Band Alumni Event
Hello esteemed Neosho Band Alumni,
It has been just over a year since our first alumni band event. It was a terrific event not just to open our new facilities but really overall. The students genuinely enjoyed playing with you both in rehearsal as well as the performance, I heard many heartwarming things about the event from the community as well as many of you. Plus, it was such a special event that it was fitting to have Mr. Kelso lead the group. I would like to try having regular alumni events every couple years, and I promise we will get better with setups & transitions.
Our next alumni event that we would like to host would be an alumni jazz band. This group we would like to feature during our Jazz Social. The Jazz Social has become an annual fundraising concert that raises money for senior scholarships. For the past several years our band boosters have been able to provide at least one and up to five $500 scholarships to senior band members each year.
The initial thought/hope would be to have full instrumentation from alumni, and it truly would be an alumni only ensemble performing at some point during the event. I'd send you a few tunes for a set to work up. If only partial instrumentation, then perhaps some of our studio jazz band or even senior jazz students perform with the alumni (depending on instrumentation needs).
I did talk to a few of you and we had a tentative date in March in place that I had already given out. However, scheduling with other activities necessitates us moving that event. I would like to do the event now the last weekend of April (25-27). On Saturday, April 26, we will be hosting our second annual jazz contest, Jazzam. That would be a free event that you are welcome to come to and check out any of the performing ensembles. We had the Crossroads Jazz Band perform at that last year, and are looking at getting another professional jazz band or college jazz band to play at that event this year. A weekend of jazz would be another great testament to the storied history of jazz in Neosho.
With that event already on the calendar I have a couple options to propose to you for me to begin working on some logistics. We could have a short rehearsal Friday after school around 4, and then perform that night with the event starting around 7.....OR.....rehearse Saturday evening after our contest (maybe around 630ish depending on how many ensembles we have competing that day), and then perform Sunday afternoon with the event starting around 2.
I am providing a link to a Google form. Please fill this out if interested at your earliest convenience. I'd really like to get the date solidified by the end of next week, and start getting further information and music out to those interested in participating.
Thanks for all your support of our program. The band had an excellent marching camp and we look forward to a great season. The students start school tomorrow and we begin another fantastic year.
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