News Archive
Composer Michael Markowski visits the Big Blue Band
The Big Blue Band welcomed American composer Michael Markowski on October 10-11, 2011. He spent time with our students in rehearsals before and after school. All of our show music was originally composed by Mr. Markowski, who is from Arizona. The show music is from the original pieces Out There, Shine, Sitting and Shadow Rituals. Our students had several opportunities to ask him questions and to interact with him. Thank you for visiting, Mr. Markowski!
Summer update #2 from Mr. Jones
Mr. Jones has sent out his summer update #2 which is available HERE.
Updates are added on the Updates page from time to time throughout the year. Also, every handout that we give out in class and most email attachments go into the Handouts page. Both of these are in the menu on the left. Please check them periodically to keep up with what is going on with the band.
Uniform Day
Handout HERE.
Saturday, August 6th
Various times based on grade and name.
Make sure you know your time and what to wear to uniform day.
Chicago Trip
The itinerary is now available HERE. Please review it carefully before our meetings this week.
Congratulations, 2011 Graduates!
Thank you for your dedication and service to the band and your peers. Come back and visit soon!
2011 Summer Schedule
The 2011 Summer Schedule is now available HERE. Please make a note of all dates and schedule appointments around required events. The hard work in the summer is a HUGE part of the continued success of the Big Blue Band!
Welcome newest Big Blue family member!
Mr. and Mrs. Jones welcomed their third child Seth Allen Jones into the world on Sunday morning at 9:06 AM. Baby boy and mommy are doing well. Congratulations, Jones family!!!
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!
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!