September 4, 2007

Hello everyone. What a great outing the Marching Band and dance team had last Friday evening! I was very proud of our first performance for the year. Way to go sophomores, you are now veterans! The hard work is paying off, early season band camp, early morning rehearsals, sectionals, Monday night Drum Line – all of it. Way to go! Don’t forget Marching Band members – attendance in seminar rehearsal is REQUIRED for everyone unless you have talked with Mr. Thomas specifically. That is every seminar rehearsal from now until K-State.

Now for this week's update.

Don’t forget the first London meeting on September 13 in the SM West Cafeteria at 7:00 p.m. You will hear lots of details about the trip, as well as more about the dignitary visit on September 26. There is also a preliminary deposit of $200 due for each person desiring to go on the London Trip. We want every marching band student and dancer to be able to attend. We are planning many more fundraising activities. We even have a specific accountant and bank account set up just for the London trip. We know it is a long way off, but we have our first payment to the tour company in just a few short weeks. The London Trip will be a full week of activities, departing on Thursday and returning on the next Thursday. What a wonderful time of exploration and learning about world culture as well as getting to perform on an international scale! EVERYONE interested in going with the band to London NEEDS to be at this meeting. Parents you can go too. Many families have made this a family trip. While it is a tour and there are some activities that we must adhere to a schedule for, there is also time set aside for small group sightseeing. Come learn more about the opportunities that lie ahead!

Official London New Year’s Day Parade Invitation Presentation – September 26. If you did not get last weeks email, the president of the travel company hosting the parade for the last 22 years Mr. Robert Bone will be here along with the Queen’s Lord Lieutenant Roger Bramble, to make the official presentation of our invitation. It will be a big media event with many local dignitaries of our own in addition to Mr. Bone and Lord Bramble. The presentation event will kick off at about 5:00 p.m. and conclude at approximately 7:00 p.m. again, in the SM West Cafeteria. There will be a reception time as well as a time to ask questions of our guests. OE will perform and local media will be invited.

Adopt-A-Frosh is this Friday, Sept 7. We have approximately 30 freshmen signed up. There is still time to come join the fun! West Pride Marching Band members will be contacting you shortly to make arrangements for this big event. Call time in the band room (the time everyone is supposed to be in the band room getting ready) is 4:15. We will depart for the SM North High School stadium by 4:45. After a short rehearsal everyone will be fed (that was part of your band fees). Pregame begins at 6:40 and kick-off is at 7:00. Parents you are encouraged to attend the game and join the other Band Parents under their sign. The game will conclude at about 9:30. We will be back at the band room at about 10:00 p.m. if you are picking up your son or daughter.

District Honor Band Auditions are coming up in November. If you don’t already have the music, please see Mr. Thomas or Mr. Hupe. Sorry Freshmen, you are not eligible until next year. Some of the district band audition music will be used for our own Wind Ensemble auditions after marching season. Get a head start!

Listed below are some more details of the London trip just to get you thinking. Enjoy!

Have a wonderful week!

 

 

London Thoughts:

Tentative travel dates: Depart Thursday, Dec. 27 – Return KCI Thursday, Jan. 3

 

The groups performing in the London New Years Day Parade will begin the 2.2 mile parade route underneath “Big Ben” and the Palace of Westminster, marching up Whitehall past the Cenotaph and Downing Street, entering Trafalgar Square below Nelson’s column. They will continue along Cockspur Street and Pall Mall before turning into Waterloo Place and marching up Lower Regent Street. At Piccadilly Circus (equivalent to Times Square in New York) they will turn left into Piccadilly and march past the VIP grandstands in which all of London’s Mayors will be seated. Here, there will be a stop and perform requirement for the TV cameras. The Ritz Hotel marks the parade route end where the procession makes a right turn into Berkeley Street before dispersing in Berkeley Square. Taken from the official London New Years Parade Guide Book.

___________________________

Bill Thomas

Director of Bands

Shawnee Mission West High School

email: wethomas@smsd.org

voice: 913-993-7852