Upcoming events and articles:
Mattress Fundraiser results
The Band Calendar
Purchasing tickets for UHS events and live-stream
Concert attire

First week of December: SCIBA Honor Band auditions and Jazz Summit
Second week of December: Concert Band and SCIBA Jazz Festival

Band Summit video
Solo & Ensemble Contest including payments
Purchasing a quality instrument

Results of the Mattress Fundraiser
Our second Mattress Fundraiser was another success!  The Performing Arts Boosters raised a total of $4,265.  This money will be put to good use for Band, Choir, and Theatre.  A big shout out to Erich “Mattress Man” Schmidt from Custom Fundraising Solutions for all of his help.

Band Calendar
Do you subscribe to the Band Calendar electronically?  If you don’t, you’re missing out.  For every event, I add details including the itinerary.  No more searching for emails because the details are on your preferred calendar.  Do you use the calendar on ParentSquare?  Great, it’s the same calendar.  Follow these instructions to add the calendar.

Event Ticket Reminder
For all Band events at UHS, tickets MUST be purchased in advance.  A cash option will NOT be available at the door.
2024 Urbandale Winter Jazz Summit (12/7): https://www.vancoevents.com/us/CSPT
2024 MS/HS Winter Band Concert (12/12): https://www.vancoevents.com/us/CSPV

Livestream for all UHS events: https://j-hawks.com/video/performing_arts

Suit option:
Black dress shirt with collar and tie based in royal blue.
Black dress pants (suitable for a crease in front) and black belt (exclude cargo pants, denim, corduroy, etc.)
Black dress shoes with black socks (suitable for polishing; exclude athletic shoes and socks, sandals, flip-flops, or other casual footwear)
Black suit or sport coat optional but recommended (if wearing a suit, you may substitute a white dress shirt)

Dress option:
Floor length black dress with sleeves or floor length black skirt with black blouse
Optional accent accessories should be royal blue (such as a scarf or head band)
Black dress shoes (Color: flat black close-toed and flat heel with skin-toned hose.
Exclude athletic shoes and socks, sandals, flip-flops, or other casual footwear.
Proper decorum for formal concerts is that no skin is showing from shoulders to the floor.

SCIBA Honor Band Auditions
Participating students will audition for the South Central Iowa Bandmasters Association (SCIBA) Honor Band on the evening of December 5, 2024 at Roosevelt High School.  If accepted, students will perform a concert at Ankeny High School on January 11, 2025.
Students and their families have been sent audition times and details.  Additionally, times are posted in the Band room.

Jazz Band
Saturday, December 7 – The Urbandale Jazz Summit
This event involves guest clinicians and UNI Jazz Professors Chris Merz and Dr. Mike Conrad leading clinics for UHS Jazz I, II, III and UMS Jazz WF and TT throughout the morning followed by a performance in the PAC at 11 am. We highly encourage families to attend clinics throughout the morning! Clinics are free to attend. The 11 am performance is $6.00 https://www.vancoevents.com/us/events/landing/47729?
A student itinerary for this event can be found here.
The event will also be streamed at: https://j-hawks.com/video/performing_arts.  
The program can be viewed here.

Saturday, December 9th – SCIBA Jazz Contest
Jazz I and II will perform at the SCIBA District Jazz Festival in Waukee.
An itinerary with specific performance times can be found here.
Jazz III is not performing. This event is optional for Jazz III but strongly encouraged.

Concert Bands
Our three UHS concert bands, Symphonic Band, Wind Ensemble and Wind Symphony will be joined by our UMS 8th Grade Concert Band for an evening of music in the PAC on Thursday December 12th at 7:00 pm.

Symphonic Band with Ms Eadie in room 511: call-time: 6:00, warm up at 6:10.
8th Grade Band with Ms Eadie in room PAC: call-time: 6:20, warm up at 6:30.
Wind Ensemble with Mr. Breese in room 509: call-time: 6:20, warm up at 6:30.
Wind Symphony with Mr. Doggett in room 511: call-time: 6:20, warm up at 6:30.

Livestream: https://j-hawks.com/video/performing_arts
Tickets: https://www.vancoevents.com/us/CSPV
The program can be viewed here.

Band Summit Photos/Videos
Any pictures or videos you would like considered for the Annual Band Summit Video (February 1) should be submitted to Mr. Doggett. These photos and videos should be of current band students participating in band activities from this year. Examples could include selfies or group photos taken before or after a band event.

Solo and Ensemble Contest
February 11th – Urbandale Solo and Ensemble Contest
February 21st – Perry Band Olympics

• Students participating must pay the participation fee: Solo: $20.00 Ensembles: $15.00 (per person) A link to the online payment system can be found here (Payment instructions below).
• Students should be ordering an original published version of their music (Photocopying music is illegal.)
• Students will have the option of performing a solo and/or small ensemble. For students performing a solo, we will be scheduling 3 rehearsals for students to rehearse with their accompanist prior to February 11th. These rehearsals will be scheduled on the three Sunday afternoons leading up to our event (January 26 and February 2 and 9). All rehearsals will take place at UHS.

The Performing Arts Booster Club will be covering the cost of accompanists assigned by the Band Department. Their support makes Solo and Ensemble even more accessible to all students within our program. External accompanists will be permitted but not covered by the Boosters.

Payment Instructions:
Click “Activities,” “High School,” “High School Solo & Ensemble Fees,” and the registration number. Continue following additional prompts.

Professional Quality Instruments
For students wishing to excel on their instrument, it is vital to practice and perform on the best instrument affordable.  If you are ready to advance to the next level of performance, here’s our list of recommended instruments.  Don’t buy an instrument without consulting Mr. Doggett, Mr. Breese, or Ms. Eadie.  The music retail industry can be confusing; allow us to help you.

If you already have a professional quality instrument, be sure to both practice AND rehearse with your best instrument at all times. Yes, this means you should bring it back and forth to school.  If your personal achievement is important to you, this effort is well worth the sacrifice.