Sachse Mustang Band UPDATES

I hope everyone had a great break and are ready to hit the ground running this semester! I know it will fly by, but please take a minute and make sure that you have read through this S'MORE that contains many updates that everyone needs to ensure a great start to the New Year and Semester.

UIL Solo Information Below (VERY IMPORTANT)

All students must purchase their solo original for the contest. If you are using smart music, you will only need to purchase the solo music. If you have a live accompanist, you must also purchase the piano part. Students should have all picked or been assigned a solo at this point. ALL STUDENTS need to bring the original to your solo with you to band EVERY day! We will be making copies of these for you to practice with. Your band fees will cover the cost of contest entry, but the accompanist fee will need to be paid directly to your assigned accompanist at the first rehearsal. The accompanist fee is $60 and will be due the week of February 10, 2025. DUE TO COPYRIGHT, no student will be allowed to perform at the contest without an original to provide to the judge. Solo participation comprises 2 MAJOR grades for the 3rd grading period as well as a preparation grade via recording due January 21, 2025. This preparation grade will be a video recording of yourself playing your solo.

Solo Selection Info

Keep in mind when selecting your solo that Class 1 solos that are memorized can qualify you to advance to State if you receive a first division. There are some solos designated NMR (no memory required) that can qualify a superior rating to be qualified for state, these solos are usually either very long or very difficult. It is the performers responsibility to ensure the judge knows they are performing from memory.

If you have requested a live accompanist, make sure that you are practicing with a metronome so your rehearsals are about putting things together, not figuring out things you learned wrong. These rehearsals are not for you to learn your music and will not be long enough to do so. Those working on Smart Music solos need to use the tools in Smart Music to prepare and make sure that you are learning the solo correctly. Smart Music solos can be accessed now.

This year's skyward fees have been added. All students need to have the Activity fee paid by the end of this week to avoid being added to LOP. This means that CHARMS/ now Cuttime Fees should have already been paid in full. The only exception would be those on a different payment plan and new guard or percussion that should have completed CHARMS/ Cuttime fees in October.

Wind Ensemble and Percussion Ensemble

Mandatory trip meeting will be February 25, 2025 @ 7 PM. All students attending need to be present with a parent to be able to sign all necessary forms.

Please make sure that you are caught up with payments listed below.

Student payments

$100 November 1

$100 December 1

$100 January 1

$100 February 1

We will be discussing a fundraiser to try and help cover the final payment at the January Booster meeting.

Students should have made the first three payments at this time and chaperones should have paid the first 4 payments at this time. Please double check that your cuttime account is up to date with these payments at this time.

January 7, 2025

Wind Ensemble Rehearsal 3-5 PM

Booster Meeting @ 7 PM

January 11, 2025

AREA Auditions

Plano Senior HS

January 14, 2025

Wind Ensemble Rehearsal 3-5 PM

January 18, 2025 (times/ instructions will be added/ finalized by the end of next week.)

MLK Parade; APPROX. 7:45 AM Inspection in cafeteria with band shirt, jeans, tennis shoes, and instrument.

Students will ride a bus to the parade start and be picked up at the end and returned to Sachse HS.

First Winterguard Preview @ Timber Creek HS (Varsity only)

January 21, 2025

Wind Ensemble Rehearsal 3-5 PM

January 27, 2025 (Monday)

Wind Ensemble Rehearsal 3-6:15 PM

CLINIC

January 28, 2025

Wind Ensemble Rehearsal 3-5 PM

January 30-31, 2025

ALL Region Bands clinic and Concerts

details are in the TMEA S'more

ALL GISD students will ride the district provided buses to this event. Please make sure that you have a parent to pick you up at Poteet HS on January 31 following the concerts. Bus information will be coming to you in the next couple of weeks, all buses depart from and return to Lakeview Centennial HS.

The button below will take you to a sheet that will have all Itineraries for the year. If the tab is blacked out, we don't have information yet to update that schedule. We will estimate times if possible, but be aware they may be adjusted slightly, but that should give you an idea of at least the range of time things will be on those days.

Currently eligibility is based on all 9 week grades from the end of GP2, not the term grade. Students who passed all classes or have a waiver for approved Honors courses are ALL eligible starting Monday, January 14, 2025. The next grade check for students to regain is January 27, 2025, but they will not regain eligibility until February 3, 2025 based on the 3 week progress report grades locked in.