Help support the Arts in Texas
The Texas Coalition for Quality Arts Education (TCQAE) in partnership with Texas Music Educators Association (TMEA) is pleased to announce that www.GoArts.org is live and available for you to visit and sign up to support arts education in Texas.
The purpose of GoArts.org is to provide timely information about developments that affect arts education in Texas so that fine arts supporters can become more effective advocates. Available now on the site are the results of a survey on arts education of the candidates running for state office on November 4.
Visit GoArts.org now and take one minute to sign up and answer four short questions about how you can help. We are not asking for money, and you will not be inundated with emails from us. If you sign up to receive emails from GoArts.org, we will contact you only when there is important news about fine arts instruction in Texas schools.
Use this link to register your support.
Only recently in a press release from the office of the Commissioner of Higher Education, high school fine arts courses were referred to as "non-academic." So, you can see the challenge of promoting quality arts education for all students is formidable on all levels. Thank you in advance for your willingness to help!
Happy Holidays!
All-Region Auditions
The Big Blue Band had several students make the Region 3 TMEA All-Region band this fall. They competed against thousands of students from Mesquite, Rockwall, Richardson, Forney, Garland, and the surrounding areas. FOR THE THIRD YEAR IN A ROW, North Mesquite had the most students selected from any of the 5A high schools in Mesquite, and the 2nd highest total in the district overall! GO BIG BLUE!!!
Front Row:
Susana Salazar (1st chair flute, Symphonic Band), Jessica Stroup (3rd chair flute, Symphonic Band), Charity Banks (7th chair flute, Wind Ensemble), Jessica Graham (9th chair clarinet, Concert Band)
2nd Row:
Desiree Gonzalez (12th chair clarinet, Wind Symphony), Morgan Hall (11th chair trumpet, 9th grade band), Brianna Darnell (1st chair clarinet, Wind Ensemble), Steven Elliott (9th chair trombone, 9th grade band)
3rd Row:
Blaine Smith (2nd chair french horn, Symphonic Band), Jonathan Chavez-Medina (2nd chair bass clarinet, Symphonic Band), Lashone Garrett (1st chair bass clarinet, Concert Band), Desmond Edwards (10th chair clarinet, Wind Symphony), Savannah Ervin (8th Chair trumpet, 9th grade band)
Drum Corps comes to Dallas
DCI will be in Dallas at Lake Highlands stadium (map here) on Thursday, July 16 and Friday, July 17. The Lake Highlands Festival of Drums and Bugles is the oldest DCI show in Texas! If you have purchased a ticket for the Friday show from the Big Blue Band, then come see Mr. Downs on Friday, July 17 from 3-5 PM. If this time does not work for you, then send Mr. Downs an email to arrange another time to pick them up.
Rehearsals - go check out some of these groups rehearsing! It is very intense and exciting, but please do not be a distraction to the drum corps. Mr. Downs also compiled a list (here) of many of the drum corps’ rehearsal sites and the days that they are rehearsing. On our staff Mr. Mathew and Ms. Norman have been DCI members, so make sure to get some DCI stories from them, too! You can learn a lot by watching these groups carefully!
California Band Trip a big hit!
Everyone had a great trip and arrived safely back home!
The students were able to play on a Disney sound stage behind the scenes at Disneyland in Anaheim, CA. The conductor Doug Strawn led the students through several pieces that they put to film. Every student was able to wear a wireless headset much like the way the real film musicians do when playing the music to a film. Doug also showed off his Donald Duck voice-he was the voice of Donald between 1984-1989.
Students also had a chance to see the Hollywood walk of fame and Chinese Theater, Universal Studios, San Diego Zoo, Coronado Beach, and more! Everyone is worn out, so it must have been a great trip!