Hi Everyone! 

Please DOWNLOAD THE RUNNING ORDER for the Marching Band's performance at the 2013 BC Soccer Provincial Championships this Saturday, May 11.

We will be meeting at Langford Lanes (1907 Langford Parkway - which is right beside the field we will be performing on) at 3:15pm on Saturday. Family and friends can come and watch  - we will be performing at Westhills Stadium. We will be finished around 4:35pm. 

Parents, if your student is not able to attend this performance, can you please email me ASAP.  I need to re-space and re-align the band if there are absences. 

Thanks! Looking forward to this. Your kids really are sounding great for this time of year (all those morning DO pay off). I think we are the first marching band to have a gig this year! Go Spectrum! 

Jamie Davis

Hi Everyone,

Thanks for a good week. Kids are, understandably, tired right now after the pie weekend and a busy week. Get some rest this weekend and have a Happy Thanksgiving! 

Here's what we are looking at for next week:

1.) Morning Band / Classes

Monday – None; None
Tuesday – Jr. Jazz Band; Band 10, Band 11/12
Wednesday – Sr. Jazz Band; Band 9
Thursday – Sr. Concert Band; Band 10, Band 11/12
Friday – Jr. Concert Band; Band 9 

Band 9/10 Practice cards for Week 4 can be turned in. On to Week 5!

2.) Practice Goals:

Listed below are the tunes that students should be working on preparing for our first concert. As always, if you need help, PLEASE ask if you are having trouble with any of these pieces.

Jr. Concert Band: Gadget, Nintendo Power, Storybrook Mountain, Crimestoppers, Motown Forever
Sr. Concert Band: Prime Time Toon Revue, Totem Pole, African Dreams, Tir Na Nog, Procession of The Sorcerers,  (Sleep – for Remembrance Day)
Jr. Jazz: Mambo Jambo, Horns +Rhythm, Walk The Dinosaur, Plunger Power, Super-sized
Sr. Jazz: Feels So Good, Blue Rondo, Barnburner, Trick Shot, I Want You Back  

3.) Band Bottle Drive – Saturday October 13 (9am – 1pm)

We have a bottle drive from 9am – 1pm on Saturday. All students and parents are welcome to come out and help fundraise for student band accounts and the general band account. We need LOTS of parent drivers and students to help make these fundraisers successful – please sign up in the band room or email back to let us know you can help out. Parents who are driving students need to fill out a 'Volunteer Driver Information and Authorization Form' and submit it to the school office before the bottle drive. Click here to download the form (you will also need a photocopy of both sides of your driver's license, and a photocopy of your Vehicle Registration/Insurance). The Band Parents Association will be providing a hot-dog lunch for participants at the end of the bottle drive, too! :)

4.) Band Concert Poster – November 6

While we are about a month away from our first band concert, please help us get the word out about it! Visit the Tours and Concerts page to download our concert poster. Please share with friends/family/coworkers, on Facebook/Twitter, and by email. Let's pack the gym for our first performance of the 2012-2013 school year! 

5.) Marching Band 

The marching band will be participating in the Victoria Santa's Light Parade on Saturday November 17th (5pm call time at the BC Legislature buildings). All grade 9 –12 concert band students are expected to participate in this ensemble (unless a significant health problem is of concern). Students have been asked to memorize 2 pieces of music by the week of October 22nd in preparation for a full-band practice during that week.  Parents, your assistance in encouraging your students to practice is always appreciated. Thanks! 

6.) Upcoming Dates to Note

Wednesday, 10 October – Uniform Sewing Night (6pm – 8pm) - Thanks to everyone that came out to help last week. We can always use more help, though! 

Saturday, 13 October – Bottle Drive (9am –1pm)
Monday, 15 October – Band Wear Forms distributed in classes

Wednesday, 24 October – Band Parent Meeting (7pm – Library)

Friday, 26 October – Payment due Band Tour ($400)

Wednesday, 17 October – Uniform Sewing Night (6pm – 8pm)

Monday, 29 October – Uniform Pick up (6pm-8 pm) MANDATORY


Happy Thanksgiving! 

Jamie Davis

Hi Everyone, 

Congratulations to all of our Grade 12 band graduates! 

With only a few short weeks remaining lets all finish strong! 

 Here's what we have on the go this week: 

1.) Morning Rehearsals 
Mon - Jr. Jazz Band 
Tues - Sr. Concert
Wed - Marching Band
Thurs - Sr. Concert Band
Fri - Jr. Concert Band

2.) Lunch Rehearsals
Mon - Sr. Jazz
Tues - Jr. Jazz
Wed - Jr. Jazz
Thurs - Sr. Jazz
Fri - Time Available for Sectionals

3.) Band 9-12 Classes
Mon - Band 9
Tues - Band 10, Band 11/12
Wed - Band 9
Thurs - Band 10, Band 11/12
Fri - Band 9

4.) Upcoming Performances

Saturday, June 2nd - Marching Band in the Oak Bay Tea Party Parade - 9am Call time at Windsor Park. The organizers of this parade will not have information for us until May 30th. I will send out a running order as soon as we receive our marshalling information!

Tuesday, June 5th - Year End Band Concert at Victoria Conservatory of Music / Alix Goolden Performance Hall. All bands will be performing! 6:15pm call time. Running orders coming this week.

Saturday, June 9th - Marching Band in the Esquimalt Buccaneers Day Parade - 8am Call Time. 

Thanks everyone!
Jamie Davis

Sunday May 20 - WEEKEND PRACTICE at Tillicum Mall (upper parking lot by Old Navy/Safeway. Student call time is 5:30pm. We will step off at 6pm and the practice will be finished at 7pm.

Monday May 21 - PARADE DAY - Everyone MUST be on time (7:40 or earlier). As we are the first band in our section of the parade we MUST be all ready to step off early. Please make sure that you are familiar with the parade instruction. Meet in section B-001 (most likely on Finlayson Street near Dodd's Furniture / Van City)

Hi Everyone,

Here's what's happening this week! Like this past week, it's a big one. Thank you for continuing to work hard, practice, play and smile!

First of all, thank you to our Sr. Jazz Band and Jr. Jazz Band who both had community gigs this week.

***This was sent to me by one of the parent volunteers at McKenzie Elementary, regarding the Sr. Jazz Band students: "Dear Mr. Davis, I just wanted to send a quick note. I am a parent who was helping with the celebrations last night and wanted to let you know that I was very impressed with your band, not only because they are amazingly talented but also because throughout the evening I had several encounters with your students who were helpful to those of us packing things around the hallways. Several of your students offered to help carry things, as well as opening doors for me while my hands were full, they were all very polite and helpful, so a big thank you to all of them for being such a wonderful group of people!
Thank you,
Cheryl"

1.) Morning Rehearsals This Week:

Mon - Marching Band

Tues - Sr. Concert Band

Wed - Marching Band

Thurs - Marching Band

Fri - Marching Band

2.) Class Schedule (Note Changes)

Mon - Band 9

Tues - Band 10, Band 11/12

Wed - Band 9

Thurs - **Band 9 AND 10 combined class

Fri - Band 9

3.) Upcoming Performances

Sr. Concert Band Spring Concert - Tuesday, May 15th, 7:00pm in the Theatre. FREE admission. Student call time is 6:15pm in full uniform onstage in the theatre. A RUNNING ORDER CAN BE FOUND HERE. 

Jr Jazz performs for Grade 8 Orientation - Thursday, Period 2. Students will need to be in the Band Room at the beginning of Period 2. Uniforms are NOT required. :) A RUNNING ORDER CAN BE FOUND HERE.

4.) Marching Band / Victoria Day Parade

The marching band is doing very well right now. While this is a large band with many people in the sections, EVERYONE is important. Please do your best to be on time (early) for rehearsals this week.  Thank you to the section leaders, and senior students that have been running section practices for students to get everyone on the same page...or foot! Your leadership is outstanding!

***BIG NEWS: SPECTRUM HAS THE HONOUR OF LEADING THE VICTORIA DAY PARADE AS THE FIRST CANADIAN ENTRY AFTER THE ISLAND FARMS FLOAT!***

***PLEASE READ THE PARADE INSTRUCTIONS FOUND HERE. THEY ARE VITALLY IMPORTANT.***

***STUDENTS WITH UNIFORM ISSUES NEED TO LET ME KNOW BY TUESDAY THIS WEEK (PANT HEMS ETC.) PLEASE DO NOT LEAVE THESE TO THE LAST MINUTE.***

Friday May 18 - Make sure EVERYTHING goes home after school. We cannot transport large instruments as vehicles are not allowed in our marshaling area. Please make your own arrangements for flags, sousaphones, percussion, banners, etc.

Sunday May 20 - WEEKEND PRACTICE at Tillicum Mall (upper parking lot by Old Navy/Safeway. Student call time is 5:30pm. We will step off at 6pm and the practice will be finished at 7pm.

Monday May 21 - PARADE DAY - Everyone MUST be on time (7:40 or earlier). As we are the first band in our section of the parade we MUST be all ready to step off early. Please make sure that you are familiar with the parade instruction. 

3.) Year End Band Concert

The Year End Band Concert (June 5th, 7:00pm) has been MOVED to The Victoria Conservatory of Music (instead of Beacon Hill Park). We will be performing in the Alix Goolden Performance Hall... a hall with some of the best acoustics on the island!

4.) Grade 12 Scholarship Letters

If you asked me for a scholarship letter I will have these ready by Monday at 3:00pm. Thank you for your patience as I have 23 letters to write.

THANK YOU ALL FOR EVERYTHING THAT YOU DO: STUDENTS AND PARENTS ALIKE! :)

Cheers,
Jamie Davis
Band Director