Dear Future Legacy Band Students and Parents,
Greetings! As you begin to look forward to next school year, the excitement of preparing for High School is surely on each 8th grader’s mind. This is the time of year that each family must begin thinking about scheduling and continuing Band in high school. You should be receiving a registration guide from Legacy High School soon. In it, you will find information about each of the Legacy High School Band courses.
The following are the Band classes offered at Legacy High School:
Wind Ensemble, Symphonic Winds, Symphonic Band – These are audition only classes. For the first quarter, they focus on Marching Band. Marching band is REQUIRED as a part of these classes. After marching season is over, they will be doing Chamber music and Concert Band music for the rest of the year.
Concert Band – ALL INCOMING FRESHMEN SHOULD SIGN UP FOR CONCERT BAND INITIALLY. If students decide they would like to audition for Wind Ensemble, Symphonic Winds, or Symphonic Band and make it into one of those bands, their schedules will be changed to reflect the results of the auditions. Auditions will be due in April and materials will be available from their band director before Spring Break. Concert Band will follow the same schedule as Wind Ensemble, Symphonic Winds, and Symphonic Band (see above) and Marching band is REQUIRED as a part of this class as well.
Jazz Band – Jazz Band is also an audition only class. Students will need to submit an audition if they want to be in Jazz Band. Audition materials will be available from their band director before Spring Break.
Color Guard – This is a year-long class. During the first quarter, students work on Marching Band material and then after that, they work on dance technique. During the 2nd semester, they will be working on Winter Guard material. You do not have to play an instrument to be in this class and anyone can sign up. STUDENTS DO NOT NEED TO HAVE ANY PREVIOUS EXPERIENCE FOR COLOR GUARD. FRIENDS OF BAND STUDENTS ARE WELCOME IN COLOR GUARD AS WELL!!! Sign up by simply adding it to your schedule.
Marching Band – Students do not register for this class. It is a part of Wind Ensemble, Symphonic Winds, Symphonic Band, and Concert Band and it is REQUIRED as a part of all band classes. Students will have to audition for a spot in the competition show, but everyone will be included in marching band. More information to come!
As you can see, there are many opportunities to continue in Band at Legacy High School. We encourage everyone to participate in band all four years of high school. Maintaining technical fluency on a musical instrument takes daily maintenance, and students will inevitably see their musical growth over time. Recent research shows how valuable music is to the developing brain, how important it is in bridging gaps between academic subjects, and how central it is to societal structures and our sense of community. So, stay in band!
We have had many students successfully navigate both band and Legacy’s acclaimed L2K program. It is possible to do both! New students now have more room for electives, so enrollment in a world language should not hinder musicians from enrolling in band as freshmen. Keep in mind that students are less likely to join band (or rejoin) if they weren’t already in it as a freshman.
If you have any other questions, please feel free to contact me via e-mail (brian.ebert@adams12.org). Also, please take an opportunity to review the band’s website at www.legacybands.org and especially review this past year’s handbook under Resources, then Student Forms. This will answer many of your questions and outline expectations and information about the Legacy Band program. I look forward to meeting each and every one of you and having you as a part of the Legacy Band Family!
Sincerely,
Dr. Brian Ebert
Director of Bands
iLegacy High School
(720) 972-6817
brian.ebert@adams12.org
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