BRANDEIS
BRONCO BAND
GENERAL OVERVIEW OF THE BAND YEAR
Spring
Pending the district's decision on in-person school in regards to the Coronavirus pandemic, we may invite our new members to join us on a weekly basis for an outdoor participation event. The day of the week and time is still to be determined. Please be sure to sign up for the newsletter for more updates.
Late Spring & Summer
The new band year really begins with our May Music Camp which is typically the week before Memorial Day. In 2021, the camp will be from May 24 - May 28 from 5 pm - 7:30 pm. On Wednesday, May 26th at 630 pm, we will have a NEW PARENT welcome meeting. This meeting may be via Zoom or In-person pending San Antonio Health Metrics. There will be a parent performance on Friday, May 28th at 6:30 pm.
Summer Band
Summer Band is a vital and required element by all in the program. This kicks off with a week of Percussion camp and Dance Guard camp. Each of these is held for a week at different points in July.
The full program (woodwinds, brass, percussion, Dance Guard & Field Dance) Summer Band begins on Monday, July 26, 2021. The keys to thriving in summer band are sleep, sunscreen, hydration, nutrition, and comfortable shoes. The students work hard for several hours a day, with the morning being spent outside marching.
At the end of Summer Band, the band will put on a exhibition of all they have learned. We will introduce the band, the leaders, directors and staff and portion of the 2021 production! This happens on the band pad so please bring chairs and umbrellas. Following the summer band concert, we will have a spirit night at one of the local restaurants that supports our program.
Fall
Summer band goes right into the start of school. The first week of school the band will begin performing at football games. The band will have after-school and before-school marching practice several days each week following the guidelines of UIL. The band staff asks for flexibility in maintaining these hours if for unforeseen reasons (bad weather for example) time needs to be shifted during the week. The weekly newsletter will have the rehearsal schedule for each week posted.
October and November are busy times for the marching season. October...also known as BANDtober, is contest season. We will be competing most weekends if not all in October and at times, into early November.
Also in early November, we host our annual South Texas Classic Drumline Contest which is a huge fundraiser and event for our program. Parent and student help is vital to this event being a success.
Concert band auditions will run through the fall, primarily based around the District and Region Band auditions. Region Band is an individual-based contest where students across our entire district and UIL Region 29, learn a specific set of music per instrument.
Over the last several years in a row, we have had the most students earn District and Region honors in all of Region 29.
Winter
For Band, Winter is generally from mid-November through January, which is the time between marching season ending and the official start of concert season. The days of rehearsal outside of classes diminishes DRAMATICALLY after our last marching contest. However, the band continues to rehearse once a week in order to play and perform at football games until the Broncos are no longer in the playoffs.
For our band musicians, concert music starts to take the forefornt. Students begin their final preparations for the Region Band auditions in early December.
For our Dance Guard, Winter means mid-November through mid-March. This is when Winter Guard takes place. Winter Guard is an indoor show that is performed by only our guard students. They are entered into a competitive circuit and have multiple contests throughout these months. The Winter Guard will rehearsal 2 - 3 times per week for up to three hours.
Contest dates and rehearsals will be sent out in the weekly newsletter once we hit this time of year.
Our Field Dance Company students continue their dance curriculum and prepare for events put on by the Brandeis Dance department. These events may include the Winter Spectacular and/or the Spring Show. There may be some outside of class rehearsal. If so, those days and times will be communicated by our Director of Field Dance.
During even numbered years, the band takes a trip to Disney World for up to four nights. This is an additional trip that each student is fiscally responsbile for but not a required trip. However, it is open to all of our students (instrumentalists, dance guard and field dance students) in the program to enjoy some time together and make some unforgettable memories.
Spring
Spring is the concert bands and ensembles time to shine! The concert bands put on a Mid-Winter performance in February and our annual South Texas Jazz Fest is hosted at Brandeis. This is a great fundraiser for the program and also allows us to bring in acts to perform. In 2020, we had the World Famous Glenn Miller Orchestra take the Brandeis stage.
Solo & Ensemble contest is held at the end of February and our Percussion department holds its ensemble concert in March. Each concert band competes at UIL and there is a Pre-UIL Concert right after Spring Break.
As the band begins to prepare for Concert & Sightreading UIL, each ensemble will have required rehearsals and sectionals usually requiring a total of 2 rehearsals per week, per student.
Spring Concerts cap off the season in late April/mid-May, depending on if the band participates in the FIESTA events for the year. On odd numbered years, the band participates in the FIESTA Battle of the Bands and the Battle of Flowers Day Parade.
The end-of-year Band Banquet will be held towards the end of May. This is a ticketed and catered event where students dress-up and celebrate the end of a great year. All are welcome to attend.
Then we are right about to kick off our May Music Camp and start all over from the top!