Quad State High School Band Festival - VIRTUAL 2021
December 15, 2020
Dear Colleagues and Friends,
I hope this email finds you well as we approach the final days of the semester. At a time when so many things are being cancelled for our student musicians, I write today with an invitation to you and your students to be a part of our VIRTUAL QUAD STATE HIGH SCHOOL BAND FESTIVAL February 25-27, 2021.
We know that although significant steps are being made in the coming months towards vaccination, we cannot have our in person festival in 2021 and meet university, community, and statewide mandates and restrictions for gatherings. Rather than cancel altogether, we’d like to provide an experience for students to engage across communities throughout our region to come together in an experience not offered by any other university in our region.
While many details are being worked on daily, I feel confident with the support from our university technology infrastructure, office of recruitment, and my own tech and training that we can provide a positive, engaging, and educational experience for you and your students during these difficult times.
What do you need to know:
Friday, February 26, 2021
3:30-5:00 - First Rehearsal
5:15-6:00 - Faculty Master Class
6:00 - Wind Ensemble Concert Broadcast plus Quad State Soloist Winners
Saturday, February 27, 2021
9:15 - Composer Conversation with guest composers
10:00-11:30am - Second rehearsal
LUNCH BREAK
12:45pm - Prospective Music majors Q&A
1:30-3:00pm - Final Rehearsal
4:00pm - Deadline for submitting audio files (details provided to participants)
Our full schedule for the week will be announced in the coming days, and it will include Q&A sessions with current students, directors sessions with myself and Brent Johnson, student showcase concerts, and additional content. Our focus for the week is to create content that provides meaningful and valuable information for your students, especially those interested in music in college--either as a major or non-major.
I’ve navigated digital rehearsals a bit longer than most; when you teach in snowmageddon Maine, it becomes a rarity to have an in person rehearsal between January and March! (Check out this article if you have not seen it, hopefully it can help enhance your already engaging student experience.) I’m confident in the ability to provide two fast-paced, ninety-minute rehearsals, to prepare the music we will mail to each student selected to participate in the festival.
Thank you for your support of our programs, and we hope that this experience will work to enhance all you are doing in the classroom, and online.
Sincerely,
Dr. Trae Blanco Mr. Brent Johnson
Director of University Bands Associate Director of Bands
cblanco1@murraystate.edu bjohnson9@murraystate.edu
Dear Colleagues and Friends,
I hope this email finds you well as we approach the final days of the semester. At a time when so many things are being cancelled for our student musicians, I write today with an invitation to you and your students to be a part of our VIRTUAL QUAD STATE HIGH SCHOOL BAND FESTIVAL February 25-27, 2021.
We know that although significant steps are being made in the coming months towards vaccination, we cannot have our in person festival in 2021 and meet university, community, and statewide mandates and restrictions for gatherings. Rather than cancel altogether, we’d like to provide an experience for students to engage across communities throughout our region to come together in an experience not offered by any other university in our region.
While many details are being worked on daily, I feel confident with the support from our university technology infrastructure, office of recruitment, and my own tech and training that we can provide a positive, engaging, and educational experience for you and your students during these difficult times.
What do you need to know:
- The nomination process will be the same as in years past EXCEPT that due to restricted numbers in managing the festival digitally, we ask that you only nominate juniors and seniors.
- The form is attached for nominations, please return it before January 7, 2021. The fee this year will remain the same at $25 per student; it will cover music and other technology costs associated with the festival.
- Students can participate in the entire schedule virtually from home or from your school campus. We greatly appreciate those of you that are able to help students without access to great internet at home participate through on campus support.
- We will still have our Quad State Soloist Competition and the winner will be broadcast on our Friday evening Wind Ensemble Virtual Concert. The application can be found here. I highly encourage your seniors interested in majoring in music to do this, it comes with a great scholarship for the winners!
Friday, February 26, 2021
3:30-5:00 - First Rehearsal
5:15-6:00 - Faculty Master Class
6:00 - Wind Ensemble Concert Broadcast plus Quad State Soloist Winners
Saturday, February 27, 2021
9:15 - Composer Conversation with guest composers
10:00-11:30am - Second rehearsal
LUNCH BREAK
12:45pm - Prospective Music majors Q&A
1:30-3:00pm - Final Rehearsal
4:00pm - Deadline for submitting audio files (details provided to participants)
Our full schedule for the week will be announced in the coming days, and it will include Q&A sessions with current students, directors sessions with myself and Brent Johnson, student showcase concerts, and additional content. Our focus for the week is to create content that provides meaningful and valuable information for your students, especially those interested in music in college--either as a major or non-major.
I’ve navigated digital rehearsals a bit longer than most; when you teach in snowmageddon Maine, it becomes a rarity to have an in person rehearsal between January and March! (Check out this article if you have not seen it, hopefully it can help enhance your already engaging student experience.) I’m confident in the ability to provide two fast-paced, ninety-minute rehearsals, to prepare the music we will mail to each student selected to participate in the festival.
Thank you for your support of our programs, and we hope that this experience will work to enhance all you are doing in the classroom, and online.
Sincerely,
Dr. Trae Blanco Mr. Brent Johnson
Director of University Bands Associate Director of Bands
cblanco1@murraystate.edu bjohnson9@murraystate.edu
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