Dear Band Families,
Good Afternoon everyone.
Well we made it!
Semester 1 is coming to a close. I don't know about you all, but I am tired!
2 rehearsals, 3 performances, 1 parade, and 1 Tuba-Christmas is a lot to fit into 2 weeks, but I thought, for the most part, everything went well. And the students performed wonderfully!
I am still working on getting all the concert performances uploaded to Youtube. I will send out another newsletter (hopefully this week) with links to everything!
We did have some issues with concert behavior at our recent performance. This is, honestly, a significant concern for me. As a band director, I take great pride not only in how well my students play but also in how they present themselves as representatives of our program. While it is important for others to think my students play well, it is even more important for me that people see them as polite, respectful, and well-behaved individuals. To me, that speaks volumes about the success of our program and the character of the students within it.
Musical skills can always be taught and refined with practice, but behavior—especially how students act when they think no one is looking—is a choice. That choice reflects their maturity and respect for the effort of others. Whether they are performing on stage or sitting in the audience, their behavior can either enhance or detract from the overall performance. A respectful audience is just as vital to a concert’s success as the performers on stage.
To help reinforce the importance of concert etiquette, I have included some thoughts and guidelines in this week’s “Dr. Bowles’ Corner.” I encourage you to review these points and have a conversation with your student about our expectations for behavior at concerts. These lessons extend beyond music—they are about learning respect, responsibility, and what it means to be part of a community.
Thank you for partnering with me to instill these values in our students. With your help, we can continue building a program that we are all proud of, both musically and personally.
1. Disney 2nd payment due THIS week! - See link below.
2. Band Backer Meeting - Wednesday at 5:45 pm
3. Check out the after school calendar for January - we are switching things up a bit and will have sectionals throughout the next couple months.
I hope you all have a VERY restful break. Enjoy the Holidays.
We will see you in the new year.
Thank you,
Dr. Bowles
Ms. Ticer
