Hello Milwee Symphonic and Concert Band!

It was great seeing you all on Saturday! What a FUN event full of great food, games, and water balloons!
Last week, I sent out an email (also posted on Skyward, and website) with the details for next Friday’s exciting performance at Lyman High School!
As a review:
Football Game Performance at Lyman High School.
Student Dress: Milwee Green T-Shirt, Jeans, Shoes, Socks, Belt
Time: Drop off at the auditorium between 5:30 and 6pm. No later than 6pm, please. Pick up is at 9:30pm, no later than 10pm.

We are performing at Half-Time of the football game! The cost to enter the game is $7 (I think!), parents do not have to be there, but are strongly encouraged to come cheer on your student! 
On the Files/Handbook page on the website is the permission form for this event. Please fill out and return. Feel free to return electronically by scanning the completed form and emailing it to me; or print, sign, and turn in!
Students will receive a hard copy tomorrow or Wednesday in class.

**PARENTS!**​​​​​​​
We are looking for a few more chaperones to help at the event. If you can stay from 5:45 until 9:30 and help us keep an eye on our wonderful kiddos please sign up here! You do get a free ticket to the game for your service, and to be fair, we are going to give out these free tickets on a first come, first serve basis.
You must be SCPS dividend approved to chaperone. Click the link to fill out your application (it takes only 2-3 days to get approved!)
That’s it! Thank you so much for your support. See you Friday!


Joshua Autrey
Director of Bands
Milwee Middle School

​Hello everyone!
 
Fundraiser Reminder & Request
First, is a quick reminder that our last fundraiser turn-in day is next Monday, 9/30. It’s the last BIG PUSH! Parents, please bring in that brochure to work and ask your co-workers to chip in! Its such an amazing cause – show them what we do here and how good our music program is!
Here’s a youtube recording of our Jazz Band last year: Funky Cha Cha – WOW!

***We are a short of our goal this year, by about $6K. Everyone is expected to do their “fair share” of fundraising ten items, or about $100 worth of donations, to help keep our actual “band dues” at $25 for the year (other schools have a mandatory $150 fee to be in band). We have not raised the price of our band dues since I’ve been at Milwee because we’ve made our fundraising goal each year and I want to make sure we have enough resources to keep our program healthy and strong. Dues and fundraising goes to pay for purchasing new music, instruments, and hiring instructors.
THANK YOU!
 
Band Social Info:
 
I am so excited to share a fun day on Saturday! It’s going to be “warm” – so bring an extra water bottle or two!
 
The Band Social is at Secret Lake Park in Casselberry from 12pm to 3pm!
We have a number of activities planned such as Kickball, Basketball, EATING, and even a Water Balloon Fight! The boosters will have plates/napkins/cups/cutlery, just bring a “casserole sized dish” of food and there should be enough for everyone!
 
Also! To store the water balloons, we need to store them in coolers filled with water (they don’t pop this way)! If you have room in your car, and a spare LARGE cooler or big Bucket, please bring it! This should be a nice way to “keep the kids cool”!
 
Attached is a MAP with Parking Info. There are two lots to choose from: North and South, and they are accessed from different roads. The main road to get to the park is SEMINOLA BLVD, then you choose from either IVEY RD or SECRET WAY. See the attachment for more details. 
 
Lastly, overflow parking can be long the street of SECRET WAY. Please do not block driveways and be courteous of home-owner’s yards. We want to represent the school in the best way at all times.
 
See you there!!!!!
 
Joshua Autrey
Director of Bands
Milwee Middle School

​Hello Milwee Band Family!
 
You are all cordially invited to our second annual Band Icebreaker Social!
 
Band kids are a special bunch: they walk to class together, sit at lunch together, do homework together, practice together; basically do EVERYTHING together! By the time your younger student is in 8th grade, they will have made TONS of friends that are in our band family – in fact, most would say their closest friends are only in band. This is a great opportunity for us all to get to know each other!
 
Details:
 
Saturday, September 28th at SECRET LAKE PARK in Casselberry from 12pm-3pm.
We have rented a large pavilion to and there is a nice green space to play: tennis courts, basketball court, a “kickball field”, and a big lake! I’m looking forward to doing some games & activities with you all, it should be a blast! Bring some sporting equipment if you want to play!
 
This is a family event! Everyone in your family is invited!
 
What to bring for the potluck?
 
Feel free to bring anything you like to share (special family recipes are always a treat!), but if you’re not sure what to bring and to put a little bit more structure to ensure we don’t end up with a million bags of chips here’s some ideas:
 
Brass – Protein/Main Dish
Woodwinds – Sides/Salad/Appetizers/Chips&Dips
Percussion – Drinks & Desserts
 
The band boosters will be providing the “hardware”: utensils, plates, cups, napkins, ect.
 
 
Looking forward to this very much! See you on the 28th!

Greetings Beginning Band,  -- ere’s a quick outline of what’s in this email:

1. First TWO practice assignments are due, found on eCampus! 
   1. Mouthpiece Check and Concert F.
   2. GET A TUNER APP ON YOUR PHONE!
   3. Practice Habits @ home – In bathroom (or get a mirror). Use TUNER!
2. Beginning Band Book coming next week! Please pay the “Activity Fee” for the class (Can pay online @ www.milweeband.com, or bring in check/cash to the band room)
3. Fundraiser Congrats/Reminder!
4. Before School Help! Come in and get extra tutoring for FREE!

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Our first performance assignments are posted on eCampus! Please open eCampus in your browser (or use the Canvas App on your phone) to access all of your class assignments. These are due by the end of the week!

Parents, keep encouraging students to practice for 15-30 minutes daily, on just the mouthpiece -- students need to learn how to use their lungs/wind for longer than four or five seconds at a time! This takes practice to build that endurance. Students have been assigned a mouthpiece note to work on (their “First Note”) -- the only chance is to practice with a TUNER to double check the pitch on the mouthpiece is correct!
Remind students to practice in the bathroom, with a TUNER (find one for free on a smartphone app). The best app for this is called “TE TUNER” or Tonal Energy Tuner -- it is less than $5 on either iPhone/Android devices (usually less!). It has many features we will use this year including a tuner and metronome. It can record you, and analyze when you are out of tune to build consistency. It’s possibly the best $5 you can spend for your student for band class.

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​Your student’s beginning band book will be delivered in one weeks time. These are provided as part of your annual “Band Activity Fee” of $25. This also helps pay for student’s music licensing fees, festival (Solo and Ensemble) fees, transportation to field trips, and other professional teachers we bring in throughout the school year.
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Thank you everyone for bringing in over $8,000 worth of fundraising sales and donations on the first day! We’re off to a GREAT start with this fundraiser and I’m so excited to be able to use this money to purchase new instruments and hire our awesome instructors!
 
There are two fundraiser turn-in days left: Monday Sept. 23rd and 30th. PARENTS! We need your help on Monday’s during our fundraiser. If you have time to volunteer, we’d love to have you help!
Please sign up here.

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The band room is open daily, at 8:45 through opening bell at 9:25 for extra student practice. Extra help is offered during this time! There’s been a LOT of beginners coming in and they’re the ones whom are succeeding the most! WOOHOO! 

Students may also schedule an appointment for extra help, after school for a one on one session with Mr. Autrey. Just ask! I can help you on your pass-offs, scales, assigned music, tone quality, anything! Students can also perform assignments during this time.