Doc's Blog

“Common Time” was Uncommonly Terrific!

docandry — Mon, 25 Aug 2008 01:46:16 +0000

Our very own St. Michael party band, “Common Time,” performed for the “Back to School Dance” Saturday evening. Musicians, Dane Monic, Eric Peters, Alex Holeman, and Ben LeBlanc “rocked the house.” Many teachers and students commented that it was the best school dance ever! Way to go guys! I will post pictures to Flickr soon.

This post is also a friendly reminder to get your band fees of $30 in by this week. For those of you who have ordered shirts and shoes from me it it time to pay for these as well. Please submit a check for pep band shirt($26) and Dinkles ($21) if you have orders this. Make all checks payable to St. Michael High since we do not have our own band boosters account. Remember that our hot weather uniform is a pep band shirt (ordered through me), black pants (provided by you), black shoes (Dinkles), and black socks.

We do not perform for the jamboree so our first game is September 5. The busses will be leaving St. Michael at 5 pm. Students are to report to the band room for 4:15 to help load the trailer and busses. Students will be fed before the game at Memorial Stadium as the Home & School Association has chipped in to provide hot dogs and fixings for everyone as we “tailgate” before the game.

Stay tuned for upcoming information on meals before and after games. You must let me know on the Monday before each game if you plan on staying after school and participating in our “feed a band member” program. This program is provided to our band students who are remaining on campus after school on game days. Since we are already being fed on the 5th, our first “feed a band member” game will be September 12 (the Parkview game).

Please review my latest warrior-band-newsletter-vol-v-no1.pdf for upcoming dates, game day protocol, and grading procedures.

Doc

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School Starts Tomorrow

docandry — Wed, 06 Aug 2008 23:53:40 +0000

Dear Band Parents and Students,

With the start of a new year a day away, I need some help from you. First of all, students will be required to use my blog for class and will be required to add comments with attachments throughout the year. So make sure to subscribe to my blog (top right hand corner). I need you to download and print three forms and return them to me by Friday. The first is a personnel form. st-michael-band-personal-information Be sure to print clearly (especially the email addresses). The second is an emergency treatment form emergency_treatment . The third is our school’s substance abuse form substance_abuse . All students must fill one out each year (last year’s won’t do). If you have already filled one out for this school year (athletes) then you need to let me know what sport you have filled it out for so I can put that in your folder. The bottom line is we need 100 % participation from all my band students.

The next bit of information is that we will be taking a formal band picture at 3 PM next Tuesday for the football program. You do have the option of taking an individual picture if you choose to do so. Football players, dancers, and cheerleaders do this.

Thanks again. I’m looking forward to a terrific year!

Doc

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Band Social/Booster Meeting Was Well Attended

docandry — Thu, 31 Jul 2008 02:45:20 +0000

Dear Band Parents and Students:

Our first Band Boosters Meeting was well attended. If you weren’t able to attend, don’t worry, I signed you up for every committee!! Just kidding! However, Angie Simoneaux will be sending you an email with a list of our committees and those who have signed up. Parents, you are encouraged to email her with your intentions.

Our Band Boosters Officers for this year are:

President - Angie Simoneaux

Vice President - Terri Barksdale

Treasurer - Laura & Ken Drone

We opened our meeting by discussing our two big events, “Band Night” and “Moonlight and Jazz.” We hope to get participation from everyone for these two events.

Please refer to our Latest Newsletter for important dates and our uniform information. Pep band shirts for new students and band boosters shirts will be ordered from me. Cost for the shirt is $26. There is a one-time band boosters fee of $30 that is due now. This fee helps to pay for props, the cost of items needed for Band Night, and other expenses that the band parents organization needs throughout the year. You will provide a black trouser to be worn with this. I will take orders for shirts and “Dinkles,” our black band shoe next week.

Our first band practice after school will be Thursday, August 7. We will be sizing students for their formal band uniform beginning at 2:30. When your child has been fitted, he/she will be excused to go home. We need a couple of parent volunteers who can get to school for 2:15 to help organize this fitting. We will take pictures in our formal uniform for the football program on Tuesday, August 12 at the beginning of our after school band rehearsal. By the way, if you want to purchase a personal ad for the football program, you must do so by the end of this week. Either email me or comment to this blog if you are interested and you need more information.

We also took orders for Band Boosters shirts. These shirts are just like the pep band shirts (collared slip over). If you weren’t able to be at the meeting and you wish to purchase one, please send a check for $26 ($28 for XXL) along with YOUR size with your child.

Hope this helps to keep you all informed.

Doc

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Band Booster Meeting/Camp Update

docandry — Tue, 29 Jul 2008 21:41:42 +0000

Dear Band Parent(s) and students:

Our band camp has been progressing wonderfully! We have done so much in two days! I do not foresee us going past 3:30 for the rest of the week. If you can’t pick up your child for 3:30, that’s OK, I’ll wait until 4. We always have some cleaning up to do at the end of the day.

Don’t forget we have a band boosters meeting/social at my house. You can bring your swimsuits. I will cook hot dogs for the kids and we will have Chick’filet for the adults and some other goodies. If you can bring chips or deserts, please do so. I have paper goods in the band room and sodas that I will bring. The meeting begins at 6:30 PM.

Here are directions to my home. I live on the corner of Hagerstown and Deep Forest. If you are coming from school, continue down Monitor until you get to the Girls’ Softball field. Turn right there on Hagerstown. Go through two stop signs and I’m on the right hand corner of Deep Forest and Hagerstown. When you are at the second stop sign, you’ll be looking at my front door straight ahead. Deep Forest is actually a block after the stop sign.

Musically,

Kevin M. Andry, Ph.D.
Director of Bands
St. Michael the Archangel High School

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My teacher

docandry — Tue, 29 Jul 2008 01:52:43 +0000

Here is a link to an article about my music teacher. Click on the link to the Daily Comet in Thibodaux. http://www.dailycomet.com/article/20080728/ARTICLES/807280309/1212&title=Thibodaux_teacher_shapes_musicians_and_hearts

Doc

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Last Minute Instructions for Camp

docandry — Wed, 23 Jul 2008 13:17:48 +0000

Dear Band Parents and Students:

Here are a few last minute instructions, (dos and don’ts), and other reminders before band camp next week:

1. First of all, we begin at 8 AM next Monday, July 28. Be on time! Remember, if you are on time, you’re late.

2. Our biggest enemy is heat and humidity, so be sure to stay hydrated. When we take hydration breaks, get something to drink.

3. You should wear a hat and use sunscreen. Wear comfortable shorts and a light-colored t-shirt.

4. Tennis shoes and socks should be worn at all marching rehearsals. Because these practices involve intricate marching maneuvers, no sandals, flip-flops, crocs, etc. will be allowed. Likewise, no one will be allowed to march barefoot.

5. All students should bring a half-inch binder to place music and drill sheets. I prefer you have plastic filler sheets so the music and drill stay dry in case of rain. Make sure your name is on this.

6. Gentlemen should show up Monday without facial hair. I know, you’ve been off all summer, and strange things have grown on your faces, but now our summer is officially over and you represent your school and your director (me). You must look and act like a Warrior when you are on campus. So, get the hair cut and shave before Monday.

7. Phones and other electronic devices will not be permitted while we are rehearsing or working on the field. You may use them on your lunch break and when we are finished at 4 PM.

8. Remember to bring a bag lunch. You will not be permitted to leave campus until 4 PM.

9. No food or drink will be consumed in the band room. There will be trash cans available around our work area, so use them.

10. Students wishing to earn service hours can meet me at 2 PM this Friday to help paint the field. This should take anywhere from an hour to an hour and a half, depending on how many helpers show up.

11. Parents, don’t forget about our band boosters meeting at my home next Wednesday, July 30 at 6:30. We usually turn this into a social for the kids too (bring swimsuits). I will cook hot dogs and supply sodas. We do need some volunteers to bring chips, dessert, and maybe a veggie tray or something for the grownups to snack on.

Finally, I am extremely excited about our show. The drumline has been working very hard this week and has progressed further than where they were at the same time last year! I hope to have all the drill and most of the music ready to perform on Friday for any parents, alumni, or friends who would like to see us at 11 AM.

Musically yours,

Kevin M. Andry, Ph.D.
Director of Bands
St. Michael the Archangel High School

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Band Camps Start Next Week

docandry — Thu, 17 Jul 2008 15:52:35 +0000

Hi gang,

This is a reminder that percussion camp begins next week (July 21-25) from 9 - 2. Be sure to pack a lunch, because you will not be able to leave campus for lunch. We will be working inside that week. Band Camp (includes everyone) begins on the 28th and will be be from 8 am - 4 pm. If you have signed up to help with hydration, please report at 7:40 so we can be set up for when the kids get on the field. For more details, please check my last blog (latest newsletter).

Thanks,

Doc

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First Newsletter of 2008-09 season!

docandry — Mon, 19 May 2008 02:45:02 +0000

Welcome to all new and returning students. This newsletter is chock full of important information and dates for next fall.

warrior-band-newsletter-vol-v-no1.pdf

Doc

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Dare to Enter the Amazonian Rainforest!

docandry — Tue, 13 May 2008 02:49:32 +0000

Our fall show is written by nationally acclaimed composer, Key Poulan. Key is the brass arranger and composer for the Santa Clara Vanguard and has been recognized as one of the country’s top arrangers and composers of contemporary marching band music. I have commented that our students deserve nothing but the best and this music will offer them the opportunity to study and present the music of one of best contemporary marching band composers of our time. The show is in three movements:

Mvt. 1: “Through the Rainforest/The Anaconda” kicks off with a flurry of excitement as an intrepid crew of adventurers hacks their way through the dense jungle foliage and finds themselves face-to-face with a giant anaconda. You will feel your heart beat faster as the giant snake reveals its discontent with being disturbed.Mvt. 2: “Rainfall Through the Canopy” brings our racing heartbeats back down to under a few hundred beats per minute. The jungle is almost silent and still except for the rustling leaves being caressed by the falling rain through the canopy of the trees. The audience and performers relax, enjoying the hypnotic effect of the bouncing raindrops on the forest floor.

Mvt. 3: “The Yagua Natives Hunt With Their Pucunas”takes a look at the Yagua tribe of natives who still hunt with Pucunas, a form of blowgun that shoot poisoned darts. The music is as intense as the chase of the prey, melodic lines shooting to and fro as if flying on the fins of the darts. By the end of the production, you will feel emotionally spent as the music succeeds in taking you as close to such a hunt as you would ever dare be.

To listen to a MP3 recording of the show, (and practice with it) check out: Amazonian Rainforest

Doc

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Warrior Band Newsletter, Vol. IV, No. 2

docandry — Wed, 23 Apr 2008 01:28:28 +0000

April Newsletter

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