Northern Music Notes: News

We are all very grateful to the Northern Guilford Middle School Music Boosters for making the 2008-09 Predator Drumline season possible!!!

They have purchased 4 new drums and are paying the stipend for a specialized drumline instructor to teach the drumline this year.

Although Guilford County Schools does not supply funding for a drumline, the Boosters believe in the value of the drumline and they have agreed to fund the program so that we can continue to have a wonderful and educational drumline again this year.

Thank you again, Boosters!!!

Wow! What a great two weeks we had at the first Northern Band Camp. We had so much specialized help and talent with our instructors. Melanie Hudson, French Horn specialist, just graduated from Western High School and is going to be a music major at Catawba. She worked with the brasses in the Chamber Music Workshop. Jacob Eichorn, is a clarinet specialist who just graduated from Western High School and is going to be a music major at Wake Forest University. He worked with the woodwinds in the Chamber Music section of the camp. Andres Ballesteros, is a composer and clarinet specialist who is a rising senior at Southwest High School. He worked with the woodwinds in the Chamber Music section of the camp. Then there was Brandon Davis, a recent graduate of Andrews High School and a music major at North Carolina A&T University. He took on the 25 drumline students. Of course, he is used to that.

From all indications everyone had a great time. The survey results showed that the biggest complaint was that two weeks was not long enough. Oh........

Congratulations to a wonderful two-week summer band camp. Here are the results of the auditions for the beginning Predator Drumline for the fall season:

quads
Brandon Atwell

snare drum
Alex Hasler, Drum Captain
Justin Cousins-Lee
Patrick Walker
Nick Gregory

tenor drum
Colin Shelton
Leo Pedrazza
Adam Oates
Anthony Gatson
Jamir Hart

bass drum
Amariah Ross
Brenden Hunter
Nick Gardner

alternate bass drums and cymbals
Emerson Santiago
Christian Summers

cymbals
Morgan Marshall
Brett Welch

If you did not make the line, there will be more opportunities. Keep practicing.

The marching band and the drum line are ready to rule the Summerfield Parade on May 17. Brandon Davis and his friends are teaching a 97 piece marching band every Friday afternoon!! Next we add the 30 Laverne Davis Dancers! You cannot miss this!!! It really rocks!

The Jazz Band has been invited to open the spring concert for the Jazz Band at Greensboro College on April 22. The concert is at 7:00. We hope that everyone will attend.

Wow!!! Congratulations to the seven orchestra students who made the All-State Orchestra. They are Courtney Frost, violin; Zack Pyle, violin; Robert Chambliss, violin; Blake Riley, viola; Ally Huber, viola; Nathaniel Lundrigan, cello, and Garrett Spencer, bass. Blake Riley made 5th chair viola and he is only a seventh grader!

The seventh-grade band will compete at the All-State Band competition.
There are three other middle schools from Guilford County that will be represented.
Students are working really hard toward a superior rating.
We have had special guest clinicians, Michael Jackson and Charles Murph clinic us and we are really working for that Northern Excellence!

16 Students at Northern Middle School won seats at the All-County Band auditions on Feb. 5. They are as follows:
Daniel Rose, flute
Brett Welch, clarinet
Caroline Camp, clarinet
Colin Shelton, French Horn
Colin is a 6th Grader!
Peyton Lee, French Horn
Ryan Huber, 3rd chair alto saxophone
Antonio Williamson, 1st chair tenor and 1st chair bari saxophone
Ben Dawkins, 2nd chair trumpet
Kyle Riker, 4th chair trumpet
John Lasley, 5th chair trumpet
Matthew jackson, trumpet
Sam Leslie, trumpet
5 out of 12 trumpets are from Northern Middle.
Rorie Bergen, trombone
Blake Burchette, trombone
Hunter Ripberger, 2nd chair snare
Congratulations.

Brandon Davis and Dr. V started the very first middle school drumline in Guilford County in 2003. Brandon, who had all the ideas and taught the drumline for three years, was 14. Dr. V and her parents funded the more than $10,000 that it cost to purchase the equipment and maintain it.
When Dr. V moved to Northern Dr. Misher loved the idea of starting a drumline here. So did the students. We had a sixth grade drumline last year and this year we have an advanced drumline. Brandon comes to Northern to teach the drumline on Saturdays and will be instructing the marching band beginning Feb. 8.

Now you know!

The Laverne Davis Northern Guilford Middle School Dance team will be joining the Northern Marching Band and Predator Drumline for the Summerfield Parade this year. Join us May 17. "I hope you have the time of your life!!!"

Get out your marching shoes! The Northern Nighthawk Marching Band will begin rehearsals Feb. 8, from 3:45 -5:30. Sign up now.

Contracts are available now. The cost is $25 for the season. The cost includes the t-shirt with logo. Information is available from Dr. V.

Come to the Music Booster Meeting to find out about the exciting Northern Middle One-Of-A-Kind Summer Band Camp, June 23-July 4!!!

Twelve (count them 12) students at Northern Middle School won seats in Guilford County All-County Orchestra. Congratulations to the following students: Zach Pyle, Courtney Frost, Ellie Brubaker, Rachel Ward (eighth grade violinists); Rober Chambliss, May Wang, Elizabeth Ouzts (seventh grade violinists); Sarah Sassorossi (eighth grade violist), Blake Riley and Ally Huber (seventh grade violists), Nathaniel Lundrigan (seventh grade cellist), and Garret Spencer (eighth grade bassist).

6th grade band=88 (in one class)
7th grade band=62 (in one class)
8th grade band=30 (very talented)
6th grade orchestra=25
7th grade orchestra=27
8th grade orchestra=8 (very, very talented)
Whew!!!

The Band, Orchestra, and Chorus Boosters had a great executive meeting on Wed. last week. They are incorporating, and currently working on processing the polo shirt orders and memberships. They will be receipting those this Wed., 6:00- for those of you who would like to help.

Thank you Boosters!!!

The 62 member 7th grade band and the 88 member 6th grade band classes are really coming together. Kudos to parents for raising wonderful children!

Parents, please read update that students will bring home on Tues. regarding procedures for such a large class!

Contact me via E-mail for questions. Do not send children to school with questions to ask me during class. There are too many children to attend to many individual questions during each class period.

Volunteers wanted to attend 6th grade band class to help with housekeeping chores.
12:35-1:18 daily

Last year the 6th grade started a tradition of caroling at a retirement center in December. The 6th grade language arts teachers helped the children make beautiful cards to give to the retirees and we had a great time learning about the great dedication and sacrifice of the World-War II generation. Look here for more information as we continue this great tradition!

If you or your mom have not spoken with me (Dr. V) this summer regarding what you will need at the beginning of the school year, please contact me at janevanmid@aol.com.

School Offerings:
6th, 7th, and 8th Grade Orchestras
6th, 7th, and 8th Grade Concert Bands

Before and After School offerings:
All-County and All-District prep
Jazz Orchestra (audition only)
Jazz Band (7th and 8th grade band and orchestra students, audition only)
Pep Band (for basketball games)
Drum Line (Band Students only, audition only)
Marching Band (spring, includes 6th, 7th, and 8th grade band students)