​We made it through another week!  Every day here with the kids is a gift, and an adventure for sure.  Especially with this week’s weather.  We’ve played pretend band all week.  (which consisted of holding instruments up and pushing keys and marching in place without making any sound inside)  We were able to go outside once this week.  But the inside time was productive in many ways so I’m considering this week a win.  We’re doing our best to make forward progress under the current circumstances which are trying pretty hard to push us backwards! 
 
As was mentioned in the beginning of year letter, our first evening rehearsal is next week.  September 16 from 6-7:30pm.  We will rehearse as a full band, with all of the space and guidelines being observed.  We do have a partial halftime to show and a few other songs to play and we will be live streaming those on the band facebook page for all of the parents and friends at home to watch.  We’re calling it a live stream mini performance.  The facebook page is Byron High School Band.  I will practice live streaming something before then so that I don’t have too many technical difficulties on Wednesday night… fingers crossed.  I’m hoping for the live stream to start shortly after 7pm. 
 
We will have one more live stream performance on October 14th, which will be live streamed again except from the football stadium under the lights.  I hope to have 2 halftime shows and a few bonus features ready for performance by then. 
 
After some deliberation, we’ve decided to change the Florida trip dates to June 28-July 2, 2021.  We’re just pushing it back a few weeks so that spring sport athletes don’t have to miss a week of their sport.  Almost half of the band students are in a spring sport so this was a significant number of students worth changing the dates for.  Obviously we still have the limitations that covid might bring at that time, but that’s beyond anyone’s control so at least changing the date eliminated the spring sport conflict. 
 
The popcorn sale concludes this weekend, it takes approximately 2 minutes to set up an account and then send the link to people who might purchase.  No money collecting, no order forms, etc.  50% profit!  And if you haven’t had zebra popcorn or unicorn popcorn, you don’t know what you’re missing.  =)
 
Have a fantastic weekend!  Looking forward to Wednesday!

Band Camp 2020
August 3-5 9am-3pm (9-12 on the 5th)

Every day students will have their temperature taken and they will need to scan the QR code and fill out the form with a few questions about symptoms.  This is the same form as what they’re doing for sport practices right now.  They will also need to bring the waiver on the first day.  The temp checks and survey happen once per day, so they will do that every morning.  On the first day students will also be asked to bring the signed waiver.  If students do not have their own phone available for the survey, they can fill out a paper copy, or use a parent phone. 

There will be 2 different locations for temperature checks and students should go to those same spots each morning and then there will be designated areas for students to place their belongings outside.  Any time we’re not on the field marching, students need to wear their masks for protection while moving from one place to another.  It’s recommended that they have them around their neck or in their pocket so they can put them over their face whenever needed.

The students will be divided into 3 groups, all with fewer than 50 students.  When we’re outside, the groups will be separated by 30 feet or more at all times and every student will be spaced on the field with 7.5 feet between and around each student.  The groups will not mix with each other for the duration of camp while they are on school grounds.  When you arrive, get your temperature taken, fill out the google doc, turn in the waiver, pick up your equipment and put it in the designated area, then we will have a position on the football field for every individual.  If you’re not sitting there but you’re talking with friends, you must spread apart and you must wear the mask.

We will not be playing our instruments while we are inside, more studies and results will be coming out throughout the rest of the summer and fall about air movement and aerosols coming from instruments.  Preliminary study results testing all instruments have stated that playing an instrument with 6 feet of space indoors with a few modifications on the wind instruments such as bell covers and masks is not any different than sitting and talking with those same modifications.  But, being outside is 20 times safer regardless of the activity, so we’ll be outside as much as possible.  When we are inside, we will be spread apart and not playing wind instruments.   

For sectionals, the groups will be broken down into smaller section groups and they will also be spaced at least 6 feet apart and playing outside only.  Percussion and flags will be playing and rehearsing inside, with masks on at all times.  

There will be no shared instruments or equipment.   

Every student will leave for lunch or bring their own lunch and eat it outside in their designated spot around the practice field, or find a shade tree to eat under.  If you leave for lunch, you may not leave in anyone’s car other than who you came to camp with.  

Any group games or competitions we have will not involve contact between any student or anything with less than 6 feet between students.
 
We will not be distributing uniforms this year during camp, in an effort to avoid a time where it’s difficult to keep personal space.  We will also not be having our end of camp lunch provided by the music boosters.

The hydration station between the two practice fields for students to refill water bottles, but not to drink from.  And when refilling water bottles if there is more than one person at the station students will need to wear their mask.  It is suggested that masks be around their necks so they’re readily available.  We will have a water event on the last day but it will not involve refilling super soakers at the hydration station. 

Bring:
Instrument and mouthpiece
Flipfolder and lyre (if it’s at home) 
Water jug filled
Marching shoes and socks
Sunscreen
Hat

​

Congratulations to Carter Conderman for being selected as our junior drum major!  

Band camp is August 3-5.  Watch for more details here and in the snail mail.  

I feel like Beethoven.  Why, you ask?  Because the endings of many of his orchestral works go like this “this is the end, almost the end, sounds like the end, could be the end, it’s the end, I’m sure it’s the end, no for real I’m not kidding this is the end, except for this part, now this is the end, the end, oh one more thing, and now it’s almost the end, and now really I promise this is the ending part.”  And as a listener you’re on the edge of your seat just waiting until you get to burst up into a rousing standing ovation.  You know what I mean?  No?  LOL.  It’s hard to explain.  My point is that this end of the year stuff seems like it’s dragging on forever and every day I think of something else I need to tell you!  I’ll be sending a letter in the mail about camp (which I am planning right now like it’s going to be normal and if plans need to change I’ll adjust) normal sounds awesome right now!!!  =)  

I want to leave you with a few important thoughts.  
#1 You’ve all expressed appreciation for being in the band room with your peers.  Don’t forget that!  It will be a glorious day when we’re all back in there together.  Being part of something successful is more valuable now than it has ever been.  We’re blessed to have this experience!
#2  Take the time to tell people you appreciate them.  And don’t forget that Sunday is Mother’s Day.  
#3  I really want you to think about this one.  When we get back to school, sports, band, life as we used to know it, some people will have regressed in their skills, some will stay the same, and some will surprise us at how much they’ve improved. I know we can’t have practices together, but nothing is stopping you from making yourself better at home. You can work on those skills for that sport, that subject, that audition, that performance, etc.  You can work on it, and you can be the one who surprises us all when we get back by how much BETTER you are at it than you were before.  Don’t be the kid that says “well I used to be the best one so I’m probably still the best one even though I didn’t do anything to work on my skills.”  Be the one who surprises everyone else on team, or in the section, or in the class about how much better you are.  Because guess what, your biggest competitor from our school or another school is working their butt off.  Don’t waste this opportunity.  

OK last thing, check skyward.  Almost everybody is done.  I’m closing the assignments because a lot of you are doing them again and you don’t have to.  If you’re in both bands, you do not have to do the assignments for the other band.  Watch for camp information coming in the mail and please don't ignore my text messages.  =)  I’ll see the section leaders today at 1, 

I haven’t had a chance to look at instrumentation yet for switching bands, I have to figure out who we need where to make sure the bands have full sections.  I’ll communicate those changes with you via text message before the end of May.    

Alright.  I miss you.  Can’t wait to see you in August!  Have a fantastic summer.  

Mrs. Haas

Band assignment Apr 27
I decided not to make a long video with information and announcements this week because I usually go to school to upload those on Monday mornings but Hunter gets the pins out of his hand on Monday so I’m just going to type it.  

We have 2 weeks left of required school work, and everything after May 8th will be optional.  We will be voting on the drum major as part of the assignment on May 4th, so please make sure you log in to complete that last assignment.  

A few other announcements - drum major candidates make sure you get me your videos and the answer to that question we talked about on zoom by Friday May 1.  

Freshman have a band zoom on Wednesday at 11.  I’ll send text and email links.
Sophomores have a band zoom on Tuesday at 11.

Juniors, I forgot to ask you which halftime show you want to do for your senior halftime show.

Seniors, I don’t have pictures from enough of you to make the slide show.  I’d still like to do that but I wanted to have it ready on May 6, the day we would have had our concert, and I’m not making the slide show unless I have pictures of everyone so start bugging your friends who haven’t sent them.  =)

Band Camp is August 3,4,5.  I’ll talk more about that in the May 4th assignment as well.  
Here's the sappy video I made last week in the band room in case anybody hasn't seen it...  
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-xO0BdaJSR0&t=6s

​Hello – how is everyone doing?  If your family is anything like ours, you’re probably going back and forth between extreme boredom and too many projects happening at once.  It seems like I switch between those 2 things every day.  One day I’ll feel like making a bunch of things in the kitchen, and cleaning every surface and folding all the laundry, making some band videos, reading a few books and playing every instrument and going to the grocery store because I’m out of coffee.  That day is usually when I get most frustrated because I burn everything in the kitchen, our internet is TERRIBLE, and we have to spend half of the morning chasing our one stupid cow who gets out every day.  (side note, that was yesterday)  Today I have lowered my expectations for things I want to accomplish.  Haha. 
 
I really miss band and my students.  It’s different than summer because the reason I’m missing them right now is that this is the best time of the school year in the band room.  The kids are playing at their best, we’re playing music that challenges them and preparing for a concert that will be their best one of the year.  When I was in high school I very specifically remember a song that we played and how I would feel when I played it and I remember saying to myself “I can’t ever stop doing this.”  I know that band provides that kind of feeling to your kids where they look forward to sitting in that moment with the music.  We talk about it pretty regularly, and they laugh at me when I say I get the shivers just knowing that there’s a really awesome part in the song coming up.  I’m looking forward to the days where we make up for lost time and experience those moments regularly in the classroom again. 
 
In the meantime, as I mentioned earlier I’m extremely frustrated with technology, it takes 8 hours for a 2 minute video to upload and that is no exaggeration.  I’m not assigning any more google classroom work this week other than what’s already in there, and if students want to make their recordings and them save them and upload them when we get back to school with a better internet connection, that will be fine.  Those assignments will be assigned and graded when we get back so now is the time to do them.  Ideally they should keep working on those spots that they are supposed to record, because those are the toughest sections in the pieces. 
 
Now for the most important part of my message - #playontheporch is starting for us tonight.  Play on the porch was started by a radio station in Michigan in an attempt to have people making music for others to hear outside similar to the high rise buildings in Italy and New York where everyone came out and sang on the balcony.  The radio station chooses a song every day and everyone is supposed to go outside and play it.  Today’s song is Sweet Caroline!  It doesn’t matter if you don’t have the music, just make something up.  Actually you don’t ever have to play the song they select, just go outside at 6pm and play your instrument, and see if anyone else is out there.  Mr Maurizio is having the middle school students do this too.  I think the population of Byron will probably start to notice if all of the band students are outside playing!  And wouldn’t it be fun to step outside, and hear someone else a few blocks away playing something?  My goal is to have someone say they heard me playing…  Actually, if I stepped outside and heard a student playing something I know that I would shed a tear of joy.  =)  OK then the last thing to do is post it on twitter or Instagram or facebook and include the hashtag #playontheporch if you want it to go to their social media feeds, but for sure tag the band in your picture or video.  #byronhsband  We’re kind of a big deal and it’s time to get our Hinterhalt back up and going so we can all thrive through this quarantine with a smile on our faces.  Perhaps we’ll bring some joy to the people around us too.  Corona can’t stop our band. 
 
Stay safe everyone.  See you on the porch at 6. 
 
 

​Anybody else feel that way?
 
Monday I was happy to see the kids throughout the day picking up their instruments and music, etc.
 
Yesterday I spent a lot of time messing around in my music room at home playing all of the instruments I brought home, and trying to play the parts from our concert music.  (some better than others ofcourse) That kept me and my own kids entertained for quite a bit of the day.
 
Today I played the saxophone on one of the pieces that I really love that we are planning for the spring concert, and it made me really sad.  Playing at home wondering how this is all going to work out is definitely not quite as fun as playing in class with everyone. 
 
I’d like to encourage you to tell your kids to get their instruments out anyway.  Playing an instrument has always been something that allows us to take a break from the frustrations of the real world, and that is more relevant today than ever before.  Focus on the music, spend some time working on that part that is hard to play.  And if they don’t feel like working on band music, be creative and figure out something else on your instrument.  (Like the mii song, or Careless Whisper or Bad Guy or Hey Jude or whatever other hugely popular song you can think of)  Record yourself playing all of the parts of your ensemble that you have, using the acapella app.  That’s the one that people use for those videos on youtube where they have themselves playing all of the parts.  I’m working on making one of those as well. 
 
There will be more information posted in the google classrooms today, some short tips I have for various instruments while working on the band concert music, and hopefully something fun if I can get it to work…  =)

I can't seem to come up with the right thing to say and do right now.  I already miss band and as the students are trickling in today to retrieve their instruments and music I can't help but feel like we are all in the twilight zone.  Watching them leave the room and not knowing for sure when we'll be back is just different.  I'm so sorry to all of you who have had something you cared very much about get cancelled.  My prayer is that we will all come through this with a much deeper appreciation of the every day things that we have the privilege of participating, the things that enrich our lives and allow us how to connect with others meaningfully.  We will probably all come back even with an appreciation of the things that drive us a little bit nuts!  Until then, I know for sure that music in your home is not cancelled.  Make music.  Listen to music.  Enjoy music.  Find happiness in music.  Learn something new from music.  I'll look forward to when you're all back in the room and we can appreciate music together again.  I'll be checking email regularly, available to contact via remind, and posting things regularly in the google classroom.  Parents will be emailed the classroom code if you didn't already receive that.  Stay safe.  Take care.  

This month’s edition of the BHS band update. 
 

• Pep band dates are Jan 22, Feb 4, Feb 6, Feb 14 and Feb 18.  (we already had one last week as I’m sure most of you are aware since your kids were there.)  Students need to attend 4 of the 6 games.  Ofcourse, they are encouraged to attend more than 4.  I will provide alternate assignments for varsity basketball players and other athletes who are participating in the sport on the night of the game. 
• Big Northern Honor Band is Monday Jan 20 for the following students.  They were given music and an information sheet, hopefully they told you about it.
  • Riley Jarrett, Josie Smith, Geoffrey VanHeeren, Tori Kuzlik, Piper Hendriksen, Alaina Haas, Reuben Brinkmeier, Joel Pauley, AJ Luna, TJ Shouer, Caleb Weekley, Brook Whitmer
• The pastry puffins sale started last week and orders and money are due on Jan 29.  The delivery and pickup will be on Feb 14 at 11am.  It’s an early release day, kids can pick up their stuff from the stage.  The money raised goes towards individual Florida 2021 trips. We’ll also do a cheesecake sale in Feb/March. 
• All-State music festival is January 29-Feb 1.  Congratulations to Hope Cornett for being selected for Future Music Educators Conference, and Ryer Christian and Nate Dyck for being selected for band/orchestra.  Ryer and Nate will have to audition again when they get there to find out which ensembles they are in, but this is hugely exciting and I’m very proud of all 3 of them.  (parents of those 3, I’ll send you more details when I know their audition times with when we’re leaving, meal plans, etc)
• The Pops concert is Feb 19 at 7:30.  Same format as last year, 8th grade and the 2 high school bands.  The 6th and 7th grade concert starts at 6:30 so don’t be alarmed when you show up and the parking lot is already full.  =)
• Students will be auditioning for symphonic band this week if they expressed interest and they will make the switch with the start of the new semester.  I’m excited about the fun we will have and the music both bands will be performing this semester.  

Students should be in their seats in the theater or on the stage with their instruments put together at 7:15pm.  Symphonic band is first, followed by jazz band then Concert Band.