SmartMusic

Have you and your student tried SmartMusic yet?  SmartMusic is an interactive music learning software download which offers instant feedback.  SmartMusic is available by a subscription for $40 per year.  The software can be used for practice, assessments, and has a variety of toolbox features (tuner, fingering guide, etc).  A student can record themselves and practice with or without an accompaniment.  Each method book (except for Essential Technique) can be downloaded, as well as the majority of songs we will be playing this year.  In addition to these a vast library of over thousands of solo pieces can be downloaded.  Once you’ve purchased the subscription all downloads are free.  Check out all the information here:  http://www.smartmusic.com

Bowling Party!

Have you heard the news?!  We are having an all night bowling party!  Our musicians work hard and we want to reward them as they head into the second half of the year.  The bowling party is done in a lock in format at Severna Park Bowling.  The party will be Friday, Janury 15.  Each instrumental music student is invited to bring one guest.  Cost is $30/person.  Of course, we will need some brave chaperones too (chaperones who do not plan to bowl are not required to pay the $30 fee).  

All this information and more can be found on the flyers that should be coming home this week with all instrumental music students.  You can also find the flyer under the forms tab above.  Space is limited so get your orders in as soon as possible!   

Thank You

A huge thank you to everyone who donated supplies or came out to help with the renovations of the practice rooms and music stands!  We still have some work to do on the stands, but the practice rooms are much brighter and more enjoyable.

December/January Newsletter

The December/January newsletter is now available!  As always, the newsletter is filled with lots of information so please take a moment to read it over. We have lots of exciting events coming up to share with you!

Baltimore Symphony Orchestra Trip Reminder

STUDENTS

1.  Students who are  in orchestra should come at the regularly scheduled rehearsal time 8AM.  Band students may arrive on their regular bus but should report to the cafeteria not advisory. Students will be marked SA (school activity) for periods 1-4.  The should be prepared to go to 5th and 6th period.

2.  Students should have money to purchase lunch.  Everyone received their 1st choice or 2nd choice of lunch locations and a great deal of time was spent making this work based on their requests.  Changing lunch locations will not be considered.  The restaurant choices are listed below, please look at the menu online to get an idea of how much lunch money is needed.  I will be asking that students going to Five Guys please get some friends together in advance and make a group order, this will be much quicker as they only have one cashier.

3.  ATTIRE- students should come prepared to see a major U.S. symphony, this is a "dress up" occasion.  The instrumental uniform would be appropriate. (in fact preferred for 7th and 8th graders)  If a student does not have appropriate clothes please have them see me prior to Wednesday December 2nd.

The following pieces will be performed, hearing the pieces prior to the concert would make the concert more enjoyable.  The concert theme is about those composers Wagner and Tchaikowsky and how their works pushed the envelope of new music for the time.  Both pieces were not well received initially but through time have become Orchestral standards.  It seems that throughout musical history you "like what you know" and deviations from the norm have always met with some disapproval.  Another possible theme could be the lengths that one could go through for the love or the love of their art.

Richard Wagner   Overture to the Die Meistersinger

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OUarKeg0cjc 

Peter Tchaikowsky   Swan Lake Op 20A  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=S76CGGPqI3s

No. 1 Scene

No. 3 Danses des cygnes    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EVSb3dFszH4

No. 6 Danse Espagnole    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pCEo3YAgZe8

No. 8 Mazurka   https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qWlvY0BiLs4

No. 29 Scene finale    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=k3a0kNPfKEc 

John Williams    Jurassic Park   https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oEZh88vz8b8 

Chaperones please arrive by 8:45 and park in the faculty parking lot.

All County Band Audition Music

Audition music is now available to all those wishing to try out for All County Band.  Just click on the tab above and then choose your instrument.  

All Country Band Auditions will be held January 6, 2016 at Southern High School. 

Movie Night Time Change

Please note that the time for movie night on Friday, December 4 has changed to 4-6 PM.  Tickets can still be purchased using the bottom of the flyer and at lunch.  The $5 ticket includes hot cocoa and cookies.  Additional snacks will be available for purchase.  We are showing Home Alone.  This should be a fun afternoon for all so please join us!

Congratulations!

Congratulations to Xan Xan Danckaert, Greta Lunsford-Poe, Sydney Davis, Antonio Gallardo, and Riley Finazzo for being selected to participate in All-County Orchestra!  The concert will be Saturday, December 12, at 7 PM at North County High School.  

December Movie Night

On December 4, we will be presenting Home Alone!  The format of the December movie night will be somewhat different than in previous months.  Home Alone will be shown from 7-9 PM at the middle school cafeteria.  All MRMS students and their families are welcome to attend! Tickets are $5 each and include cookies and hot cocoa.  As always, additional snacks will be available for purchase.  Tickets can be purchased by sending in the flyer which was sent home yesterday from advisory period or at lunch on December 2nd, 3rd, and 4th.  Permission slips still must be signed (also attached at the bottom of the flyer if your student will be attending and hasn't already turned one in. 

We also need donations and volunteers to make this work so please consider helping out.  Opportunities to sell tickets at lunch are only slightly more than an hour and give you an excellent opportunity to see your students in action.  

Have your kids grab their friends, break out the comfy blankets, and join us for an evening at the movies!  

Reminders

• Uniform order forms are due tomorrow, Friday, November 13.  
• Trip interest letters are due tomorrow.
• BSO permission slips and money should be turned in tomorrow also. 
• We still need a few items and volunteers for the practice room spruce up.

Practice Room Spruce Up!

It's finally time for our practice room mini re-model!  We need a few items donated and some motivated volunteers so please consider signing up!  The volunteer sign up gives all the details. We can't wait to see how much the kids enjoy the freshened up rooms when they get back from Thanksgiving break!

Movie Night Reminder

A reminder that Movie Night is this Friday, November 6.  Tickets are $5 for pizza and a water and are on sale every day this week at lunch.  Other snacks will be available for purchase at the movie.  Permission slips need to be signed before a ticket can be bought.  One signed permission slip is good for the whole year of movies.  

We are still in need of chaperones for this event.  Please consider signing up to help.

Please contact mrmsipboosters@gmail.com with any questions or to help.

November Newsletter

The November Newsletter is now available and full of information on all upcoming events.  Check it out!

Uniform Order Letters

Early this week, your musician should be coming home with a letter giving details on the performance uniform requirements as well as an order form for short sleeved shirts and a sweater if they do not already own a sweater.  As you have probably already heard, we are including the short sleeved polo shirt this year to have an option for performances in warmer venues.  These shirts will be a light blue color and will be embroidered like the uniform sweaters.  The uniform shirt sizing chart is available to help guide you to the correct shirt size.  All orders are due by November 13.  Please direct any questions to mrmsipboosters@gmail.com.  

Donation Request

In early October, each instrumental music student should have brought home a donation request letter detailing why we need a little extra help with the budget this year.  We appreciate all who have already sent in a donation and just wanted to remind everyone else that there is still time to make any donation you are able to make.  

All County Orchestra Auditions

Good luck to all of our musicians trying out for All County Orchestra tomorrow:  Xan Xan Danckaert, Riley Finazzo, Greta Lunsford-Poe, Nivehda Rao, Antonio Gallardo, and Sydney Davis!  

November Movie Night

Our November Movie Night will be Friday, November 6, from 3:30 - 6:30.  This month's movie will be Percy Jackson & The Olympians: The Lightening Thief.  

Tickets will be on sale at lunches Tuesday, November 3, - Friday, November 6.  Each ticket is $5 and includes a slice of pizza and a bottle of water.  Additional snacks are available for purchase.  Signed permission slips must accompany a ticket purchase.  If your student turned in a permission slip last month, we have it on file and there is no need to sign another.  All Magothy students are welcome and encouraged to attend.  

To make the evening a success, we are in need of ticket sellers, food donations, and chaperones.  Please volunteer to help with movie night.

We hope to see you all next Friday at the movies!

Spooky Strings Night

Spooky Strings Night is tomorrow, October 26.  Musicians will stay after school and should bring a snack to eat before the performance.  The uniform of the day is a favorite costume!  As always, chaperones are needed to help guide all participants to where they need to be so please consider volunteering to help out.  

Everyone is welcome to attend!

Bands By The Bay

Bands By The Bay is this Saturday, October 24!

Musicians should meet in the back parking lot (the staff parking lot in the rear of the high school near the tennis courts) by 1 PM.  At that time, t-shirts will be distributed and we will proceed from there to the field together.  

Musicians are required to wear their Bands By The Bay t-shirt and any kind of pants.  We encourage them to dress for the weather in layers.  It is acceptable to wear a long sleeve shirt or sweatshirt under the Bands By The Bay t-shirt.  

Chaperones are needed to help with transitions on and off the field so if you can stay and help at the drop off, your time would be appreciated!  

Pumpkin pie, mashed potatoes, turkey, and cranberry sauce - family feasts are right around the corner!  Stock up on everything you need, or simply do your weekly shopping, with a Safeway gift card and contribute to your musician's spring trip fund at the same time.

The booster organization runs an ongoing fundraiser in conjunction with Safeway.  For every $100 in Safeway gift cards you buy, $5 is credited toward your student's spring trip fund while you still have $100 in gift cards to spend.

Get your family, friends, and neighbors involved - anyone can buy! 

(Safeway stores are in 19 states)

Gift cards make a great gift too.

We must have $5,000 worth of commitments before we can distribute the cards so plan now for all of your upcoming grocery needs.

Please see our Safeway gift card flyer for more information.  

All instrumental students should have brought home a spring trip interest letter this week.  The letter lays out a preliminary itinerary for the trip which is scheduled for May 6 and 7, 2016 to the Richmond, VA area.  

The bottom of the letter is a response form to gauge the interest of participants so we can begin to plan for accommodations (number of buses, number of hotel rooms, etc).  It is very important that we receive these responses by October 26.  If you did not receive this letter, you can print out a copy of the spring trip interest letter here.  Our musicians always enjoy the spring trip and we hope all of our music program participants will be able to join us on the trip!

Our October Newsletter is now available!  Please check it out for information on all upcoming events!

Welcome!

Welcome to the new blog site for the Magothy River Middle School Instrumental Program Boosters!  We hope this site will help disseminate all information pertaining to the booster organization.  

It is the mission of the Magothy River Middle School Instrumental Program Boosters to assist the Instrumental Program Director and the school system in providing our instrumental students with the best music education possible. 

Our mission includes showing support for and pride in all of the students involved in all aspects of the instrumental program.  We encourage all parents to get involved and volunteer to support our instrumental programs both physically and financially. 

If you have questions or concerns or would like to help, please don't hesitate to contact us at mrmsipboosters@gmail.com.  Also, subscribe to this site with your email address to be notified of all updates and changes. We will continue to add resources to the page and update it with information on upcoming events.