Congratulations on a fantastic week last week. Our students performed in assemblies to honor our veterans as well as presented a concert full of emotions to honor our veterans! Our 2nd block students performed a beautiful rendition of Amazing Grace and an excited Havendance, and our 1st block students left many speechless by their performance of An American Elegy and got everyone tapping their feet along to Fairest of the Fair! All of this before we celebrated out Veterans with the Armed Forces Salute and an indoor performance of our 2021 Halftime Production: Journey, which absolutely brought the house down! We are having a lot of fun creating memories with one another and the memories continued on Saturday as we faced off against Creekview. We won the game and have advanced to the next round of playoffs. Friday we face off against Alcovy HS at their home stadium, Homer Sharp Stadium in Covington, GA.

Special thank you to Creekview’s band for assisting with pulling the flag on Friday night! It has been a great year of including more communities with our tradition of pulling the flag. The student section has assisted us multiple times this year, the football team helped out for Homecoming, and for the first time the visiting band, Creekview, assisted! We are thankful that so many are willing to assist! Thank you!

Week at a Glance:

• Monday • Varsity Winter Guard 5:30pm – 8:30pm in Band Room
• Tuesday • Junior Winter Guard 5:30pm – 7:30pm in Band Room
  • Spirit Night at American Pie 5:00pm – 8:00pm
• Thursday • Band Auditions • Sign Up Here (Must be signed into school email)
  • All Winter Guard 5:30pm – 8:30pm
• Friday • All in One Pick Up • 9:00AM – 6:00PM
  • Away vs. Alcovy HS @ Homer Sharp Stadium in Covington
  • 3:30PM Load Instruments
  • 4:00PM In Uniform
  • 4:15PM Depart
  • 5:45PM Dinner at Stonecrest Mall • Bring Money
  • 6:30PM Depart for game
  • 7:00PM Arrive at Homer Sharp Stadium
  • 12:30AM Approx. Arrive back at CHS • Updated ETA via Remind
• Saturday • All in One Pick Up • 9:00AM – 12:00PM

Band Auditions • Thursday, November 18

Band Auditions will take place in person in the band building on Thursday, November 18.

Please use this form to sign-up for an audition slot.(You must be signed into your school google account).

Students will perform the following for points during their audition:
1) 2 mins for scale test (3 points per scale)
2) chromatic scale (20 points plus bonus options)
3) etude (60 points)
4) Sight-Reading (50 points)

Below, more detailed information about what to prepare and how it is scored:

2 mins scales test (Winds and Percussion):

Please perform as many major/minor scales as you can in 2 minutes. The scales do not have to be memorized. Students will receive a maximum of 3 points per octave that is performed correctly (1 point ascending, 1 point descending, and 1 point for the arpeggio.) Mistakes may be corrected but you only have 2 minutes to complete their scales. If time runs out in the middle of a scale, you may finish that scale for full credit but will be finished at the end of that scale. Articulation and rhythm does not matter for scales, but note accuracy is imperative. Keep in mind: your scale score is not limited by anything except time. You can really earn a lot of points in this category if you practice diligently. It is rare, but not unheard of for students to perform 12 major and 12 minor scales, 2 octaves in a 2 minute period. Are you up for the challenge?

Chromatic Scale (Winds and Percussion):

Students are encouraged to demonstrate their full range by performing their chromatic scale. The chromatic scale does not have to be memorized. GMEA has requirements for recommended ranges for students who are auditioning for district honor band. Their recommendation is a great starting goal. The scale should be performed in an even rhythm both ascending and descending. Points for the chromatic scale will be awarded as follows:

Perform the Junior High School required ranges for a total of 20 points
Flute Low C to High F
Oboe Low C to High C
Bassoon Low Bb to High F
Soprano Clarinet Low E to High D above High C
Bb Low Clarinet Low E to High A Bb
Eb Contra Alto Clarinet Low E to High A
Alto Sax Low C to High D
Baritone Sax Low C to High D
Tenor Sax Low C to High D
Trumpet Low F# to High G
French Horn Low F to High F
Trombone Low E to High F
Baritone (BC) Low E to High F
Baritone (TC) Low F# to High G
Tuba Low E to High F
Percussion – Full range of the instrument

For each additional note added to the range students may earn an additional point for their Chromatic Scale.
Bonus points: There is no specified tempo, but the evaluator has the discretion to award up to 10 bonus points for performing the scale with quality tone in all registers, speed, and exceptional evenness of the performance.

Etude (Winds and Percussion):

Etudes were copied and passed out to all students at the beginning of the semester in class when auditions were announced. But they have also been included in the following links for convenience.

9th and 10th Grade Etudes • 11th and 12th Grade Etudes

Sight-Reading (Winds and Percussion):

Students will have 30 seconds to silently study a brief musical example before performing it for the judge. Sight-reading is graded on all elements of music: tone, pitch, tempo, rhythm, technique, articulation, dynamics, musicality, expression, and style. A compelling performance of the sight-reading can earn 50 points. Be sure to pay attention to the time signature, tempo, and key signature.

Chick-fil-a Peach Bowl

We have been invited to perform in the Chick-fil-a Bowl on December 30, 2021. As performers we will receive special entertainer passes, but not tickets to the game. This is a great experience for our band program and an exciting opportunity for our students to perform in a professional arena, the Mercedes Benz Dome downtown! Understanding that the event occurs during the holiday season when many families may be traveling, I need you to please fill out this form so that I know how many students to submit for our special entertainer passes. The form is very short, please fill it out now.

About Entertainer Passes:

The Peach Bowl team has agreed to give us special Entertainers Passes into the stadium for performing students, Director, and Immediate Staff.

These special passes require learning the music and color-guard routines, plus attendance at our mass band rehearsal, Details to be forthcoming.

• We will perform in the parade that morning and participate in the Mass Band Presentation prior to Kick-off of the Peach Bowl on December 30, 2021.
• This would include playing the National Anthem.
• These passes will also include access to Fanfest, prior to the performances.
  • Again, these passes DO NOT include tickets to the game – details on how to purchase tickets are below.

How to purchase Chick-fil-A Peach Bowl Tickets:

Family of performing band students can purchase tickets directly with a credit card through November 15th for only $139.00. This is considerably cheaper than the going price online. Once purchased, however, these tickets cannot be refunded or resold.

Click on this link to purchase tickets: https://www.box5events.com/cfpb-ticket/

• The tickets are available for your entire group or any students, family, and friends.
• We will bundle the tickets by school group, so your band family can sit together.
• Tickets can be purchased directly through Box 5 Events on an individual or group basis.
• Ticket Purchase is not required for the pregame performance, but is required for family members who would like to spectate that performance.

Once the performances are over, we will exit to the buses. Although we will not be staying for the game as a band, if parents would like to purchase tickets and check out their child to attend the game, you can do so.

Upcoming Dates

Below is a list of some upcoming events, please refer to our calendar on chstrojanband.com for a more complete overview of our upcoming rehearsals and events.

• 11.16 American Pie Spirit Night
• 11.18 Band Auditions
• 11.19-20 All In One PickUp
• 11.19 Playoff Game 2 vs. Alcovy HS
• 11.22-26 Thanksgiving Break – No School
• 11.26 Playoff Game 3*
• 12.3 Semi Final Playoff*
• 12.4 Carrollton Christmas Parade • TBA
• 12.10 State Championship*
• 12.11 District Honor Band @ East Paulding HS
• 12.13 Christmas Concert
• 12.16-17 Exam Days • Early Release
• 12.20 Start of Christmas Break
• 12.30 Chick-fil-a Peach Bowl
• 1.5 1st Day of 2nd Semester