Alder Creek Music

The Latest Calendar is available now for download.

Two major date changes are as follows:

Band trip to Marine world is on : April 26

TTUSD Select Honor Band is on May 9th and 10th

Thank you!

In order to create the best experience possible for the band students at ACMS and NTMS, we are going to have to change the date of the honor band from April 4th and 5th to May 9th and 10th. We were not able to get enough participation due to ski races, soccer tournaments, etc, therefore leaving the band with less than ideal honor band instrumentation. We want the honor band to be a truly valuable and educational experience, but will not be able to do that if we were to keep the April 4/5 date. I am so sorry for any inconvenience this may cause to you or your family and I hope that your child will still be able to participate. If your child will be unable to participate please let me know so that I can give you your $15 refund.

Thank you for your consideration and cooperation in this matter and please let me know if you have any questions or concerns.

Festival was great! I am very proud of all the students and what they accomplished.

The final results are in: 8th grade band scored a III+ White which means they are about to move into the next highest rating level, 7th grade band scored a II Yellow which means they have made it into the Yellow Level, the Jazz Band scored a II- Yellow, and the Orchestra scored a II Red. If you are unsure as to the relationship of the different colors and numbers, the students were given a rubric which explains the meaning of each Color, have them share it with you!

This Saturday evening the Jazz Band is playing at the Recreation Center for the Truckee Rotary Crab Feed from 6-7PM come eat crab hear some great music and support the kids and the Rotarians! Jazz Band Students need to arrive at 5:30PM to warm up!

This Friday is the end of the second trimester the students have been asked to turn in the Comp/practice log books. Please ask them if they have!

Friday and Saturday are the Region V CMEA Music Festival dates. The Festival is taking place at North Tahoe Middle and High Schools. Our Groups performance and warm up times have been sent home as of Monday March 3rd along with a permission slip to be signed and returned by yesterday March 4th. Late slips will be accepted at a lower percentage of credit %10 off for each day late. The time schedule is as follows: 8th grade band warm up 10:30AM Performance at 11:00AM, 7th grade band 12:30PM warm up Performance at 1:00PM, Orchestra Warm up at 1:30PM Performance at 2:00PM All events are at North Tahoe HS/MS. Please have your child there one half hour before their warm up time so the do not need to rush around and can be calm and focused.
To get there from Tahoe City on Hwy 28 turn left on Old Mill rd. go to the top of the hill and turn Left on Polaris Rd. NTHS/MS is at the end of Polaris Rd. on the right.

From Kings Beach, Hwy 28 turn right on Fabian Way and Left on Polaris Rd. Go to the end of Polaris Rd.

Next Week on Saturday March 15 the Jazz Band has a performance at the Truckee Rotary Crab Feed. Permission slips and time information will be sent home next week. It is a Saturday Evening performance at the Recreation Center.

I have sent home invitations to participate in this years Select Honor Band, April 4th and 5th, with about %90 of the 7th and 8th Grade Band students  if your child has not asked you about this… please ask them.

The Bands are sounding great! We have two weeks after ski skate to put the finishing touches on our work for festival. Remember it is on Saturday March 8th for 7th an 8th grade bands and orchestra, and Friday afternoon /evening for Jazz Band. The songs your child should be practicing are: 8th grade Burst of Brass, Annabel Lee, and Butterflies, 7th  grade Anasazi, Enchanted Village, and Rhythm X, Jazz Band, Moondance, Green Onions, and Cantaloupe Island. They should do as much as they can to commit their parts to memory! Then we will really shine!

I need to know which families can help with getting kids to the events as there are always a few in need of a ride. Permission slips will be coming home following ski skate week. If you can drive you must have a volunteer driver insurance statement on file with the school. Can my parent in charge of uniforms come in soon to make sure that every one has the proper attire? We have had some new students join the band and there are some who seem to have missed the first go around.

8th Grade was asked to turn in their Comp books again today. I am checking a home work assignment given on Monday of this week. They also should be practicing  the Bb concert scale, G Concert Minor, Natural, Harmonic, and Melodic and The Bb Concert Chromatic Scale.

I hope everyone has a wonderful Valentines Day… there will be no Orchestra rehearsal on Valentine’s Evening ! We will meet on Thursday of ski skate week February 21st.

Thats all for now!

There is much to note in changes for February! The first and most immediate is the Cancellation of the February 10th Valentines Concert. As much as I and the kids would like to pull this one off, with the snow days, late start days, and minimum days, we are just not feeling it.

There have been changes to the year long calendar so look at the music calendar and make note of any changes.

March 7th and 8th is Band Festival at North Tahoe HS/MS.

Friday March 7th is the Jazz Band Festival in the Evening we may need drivers for kids whose parents can not attend. Saturday March 8th is for the Concert Bands and Orchestra We may also need drivers for those kids whose parents can not attend. We do not have exact times yet, so look for those details in future communications!

Our annual band trip is to be changed to April 26th… this change is not yet reflected on the calendar… it was May 10th unfortunately that date is already full. We will need parent chaperon volunteers for this event as it is all day 8AM-11:30PM. The Jazz Band will be performing at this event as well because it is in conflict with the Reno Jazz Festival. Therefore we will not be participating in the Reno Jazz Festival this year!

Today was a turn in day for Practice/composition log books for both 7th and 8th grade… remember this aspect is worth 25% of your band grade!

The 7th and 8th grade bands are sounding great! We are also starting up small ensembles again today in preparation for February 27th Recital night!

Due to the series of strong winter storms we have been experiencing. We have not had time in class to work in our small ensembles since our return from winter break. We will hopefully resume the small ensembles in February and have a recital night again on February 27th, 2008.

We are at the end of another grade period as of the 25th of January. Make sure you have turned in your Comp-book /practice record. If you did not it affects your band grade in the wrong way.  The last possible moment would be January 29th. The 30th is our next recital night I hope everyone has been preparing some good stuff for us to hear during these long stormy days.

The second thing was to make sure you copy and practice the new music that was put in the folders over winter break. If you know what the second thing is then you also already know what the first thing was…

Students going to Honor Band at CSU Chico received a permission slip from me today and need to get it signed by their parents and other teachers. Please return it on Tuesday at the latest as we have Olympics on Thursday next week!

We will all be meeting in the PAC at CSU Chico on Friday between 11:00 AM and 11:30 AM for registration. The first rehearsal will begin shortly after that at Noon.

It is great to be back! Happy New Year to everyone!

It was a great winter concert season the Orchestra and the Bands did fabulous work!

Both 7th and 8th grade bands were to have turned in their comp/practice logs by today the 21st so, I hope everyone did?

The Seniors enjoyed our annual lunch time performance and the Orchestra will be playing for them again this evening at 5:30pm come support the Orchestra!

On a more somber note this year I will not be playing Christmas Carols downtown on Christmas Eve, with students past and present, as I have done for the last 13 years. Things are changing in my family quite rapidly at this time and we need to be in Marin this winter for Christmas Eve festivities. I will however be downtown tomorrow afternoon at 4PM if anyone wants to join me! With that I thank you all for all you do to make my life as a music educator what it is today and wish everyone the happiest, safest, holidays ever! See you next, Year! or at the senior center tonight, or downtown tomorrow!!

Happy Holidays!!