Thunder Band News 11/20/2017

In This Issue

  • Rose Parade Music Memorization
  • Rose Parade Conditioning
  • Rose Parade Medical Forms and Float Decorating Waivers
  • Rose Parade Payments are Past Due
  • Rose Parade Tour Meeting
  • Lifting Hands International and Festival of Trees Update
  • Band Booster Meeting Minutes
  • SignUpGenius Summary
  • Upcoming Events
  • Upcoming Rehearsals

There are 42 days until the 2018 Rose Parade. Rose Parade fun fact of the week: Keeping everyone on schedule during the Rose Parade events can get pretty tricky. When loading and unloading, each band has been scheduled five minutes to completely unload the buses (students, uniform pieces, and instruments!) and have the buses ready to move. Start planning your exit strategy now!


Rose Parade Music Memorization

Students were given a new parade tune last week to learn for the Rose Parade and were asked to have it memorized for rehearsal this week. Be sure to come to rehearsal prepared with your music memorized!

 


Rose Parade Conditioning

At Tuesday’s rehearsal, the students will begin working on “The Turn.” The turn is a 109° large-radius turn that happens at TV Corner in the Rose Parade.

The formation and angles for this turn are very specific. The marching block formation will be set as we work on this and students will be given their specific position in the block. This is similar to learning the drill for the marching show—each person has to know their position relative to the other members of the band and perform it well.

We have also been working on conditioning. The parade route is 5.5 miles and students will be walking a total of 7 to 10 miles on parade day. Students CANNOT plan to just make it as far as they can in the parade. They cannot step out of line at will. If they step out, they cannot step in again, they will be taken to a staging area at the end of the parade. There are no rest stops and no water breaks.

We march at least 3 miles and run additional distance during each practice, but students must be working on their own to be ready for the They have been asked to work on conditioning and hydration outside of rehearsal and record their activities at https://goo.gl/ufzC6s.

During this Tuesday’s rehearsal, the band will again be taking a long march. Students must be able to complete this march in its entirety in order to have a spot in the marching block for the parade. Those who cannot complete the march will be able to sit in the stands and watch the parade, but will not be given a spot in the block because you must be able to march the full parade and we must set positions now so that students can learn how to do their “job” in formation. Parents, please talk with your students about their preparation and make sure they understand that if they step out, they will not be able to march the parade. We must make sure that everyone who is in the block can complete the parade.

 


Rose Parade Medical Forms and Float Decorating Waivers

Rose Parade medical forms and float decorating waivers are now due. Please put them in the manila envelope on Mr. Mangelson’s door prior to the break. If you have not filled out and sent in the forms, please do so as soon as possible. Students will not be allowed to march the parade without a medical form and they will not be allowed to decorate floats without a waiver.

Collecting both forms for 167 students is quite an undertaking and having to contact individual families to get missing forms takes quite a bit of extra effort. Please get these in as soon as possible to minimize the work our parent volunteers have to do to prepare for the parade.

 


Rose Parade Payments are Past Due

All payments for the Rose Parade are past due. If you have an outstanding balance, please contact the tour company to take care of that right away. Invoices and reminders have been sent.

If you need to makes changes to your account for any reason, you must contact Bob Rogers Travel TODAY about those changes. The drop deadline has passed, so everyone who is still signed up for the trip will be billed the full amount of the tour based on the tour contract.

 


Rose Parade Tour Meeting

Our final parent meeting for the Rose Parade tour will be held on Wednesday, December 13, which is the night of our holiday concert. Rob from Bob Rogers Travel will be there to answer questions and provide last-minute details. Please plan to attend this meeting. The tour meeting begins at 6:00 PM and the holiday concert will start at 7:30 PM.

 


Lifting Hands International and Festival of Trees Update

The date for assembling the refugee kits has been changed so that we can have more time to gather supplies. We will assemble them on December 6 at 6:00 PM, right after that afternoon’s rehearsal. This gives everyone two extra weeks to gather supplies for the kits. Let’s do a huge push to get supplies in for these kits!

Please encourage your students to spread the word and gather supplies. The supply list will be handed out at this Tuesday’s practice so that they can copy it and tape it to people’s doors. They can also post it on their social media sites and email or text it to friends and family.

Hygiene kits contain two bars of soap, one shampoo, one comb, one toothbrush, one toothpaste (must not expire for at least one year), one spray deodorant, and one wash cloth. School kits contain three pencils (please donate a closed package of unsharpened pencils—it can have fewer than or more than three pencils), one pencil sharpener, one eraser, one box of crayons, one plain notebook, and one glue stick.

The donations need to be the exact items listed, but you can donate a package of something. Size does not matter except no travel-size items will be accepted. All items need to be new. You are welcome to donate individual items or to donate a complete kit in a gallon ziplock bag.

We are still decorating our Festival of Trees tree this Tuesday, November 21, in the band room immediately following rehearsal. Thank you to those who have signed up to help or to bring treats! We still need five more students and two more parents to sign up. Thanks again for all you do!

To volunteer for the Festival of Trees, go to http://www.signupgenius.com/go/30e044aa8a628aa8-festival.

To record your refugee kit donations (so that your section gets credit), go to http://www.signupgenius.com/go/30e044aa8a628aa8-lifting.

 


Band Booster Meeting Minutes

The minutes from last week’s band booster meeting can be downloaded here. Our next meeting is the tour information meeting on December 13.

 


SignUpGenius Summary

 


Upcoming Events

  • November 30–December 2 – Alpine Honor Band

 


Upcoming Rehearsals

  • November 21 – 3:00 PM to 6:00 PM – Rose parade rehearsal (Tuesday rehearsal)
  • November 29 – 3:00 PM to 6:00 PM – Rose parade rehearsal
  • December 6 – 3:00 PM to 6:00 PM – Rose parade rehearsal

 


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