We had a LOT of announcements at our Fall Session start-up, so the following is for those you missed rehearsal, and/or a reference for those who desire a refresher….
REMINDER – New Band Rehearsal Location
- We are now rehearsing weekly at Xavier Middle School.
- Xavier is located at 2626 N. Oneida Street, Appleton – at the corner of north Oneida Street and Northland Ave. (‘OO’).
- Please use the building entrance facing Oneida Street.
- You can park in the parking lot fronting the building or in the strip mall directly across the street.
- Some of you may remember rehearsing at Xavier MS years ago.
- Xavier has excellent facilities and we are pleased to be returning.
For those who missed last week’s first fall rehearsal –
I want to welcome everyone back to band!! I know the first fall rehearsal always feels a little chaotic. Tonight, we are in a new location with a new band director, brass sectional instructor and four new-to-band musicians. So, we are embracing lots of changes this evening. Thanks for your patience and flexibility.
We are welcoming:
Jenny Leist, our new band director and Ron Olson, new brass sectional instructor.
- Jenny is the Hortonville MS band director and an alto sax player in several different community concert and swing bands.
- Ron is a retired band director and retired US Army musician and band director. He was the middle school and high school band director at St. John’s Military Academy for ten years; has also taught in the Oshkosh and Winneconne school districts; and provides private lessons at his Oshkosh music studio. His preferred instrument is Euphonium. Jenny, along with our instructors, An and Michael, have all known Ron for many years.
We are excited to have them both join our band program. We also have some new-to-band and returning musicians. Please welcome them all when you see them at band.
Our four new-to-band musicians are:
- Janel Bahr — flute/piccolo
- ShanKara Bohm — flute
- Lynne Phillips — trumpet
- Terri Reynebeau — alto sax
AND returning band musicians who have not been in band for a while:
- Laura Reinbacker — horn
- Sandy Buettner — horn
For those who are brand new to band here is some helpful information:
- Bring a pencil for marking up your sheet music as needed (NO ink or markers, please). We typically, start with a full-band warm-up in the band room and then break out to our sectional group lessons. Percussion will remain in the band room. Brass will meet down the hall in the choral room, while woodwinds will meet in the orchestra room. After sectionals we will have a 10-minute break to socialized and have snacks. Following our break, we will reconvene in the band room for full band rehearsal until 8:30.
Our current COVID-related precautions are as follows:
- COVID vaccinations and booster shots are not required, but HIGHLY recommended and encouraged.
- Face masks are not required, but always welcomed.
- Bell covers are no longer required.
- Social distancing is HIGHLY recommended and encouraged. When possible, we would like chairs four feet apart in sectionals and at minimum of three apart in the band room.
- Puppy pads on the floor ARE REQUIRED for any instrument that needs fluid drained or cleared. Puppy pads are provided by the band. Please use the pad with the absorbent side up. You can reuse your puppy pad over extended weekly rehearsals. Please store it in your instrument case so you have it when you arrive at band. We can provide you with a new puppy as needed.
- We will continue to monitor regional COVID conditions throughout the fall an make any changes to our precautions as appropriate.
- As we rehearse weekly, if you have been exposed to someone with COVID-19, become COVID-19 symptomatic or test positive for COVID-19, please inform the band immediately, by contacting Doug Marsh at dmarsh@att.net or 920-734-6299. This will allow us to notify the band at-large about a possible exposure. Your name will be kept confidential, unless you give your permission to disclose your name to band musicians.
IMPORTANT — Weekly Attendance Sheet
PLEASE sign in at each rehearsal by initialing the line with your name on our attendance record. Doing so allows us to know who attended the last weekly rehearsal in case someone in the band becomes exposed to COVID, COVID symptomatic, or COVID positive. By initialing, you are confirming that in the last 10 days you have no known COVID-19 symptoms. Also by initialing your attendance, you are agreeing to follow all COVID-related precautions set by New Horizons Band Fox Valley (NHBFV); If you become COVID-19 symptomatic or test positive to immediately inform NHBFV; and know that by attending any or all NHBFV rehearsals, you may expose yourself to the COVID virus and agree to hold harmless: New Horizons Music Fox Valley, Inc., its Board of Directors and Officers; New Horizons Band Fox Valley (NHBFV), its Executive Committee members, our NHBFV Band Director and sectional instructors; St. Francis Xavier Middle School (SFX MS), and anyone affiliated with SFX MS.
Weekly Snacks at Rehearsal
If you are willing to bring snacks for future rehearsal nights, please sign up using the snack sign-up sheet. To make bringing snacks less burdensome, I recommend two people team up to bring snacks for any given rehearsal night. As a COVID-related precaution, snacks should be individually wrapped, single servings.
Name Tags
If you need a name tag, please use the name tag request form and we will prepare a name tag for you. As a reminder to everyone, please wear your name tag (everyone may not know you) and store it in your instrument case so you have it when you arrive at band.
Old Music
If you have any sheet musical from this past winter/spring sessions, PLEASE turn it back in. You can give past sheet music to your sectional instructor.
Fall Payments
If you have not yet done so, you can pay for your fall session with our band registrar, Michele Leiden (horn player). You can make your payment with a check or with your credit or debit card via our ‘Square’ point-of-sale electronic processing.
Recent Comments