B&LOG

URGENT

2009-02-02T15:04:00.000-05:00

the disney meeting for tonight has been postponed until WEDNESDAY, 6pm, Band Room

The End is Here

2009-02-02T08:25:00.002-05:00

My Friends... the blog @ blogger has run its course. Please direct yourselves in the future to the NS Band's new social networking / information portal at http://nsband.ning.com

Thanks.

Guys and Dolls

2009-01-23T14:36:00.003-05:00

Pit Band!

We will begin our regular rehearsals next week (1-26-09).
We will rehearse on Mondays and Wednesdays after school until 4:45pm (that way everyone can ride the Activity Bus and no one has and excuse for not coming to rehearsal.
You'll get your Music on Monday.

Make sure you've turned in your blue contract so I can get the t-shirt info to Mr. Lucas.

If you want copies of the Soundtrack see me personally.

that is all

On Comedy Night

2009-01-20T08:33:00.003-05:00

Congratulations!!!!
Everyone who helped sell tickets for the Comedy Night just earned themselves something like thirty-two cents.

Luckily, we had just enough ticket sales last night to cover the bill for the entertainers. With the help of a few band Parents who were willing to take it upon themselves to put up a concession table in the lobby, the boosters made a little profit.

For the dozen students who took pre-sale tickets and returned neither tickets or money - If i don't have the unused tickets/ money in my mail box by the end of the day Friday you should expect that $40 bucks to come out of your booster account.

[In a contrastingly positive tone] I think the Comedy Night was a success. We've found another fund raiser that is easy to organize and has the potential to be very profitable with out the hassle of selling "things" to people. I also think people who turned out for the show were satisfied with the entertainment they enjoyed for the price, which will make it an easier sell the second time around. I also think that the comedians were very entertaining - it just goes to show that even a "clean" humored event can make us all laugh.

I am going to plan to have another Comedy Night in the spring. Tickets will be made available well in advance. Newspaper, Radio, and Poster advertisements will be out in full force. And everyone that came out last night and had a good time will have a chance to bring a friend who missed out the first time around. I'll have to schedule a date with the Comedy Blast Inc. and the high school, but tentatively I'm looking at the month of May.

check out the poll in the margin and vote if you were there.

IMPORTANT

2009-01-15T18:07:00.002-05:00

Friends.

In order for us to perform at Disney World in November I must submit to them video footage of the NS band performing: The Disney people would prefer to see us in a parade setting (since we'll hopefully march in a park parade). Because I am usually marching with the band I don't happen to have any video tapes of you folks parading. So help me out if you can...

I NEED a VHS or DVD of the NS band MARCHING in a PARADE, and I need it ASAP
the video must be from a parade within the past year so anything with an '08 on the label is fine (even St Pat's or Memorial Day). Also, the band must be playing music as they pass on screen.

Shoot me an e-mail or comment or call if you can be of assistance.

Junior High Schuylkill County Band

2009-01-13T08:13:00.002-05:00

For the last time, it's not called Twin Valley any more.
Congratulations to the following Junior High students who will be participating in the first festival since the name change.

Rebecca Kane
Emily Mattes
Ian Bendinsky

Rehearsals are Tuesday and Thursday Evening, (3.31.09 & 4.2.09)
Friday during the school day (4.3.09)
And Saturday morning (4.4.09) before the concert at 1:30pm

This years festival will take place at Williams Valley.

(the three of you will be rounded up soon to have your picture take for the news paper and stuff, don't dress like slobs next week) :)

Money Money Money Money.... Money

2009-01-13T08:07:00.002-05:00

Ladies and Gentelmen, Boys and Girls, Winds and Percussion, ..... and Guard!

This week you have two excellent opportunities to raise some money to contribute towards the November Disney trip!

This is the last week you should be selling Deppin Pies. Order forms and money should be turned in on Friday, January 16.

In the next eight days everyone should be promoting, advertising, and selling tickets for next Wednesday's Comedy Night here at the high school. Here are the basics:
January 21, 2009 - 7pm - High School Auditorium - 3 professional comedians - suitable for all ages - tickets are $8 for adults, $6 for school students and senior citizens.
If you run out of pre-sale tickets (you should each have 5) see me for more. Tickets will also be sold at the door. Remember we need more than 150 people to make some money here!

So get out there and sell sell sell so we can go go go to fl or id uh

Update on Florida Interest Papers!

2008-12-23T13:31:00.002-05:00

Emily Antanavage, Breann Bolinsky, Bethany Costello, Stacie Fetterolf, Maxine Hoover, Kaley Weinhold

Zack Coward, Rebecca Kane, Laura Misiewicz, Brian Waizenegger, Jenielle Wheil

I NEED to know if you intend to go to Disney in the fall. Not to put the pressure on but the mater of going or not is resting on your shoulders. Especially the wind players.

You can e-mail me, leave me a voicemail at school, or comment on this post.
cgunnell@northschuylkill.net
ext. 2150 from the high school main phone line.

Do You Want to Go to Disney or NOT?

2008-12-22T13:59:00.003-05:00

Folks,
It is imperative that I receive a Disney interest form from EVERYONE. They were due last week. I've currently got 4 flutes, 4 clarinets, 2 trumpets, 4 low voices, 3 percussion, and 3 guard members on this list and that's not nearly enough to warrant a performance trip to Florida.

Here is the list I haven't heard back from yet:
Emily A, Chad, Breeann, Bethany, ZC, Josh, Stacie, Hetheringtons, Maxine, Rebecca, YoKo, Tony, Mekosh, Laura, Maria, Brian, Jenielle, Kaley, Amanda, Yeselskis

Twin Valley Band / Jr. County Band

2008-12-21T14:31:00.002-05:00

Here's the info:

Jr. County Band is open to 7th & 8th grade students in good standing with their school's performing ensemble(s) - that means you have to participate in marching and/or concert band at NS.

Interested students need to see me and sign up for the draft before Monday January 12. The way it works is all the band directors get together and draw a number out of a hat. Then in order of that draw, directors get to assign their students to the open seats in the festival. So what happens is sometimes I might draw number 8, and I want to send a french horn player, but four of the seven band directors that go before me also have french horn players. If they take up the four open french horn seats, then I'm out of luck and can't send my french horn. So signing up with me doesn't necessarily mean you're automatically in the festival.

The festival this year will be held at Williams Valley on the first weekend in April. There is a Tuesday evening rehearsal (3/31), another Thursday 4/2, all day Friday 4/3, and a concert Saturday afternoon. Students participating in the festival will be mailed their music ahead of time. At the Tuesday evening rehearsal students will audition for seating to see which first trumpet is first chair and so on.

There is ONE big catch. The Jr. County Band festival this year runs the same week as NS's spring musical Guys and Dolls. That means I won't be able to be there. (Mr. Shoener will probably be able to take students to the festival). It also means that students may not participate in both the festival and the musical.

Consider yourself told.

The Off Season Begins

2008-12-12T08:37:00.003-05:00

Friends,

Contratulations on a well played Holiday Concert this week. Soon we will have these caroling gigs out of the way and we can quit humming Chrismtas tunes all the time.

I wanted to drop everyone a line and give some crutial updates...

The School Baord approved the Disney Trip. That being said, two things need to happen. EVERY marching member needs to take home, fill out, and return the current interest form (it's yellow) with all the pertinant information. The form is due back by next Friday (caroling day!).
The second thing that needs to happen is everyone hoping to go to Florida needs to get serious about fund raising! I don't want anyone stuck in a situation of not being able to afford the bills as they roll in. Not only is that a bummer for the individual but is a disapointment to the group and can cause logiscial problems on the planning end. I want to see everyone go along, and go along for little out of pocket contribution.

Update #2 - The Play [he says with a miserable shiver of discontent] or as I like to call it, the Spring MUSICAL has been announced. I am in need of players for the Guys & Dolls pit band! Let me know by Christmas break if you're interested. Music will arrive early in January. Reminder - you may NOT audition for the cast, become disatisfied with your part on stage, quit the cast and play in the pit. If you quit the show, you quit the whole show and probably shouldn't show your face in the auditorium until mid-April.

Update #3 - The clock is ticking for old uniforms and hats and stuff... Anyone interested in having a little tattered and possibly moldy piece of North Schuylkill history needs to talk to me about taking home these little nuggests of nostalgia. All of it is going to be donated to the land fill in the sky over Christmas break.

I'm working on an update for the web site. I know it's been a while. I've got my personal lap top up and running again AND finally some "free" time [he says with finger quotes because it's only free to dedicate to something that probably should've already been done] now that marching season and the Holiday concert are more or less wrapped up.

Is Egg Nog the only Nog out there? I mean, I'm a fan, lets experiment.
-Be Well

Pictures!

2008-11-19T08:06:00.002-05:00

http://www.jolesch.com/csEventPhotoBrowse.aspx?EventID=2937&Group=19020&Cat=0&PartID=0

comment w/ links to your favorites
make sure you show grandma

And now for something Completely Different

2008-11-17T15:30:00.002-05:00

Boys and Girls.
Since our outdoor obligations have met their cessation it is time again to turn our attention to the warmer and most festive events of Winter Concert Band.

Here's the run down:
Activity Period Rehearsals each Tuesday and Wednesday for the next three weeks, one After School Dress Rehearsal (no you don't dress up!) on Monday, Dec' 8 until 5pm. And the concert is on Wednesday, December 10th at 7pm.

I'll figure out if we're doing the school day performance for the elementary students.
Mr. Shoener's in charge of caroling, so don't ask me.

The repertoire is pretty easy, your welcome, I don't want to make a mad rush to learn difficult music. And I feel like this years concert will be pretty good.

So show up, sign up (so you're in the program), and tune up.... because no body likes to hear a sour concert band.

And in the End....

2008-11-10T10:06:00.002-05:00

My Friends.

Congratulations on bringing home the Most Improved award, as I said late Saturday night, I am impressed with what you accomplished given the seasons difficult beginnings and many re-writes and additions.

You have finished what I'd like to consider you're first truly competitive season. Our most detrimental flaw to focus on next season is our consistency in marching and maneuvering technique as well as our musical interpretation of dynamics, articulations, and phrasing... Basically Basics. In hopes of remedying this issue expect to begin a rigorous 2009 season with marching rehearsals in April.

Consider this the announcement that ALL flip folders are to be returned as soon as possible. Remember that flip folders were assigned and students failing to return theirs in it's entirety will be charged for its replacement.

This Friday evening I expect to see everyone for our super-awesome-banquet-soirée and subsequent lazer tag extravaganza. All monies need to be turned in, anyone still wishing to attend should see Me before the end of the day Thursday, $22 in hand.

Concert Band activity period rehearsals will begin Next Week. Listen for morning announcements...

Consider Yourself Dismissed
-Cheers!

A few things...

2008-10-28T16:31:00.002-04:00

Hopefully everyone got the message in time that marching band rehearsal after school today was canceled. What we really need this week is some time to work out some visual kinks in the field show - that wasn't going to happen today in the rain/snow/cold. So... Thursday (weather will be accommodating) we will be outside from 3-5. We will fix a few holes in a few spaces, we will add some visuals to the 86 count stand still in Finale, and we will rehearse the guard transition spots over and over until they're clean.

Thursday you will ALSO pick up your Pasta Sale orders at the end of rehearsal.

If you were listening to Mrs. Snyder's announcement at the end of the day you may be wondering... Pep Rally on Friday???
The answer is YES.
At present the plan is to have a pre-game pep rally starting at 5:30 on our practice field after which we will lead the students and faculty in a parade into the stadium (so we should probably have a rippin cadence going on). Then I guess the plan is for senior recognition to start at 6:20 and us to take the field to perform at 6:50. We'll play Thriller and the SSB / Alma Mater. Then get in the stands before kick off.

If you don't have your Senior Rec' papers in to me yet... You need to! Tomorrow! Thursday morning in my mail box at the latest.

Also.... District Band applications and fees are due Tomorrow
County Band applications can be picked up in the band room on Friday, they're Due Nov' 10.

Wednesday night I'll have details about Hershey on the 8th

See you Thursday.

The following is a Public Service Announcement

2008-10-15T19:02:00.002-04:00

My Friends,

We are going to be busy busy busy from here on out... Here's an annotated schedule type thing so as to avoid any confusion and to keep you up-to-date-ed:

Thursday 10-16 ~ Ensemble Rehearsal 3-5pm: another silent rehearsal, everyone should be there, we've got to learn the drill to Finale and last-new guard transitions

Friday 10-17 ~ Football @ Mahanoy: Before we depart we will dress and take a group photo in the new uniforms (it must be done). Report time is 5pm. We will play and MARCH the show in it's entirety for the first time (finally, yay!)

Saturday 10-18 ~ Competition @ Conrad Weiser:
Band Room Opens at 10am
Rehearsal begins in opening set at 11am
Rehearsal ends at 1pm-ish
Boosters are feeding us Pizza and we're packing gear after Rehearsal
Departure is 3pm
Arrival at CW is about 4:15pm
We'll go straight to the warm up area
Our performance time is 6pm
After our performance we'll pack the gear and CHANGE OUT OF OUR UNIFORMS
Students need to wear North Schuylkilly Gear
You'll get to hit up concession stands and be good spectators until Awards at 9pm
There are two other bands in our class: Blue Mountain and Upper Dauphin
We should arrive home around (cross your fingers) 11:30pm

Monday 10-20 ~ Guard and Percussion rehearsal (the last one of the season!)
Tuesday 10-21 ~ Winds rehearsal (the last one of the season!)

Wednesday 10-22 ~ St. Clair Halloween Parade: Wear a halloween costume, we're playing Thriller. Report time is 5:15 for a 5:45 Departure. Step Off is 7pm. Home at ??? (We've never done this gig before)

Thursday 10-23 ~ Ensemble rehearsal: We'll run the show over and over and over and over and over and over and over and over and over and over and over and over and over and over

Friday 10-24 ~ Football @ Panther Valley: Report time will likely be 5pm.

Sunday 10-26 ~ Frackville Halloween Parade: More costumes, more Thriller. This shortie will have a report time of 11:30ish if I'm not mistaken and a return time of 1:30 at the latest.

Monday 10-27 ~ IU Red Ribbon Day Trip: during the school day we'll rock out at the IU. You'll be back in time more 1st lunch-ish

Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday 10-28,29,30 ~ Ensemble Rehearsal 3-5pm

Friday 10-31 ~ Senior Night! Thriller Pre Pre Game Performance: Wear Costumes it's the last (regular season) football game.

Saturday 11-1 ~ Competition @ Governor Mifflin: stay tuned for details

Sunday & Monday 11-2 & 3 ~ the first two bandless days in a row: woot!

Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday 11-4,5,6 ~ Ensemble Rehearsal 3-5pm

Saturday 11-8 ~ Championships Competition @ Hershey: stay tuned for details

Please keep in mind that should the football team go well into the play-offs we will be obligated to attend their games, all of which will be away. We will NOT continue to rehearse after Championships regardless of our possible remaining football requirements.

dummy

2008-10-06T20:48:00.002-04:00

Dear Owner of Lime Green Samsung MP3 Device,

Your Player has been liberated from it's resting place on the bari sax from which it was more likely to grow it's own lime green legs and prance away. You can reclaim your property before departing for Bristol Borough on Friday.
Yours Truly
Mom

(you dummy)

What happened to our updates?!?!?!?!?

2008-10-02T17:10:00.002-04:00

Friends-
my laptop has apparently died, rendering me computerless away from school for the temporary future; because i have zero down/free/prep time at school during regular or extra curricular hours... internetting has become a scarce commodity: I will attempt to get some updated done to the web page and here on the b&log tomorrow.

PS - I've got tickets (cheap) for a certain band show at Conrad Weiser this month.... See me in the usual space with the usual amount

that is all

Itinerary for THIS Saturday

2008-09-22T20:00:00.002-04:00

Saturday we're performing at Reading (Albright College)... here's the run down

Noon - guard rehearsal (practice field)
2pm - guard hour break / percussion rehearsal (stage)
3pm - winds & guard rehearsal (practice field)
5:30pm - load equipment/uniforms
6pm - depart (pack dinner for the bus ride)
7pm - arrive (straight to warm up area)
8pm - gate time
8:15pm - performance (we will go straight to the stand w/ instruments)
(there will be bathroom breaks but No concession stands)
9pm - awards
11:30pm - ballpark arrival at North Schuylkill

Some things to consider....
We are only competing against one other American Class band on Saturday night: Northern Lebanon, who took 5th place (beating us by 7 points) two weeks ago at Hempfield. With consistent marching technique and 100% participation musically and a little extra effort we can make up 7 points easy. In fact, I'd like to say I expect you to go and make up those 7 points this weekend. Last week's focus and enthusiasm was leaps and bounds beyond what I saw out of you leading up to Hempfield... Let's keep it up.

Why aren't we watching other bands before our performance? If we made it for the first band at 6pm we'd only get to see the first Three Yankee Class bands before heading to the warm up area... I don't know if that's really worth the earlier start time or the logistical effort to make that happen. Also - I want to put this band in the zone at our afternoon rehearsal and keep your focus in check all the way down on the bus and all the way through the warm up and the show. We've got the ability - but we really need to zero in on the mindset to make a really clean show happen.

Lastly. We WILL be playing AND marching Hoe Down this week:
Winds will learn drill on Tuesday. On Thursday we will put music to it. You MUST be able to PLAY your part.
Anyone caught on the field tuesday/thursday with out their flip folders & set books will be subjected to torment and torture (ridiculing by your peers and push ups/laps).

That is all.
Thanks for a good time at the Fair today - I wasn't in the best of moods - but that's because I really don't care for the Fair, or Mondays, or clouds, or school buses.
Have a good till I see you.

Sometimes the Title is a LiNK!!!!!

2008-09-16T22:50:00.001-04:00

Boys and Girls - great rehearsal yesterday! Don't forget the details and don't lose that focus; we need to turn it on like that at EVERY rehearsal, game, and performance. People who missed yesterday's rehearsal, get with someone and make sure you're up to speed on everything.

Get a permission slip for B'burg and get it back to me ASAP

Donuts tomorrow

that is all.

A LONG WEEKEND in review

2008-09-15T13:03:00.004-04:00

Working chronologically:

Friday - thank you for being awesome and rocking out an impromptu pep rally. The power going out was probably the worst thing that could have happened for me/us, you may not even realize, but we were asked to make the best of a situation and came through for the school. Good Jorb!

The soakin' wet football game performance was good considering the weather and your pep-band-ing in the stands was as always appreciated. Big thanks to the brass for carrying the weight all night.

There is however the matter of one lonely rain coat that was left on the floor in the band room near the percussion cabinets. The percussion section as a whole is by far the most negligent of the tidiness of our space; I would appreciate a little extra effort to keep your music, sticks, instruments, and personal belongings in their place.

Saturday - I was surprised to see so many of you show up early... that's a good attitude, I hope it does not waiver regardless of scores and placement at the show. Rehearsal started strong and I was pumped, but toward the end we hit our typical wall and half of us lost focus on the goal (improvement) - it's disappointing to see some of you work so hard to throw it all away at the end of rehearsal.

I am happy to say that to my knowledge you were well behaved in the stands all evening. Thank you for not acting like cheerleaders as the other bands do preceding awards. Please understand that it is not my intention to strip any of the fun from the event, but often bands are so engrossed with their chants and games that they miss what's going on in the stadium - the band to our right, for example, cheering for themselves when the announcer was calling for a salute to Hempfield's retiring band director.

As far as your performance is concerned. I was pleased as I watched, and again as I saw the video. I know that we have a long way to go, but we've got plenty of time to get there too.

Concerning your score and judges comments - nothing that I didn't expect made it's way to a tape. Our marching technique is very inconsistent, we'll be working on that. Our playing could be much more dynamic and musical, we're working on it already - the first step is everyone contributing (that means everyone knows and plays every note of their part!), and THAT is an individual responsibility for You to take care of Outside of rehearsal time.

Winds - our new musical goal is breath support and finishing phrases
Percussion - our new musical goal is playing dynamically and we'll be editing some parts (also Hoe Down needs to happen this week!)
Guard - rifles, we need to make your work fit the music, we also need you in on the flag work for Finale. Flags, the work is good, lets clean it up. Alternates - you're in. I'm re-writing nearly all of your drill this week, make sure you're here for all of rehearsal on Thursday.

One Final note - less than 100% attendance at a competitive performance is absolutely unacceptable - if any one intends to miss a competition in the future you should let me know immediately because I will be writing you out of the show. Every hole in every set of our field show makes it more difficult for the students on the field to fit the form and earn points in the visual captions. To put it most bluntly - if You aren't there, You cost us points.

Thinking ahead to Hempfield

2008-09-10T19:35:00.003-04:00

Childrens,
It's come to my attention that a few of us think that we might "suck" or "lose" or "embarrass ourselves" this weekend at our first competition.... Well in my opinion nothing could be further from the case:

The very first thing that I'd like you to recall is that participating in band competitions is not about taking home the first place trophy. There are bands that we compete against (because they are of similar size in membership) that spend more time rehearsing, that play easier music, that march fewer drill sets, that have a dozen people on staff, that do not invite seventh and eighth graders to participate, that have historically been high scoring competitive marching bands, and bands that actually require auditions to participate.
The only thing that matters to me is the effort we put forth together in striving to achieve a mastery of the field show we have to the best of our ability. You will be judged and scored five times this fall and in my mind First Place is seeing an increased score with each performance, Period, and if Cavalcade of Bands doesn't award you a trophy for attaining that goal then I will.

The second thing I'd like you to consider is that I never intended to perform in this weekends competition with the entire show on the field; drill, work, visuals, or music! I told you that at band camp!! As an educator my primary function is to help this show develop and mature over the 14 week season from August to Championships. If we had been able to put the whole show on the field on August twenty-somethingth how BORING would rehearsal be every week with nothing new to learn? I think that the best way for us to get better is to have benchmarks to achieve along the way: This weekend I want to play and march Fanfare, Episode 1 & 2, and stand still to play Finale. At Reading I'd like to be able to play and march through the Hoe Down (consider yourself warned percussion). All this without even mentioning that in four years of working with Annville-Cleona (a program with similar numbers and twice the staff and rehearsal time) they NEVER once had their whole show on the field at Hempfield.

Finally I will say this: All that I ask is that every time you take the field in performance, be it at a football game or a competition, I expect you to give one hundred percent effort and strive to achieve to your highest capability as individuals, as sections, and as an ensemble. If the best you can do is play nothing but A# to the rhythm of your section's melody and always step off on your right foot least you fall over and trip the bari sax player.... that's enough for me, and if you're satisfied with knowing that you coudln't have done it any better, then I'll be proud of you. And if you can't be proud of yourself and yourselves, you need to take a look at what we're really trying to do here.

Shiny trophies don't make great bands, dedication and effort will make a great band. So at pre-game Friday and ALL DAY SATURDAY remember that every note counts and we'll come home with our heads up high, because scores aside, we're never losers.
Consider this your pep talk,
-that is all

Itinerary

2008-09-08T15:37:00.002-04:00

An Itinerary for Saturday's competition at Hempfield is available on the band website...

http://www.northschuylkill.net/finearts/gunnell_files/Page371.htm

Tickets are available pre-sale from Mr. Gunnell

Directions are online on the "competitions" page

2&0

2008-09-05T23:48:00.003-04:00

Funny story - after the all of you left the high school tonight and I returned the u-haul I finally headed back down the mountain and home... well the whosiwhatsit township police were out in full effect in St Clair at a DUI checkpoint, and of course I've got to stop. So I roll up, and the first cop waves a flashlight at me and asks me to continue on to the next officer.... so being a decent law abiding citizen of the commonwealth i obey. The second cop asks to see my driver's license, takes a look at it, a look at me, another look at it and asks if I've had any alcoholic beverages this evening, to which I reply, "No sir, I'm only just heading home from work." Looking perplexed he asks where I work and I tell him I'm the band director at North Schuylkill and am just heading home from the football game. He asks what the score was, who we played, and if it was at home. I gave all the correct answers with out slurring my speech or anything. The best part was, he seemed to not want to believe that we actually won. LOLz

Ok so.....

Good Job tonight, seriously, I have never been more pleased at your performance and conduct at an away game.

Thank you for playing and paying attention to the game... the more you're into the event, the more fun we can all have, and the better we look and sound to our audience.

Here are some new staples: We will play NFL on FOX when the team enters the stadium, always. We will play MARS frequently when the defense is stuffing the turkey gibblet filling all over the opposing team. We will do a lot of Here We Go and the other one because it's easy and simple and short. We will Pick a Not and Make Some Noise all the time. We will do anything the Cheerleaders request (as long as it's in our flip folders). And we will play Hey Baby when it comes in the mail.

Don't Forget - Donut Sale stuff is now Overdue - call Mrs. Kessler if you were a dummie and forgot.
Collegiate Band Money is DUE on MONDAY!!!! 20/person
Garment Gab Money needs to be turned in 10/uniform-wearer
and.... MUSIC MUST BE MEMORIZED BY SATURDAY!!!!!!

Episode 2... check

2008-09-04T23:08:00.002-04:00

A well deserved Congratulations on some much awaited effort/dedication this afternoon - I told you we could get all of Episode 2 on the field w/ music in one rehearsal... and if being stern and demanding every minute of rehearsal is what it's going to take to get the results we need then I'm thinking I'll have to keep it up for a while.

My favorite part is the fact that this is the first rehearsal that we've seen 100% attendance since band camp. I know that once school starts we're all fighting for time in different things but I want you sports folks to know that I honestly appreciate you being dedicated to the rest of us enough to tell your coaches what's up.

Here are my remaining concerns for the opener and episodes 1 & 2:
1 - the visuals aren't clean / clear / and consistent in each member/section
2 - the music isn't nearly as clean moving as standing still
3 - the veterans who march well are not keeping constant tabs / coaching the newcomers
4 - we've got tempo issues the whole way through: it's all too slow

All of those things are easy enough to fix, and believe me, I don't expect the show to be any where near perfect yet... It's only September. Just keep in the mind that the more we improve the better we become.

Here's the What's up for the coming week:

Friday - Plain & Fancy donut orders are due before departure
students need to be ready to roll out at 5:30pm (show up beforehand)
we WILL be in the stadium to watch/cheer Minersville's pre-game performance
at this point it's NOT looking good for 3rd quarter - Soda/H2O donations are a must
Uniforms will remain in your possession... keep them in presentable condition!

Weekend - honestly take some individual responsibility and practice your music & visuals

Monday - Guard; evening rehearsal focus is on cleaning work to F'fare & Ep.1 MARCHING
Percussion; focus on tempo issues / Hoe Down / logistics of getting on/off the field

Tuesday - Winds; set by set cleaning of drill forms (lines, arcs, etc.) and visuals / Ep. 2 review

Thursday - Ensemble; movement by movement review/repetition for improved performance

Friday - Football Game

Saturday - Light Rehearsal (pack a lunch) and our first Competition!!!!!!!!!!!

...on a fatherly note...
if you know you have rehearsal, it's a good idea to dress comfortably and appropriatly for the physical demand of the activity and the weather, to keep yourself hydrated, and to keep yourself nourished
band kids are smart kids - don't be a dummie; drink liquids and fill up your tummy

Money Money Mon-nay

2008-09-03T16:08:00.003-04:00

DON'T FORGET, Plain&Fancy donut money/orders are due to Mr. Gunnell this FRIDAY September 5th BEFORE the bus departs for Minersville!!!

ABAlrighty then

2008-08-31T08:34:00.002-04:00

Jeez o' Man did I have a good time at the Mummers Parade in Ashland last night. Ok, well I won't lie to you, I really don't LOVE parades - but... we sounded alright, and you marched reasonably well considering we were doing it for 2 hours, not to mention the forty five minutes of standing around beforehand.

Percussion: we'll work something out for next time, but I was content to march to taps all night.

Don't forget, your uniforms are now YOUR responsibility, keep them clean and not wrinkled up and don't forget Coats, Pants, Hats, DM's, and BLACK SOCKS ABOVE THE ANKLE (which everyone has from the Winter Concert)

On a "mean band director" note - the band room is an absolute mess. trash, food, personal belonging, chairs and stands and such out of place... Unless you want to spend your time after performances on clean up duty- you better start taking care of our common space and belongings. Spread the word.

19-6 spells I told you so...

2008-08-30T10:31:00.002-04:00

My dear friends - doesn't it feel good to be part of a winning Spartan Nation and one big Spartan Family? And now it's on your shoulders to work hard and achieve and bring home some Spartan Glory. Only if we march as one and play as one can we improve, and those things will only happen through dedicated effort. Remember that in the four rehearsals leading up to our premier competition at Hempfield two weeks from today.

I finally got around to putting the Brass & Sax feature up on YouTube... watch, study, practice, perform.

SCHEDULE UPDATE

2008-08-29T11:43:00.004-04:00

On Monday October 27th the marching band and color guard will travel to the IU29 building in Mar Lin for a performance at the Red Ribbon Week kick off pep rally.

Students will be dismissed to the band room during 1st period.

We will travel/perform in Full Uniform - be prepared to change in the band room before and after. Black socks and DM's, Hair UP, no dangling earrings eye patches or ski masks.

The Date of our Bloomsburg Fair Performance is inaccurate on the original fall schedule. We will perform on Monday September 22nd at 10am

Consider Yourself Told

Reflecting on Thursday Ensemble and Meet the Team

2008-08-29T10:46:00.002-04:00

Well Done!
Thursday evening's performance at meet the team went well and I was pleased and proud to present you and conduct the show excerpt. Also a big THANK YOU for following directions in the stands and not hoot-n-hollering for individuals on other teams (and also for not booing people you don't like, apparently that's tolerated among other coaches/staff). You're a classy bunch of kids and we need to always keep our appearance in the public eye.

What pleased me more was your effort and attentiveness at yesterday's after school rehearsal. Lets play a game called "keep it up" and hopefully I will have to say "just because you take your horn away from your mouth doesn't mean you're supposed to start talking" with increasingly less frequency.

Hope for a dry evening....
-cg

First officially official Remarks on Rehearsal post:

2008-08-26T18:46:00.003-04:00

Monday's Guard & Percussion:

Girls - guard rehearsals will be a lot more productive in the future, my fault... hopefully everyone's nearly together with work for fanfare through episode 1. the band proper is half way finished with putting music to episode 2 so we need to get the work written/learned for that. rifles; i'd like to see your episode 1 work finishedish soon for approval - remember - less is more

Perc' - i didn't talk to anyone after rehearsal and Mr. Noyalas and i haven't spoken... hopefully you were on task and can play the first three songs.

Tuesday's Winds:

Folks - you know i hate to be the mean band director but you've got to work with me here... you can't deny that if we keep putting forth the effort i saw from those of you in attendance for all of this afternoon's rehearsal we won't have a very clean/entertaining show to perform. i am content to have made it half way through episode 2 adding music set by set, but it's never going to come together if individuals don't step up to the plate and learn their parts on their own time. you know who you are, and so do the poor folks who've got the music memorized and are hitting their sets.

For Thursday:

Winds in a basics block at 3pm stretching/marching
Guard on the front sideline at 3pm stretching/spinning
Percussion on the field at 3:15pm

Goals - finish putting music to episode 2, run/clean opener - episode 2

Expectations - everyone in attendance, everyone giving 110% effort, have your music, have your set books and/or drill charts, know where you belong, know what you're playing... take some individual responsibility and pride in what we're trying to accomplish here together

Evening Performance - meet the team is at 7pm, we're playing on the field and in the stands in uniform - make sure you've got black socks and your Drill Masters

tsk tsk tsknology

2008-08-26T18:43:00.002-04:00

Ok so......
I've found a band aide to fix the PDF download promblem (sb sp)

Stay Tuned for MORE Technical Difficulty

2008-08-25T16:15:00.002-04:00

So Uh.... on MY computer where I author the band web page the links to the downloadable PDF files actually work. I'm hoping to have tech support help me correct this problem.

Welcome!

2008-08-21T17:47:00.000-04:00

So Mr. Gunnell is getting all tech'ed out this fall (and also talking about himself in the third person) and in addition to the rippin' new Band Website with lots of bells and whistles and downloadable tid bits - there's this sweet new blog thinger that will host some other bells and whilstles and viewable thingers as well as provide him (me) with a place to comment on rehearsals and performances and just share some thoughts with you loverly people.

Feel free to use the comment do-hicky to interact with the Band's Blog, BandBlog, BandLOG, B&LOG...