January 23, 2023

Greetings Atascocita Band Familia! Better late than never, I always say! This week was jam packed with things happening, in terms of eligibility, rehearsals, sectionals, recruiting events, group photos, and all the things. Now that we are already on Wednesday, here is your update on all of the things that are happening currently and the things that are about to happen.

SIDE BY SIDE (varsity only): The Varsity Band has side by side middle school performances this week. Due to the weather, we had to reschedule the Timberwood Middle School event to Monday February 13th. The next event is as follows:

• West Lake Middle School, Thursday January 26th, 2023
• 4:30 to 5:30 Concert Band 
• 5:45 to 6:45 Symphonic Band 
• 7:00 to 8:00 Honor Band 
• Once school is out, you will have about an hour and a half to make your way over there. There won’t be a school bus for this one, so you will need to find a ride over to WLMS.

DISNEY TRIP: OMG IT’S NEXT WEEK! We are getting super close to departure. We will have lots more updates coming out soon before it gets to be that time. Here are a few things that you should know:

• Trip Website: go to https://www.atascocitaband.com/disney-trip-2023.html and make sure that you have the handbook, itinerary, BAND app information since that will be the primary way we communicate with all Disney trip band students.
• Luggage: Be sure to look in the handbook on flight packing instructions. Please only have ONE carry on and ONE backpack. And make sure that your backpack and your carry-on case is the dimensions listed, because we do not want to check a large suitcase at the airport. That will take up WAY too much time.
• Luggage change: A change that we are making is that you can bring your luggage with you on Thursday. It does not need to stay in the band hall overnight on Wednesday since it will all be checked at TSA Thursday morning. So on Thursday, you will make sure you have:
  • Instrument in the designated Disney area in the band hall
  • One carry on with your personal items
  • One backpack with the rest of your items
• Wardrobe for the days: Here are some updates on some specific items clothes-related:
  • On Thursday, the band will be wearing a special trip shirt made by TMF. It was included in the package, so all students will be receiving that here soon.
  • On Sunday, day of the workshop, students will wear the following:
    • Blue AMB Shirt
    • Shorts of your choice in HISD dress code
• Packing for the Flight: Bag sizes and packing flight instructions are indicated in the handbook located on the band Disney website.Please be sure that you go over this so that we can get on the plane and get going quickly that day.

SOLO AND ENSEMBLE: Times have been posted on the whiteboard in the band hall. Students need to take a look at the schedule to see what time they play.
Our official contest days are Friday and Saturday February 17th and 18th.

• TSSEC Entries: If you are one of the few entries who have selected to do the State track, your contest is Friday February 17th at Humble HS.
• AHS Percussion: You will perform after school on Friday February 17th.
• Campus Solo and Ensemble (everybody else): You perform on Saturday February 18th. The contest will start in the morning, and will go to the evening since we have about 170 entries participating. 
• REQUIRED: This is a curriculum performance required by all band students for a major summative grade. All band students should have music that is either a solo or an ensemble picked out and should already be practicing. If you do not have music yet, please come see a band director and we will help you.

ELIGIBILITY: Progress reports are going out soon. If your child is passing all of their classes this week, they will have regained their eligibility if they had lost it previously. If your child is failing a class on the progress report coming up and they passed everything on the report card, nothing will happen since a progress report is a gain-only. 

Calendar Additions: We have some dates to add to the calendar!

• Full Orchestra Pre- UIL: February 21st
• Full Orchestra UIL Concert and Sightreading Evaluation: February 28th
• Jazz Band @ the Bill Watrous Jazz Festival at Sam Houston State University: March 31st
• Jazz Band @ the Alief Jazz Festival: March 25th

More information to come on these events soon.

TMEA All State: When we return from Disney, the directors will be out beginning that Wednesday at the Texas Music Educators Association clinic and convention for professional staff development. This year’s AHS TMEA All-State Musician will be performing in San Antonio at the clinic and convention. The TMEA All-State Concerts are Saturday, February 11, 2023, in the Henry B. González Convention Center in San Antonio (900 E. Market Street).

If you are traveling to San Antonio for the All-State Concerts to support this year’s All-State musician, you will want to consider heavy traffic, parking, shuttle wait time/walk time, and convention center navigation time when you plan your travel. You will need to arrive very early.  Parking & Shuttle Information

• Concert Entry: Those with the four All-State Concert Tickets (family members) or a TMEA paid convention badge (TMEA members, their directors) are allowed entry first. And then ten minutes prior to the beginning of a concert, if seating is available, admission is open to all. A ticket or badge does not guarantee entry at that time. All seating is unassigned.
  • TMEA All-State Concert Band
  • 4:00 PM — Lila Cockrell Theatre
  • Line up in the hallway from the North Lobby to the theater

Alright! That wraps it up for all things band this week. That’s a lot, and sorry it took me so long to get it out. Thank you for following up and reading! We will have more next week as we get ready to wear our Mickey ears! Let’s finish the week strong friends!