don’t miss this one. Uniforms, lockers, locks, order stuff, marching. Freshmen, varsity, concert bands all should attend. Bonus points given if you get this done before school starts. Parents:  I will need help handing out uniforms, etc. Please volunteer now at This e-mail address is being protected from spam bots, you need JavaScript enabled to view it   I can predict some very unhappy people trying to get this done when I have to be at Richardson! 

                                                 July 9, 2007 

                                            What’s Up Doc??