Lakota West Bands Update: January 9

 A Communication of the Lakota West Upbeat Club

This communication covers:

  • Solo & Ensemble Contest for High School Students
  • LWBBB Meeting
  • Upbeat Meeting
  • Try Band
  • Shamrock Shuffle

Solo & Ensemble Contest Volunteers needed on Saturday January 20

OMEA District 13 Solo & Ensemble for grades 9-12 is held at Lakota West High School, and is hosted by Lakota West. Hundreds of solos and ensembles are performed by talented musicians across the district. It is earlier this year, so we need your help to get these slots filled asap. All west band parents grades 9-12 are invited to spend a couple hours helping make this day run smoothly for all our students and directors. Students are also needed to help, lots and lots of students! All can use the signup by clicking here for the link. Students can also sign up in their band class or after school, with their director.

LWBBB (Lakota West Band Business Boosters) Meeting is January 18

Join the Upbeat LWBBB members at the First Watch at Union Centre on Thursday 1/18 at 8am for their monthly meeting. Lakota West Band Business Boosters was formed as a way for band parents who are also local business owners to support and promote the band. See link to web page for members and contact information.

Upbeat Club Meeting is January 18

Join us on Thursday 1/18 at 6:30pm for an update from the Directors’, then the Upbeat Meeting at 7pm. Lots of fun events coming up like Try Band and  Solo & Ensemble. Find out more information and where you can assist. Go to our Upbeat page to see current financial documents and minutes to review.

Try Band is Saturday January 27 from 9:30am – 12pm

Try Band is back! This is an open house musical scavenger hunt! All west fifth or sixth graders are invited and will be receiving an invitation flyer from the Upbeat Club in the next few days. As you may or not be aware, due to the cutbacks a few years ago from the district, 6th grade band is no longer part of the curriculum, and therefore not available to all students.  Currently, some elementary schools have after school band programs, some do not, which is unfortunate and creates a challenge in many ways. The Upbeat Club has brought back the ‘Try Band’ event to expose ALL students to musical instruments in hopes to increase the enrollment in our current beginning band program, which now starts in 7th grade.  Symphonic Winds students spend the morning working one on one with the students so they can try any and all the instruments they wish. A concert at 11:30 concludes the event.

How can you help?

  1. Twitter: Retweet the announcement on Twitter – link to tweet here
  2. Facebook: (1) Please go to our Try Band Facebook event page: [link]. (2) Click on the Share button.  (3) Select Invite Friends.  A list of your Facebook friends will appear. (4) Select those friends with fifth and sixth graders, or who work with fifth and sixth graders. (5) Click Send Invites. That’s all! Thanks in advance for helping us promote this wonderful event!
  3. Posters: Have an idea on where to place a poster? email tryband@lakotawestbands.org and we’ll get it posted!
  4. Flyer: Print our flyer and share the old fashioned way! Click here for flyer.

Shamrock Shuffle is March 17

Team Lakota West Bands is expected to once again participate to help raise fund for the bands! More details to come.  Click here for Event Website.

Highlights from the Calendar

  • Calendar – click here for link
  • Sunday 1/14 – Honor Band Concerts at Mason High School. Middle School concert at 2pm,  High School concerts (there are three) start at 4pm. Lakota West has the highest percentage of participants than any other school in our district!
  • Monday 1/15 – no school
  • Wednesday 1/17 – Ensemble Recital starting at 6pm – Guest judges come in to provide feed back to students. Only Ensembles perform, and is not meant for parent participation as some performing takes place in practice rooms.
  • Thursday 1/18
    • LWBBB Meeting at First Watch, Union Centre, 8am
    • Upbeat Meeting at main campus starting at 6:30pm with Directors Update, Upbeat meeting starting at 7pm
  • Saturday 1/20 – OMEA Solo & Ensemble Contest for grades 9-12 at West High School (8am – 5pm) – big volunteer day, and lots of music to enjoy!
  • Saturday 1/27 – Try Band for all West 5th or 6th graders in the morning at West Freshman School (Symphonic Winds students are needed appx 9am-1pm).
  • Saturday March 3 – Beavercreek Jazz Festival weekend
  • Saturday March 3 – Music For All Festival – Mason High School, Symphonic Winds perform
  • Saturday March 17 – Shamrock Shuffle

Any questions on the information contained in this post, you can contact communications@lakotawestbands.org.