come your thoughts and ideas on how to improve what we do. I encourage you to reach out to your division chairs if you have any questions or concerns. I of course am always here to listen to suggestions or to clarify any question you may have. This is the backbone of how our organization operates. We really work so well because of the efforts of all the volunteers who help out with sites for concerts, rehearsals, organizing music, selling tickets and the list goes on and on. I personally invite you to be a part of the process. Think you can help manage, conduct, help with a site or anything at all? Please reach out to me or your division chairs. We will be more than happy to get you on board.
Lastly, please help us increase our membership by reaching out to any colleagues you may know who are not currently members of NAfME. A large and active membership ensures years of continued success in the future.
Please visit our website( www. NJSMA. com) for updated information, application, forms, audition requirements and anything else concerning our Region. We also have a Facebook page. Please search for North Jersey School Music Association. Do not put in the initials, as it leads you to a different site. This year we will be using the remind app as well to get information out to you and your students. We will have more information for you on that as the year launches. As always, please contact me or any of the region board members if we can assist you in any way. Best wishes to you all for a successful school year! Russ Batsch, President www. NJSMA. com
Band Division Co-Chairs Lewis Kelly & Gregory Mulford band @ njsma. com
We hope your first days back to school have been rewarding and successful and that you feel renewed for the upcoming year!
NJSMA is pleased to announce the conductors for its 2017 honor bands. Andrew Yozviakis, Director of Bands at West Chester University, will conduct the Wind Ensemble, and Dawn Russo, Director of Bands at Randolph High School, will conduct the Symphonic Band. Russell Branch, Band Director at Mendam Township Middle School, will conduct the Intermediate Band.
The high school concert will be hosted at Pasipanny Hills High School on Sunday, January 29, 2017 at 3:00 PM. The junior high school concert will be held on Sunday, March 5, 2017, at 3:00 PM at a site to be determined. If you are willing to host this year or in the future please contact Lewis or Greg at band @ njsma. com.
As in the past, students choose which ensembles they are selected to on the check boxes on the application. By signing the application the student elects to participate in the ensemble( s) selected and they should reserve the dates on their calendars. Once a student is placed in that ensemble there should be no reason for a student to drop out. Once the ensembles are selected, the day of auditions, and a students declines participation that student will not be eligible to audition for All-State and / or for an NJSMA ensemble the following year. Students may change their ensemble selection prior to their audition through the audition chair. Once a student leaves the audition site the day of auditions there is no chance to change their ensemble selections. Directors are asked to help in stressing to students the importance of accepting commitments that they elect to participate within.
The high school band festival will be held on March 21, 22 and 23, 2017. There will again be day and evening times for participation. Please check the website for details and performance application. The junior high school band festival will take place in April, specific date TBD at two different locations.
The junior high school scale and solo requirements have been updated from past years. Please download a new copy from the website for your records. There are separate solos and requirements for grades seven / eight and nine. The junior high school percussion requirements will continue to combine the snare and traps requirements to create a battery percussion audition. Students may not audition for snare and traps as separate auditions.
NJSMA will be continuing the elementary band festival for those students in sixth grade. Students and directors will have an opportunity to participate in this one-day festival to represent the high quality of instruction. The festival will be Saturday, May 6, 2017 at South Orange Middle School and will feature two sixth grade bands. Directors will be able to nominate their students for participation online and will need to be present the day of the festival.
All audition, festival and concert information can be found online at the region website, www. njsma. com. If you would like to get more involved with the organization, there are many opportunities available. We are always looking for schools to host rehearsals, concerts and festivals in addition to individuals to conduct, manage, and volunteer for the many different jobs that need to be accomplished on a yearly basis. As you can see by this letter we still need a site for the junior region concert weekend. Anyone interested in conducting one of the region bands should complete the application found on the website. Please feel free to contact us with any questions or concerns you may have. We look forward to working with you this year. continued on next page
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