Dear Current 8th Grade Band Students and Parents,
Can you believe it? We’re just over halfway through your 8th grade year and already talking about next year! I hope you’re as excited as I am to become the newest members of the award-winning Hockinson High School Band!
This evening, I was fortunate to get to speak with a few of you at the high school’s informational meeting for incoming freshmen. Since I’m sure not everyone who had questions about band was able to attend, I thought I would share this information with you. If you have any questions, PLEASE don’t hesitate to email me at corey.mcenry@hocksd.org. I’m here to help! Please remember that if you need to change your forecasting information, this can be done in Skyward through the end of the week. Email the high school counselors, Brian Kimber or Myke Pace, for login information.
What class should I forecast for? All incoming freshmen EXCEPT PERCUSSIONISTS should forecast for Symphonic Band. All percussionists should forecast for Percussion Ensemble. There are no percussionists in Symphonic Band, so it is very important that percussionists forecast for Percussion Ensemble.
Is there an audition required to do band as a freshman? There is NO audition required for Symphonic Band or Percussion Ensemble if you are currently enrolled in 8th grade band. The prerequisite for being in band as a freshman is taking band your 8th grade year. If someone has dropped out of band but is interested in getting back in as a freshman, that person would have to audition for me before being readmitted into band. If you know someone who fits this description, please have them email me.
What about Wind Ensemble? NO INCOMING FRESHMEN SHOULD FORECAST FOR WIND ENSEMBLE. Wind Ensemble is an audition-only class with a set instrumentation, and not everyone who auditions will be placed in the band. This group very rarely, if ever, has freshmen in it. No freshmen should forecast for Wind Ensemble. Auditions for Wind Ensemble are open to current high school band students each May. If for some reason we do not fill every part in Wind Ensemble with current band students I will ask Mrs. Ritenburgh to recommend any students she thinks might be able to forego Symphonic Band and go right into Wind Ensemble. Those students would then be invited to audition, but there would be no guarantee of admittance. Freshmen in Wind Ensemble is VERY rare. I currently have 2 freshmen out of the 38 students in Wind Ensemble. Many years no freshmen are in there. Don’t worry, you will have a fantastic experience in Symphonic Band! If you would like to view the audition material to see what you can work on for the end of your freshman year you may do so by clicking here and scrolling to the bottom of the page. http://www.hockinsonmusic.com/courses/ The audition material stays the same from year to year.
What about Jazz Band? If you are interested in auditioning for Jazz Band, you may show your interest by forecasting for Jazz Band. Please know you must also be concurrently enrolled in Symphonic Band or Percussion Ensemble to participate in Jazz Band. I do allow freshmen to audition for that Jazz Band. Jazz Band has a fixed instrumentation and not all who audition will make it. The class meets 5 days a week from 8:05 to 8:55am and you receive credit for the class (in other words, it’s graded). If you would like to view the audition material you may do so by clicking here and scrolling to the bottom of the page. http://www.hockinsonmusic.com/courses/ Auditions are taped on your own time, and more information will be released regarding due dates in May. The audition material stays the same from year to year.
Can I do band and sports/activities? Absolutely! The vast majority of band members are involved in at least one sport or activity other than band. This includes Varsity/JV/C team sports in all seasons, drama, ASB, you name it. As a small school we are very good at working together to make sure our multi-talented students can participate in as much as possible. The key is communication and organization. Stay on top of band/sports schedules and always let coaches and myself know when a conflict arises. Just about every time we can work out a compromise to help you meet both commitments if you give us enough warning. Ask current band members about how they make it work. I’d be happy to get you in contact with band members involved in any sport or activity you are interested in.
Can I do band all 4 years and still do AP classes, foreign languages, Running Start, etc.? Absolutely! Band students make up a large percentage of all of these classes. The key is to meet with a counselor whenever you have a question. The more rigorous your schedule, the more you should consult with a counselor to make sure you’re on track. There are always ways to make band work with all of these classes and keep you college and career ready. Also, don’t forget that 4 years of band looks GREAT on a college transcript!
What and when is Band Camp? Band Camp is a weeklong event held this year August 13-17 from 9am to 4pm at the high school. Percussionists also have one extra day on August 11 from 9 to 4. It is not an overnight event, and it does not cost anything. Since we perform at all home football games, and since we often have a football game the first week of school, Band Camp allows us to get a head start on the year so we can be ready for our first performance. It’s also a great time to get to know your new band classmates, and we spend a lot of time playing fun games/competitions and building relationships with one another. All new and returning band students are expected to attend Band Camp, so please plan summer vacations accordingly. Band Camp is the week before fall sports practices start, so it should not conflict with tryouts.
Is it true the band is going to Disneyland this year? YES, AND YOU’LL GET A CHANCE TO GO, TOO! The band does one of these big trips every other year, so that means as a sophomore and senior you will have the opportunity to travel. Some of our past destinations include Disneyland (this will be the 4th time the band has gone there), Washington DC, Honolulu, and Beijing!
I’m not sure if I want to do band or not…DO IT! I promise you won’t regret giving it a try. Nearly 1 in 6 students at the high school do band, making it the largest activity in the school! They must be signing up for a reason! I have a few students each year on the fence about whether or not they want to do band in high school and, almost without exception, they are immediately happy with their decision to continue with band. I’d be happy to put you in contact with some of these students to hear their stories. In the extremely rare case where high school band is not for you, you can always choose to do something else your sophomore year knowing you’ve just satisfied one of your two fine/performing art credits required for graduation!
Where can I get more information on HHS Band? If you have more questions about what is required of band in high school, you can always go to our website at www.hockinsonmusic.com or check out this year’s Band Handbook. Just about any question you might have should be answered here. It also includes a calendar of events in the back. 90% of our events are held the same time or even the same date each year, so you can get an idea of when the events will be. Please note that this calendar includes events for ALL band classes, so just be aware you will not have to go to everything listed on the page as a freshman in Symphonic Band or Percussion Ensemble. I will have a calendar of events for next school year in your hands in late-May of this year, but if you have questions right now about specific dates please don’t hesitate to email me and ask.
You can also get updates on the band and see pictures from previous events by liking us on Facebook at www.facebook.com/hockinsonband or following us on Twitter at @hockinsonhsband.
I hope this answers some of your questions about band at Hockinson High School. Again, should you have any further questions please don’t hesitate to email me back. I’d also encourage you to talk to current band students and parents about their experiences with band at HHS. I will be visiting the 8th grade band class in the next couple of weeks with some current band students to allow your students to get some student perspectives on why band is for you. I will also be available before/after the middle school concert this Thursday for questions. Either way, I hope to see and talk to you soon!
Thanks!
—
Corey McEnry
Director of Bands
Hockinson High School
16819 NE 159th St.
Brush Prairie, WA 98606
(360) 448-6450 x5594