Under the direction of Aaron Mykeloff, the Adrian High School Symphonic Band performed at the 2019 MSBOA Band Festival at Jackson High School. As you'll hear in the video above, the band sounded very strong. They earned an overall rating of 2.
Our 8th grade band, led by Sheri Powers, received the highest score of 1, while Adrian's 7th grade band earned an overall rating of 2. Thank you to the Adrian parents who attended the performances in support of our student musicians. If you'd like to lend some of your time and talents to make Adrian music programs even better, come to our next Music Boosters meeting to learn how you can help. Here's the schedule.
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Adrian's 6th grade band and orchestra participated in a lock-in Saturday, February 23rd at Adrian High School to sharpen their skills and work on specific music. We weren't able to capture any video of the orchestra, but check out a few highlights of the band above.
If your student is just starting out in band, orchestra or choir, take this chance to contribute to his or her music education. Get involved with the Adrian Music Boosters. You choose how much you want to contribute. Learn more at our next meeting. See the schedule here. The bands from Springbrook Middle School and Adrian High School performed for the crowd at the AHS Performing Arts Center on February, 19th. The concert was a warm-up to the annual band festival held in early March. Enjoy a few highlights in the video above.
Do you have some spare enthusiasm to give? Want to make a difference in the lives of Adrian's student musicians? Then join the Music Boosters. You're needed. Come to our next meeting to learn more. See the schedule here. On March 26th and 27th, 2019, Adrian's 5th grade students will take an exciting step!
They'll have their first chance to try each of the instruments that are played in the Springbrook Middle School bands and orchestras and learn about singing in a choir, too. Music Sampling Days has been an annual event for the last decade. “This really is such a fun day,” said Sheri Powers, Middle School Band Director. “The music teachers love interacting with the elementary students and sharing with them the choices that are available in middle school. We encourage students to try all the instruments and ask questions.” The 6th grade music teachers - Mrs. Powers, Ms. Wittenkeller and Mrs. Schenck - will visit each Adrian elementary school. Students will have 20 minutes to sample all of the instruments and talk about choir. Representatives from Marshall Music and Shar Music will also be on hand for this event. Here's the schedule: March 26, 2019 9:00am - 11:40am - Alexander Elementary 1:00pm - 2:20pm - Prairie Elementary March 27, 2019 9:00am -11:00am - Lincoln Elementary 1:30pm -3:30pm - Michener Elementary Music Sampling Days is for students only, but if you're a parent with questions about any aspect of music education in Adrian schools, please contact the appropriate director. Their email links are available on our About Us page. RELATED POST: The 2018 Elementary School Tour On December 18th, the Adrian High School Symphony Band, Symphony Orchestra and Concert Orchestra played for a full house at the Performing Arts Center. The orchestras are under the direction of Lorri Wittenkeller. Aaron Mykeloff is the AHS Band Director.
Watch a few of the highlights in the video above, including selections from The Polar Express performed by the combined Symphony Band and Orchestra. Our celebration of the holidays continued December 17th with a concert featuring the 7th and 8th grade bands and orchestras. The show took place at Adrian High School's Performing Arts Center. The orchestras are under the direction of Lorri Wittenkeller. Sheri Powers leads the bands.
The Adrian High School choirs sang lots of seasonal favorites at their annual pre-Christmas concert, Thursday, December 13th. Friends and family members who packed the Performing Arts Center were treated to many newer holiday tunes, along with modern arrangements of traditional numbers. Take a listen to a few of the highlights in the video above.
The 2018 Music Boosters' Apple Pie Sale was our most fruitful yet! Adrian music students, parents, directors and Boosters sold a record 1,258 apple pies. As always, we make extras on Pie Day, so this year's total was 1,300. It takes a lot of coordination, hundreds of volunteers, and a whole bunch of apples to make that many pies in just seven hours. Watch the video and check out the pictures below to see what the day looked like. The Marching Maples wowed our town's grade school students during the 2018 Elementary School Tour, which took place November 7th. The band visited Alexander, Lincoln, Michener and Prairie Elementaries, as well as Springbrook Junior High. Take a look at the video highlights below. Follow Maggard Razors on Facebook or click the ad above to learn more.
For the second consecutive year, Adrian's Marching Maples earned the highest overall score of 1 at the Michigan School Band and Orchestra Association's Marching Band Festival at Jackson Northwest High School. While the muddy and slippery mid-October field conditions certainly contributed to the band's marching score of 2, the weather could not dampen their musical performance or their general impact on the judges. A rating of 1 in both of those categories gave the Maples an overall score of 1. Scroll through the event pictures below. The Maple Marching Band's 2018 performance at the MSBOA Marching Festival takes place Saturday, October 20th. The event takes place at Jackson Northwest High School, 4200 Van Horn Road in Jackson, Michigan. Here's our itinerary:
4:30pm - Arrive at AHS band room for attendance 4:45pm - Load buses and depart 5:45pm - Arrive at Jackson Northwest High School 6:15pm - Watch the performance of Jonesville High School 6:30pm - Change into uniforms 7:05pm - Warm-up begins 7:45pm - AHS performance 8:15pm - Change out of uniforms and load trailer 8:45pm - Load buses and depart for Adrian 9:45pm - Arrive at Adrian High School (PAC entrance) Parents, if you'd like to take your student home after we load the trailer, please notify Mr. Mykeloff in writing or via email before we leave Adrian on October 20th so your child is added to the sign-out list. Thank you. RELATED POST: Maple Marching Band Earns Highest Score On October 2, 2018, the Adrian High School Marching Band performed at the annual festival presented by Lenawee County band directors. The multi-school event is held at Adrian College's Docking Stadium. Adrian's new director Aaron Mykeloff led the Maples to a very strong performance. See a few of the highlights in the video below. The first weekend of fall 2018 was a busy one for the Music Boosters, especially Orchestra Director Lorri Wittenkeller.
After a full day of teaching her students on Friday, Ms. Wittenkeller volunteered at the Music Boosters' concession stand that night during the Adrian varsity football game. And twice during the evening, she led her AHS musicians in a two-song performance near the stand. The next day, she worked the Music Boosters' booth at the Artalicious Art Fair downtown for close to seven hours, sharing her boundless enthusiasm for music and helping young children play violins, a ukulele and a glockenspiel. You'll see her in the video above. Thank you, Ms. Wittenkeller, for your tireless efforts on behalf of Adrian music students and our community. We appreciate all that you do. Adrian Marching Band members Daisy Leal and Emily Armentrout will perform on a different football field this weekend: the field at Waldo Stadium in Kalamazoo, Michigan - home of the Western Michigan University Broncos.
The Maple bass drummers are set to participate in WMU's annual Band Day, Saturday, September 15th. It's an event that brings together high school marchers from all over Michigan to perform for as many as 30,000 Bronco fans. After a short rehearsal, Daisy, Emily and hundreds of other guest musicians will play alongside the Bronco Marching Band in the stands and then join them on the field for a special halftime show. They'll also play in the 5:15pm pre-game concert at Kanley Track, which family members and high school directors are welcome to attend. Kick-off is at 7pm. The post-game performance should wrap at about 11pm. Click here for ticket information. (Photo credit: Western Michigan University) The video below features a look at the Maple Marching Band's warm-up routine, as well as their high-stepping onto the field for the pre-game show. The video was shot before the September 7th game at Maple Stadium. Each year, the President of the Music Boosters stands before members of the APS Board of Education to present an overview of our organization and what we've achieved during the past 12 months.
You can view the slides from the 2018 presentation by clicking on any image below to enlarge it. Then, scroll through using the arrow keys on your keyboard. If you're interested in joining the Music Boosters or just helping out once in a while, contact us or talk with any Music Booster at an APS music event. Ideally, most Adrian music parents would be active members of our organization, but even if you can’t attend our monthly meetings or serve on the board, you can still be a music booster. Here’s how…
1) Encourage your student to practice. Then, make sure she has a private space and the time she needs to develop her skills. 2) Take up an instrument or learn to sing yourself. Musical expression is something you can share with your entire family, and your kids will surely be inspired by your desire to learn. 3) Buy a few pies during our annual Apple Pie Sale in November. And consider taking an order form into the office so your co-workers can support Adrian Music, too. 4) Listen to more music around the house. Turn it up while you’re all doing chores and play it in the background during family dinners. 5) Consider allowing your music student to take private lessons. That focused, one-on-one instruction might really help him develop musically and in terms of confidence. 6) Expose your kids to a wide variety of music. You never know which new musical ideas and styles might become their lifelong passions. 7) Buy your mattresses, sheets and pillows at our annual Mattress Sale in April. Adrian music programs benefit from each item sold. 8) Attend your music student’s concerts. Your regular and enthusiastic support will mean the world to her…even if she doesn’t say so. RELATED POSTS: An End-of-the-Year Opportunity An Encouragement for Parents The Value of Music Education Music Scheduling Problem? Here's the Fix Seen below, members of the 2018-2019 Adrian Maples Marching Band prepare for the upcoming season at The Amigo Centre in Sturgis, Michigan, home of our Band Camp for the last several years. Click on any of the images below to enlarge them.
On August 1st, we checked in on the Marching Maples at Band Camp, and watched them prepare for the 2018 marching season. In the top video below, you'll see the band working on the field to combine their playing with the drill. The bottom video captures a few minutes of sectional practice. If you're a proud Adrian music parent or grandparent, please sign up to work at least once in the Music Boosters' concession stand at Maple Stadium during the 2018 football season. You'll earn money for your music student's personal account while helping to support Adrian music. Volunteer here. Thanks in advance for your help. From the moment we’re born, we’re subject to change. As we grow, we’re not often aware of the changes taking place in and around us because they occur so slowly, in such tiny increments. But every now and then, we experience a quick, dramatic change; a change that seemed to come out of nowhere. And, sometimes, we might feel it’s unfair. But, really, even those types of changes often brew for months or years before they present themselves. On July 27th, 2018, Dan Kesterke announced that he was leaving his position as Director of Bands at Adrian High School. We heard from many people who, while happy for Dan, were shocked and saddened by his departure from APS. But that’s what life does: it throws changes at us and, by forcing us to deal with them, shapes and strengthens us. Dan didn’t see his new opportunity as Director of Bands and Percussion at Siena Heights University coming. It just appeared once a set of changes in somebody else’s life was done playing out. But, whether he knew it or not, Dan was preparing for this next step in his life - by dedicating himself to the kids at Adrian High School for the last decade; by building the band program to what it is today; by believing in and sharing the tremendous power of music; and by being good at what he does. If all those things weren’t true, we wouldn’t care so much that he’s leaving. “The scores at marching and concert band festivals were great, but the stories of the individual growth of our members and the joy of music making are what I will always remember,” Dan wrote. “The night the marching band played their music while the stadium lights were broken will be a point of pride forever seared in my mind. Your energy and willingness to keep going and playing was inspiring. You are all band heroes, and the Adrian community needs you to be brave and courageous.” “[And] Adrian Public Schools needs you, the band, at this moment. Transitions are difficult. How we handle [them] dictates the type of people we eventually become. By practicing grace and patience now, your future adult self is thanking you. Be a positive light in the darkness of negativity, and you will be much further ahead than most. Band kids are the light of the world, and the band needs you to be at your best moving forward. I believe in you. You can do it.” Thank you, Dan, for all that you’ve brought to Adrian Music during this last ten years. We're sad to see you go, but we're so happy you were here. We wish you and your family all the best as your lives continue to change in exciting ways. The Adrian Music Boosters' concession stand at Maple Stadium is a major source of funding for our school music programs. But we need volunteers to make it work. (Sign up here.)
If your child or grandchild is a member of any APS band, choir or orchestra, please support the cause of music education by helping us in the stand during at least one football game. Each time you volunteer, you'll earn $10 for your music student's personal Music Booster account. You can then apply that money to Band Camp and other music camps, instruments, private lessons, and any other music-related expenses. High school music students can pitch in at the stand, too, to earn money for their own accounts. Football games are held Thursday and Friday nights. Thursday shifts run from 5 to 9pm. Two shifts are available on Fridays: 5 to 7:30pm and 7:30 to 10pm. See the full schedule here. Working the concession stand is fun, and no prior experience is required. Just wear a hat or a hair net to comply with the health code and bring a great attitude. See all the available dates and sign up to volunteer here. Thank you in advance for your help. Annette Armentrout is the current Adrian Music Boosters Treasurer. Since her term has expired, we’re looking for another music parent or grandparent to take over the role.
Annette said she spends between 2 to 6 hours on Treasurer-specific duties each week. She uses Excel because it allows her to easily share forms, files and information with everyone else on the Boosters board. Even the checkbook detail is in an Excel file. Treasurer-Specific Tasks 1) Pay invoices and reimbursements. 2) Deposit any checks and cash. 3) Ensure all documents are in order. 4) Track student accounts and provide updates to families as needed. 5) Provide receipts. 6) File 501(c)(3) information as required. 7) Provide AHS with semi and annual updates on spending and accounts. 8) Build budget. 9) Support cash tracking needs of committees. From an accounting standpoint, Annette ranks the difficulty of this position as 5 on a 10-point scale. She said, “Our 501(c)(3) status adds another dimension to this role now as there are legal reporting requirements that must be understood and followed. Certain types of payments cannot go out without proper documentation, and there are additional files that must be filled out annually and submitted to the state. The Treasurer must understand what we are and how we’re registered as a non-profit under those guidelines to fill out the forms.” Annette added that, “Serving as Treasurer is a great way to be involved with the Boosters and get to know our music families.” If you’re interested in serving as the new Music Boosters Treasurer, please email Scott Greggory or call him at 419/351-2205. Band Camp is the key to starting the marching band season on the right foot, for each individual musician and for the band as a whole. It's an important experience that helps band members bond, learn how to work together, and push each other to be better. And for many, it's one of the first steps toward growing more confident and becoming independent.
(Watch videos from Band Camp 2017.) Band Camp Fast Facts Dates: Band Camp 2018 runs from Sunday, July 29th until Saturday, August 4th. Location: The Amigo Centre, 26455 Banker Road, Sturgis, Michigan. Phone: (269)651-2811. Check-in: In front of Adrian High School - Sunday, July 29th at noon. Load-in: We'll begin loading luggage and instruments onto the buses at 1pm. Departure: The buses will leave to transport marching band members to Band Camp at 2pm. Camp performance: Band Camp concludes with an on-field run-through of the season's first show in Sturgis, Saturday, August 4th at noon. Camp breaks: Marching band members leave Sturgis with their parents. The school van will be available for students who need a ride back to Adrian. To request roommates, students should click here to use this Google doc. Cost: Band Camp 2018 costs $265 per camper. That fee includes all meals, cabin accommodations, activities, and group and personal musical instruction. There are two ways to defer the cost of Band Camp. (Watch this video as a former AHS students says "Don't Miss This Experience.") You can apply any money in your music student's personal Music Booster account. You or your student can earn money for that account by: 1) Using Scrip gift cards 2) Working in our concession stand during football games 3) Selling and/or making apple pies during our annual apple pie sale Payments can be made by check or money order to Adrian Public Schools. Please do not send cash. Mail your check(s) or money order(s) to: Sheri Powers 202 Melrose Avenue Adrian, Michigan 49221 If you need assistance with paying for all or part of Band Camp, please notify Mrs. Powers or Mr. Kesterke as quickly as possible. We believe Band Camp is very important, and we don't want anyone to miss it for any reason. Informational Meeting Please join us for a parent / camper meeting, Wednesday, July 18th at 6:30pm in the Adrian High School Performing Arts Center. We'll provide a general overview, answer questions, and accept student medical forms. Band Camp Forms Registration and Medical Information Student Band Camp Code of Conduct Adrian Public Schools Permission Slip Medication Authorization Miscellaneous Information Band Camp Packing List Directions to The Amigo Centre We know that lots of 8th graders have concerns about going to Band Camp. And that's understandable.
For some, camp might be their first time away from home for a week. Others might be worried that, as freshmen, they'll be subjected to pranks, hazing or initiation rituals. And some kids think they won't be able to keep up musically or with the marching. If you share those fears or have any others, take a look at the video above. (Find details on Adrian Maples Band Camp here!) We asked a few 2017-2018 freshmen about their hesitations going into their first year of Band Camp last summer. All of them had concerns themselves or had heard about other students who were worried for one reason or another. But their fears were unfounded. Mr. Kesterke, Mrs. Powers and the entire support staff saw to that. In fact, all the instructors and adult volunteers are at the camp to ensure that you and your fellow musicians have an exceptional experience. Yes, you'll work hard. But it's a fun, rewarding type of work. And on that final day of camp, after you've performed for all the family members, you won't believe how far you've come in such a short time. All the kids we talked to this year and in previous years have had a great time at Band Camp. In fact, most say it's the best part about marching band. They grew musically. They were welcomed into the Adrian Maples Marching Band family. And - bonus - they got a head start on high school because of all the new friends they made. Don't let any amount of fear keep you from this great experience. And if you're concerned about the cost of camp, don't worry: we can help. As the Music Boosters, we work to make sure every student who wants to go to Band Camp can go to Band Camp. Watch this video of an AHS student who regrets only going to Band Camp in her senior year. Questions? Contact Mr. Kesterke, Mrs. Powers or any member of the Adrian Music Boosters. Then, we'll see YOU at Band Camp 2018. RELATED POSTS: Band Camp 2017 Band Camp 2017: Thank You (Why You Should Go to Band Camp) On May 28th, the Adrian Maples Marching Band played their way down Maumee Street to Monument Park in honor of Memorial Day 2018. They performed the Maples Fight Song and We're an American Band.
After the ceremony, the new section leaders were announced, and Gabe Guerrero was named the drum major for the 2018-2019 season. |
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