Getting Ready for All-County Band

Instrumental Music students at the Fine Arts Center are busy with their "All-County Band Festival Preparation Unit." After an excellent showing at All-County auditions on January 26th, Robinson's students are getting an intensive unit of study in sight reading and rapid preparation of parts: in other words, the kind of skills they will need in order to be contributing members of the festival band. FAC percussionists are working primarily in their specialty areas: Josh Caprell on tympani, Adam Maalouf on mallets, and Ben Tomlinson, Justin Pasquale, and Nathan Wells on snare drum and section percussion work. All FAC percussion players (including those who are not participating in the festival this year) are getting extra assignments on cymbal, tambourine, castanet, triangle, and bass drum playing.

FAC brass players Alex Forrest (trumpet) and Eric Schnieder (trombone) are working up a new etude each evening and are sight reading each class to sharpen their skills for the festival. All students are making rapid and significant progress.

Justin Pasquale, Alex, and Eric will be performing in the Symphonic Band. Percussion students Josh Caprell, Adam Maalouf, Ben Tomliinson, and Nathan Wells placed in the extra-advanced Wind Ensemble. It should be noted that we haven't seen Nathan at the Fine Arts Center for the past few days: his appendix had the audacity to flare up and needed to be removed this past week! We miss him, and wish him a speedy recovery – in time for the festival!

Please note the following information regarding the 2006 All-County Band Clinic, which will now be held at WOODMONT HIGH SCHOOL:

Monday: Seating – 4:30 p.m.
Rehearsal – 5:00-8:30 p.m. (There is NO dinner break. Students should eat before rehearsal)

Tuesday: Rehearsal – 9:00-11:30 a.m.
Lunch – 11:30 a.m. – 1:00 p.m.
Rehearsal – 1:00 p.m. – 4:00 p.m.
Dinner/Dress – 4:00 p.m.- 6:30 p.m.
Warm-up – 6:30 p.m.
Concert – 7:00 p.m.

Gary A. Robinson, February 3rd, 2006