Permission form and $20 due by Friday, March 1^st 2019

Click Here to Download a Copy of the Form

 

25 February 2019

Greetings Barber 8-1 Band Families!

 

Our 8-1 LGPE at McEachern HS, Pre-LGPE Concert at North Cobb HS, and Recording Session, are quickly approaching.  Please note, there are a few changes to the itinerary that I sent out in the fall.  I really try my best to keep to the schedule and if there are changes, I try my hardest to let you know as soon as I am able to.  The change are making is we are moving our concert at Barber from March 7^th to North Cobb HS on March 11^th.  We are also adding a field trip the week after LGPE for our recording session that will primarily be during the school day.  I asked for permission to do this trip primarily during the school day so I could minimize any disruption an additional school obligation might cause to your family evening routines.  As a parent myself, I definitely understand this balance and struggle.  I will have more details below.

 

This next month should be a fun, yet highly educational experience for all of our students.  I was able to work things out to get the individual student fees down for these events by applying much of their fundraising money to the cost of the trips, trying to take into careful consideration that a lot of you might be slightly strapped with the Orlando payments.  Please understand that we admire and appreciate the personal sacrifices that families have made financially and with their time to ensure that our band gets a world-class educational experience.  It is because of you and the hard work of your students that enable our band program has had such great success over the years.  Attached to this letter is a run-down of our very busy month of March, as well as schedules, and the field trip permission form for our Recording Session trip.

 

Band Mini-Camp – Saturday, March 2^nd from 10:00am – 2:00pm

We will be having our last critical full ensemble rehearsal this coming weekend.  There were originally 2 mini-camps scheduled.  Last year’s group did two.  Because of the hard work and exceptional progress that our students have been making, I cancelled the first one.  We will be having the remaining rehearsal this Saturday, however.  This rehearsal is crucial to our development with two large performances and a recording session on the horizon.  Please make sure that students pack their own lunch on Saturday because lunch will not be provided.  It will take place at Barber.

 

Pre-LGPE Concert at North Cobb HS – Monday, March 11^th at 7:00pm

Parents, I could not turn down the invitation from the North Cobb Band to perform along side of their wonderful bands on the night of their concert.  The concert will be in the brand new, state of the art, North Cobb Performing Arts Center on their campus.  This should be a wonderful experience for our students to get to see the high school concert bands perform and perform in a much better facility than we are accustom to at Barber.  We will also be doing our recording session in that facility a couple of weeks later so this will be a great opportunity to preview how we will sound in that hall.  Please note, the 8-1 students will no longer be performing on March 7^th at Barber. On the night of the concert on the 11^th, please make sure your student is on-time and in the proper concert attire.  Please let me know if there is an issue.

 

6:15pm –       Call Time – students need to be at North Cobb HS, enter through the Band Room side of the building and report to the Chorus Room with their Instruments and music, wearing their concert attire.  I will have details about parking later.

7:00pm –       Performance Begins.  Please have your child stay for the entire performance.  There are only approximately 3 bands performing.  Part of the educational experience for the students is the opportunity for them to hear older and more mature bands than them.

 

*Note –           Transportation will be up to the families.  We will not be taking a bus over there and a bus back.

 

8-1 LGPE at McEachern HS – Monday, March 18^th at 7:15pm

This will be an evening field trip. We will be providing dinner at no cost to the student. Students will be getting a chick-fil-a dinner at McEachern HS.  If there are any allergy concerns, please let me know as soon as possible. We are performing at the McEachern Performing Arts center at 7:15pm.  All are welcomed and encouraged to attend this event.  It would be great for the students to have a large audience to witness their culminating performance of their middle school band careers! Parents will be expected to pick up their students approximately 9:00pm at Barber Middle School.  If you are attending the concert and would like to drive your student home, please check out with me after the performance before we get on the busses to Barber.

 

 

Schedule	LGPE – March 18th, 2019
3:30 AM	Call Down/ change / load
4:30 PM	Depart for McEachern
5:15 PM	Arrive/ Unload
5:45 PM	Eat Dinner / Watch Hightower Trail
6:30 PM	Warm-up
7:15 PM	Performance
7:40 PM	Clinic
8:15 PM	Depart for Barber
9:00 PM	Arrive at Barber

 

 

Recording Session Field Trip – Monday, March 25^th

This year we wanted to provide a new, unique, opportunity for the students.  I have been struggling all year with the idea that LGPE is their culminating experience in middle school.  LGPE adjudication is often sparsely attended and is something that our program is always required to do.  Our students are playing at such an extraordinary level and I wanted to give our students an opportunity that they deserve and put the band on the pedestal that they belong.  Because of this, the directors have decided to apply the band for the Standard of Excellence Wind Band Honors Award.  What this is, is bands from all over the country apply to get on this recording.

 

The Standard of Excellence project seeks to recognize and award outstanding achievement in performance by high school and middle school bands, choirs and orchestras. The project gathers entries from throughout the United States and provides valuable feedback for all entrants. A unique competitive environment is created which allows ensembles to compare their performance quality to other outstanding groups from across the country. The top 25% of entrants are recognized as National Winners, with the second 25% named as Commended Winners. All entrants receive a compilation recording of the winning performances. Winners are recognized in regional and/or national publications and at national and regional conventions. It is hoped the adjudicator critiques and the compilation recordings will prove helpful in improving performances and will spread knowledge of quality literature.

 

For the recording session, the students will use their excellent feedback they received from LGPE the week prior, to make their music even better.  We will have a recording engineer to present to the children about what music recording sessions are like, and then our students will have the opportunity to experience a real-world recording session that afternoon.  I am especially thrilled about this experience that we are providing for the kids.  We will have chick-fil-a available to the kids for lunch.  If there is an allergy, please let me know as soon as possible.  Please have the students turn in their permission form, along with $20.00, by Friday, March 2^nd.  Below is our schedule:

 

8-1 Recording Session	Monday, March 25th, 2019
10:00	Call Students Down
10:30	Load Busses / Depart for NCHS
11:00	Arrive at NCHS / Eat Lunch
12:00	Set up and for Recording Session
1:00	Question and answer session with professional sound engineer
1:30	Warm-ups and Recording Session Begins
2:30	Break
3:00	Recording Session Begins
4:30	Recording Session Ends / Pack up / Load Busses
5:30	Arrive Back at Barber Middle School

 

* Note – Students will take the bus to school like normal.  There is no concert attire that is necessary for this trip.  Students will need to be picked up from school at approximately 5:00pm.

 

We are extremely excited these performances and educational opportunities.  On the back of this letter is a list of all of the rehearsals and performances between now and the end of March.   I consider it a privilege and an honor to work with and lead your extraordinary students.  I cannot stress enough the importance of perfect attendance at the remaining after-school sectionals and the mini camp in March.  I really believe that these experiences will lead to some very positively life-changing memories that our students will cherish for their entire lives!

 

 

 

Remaining 8-1 Commitments until March 14^th

 

• After School Sectionals

o   Tuesdays – Soprano and Alto Voices

o   Thursdays – Tenor and Bass Voices

 

• Saturday, March 2^rd 10:00AM – 2:00PM Mini Camp Rehearsal

o   Students will need to bring their own lunch

 

• Friday, March 8^th – 2^nd Annual Braves Rave 4:30PM until 8:00PM

o   Please support the Barber Band by having your students attend this fun night

o   Tickets are $30.  $50 if the student wants to pie a director in the face

o   Details are on another letter that was sent home

 

• Monday, March 11^th 7:00PM Pre-LGPE Concert at North Cobb HS

o   Call time is 6:15pm in the Chorus Room

 

• Monday, March 18^th 7:15PM 8-1 LGPE at McEachern HS

o   This will be an evening trip

o   Dinner will be provided

 

• Monday, March 25^st Mark of Excellence Recording Project at North Cobb HS

o    Please send your student with $20 to cover the costs of this trip

 

 

Robert Grogan 

Band Director

Barber Middle School

Cobb County, GA

Greetings Barber Band Family!

 

Our Winter Concert is quickly arriving.  There will be two concerts in one night

 

Tuesday, December 4th – 6:00pm Concert (call time is 5:30pm)

• All Sixth Grade Bands

 

Tuesday, December 4th – 7:30pm Concert (call time is 7:00pm)

• 7-2 Band
• 8-2 Band
• 8-1 Band

 

We are very excited and are off to a fantastic start!  The students have made a huge amount of progress this year.  They have been working very hard in preparation for the performances, which will take place in the Barber Middle School Auditorium.  We are very proud of all of our Bands. Their hard work will definitely show on the night of the concert.

 

The concert attire for the 8th graders is their concert tuxes or dresses. For the 6th and 7th graders, they will wear their Barber Band polos with black pants, black belts, black socks, and black dress shoes.  They are allowed to wear Santa caps, antlers, or elf hats if they would like.

 

We are very excited for this Concert and look forward to their performance and meeting with many of you!  Please feel free to contact us if you have any questions.

 

Thank you for your time and your advocacy in our program

Parents,

 

We have a very busy schedule with the 8-1 band this coming Winter and Spring. The Barber 8-1 Band has been our flagship ensemble for many years now.  The band has been invited to prestigious festivals, has performed as a guest “showcase” band at southeastern regional workshops, and has performed on many university stages.  The group constantly plays some of the most challenging literature in the county every year at the Cobb County LGPE.

 

In order to maintain the high level of excellence that has become the expectation for our band, we need to make sure that we are preparing to have the best performance possible.  Included in this letter are all of the obligations until Spring Break. This includes our annual symphonic camp, two concerts at Barber MS, two mini camps, and after-school section rehearsals (sectionals).  I must stress how important it is for us to have 100% participation at these rehearsals. We really need the whole team there. For Orlando students, attendance to the Symphonic Camp and the additional rehearsals is in the Orlando contract that was signed and returned.  On a really positive note, we are bringing in several guest instructors, conductors, and educators to work with your children throughout the concert cycle. Your kids really are getting a fantastic band education with the goal of having awesome performances and making life-long positive memories.

 

On the back is the full winter and spring schedule for the 8-1 Band (up through March).  I hope this advanced notice helps for your planning purposes. This is the earliest I have ever had this information go out.  The schedule is very similar to what we do with the 8-1 band every year. Since sectionals are starting next week and it is short notice, I completely understand if your family is unable to make next week work.  I will certainly curtail my expectations for next week’s attendance.

 

Thank you very much and please let me know if you have any questions, comments, or concerns.

 

Robert Grogan

Director of Bands

Barber Middle School

barberband.org

 

8-1 Winter and Spring Schedule

 

*The sectionals will start November 5th and run until March 14th

• Every Monday  between now and March 14th: 4:30-5:30 pm – Sectionals

• • Alto Saxes

 

• • Horns

• Every Tuesday between now and March 14th: 4:30-5:30 pm – Sectionals

• • Flutes
  • Clarinets
    
  • Oboes
  • Trumpets
    

• Every Wednesday between now and March 14th: 4:30-5:30 pm – Sectionals
  

• • Percussion
    

• Every Thursday between now and March 14th: 4:30-5:30 pm – Sectionals

• • Tenor Sax
  • Bassoons
  • Trombones
  • Euphoniums

 

• • Bass Clarinets
  • Bari Sax
  • Tubas
  • String Bass

• Saturday, December 1st – Honor Band/Allstate Audition at Dodgen MS

 

• Tuesday, December 4th – Winter Concert at BMS – 7:30

 

 

• Friday and Saturday, January 18th-19th Barber Symphonic Camp

• More information will go home shortly about this event

 

 

• Saturday, February 2nd 10:00AM – 2:30PM Mini Camp Rehearsal
  • Students will need to bring their own lunch

 

• Saturday, March 3rd 10:00AM – 2:30PM Mini Camp Rehearsal
  • Students will need to bring their own lunch

 

• Thursday, March 7th 7:00PM Pre-LGPE Concert at Barber

 

• Thursday, March 21st LGPE (tentative – this date may change)

CLICK HERE TO GO TO THE STUDENT EVALUATION FORM

Click Here to Download the Form

 

Dear Parents and Students,

 

The District Honor Band & All-State Auditions are quickly approaching.  This is a great opportunity for your student to grow as an individual musician! Auditions provide an opportunity for students to work hard and reach new levels of performance on their instruments.  Auditions prepare students to perform well in pressure situations such as concert performances, solo performances, and chair placements.  Students who audition early in their music career increase their chances of success when they audition for top performing groups at the high school level and scholarship opportunities at the collegiate level.

 

District Honor Band & All-State are two separate events.  District band is made up of the best players from Cobb County and the All State Band is made up of the best players throughout Georgia! Students are placed in these ensembles by audition.  Auditions will be held at Dodgen Middle School, Saturday December 1^st.  On the audition, students will play 4 major scales, chromatic scale, and sight-reading.

 

There is an audition fee that our state organization charges in order to run the event.  The audition fee of $10 for “Honor Band only” or $35 for “All-State and Honor Band” is due by September 5^th, 2018.

 

Based upon the audition scores on December 1^st, your student may become a member of the 2019 District 12 Honor Band.  The District 12 honor band will be hosted at Lovinggood Middle School and will run Friday evening February 1^st through Saturday, February 2^nd and a concert on Sunday February 3^rd.

 

If your student auditioned for both Honor Band and All-State and scores highly on the December 1^st audition, they may qualify for the All-State Band second round audition.  The 2^nd round audition is held in January at Perry Middle School in Perry, GA.  If you score high enough on the second audition, you may become a member of the 2019 Georgia All-State Band and perform in Athens, GA in March!

 

 

 

 

 

Summary

• We encourage all 7^th graders to audition for at least “Honor Band Only”
• All 8-1 students are required to audition for Honor Band and All State
• Auditions will take place Saturday, December 1^st at Dodgen Middle School (directions and audition times will be provided. You provide your own transportation).
• Audition materials will be distributed in class. You can find extra copies at GMEA.org under the divisions tab click bands, scroll down and click all-state middle school band scales & etudes under audition requirements.
• Audition fee of $10 for just honor band or $35 for honor band and all-state band is due no later than September 5^th, 2018.
• Additional information will be sent home if your student is selected to be a member of the Honor Band and/or scores high enough for the second round All-State audition.

 

Sixth Grade students that are in music performance classes will need to purchase a Barber Music Polo. This will be the required uniform for 6th Grade Band, Chorus, and Orchestra students. The polo is available in Adult Men’s and Adult Women’s sizes only. This polo will continue as a uniform option for performances in 7th and 8th grade. Polos can be purchased for $20. Checks (made out to Barber Middle School), Cash and Order Forms should be placed in school envelopes and placed in the black box safes in the halls. Polos may also be purchased online at www.mypaymentsplus.com

Click here for the Barber Music Polo Order Form

1 May 2018

Greetings Parents!

 

This has been a fantastic and successful year for the Barber Bands.  I am thoroughly convinced of the value of our band program and the quality of our students as they advanced to the next grade level or feed up into North Cobb HS Band.  We are now in the process of wrapping up the school year and the kids have worked extraordinarily hard! We have our final concert coming next week.

 

 

 

We our concert on Tuesday night, May 8^th.

 

 

7:30 pm, May 8^th in the BMS Auditorium – 7-2, 7-1, and 8^th grade Bands

Call time is 7:00.  The dress for this is their concert tux and dress for the 7^th and 8^th graders.  We have a couple of 6^th grade “Platinum students” who will be performing with the 7-2 band.  Their concert attire is just their Barber Music Polo and black pants.

 

 

 

 

We are very excited for our final performances of the year!

 

 

 

 

 

Thank you for your time and your advocacy in our program.

 

 

 

Robert Grogan

Director of Bands

[email protected]

770-975-6764 x2430

UNLEASH YOUR POTENTIAL
Click here to download the Brochure

 

How Do I Join?

1. FILL OUT THE STUDENT INFORMATION FORM
   Please fill out the google document that has all of the information we need to get your student enrolled in Fine Arts for next year. Please have this filled out before your appointment. https://goo.gl/forms/q0kxHstOGnl44YWK2

2. SIGN UP FOR A TIME SLOT ON MAY 16 OR MAY 17
   Sign up to try out and select a Band or Orchestra instrument or audition for Dance and Chorus. You and your student will sit down with us and try out different instruments he/she may be interested in. We will let them try any of the instruments that are available to see what will be the best fit for them! You can also audition for Chorus and/or Dance. We will teach you everything you need to know, so NO PREVIOUS EXPERIENCE IS REQUIRED! https://goo.gl/forms/GEfBLwRu31wdJpdo1

Frequently Asked Questions

Do I need prior experience to join Band, Chorus, Dance, or Orchestra?

No! We will teach you everything you need to know!

What are the advantages of being in Fine Arts?

The College Entrance Examination Board found that students involved in public school music programs score 107 points higher on SAT’s than students without musical experiences. Music classes are the only classes that students get to choose. Other advantages include: Concerts, camps, trips (Disney, etc…) and the opportunity to perform with North Cobb High School!

What styles will I learn in Dance class?

Ballet, Jazz, Contemporary, and Hip Hop.

What Instruments can I choose from?

Band – Flute, Clarinet, Saxophone, Oboe, Bassoon, Trumpet, French Horn, Trombone, Euphonium, Tuba

Orchestra – Violin, Viola, Cello, Bass

How do I know which instrument I should play?

The Band and Orchestra Directors will meet with every future member to help them select the perfect instrument!

Does it cost a lot of money to be in Band or Orchestra?

No! Some of the more expensive instruments are owned by the school. Other instruments can be rented for $20-$45 per month.

Can I join more than one class?

Yes! Most of our students sign up for two Fine Arts classes.

CONTACT INFORMATION

FOR FURTHER ASSISTANCE REGARDING THE BARBER MIDDLE SCHOOL FINE ARTS PROGRAMS, PLEASE CONTACT:

ROBERT GROGAN – BAND

BRADLEY RIKARD – BAND

LISA DAVIDSON – CHORUS

NICOLE PERKINS – DANCE

MARK BURROUGHS – ORCHESTRA

 

Parents,

Parents,