newsletter
OCTOBER 6, 2024

Weekly Newsletter - OCTOBER 6, 2024

Sent 10/6/2024, 4:40 PM.

Wow - I'm pretty sure I'm not the only one feeling the excitement, and exhaustion, of Band-tober already.  But what a great weekend.  1 busy weekend down - 2 more to go 🙂.

The kids put on 2 great performances this weekend, and we're very proud of them.

Also, huge thanks to all the parent volunteers that helped make this weekend happen (once again) - chaperones, food/fun, spirit wear, pit crew, hydration - all of you are very much appreciated and we can't run this program without you.

Upcoming is almost a full couple of weeks of rest.  Enjoy it and use it to recharge because the week and a half between the 18th and the 27th is going to be very packed.

I do have a few things for everyone this week.  The big one is getting those uniforms cleaned before our final push to the end of our marching season, so be sure to read up on that process below.  Also, get those All-State audition registrations in ASAP.

Let's get into what I have for you this week...

What's in this newsletter?

Here's what I have for you all this week:

• All-State Auditions - registration to audition for All-State is now open (Jazz and Concert) - PLEASE register sooner than later, don't wait until the deadline.

• Uniform Cleaning - it's that time - we need to get those uniforms spruced up for our big performance push at the end of the season.  This is not optional.

• Yearbook Photos - keep those yearbook photos coming - the more you send in, the better our yearbook is!

• Volunteer Opportunities - as always, these are our open signups.  Please take a look and consider grabbing an empty slot.

• And a word from Mr. Sayre - a lot in here, so make sure to read through this

This week in band...

10/6 - 10/16

• Uniform Cleaning Period - get those bibs cleaned, and get your receipts turned in

Monday 10/6

• 4:00 PM - 5:00 PM - Woodwind/Brass Sectionals

Tuesday 10/7

• 4:00 PM - 5:00 PM - Tuesday Rehearsal - NOTE shortened rehearsal to account for Jazz Concert

• 6:30 PM - 8:00 PM - Jazz Concert - Eldorado PAC - 5:30 PM call time for jazz students

Wednesday 10/9

• Parent/Teacher Conferences - NO SCHOOL

Thursday 10/10

• Parent/Teacher Conferences - NO SCHOOL

Friday 10/11

• Fall Break - NO SCHOOL

Now on to the details...

All-State Auditions

All-State Audition registration is now open and available in our Cheddar Up Band Store - please register ASAP.  The deadline for registration is October 15th, but PLEASE do not wait until the deadline so we can plan appropriately.  Mr. Sayre has to enter all those details online, so it will be very helpful for him to have a good picture of how many students are planning to audition as early as possible.  The cost for Concert Auditions is $22 and the cost for Jazz Auditions is $24.  Here is the registration link:

https://ehs-band-all-state-registrations.cheddarup.com

Uniform Cleaning

If you've read the band handbook (as I HOPE everyone has by now...) you might remember we do a mid-season cleaning of our marching bibs.  At this point of the season, we've had many hot afternoons in our bibs, and they are no doubt dusty and sweaty.

We've got a nice lull in our schedule around fall break, so we are going to use that to spruce up our uniforms before our big push of performances toward the end of the month.  So get those bibs into a dry cleaner over this next week and a half.  Some common places to go are American Pride Cleaners, Suzie N Cleaners, and Whiting Cleaners.  

REMEMBER - you need to save your receipt, because you need to write your students name on it, and get a copy of it to our uniforms chair.  You can scan and email, take a picture and text it, or some combination of those - just get it to her by Oct 16th.  Again, the receipt needs to be dated between 10/6 and 10/16, and MUST have your students name written on it.  Email to uniforms@eldorado.band or text to (505) 205-7550.  Failure to do so will incur a $25 fine on your student accounts - which is more costly than a cleaning, AND doesn't help our band look their best during their biggest performances.

While you are at it, please clean up your marching shoes.  The Los Lunas facility is a dusty place, and no doubt our marching shoes are looking a little dull and dirty.  Please shine them up before our performances as well.

If you have any questions, please let us know.

Yearbook Photos

Our yearbook chair is already hard-at-work putting together our AMAZING band yearbook.  But it can only be as good as the photos and memories you capture throughout the season.  Please keep those photos coming - send them to Mrs. Whiston at yearbooks@eldorado.band.

Volunteer Opportunities

Here are the current active signups available.  You can also always see any open volunteering opportunities on the Volunteering page.

• Zia Marching Fiesta: https://www.signupgenius.com/go/20F0D48ADAA2DA1FB6-44434007-ziamarching#/ - (UNSUPERVISED CLEARANCE REQUIRED)

• MPA Chaperones: https://www.signupgenius.com/go/20F0D48ADAA2DA1FB6-44782340-mpachaperones#/ - (UNSUPERVISED CLEARANCE REQUIRED)

• MPA Support Volunteers: https://drive.google.com/file/d/1gwUO_Ohofcp71AOLsXvE43Ou5j5Yf9q3/view?usp=sharing 

• Hydration Volunteers: https://www.signupgenius.com/go/5080F4BA4AD23A4FE3-50748878-hydration#/ 

• Football Game Chaperones: https://www.signupgenius.com/go/20F0D48ADAA2DA1FB6-football#/ - (UNSUPERVISED CLEARANCE REQUIRED)

• Spirit Wear Sales Help: https://www.signupgenius.com/go/20F0D48ADAA2DA1FB6-51080557-spirit#/ 

Have a great week!

Go Eagles!

JD

Now, a word from Mr. Sayre...

Hello Eagle Band!

Congrats on an Overall Superior performance at the Los Lunas Invitational!  You conducted yourselves with class and dignity and put on a great performance. 

Thank you to all of the families who helped make things go so smoothly for the day!

Keeping the students fed, hydrated, chaperoned, and getting all of our awesome props on and off the field. It truly takes a team to make all of the moving parts function as they are supposed to. Additional thanks to those families who helped out with transportation due to a last minute issue with the buses.

Special thanks to Mrs. Adcox (Asst. Principal) for coming in on a Saturday morning to sign the necessary paperwork to allow our parents to help solve the transportation issues.

When we made the band schedule last school year for this semester, we intentionally did our best to let you and your families have a week in October so that everyone can relax and have some time away from school.  We hope you use next week for some much deserved rest.  After that we will kick our efforts back into high gear and do 3 major events over the course of a week - ZIA, APS MPA, and The Phoenix Basha Invitational.

Additionally we have to get our students registered for Allstate Auditions. Please get the Audition Registration done ASAP!

Allstate Auditions: Mr. Dencklau sent out a link and here it is again.  Please get signed up as soon as possible.  Whether you believe you can make it or not, the process of preparing an audition is extremely valuable.  

Trumpets: Dr. John Marchiando will be visiting on Monday morning during zero hour.  You will stay in the band room with your pencil, Allstate Audition sheet music, and scale sheets.  Dr. Marchiando is the Professor of Trumpet at the University of New Mexico. You can read more about him By Clicking HERE.

Tuesday Rehearsal: This week’s rehearsal will go from 4:00 PM to 5:00 PM (one hour less).  Our Jazz Concert starts at 6:30 PM.  All that are not in Jazz Band are highly encouraged to attend (lettering points!) 

Jazz Concert:  Tuesday at 6:30.  Jazz student call time is 5:30 PM - in uniform (hanging in band room). 

Fall Break: Starts Friday after conferences.  ENJOY YOURSELF and maybe go see some balloons.  We’ll hit the ground running on Tuesday the following week.  BE READY TO WORK FAST AFTER FALL BREAK!!!

Conferences: Come on by the band room (please let me know in advance when you are hoping to come by to make sure I am there) if you would like to chat.  

Upcoming performances

• ZIA: Call TIme likely at 9:00 AM, performance in the afternoon, likely return time of 11:30 PM. 

• APS MPS: 4:45 Call time, routing/performance 7:15 PM-8:00 PM, return time of 9:30 PM

• Basha Invitational in Phoenix: Call time likely at 5:30 AM, performance at 7:45 PM in Phoenix, return in the afternoon/evening next day between 4-5 PM.  

Eagle Band Accolades for this week:

Most Improved Student: Corbin Langlinais- great oboe sound!

Outstanding Student: Matthew Felock! 

Outstanding Section: Drumline!  Great work this weekend!

Go Eagles!

Mr. Sayre