Support Signs for Marching Band

Maddie is in color guard. That means that she is part of the marching band and that means that I have support signs to make!! I'm having a ton of fun!!

Last week was region contest. Here are the signs I made.

We put the signs out before the band had to report Saturday morning.

And then when the band was leaving town, we had a send off. I quickly moved the signs, got the girls and our cans and set up with the other band families!

(Kylie does have shorts on.. really.)

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And here we are cheering the band on! It was soooooo hot! Doug was there.. just not pictured.

We were so excited that the band advanced to Area competition!

So I made more signs for this week...

I'm hoping to have more to add next week...

Go Yellowjacket Band and Colorguard!!

All the way to state!

Being a big football town doesn't mean we ignore the arts!

Living in a small Texas town, obsessed with football, people automatically assume that the arts get the leftovers when it comes to funding and community support.

I have to say, it is one of my favorite conversations to have.. cause while that might be the case some places, it's not for us!! We in the Stephenville, support our athletic programs AND our art programs!!

Case in point, Tuesday evening's 6-8th grade Christmas band concert. The concert was held at the high school, because their are soo many kids in band that they can't fit on any of the other school's stages easily! Nice problem to have!!

Then, there is the seating for the audience. We got there at 6:40 for the concert that started at 7pm. Maddie was in the third band performing, so I figured we'd have plenty of time to find seats and then as the bands performed we would just shift up to get closer as people left. NOPE! by 6:40 there were just a few rows of seats left in the auditorium that seats 1000 people! And nobody left! Okay, some did, but the people that were having to stand at the back immediately filled in their seats!

Isn't it fabulous that these junior high students get to perform for a full house!

And of course, my first-chair clarinet girl did awesome!

Here is the Symphonic Band getting ready to perform.

Yippee, my camera took decent pictures..even from the very back of the auditiorium.

And with her directors. They do a great job day in and day out.

And with a friend after the concert.

One of the best parts of the night... three bands+ percussion specials and we still got out in right at an hour! 

Love being a band mom!

Spring Band Concert

Tonight was the spring band concert.  Maddie did great. The band did great. In fact, the band is so good that they are changing my preconceived ideas about what a junior high band is supposed to sound like!!

 

I have a video... but I can't get it to load. Just hum a tune while you look at the pictures!

 

Maddie was in Symphonic (the top band) during the spring semester. It is really hard to believe that she didn't start playing the clarinet until about 10 months ago. She is third chair.. only 2 eighth graders are better than her in her band class! And some of the students have been playing for 3 years!

 

Here is her band director. Mr. Short. Funny really. He is super tall!  Anyway.. he is really good. Maddie says that he is very strict and won't let the kids give up on a song. I love that!! I'm thrilled that the kids are good and play beautiful songs, but I love that the director is teaching them to persevere. That is good teaching!

 

And here are Lexi and Kylie up close and personal to the concert. I love this picture. You see Maddie on stage and her sisters watching.

 

And guess what? With tonight's concert, we have one more end of the year obligation checked off!!