Greetings! Hope you have all experienced a great year of music! It is time to be making plans for the Summer Band Program! I would like to take this opportunity to inform you about the Summer Band classes available for Valparaiso Middle School students for this summer.
We feel that it is very important for students in Grade 6, 7 and 8 to attend Summer Band classes. It is essential for young band students to belong to an organized group with regular rehearsal times in order to keep from backsliding in their instrumental playing. Because of our summer program, our staff members notice a huge improvement in performance from the end of the 6th grade year to the beginning of the 7th grade year.
One of the great strengths of our Summer Band Program is that we play a great quantity of music. It is a very relaxed atmosphere, and we plan to play several new and different pieces in summer band. This enables the students to improve their sight-reading skills, as well as their fingering technique.
We realize many students will also be taking private lessons and/or attending a band camp. We do hope that your student can attend summer band for an additional varied musical experience.
A wide variety of music will be read, and students attending should be better players in the fall. There are no practice charts in summer band. This experience will culminate with a "Concert on the Square" during the last full week (Wednesday, July 22). Mr. Coil, Ms. Sager, Mr. Rosario, and I will be conducting the Summer Middle School Bands.. The theme for the concert this summer is “Spies and Other Spooks.” Summer Band should be particularly exciting this year.
Dates for 6th grade Summer Band Program: June 8 to July 24. (3 days weekly) Monday, Wednesday, Friday, 9:00 to 10:00a. This band will meet in the Valparaiso High School Band Room.
Dates for 7th and 8th grade Summer Band Program: June 9 to July 24 (3 days weekly) Tuesday, Thursday, and Friday from 9:00 10:00a. This band will meet in the Valparaiso High School Band Room.
At the end of summer band, on July 23, we will have an outing to Great America for the students. The students will pay the group rate park admission fee of approximately $33.00 plus a $1 bus fee. This trip is optional.
Summer Band tuition is $75.00. (Discount for weeks missed due to camps or vacation: Miss 2 or 3 weeks deduct $5.00; miss 4 weeks or more deduct $10.00). Please make checks payable to: "Valparaiso Community Schools." Please do not pay in advance! Please pay at the first class session!
We hope to see all middle school band students this summer! We understand that many families take vacations and many students attend camps during the summer, but please do plan to come to our fun Summer Band Program when you are available.
An Additional Note to Parents: Please note that the spring general meeting of the Valparaiso Band Parents Association is 8:00p, Tuesday, May 26, in the VHS Band Room. Please plan to attend to help make plans for next year’s VBPA activities.