MEYZEEK   BANDS

Dear Bandlings:

     I was fortunate to get to chat, however briefly, with some of you at Meyzeek during our drop-off days of last week. As much as I enjoyed seeing you, I have a feeling that this summer break will seem to last forever...it will be difficult to be patient in anticipation of the start of the 2020-2021 school year.

     Eighth graders, I am so very proud of how you were coming together as a true ensemble in the last few weeks that we were together. Individualism was taking a back seat to teamwork, and your performance skills were peaking at just the right time. I am very pleased that so many of you are going to continue to play as you begin your high school journey. Picture the wonderful progress that you have made in the past 3 years of middle school. Now, imagine what progress you will be able to make in the next four years of high school! Some of your programs will perform at Carnegie Hall, compete for marching band state championships, travel around the United State (once we CAN!), and form life-long friendships. The friendships you will make and the experiences you will share in those ensembles will forever change your life. I envy you your times ahead.

     Seventh graders, like the eighth graders, you were peaking at the right time. Your musical skills were developing nicely, and I am VERY impressed by the number of your fellow Bandlings who are actively finding new band pieces, listening to other groups, and sharing your non-Meyzeek Band experiences with me! I LOVE the intellectual curiosity that you are showing, and your drive to assist your younger Bandling siblings!  You will make EXCELLENT role models next year!  I'm proud of you, already!

     To our sixth graders, you really got the short end of the stick. At the Winter Concert, you had a bit of a preview of what your ensemble will sound like as you mature in our program. Unfortunately, you were cheated out of the opportunity to hear your ensemble come together at the Spring Concert. After 20+ years of directing, I can pretty-well predict where you will be by the time you are in eighth grade. Better brace yourselves...you're going to blow the roof off of the place!

     I have several priorities for this summer, including repairing all of the school-owned instruments that I can, continuing to work on our music library, and reorganizing the whole back storage room. When I'm not doing that, I plan to golf as much as humanly possible, and continue to read the book series that I'm in.

     I look forward to seeing you all again, as soon as possible. Be safe, and practice, Practice, PRACTICE...

STOP!

Do NOT clean your instrument before going to our "CLEANING" page!

• There is no need to fear that you will contract Covid-19 from your instrument, just like any illness, unless you have allowed someone to play it who is a carrier!  One of the instructions about your instruments included the rule that NOBODY is to handle your instrument.  (Remember? "If it's not yours, don't touch it!)  Now, it IS very logical that we should clean our instruments periodically.  If you haven't cleaned your mouthpiece for over a month, that should be a priority!

• I have added a new page to our site dedicated to proper care and cleaning of your instruments.

• Remember:  the hardest part of practicing is actually STARTING!  Putting the remote down can be TOUGH!  I get it!  But, there is so much to do so that we sound AWESOME when we return!