Pizza/Pie Fundraiser

The annual PTO Pizza and Pie Fundraiser in support of the music department, will be running through January 8, 2010. The proceeds from these fundraisers are a huge benefit to our program. In the past we bought a new xylophone, tenor saxophone and baritone saxophone. This year we will be putting 10% of the fundraiser towards the Gil Armitage Band Scholarship Fund and will use the rest for equipment in both general music and the band program.

Fundraiser orders will be delivered in time for the Super Bowl, so order away and enjoy! Your support is always greatly appreciated.

Contact Amy Dotson with any questions: Ashfordband@gmail.com

Concert Congrats!

Congratulations to all of our students on a great concert! It was fun, festive and very well played. Please look on the Music Department Website for sound clips and video clips of songs from the day performance.

Enjoy the Junior High Band's performance of All the Pretty Little Horses:

YouTube Video

Last week 19 Ashford students participated in the 4th Annual Quinebaug Valley Middle School Music Festival (QVMSMF). 10 chorus and 9 band students were selected based on their musical ability, exemplary character and leadership abilities to form an honor band and choir with students from 10 other communities. These groups met for their first rehearsal on Monday, November 9th and performed on November 12th. Despite the very short rehearsal time, the students put on an excellent concert for family and friends at Putnam Middle School. We are very proud of the following students:

Band:

Caitlin Ecsedy, Jennie Rozenberg, Tessa Weidig, Caleigh Campion, Megan Moran, Cassie Hayward, Adam Cherepon, Joseph Cherepon, Chris Pavliscsak

Chorus:

Martha Sherman, Brooke Noel, Erica Mahue, Matt Sibley-Jett, Ben Lagasse, Laina Fesenmeyer, Kayla Bendell, Shelby Colonese, Sarah Caldwell, Jessica Bassett

Big Bad Voodoo Daddy Coming to UConn

Big Bad Voodoo Daddy will be coming to The Jorgenson at UConn this November. If you are interested in attending please let me know and I will look into group tickets. You can find out more information at the Jorgenson's website.


Interview with Big Bad Voodoo Daddy

Video Clip of Performance

QVMSMF

The following band students have been accepted into the Quinebaug Valley Middle School Music Festival, an honors band held in Putnam, CT on November 9th and 12th:

Caitlin Ecsedy- Flute
Jennie Rozenberg- Flute
Tessa Weidig- Flute
Caleigh Campion- Clarinet
Megan Moran- Bari Sax
Adam Cherepon- Trumpet
Cassie Hayward- French Horn
Joseph Cherepon- Trombone
Chris Pavliscsak- Percussion

The festival combines the top music students from 9 area towns to create an honors band which will rehearse for two afternoons and put on an excellent concert on the evening of November 12th. Please stay tuned for more details about the concert.

Congratulations to the Ashford participants, I know you will be great!

Fourth Graders First Meeting

Today Ashford School's new instrumentalists had their first lesson! Our instruments will be delivered and ready to take home next week, so we spent today preparing our binders and learning how to put together our instruments. All of the groups did a great job listening, following directions and jumping right in! I can't wait to hand out instruments next Tuesday!!

Jazz Band Selected

Congratulations to Ashford School's 2009-2010 Jazz Band!




Saxes:
Alto 1: Zane Cosgrove
Alto 2: Gavin Metsack
Tenor 1: Sarah Boiano
Tenor 2: Steven Kahr
Bari: Megan Moran

Trumpets:
Adam Cherepon
Kayla Bendell
Justin Vanover
Jacob Ayers
James Potter
Kasey Phillips

Trombones:
Justin Gagnon
Joseph Cherepon
Sarah Caldwell
Tyler Metsack

Drum Set:
Chris Pavliscsak
Patrick DesRocher

Piano/Keyboard:
Jennie Rosenberg
Sarah Ayers
Sarah Gamache

Electric Bass:
Jessica Bassett


Thank you to everyone who auditioned. I was extremely impressed by your preparation. I would like to specifically recognize three jazz band members for particularly great auditions; Zane Cosgrove (alto sax), Megan Moran (bari sax) and Justin Gagnon (trombone) played with excellence and musicality, great job!