Blacksburg Community Band Member Information

A N N O U N C E M E N T S

Next rehearsal

Rehearsals are Wednesdays from 7:30 – 9:30 in the Blacksburg High School Band Room.

Upcoming Concerts

Thursday, October 9th - Joint Concert with Roanoke College
Sunday, October 12th - Sinkland Farms Pumpkin Festival
Sunday, October 19th - Harvest Festival at Historic Smithfield Plantation

Band Business

Music Sorting Party: November 9th at the Rec Center from 1:00 - 3:00. Don't forget we have a great potluck at these sortings.

Board Meeting: November 17th

G E N E R A L I N F O R M A T I O N

Band Listserv

Blacksburg Community Band Listserv Archives:
http://listserv.bburg.bev.net/pipermail/bbcb/

Blacksburg Community Band Listserv Information (subscribe/unsubscribe):
http://listserv.bburg.bev.net/lists/listinfo/bbcb

Driving Instructions to Concerts

View/Print Driving Instructions to:
Blacksburg - Downtown Post Office and Steppin' Out or Fairview Community Church Veterans Memorial or Greenwood Assisted Living or Heritage Hall or Mt. Tabor Ruritan Fish Fry or Warm Hearth Retirement Village Karr Activities Center & Kroontje Health Care Center or VA Tech Campus Lane Stadium, Rector Field House
Christiansburg - English Meadows or Wheatland Assisted Living
Claytor Lake State Park - Picnic Shelter No. 1
Floyd - Courthouse
Giles County - Mountain Lake Hotel
Narrows - Old High School, Duck Pond, and Boom Park
Pulaski - Jackson Park Gazebo and Pulaski Health Care Center
Radford - Bissett Park Gazebo
Riner - Sinkland Farms
Roanoke - Elmwood Park
Salem - Richfield Nursing Center - Oaks Building or VA Hospital or Roanoke College, Olin Hall Auditorium
Shawsville - Meadow Brook and Brooke Meade Nursing Homes

Download Driving Instructions to all Concerts
File format: Microsoft Word or Adobe PDF

Resources

ACB (Association of Concert Bands)
Ron Boerger's community music ensembles

N E W S L E T T E R S

September 2008
January 2008	September 2007	March 18, 2006	February 14, 2006
February 11, 2004	March 14, 2002	December 3, 2001	May 23, 2001
May 2, 2001	April 18, 2001	April 4, 2001	March 21, 2001
March 7, 2001	Feburary 14, 2001	January 31, 2001	January 17, 2001

O F F I C E R S

President: Dixon Smiley
Vice-President: Kendra Kohl
Secretary: Debby Good Wiedmer
Treasurer: Bill Murphy
Members At-Large: Renee Jacobsen, Amy Hall, Alan McDaniel
Past President: Leslie Palacios

Section Leaders
Flutes: Mary L. Walters Clarinets: Kendra Kohl Saxophones: Karl Sanzenbach Trumpets: Bill Murphy
French Horns: Ingrid Burbey Trombones: Amy Hall Low Brass: David Kibler Percussion: Alan McDaniel

Other Personnel
Music Director: Ed Schwartz Associate Director: Steven E. Brown
Librarian: Leslie Palacios Fund Raising Chairperson: Harriett Cooper

B A N D P O L I C I E S

PHILOSOPHY

The Blacksburg Community Band System is intended to provide a recreational musical outlet for all persons regardless of age or ability. In addition, the Blacksburg Community Band System will serve to provide a wide range of live performances to clubs, organizations, community groups and others as an outreach program of the Blacksburg Department of Parks and Recreation. Current musical groups within the system include the Blacksburg Community Band and the Blacksburg Community Brass Choir. Members of Blacksburg Community Band are all volunteers and are not paid for services or reimbursed for travel expenses. It is expected that members of any group of musicians performing within the music system will represent Blacksburg Community in a responsible manner.
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MEMBERSHIP REQUIREMENTS

The Blacksburg Community Band is open to any resident of Blacksburg or the surrounding area who wishes to participate. The band requires no dues, fees, or audition for participation, only the desire to work together with other amateur musicians toward a common musical goal.
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ATTENDANCE

Members are not required to attend any set number of rehearsals during the year. The objective is to allow each member the amount of flexibility needed in his or her personal schedule. Similarly, attendance is not required at concerts. It is considered appropriate to inform the musical director or section leader of expected concert absences for planning purposes. Members who must be late for rehearsals or concerts are still encouraged to attend for that part of the rehearsal or concert that can fit into their schedule. It is important to understand that it IS acceptable for any member to arrive late, or leave a concert or rehearsal early.
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CONCERTS

The Blacksburg Community Band will perform concerts that will be scheduled several weeks in advance of the commitment date. The band members are asked to wear black skirts/trousers and white blouses/shirts for the fall concerts and tan or khaki skirts/trousers and white blouses/shirts for the late spring and summer concerts. It is expected that members of any of the musical groups will represent Blacksburg Community in a responsible manner at any public performance.
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REHEARSALS

The Blacksburg Community Band normally rehearses every Wednesday evening from 7:30 to 9:30 in the band room at the Blacksburg High School on Patrick Henry Road in Blacksburg. Rehearsals are not held the week of Thanksgiving and the weeks of Christmas and New Year's day. Additionally, if a significant number of active band members are involved in a community musical theatre production, rehearsals and concerts will be set to accommodate their schedule. The band will also periodically schedule concerts on Wednesday evenings. Performance and rehearsal schedules can be obtained by calling either the musical director or the Blacksburg Parks and Recreation office at 961-1191. Rehearsals of any of the other band units will rehearse as necessary. As the band is a guest of the high school, it is expected that the rehearsal facility and equipment are treated with reasonable care.
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MUSIC

The Blacksburg Community Band currently borrows much of its music from the Blacksburg High School, so care must be taken not to damage or lose it. Folders with copies of the current music will be provided to all band members. These folders may be taken home between rehearsals with some restrictions.

Each folder must be signed out from the band librarian.
Each folder must be returned for the next rehearsal or concert (whichever comes first) regardless of whether or not the individual can come. Folders may be given to another band member or the Parks and Recreation office anytime prior to the rehearsal or concert if it is more convenient.
Folders and music must be protected to insure that they are not lost or damaged.

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UNIFORM

The Blacksburg Community Band strives to present itself in a visually appropriate manner for concerts. Although the band does not have a required uniform, the members of the band are asked to wear clothing that will offer a uniform look at band concerts. The fall and winter (September through Memorial Day) concert uniform look consists of black (dark) skirt or slacks and white blouse or shirt. The spring and summer (Memorial Day through August) uniform look consists of khaki (tan) skirt or slacks and white blouse or shirt. The band does not wear ties as part of the uniform look. The brand or style of these clothes is not important, and it is assumed that many people already have clothing that would fit these loose criteria. This is an attempt to create a consistency of look for the band without putting an unreasonable burden on the members of the band. Summer options can include shorts and hats/visors at outside concerts. Fall, winter and spring options can include sweaters and jackets for outside concerts. Christmas options can include red and green accessories to the basic black and white clothing. Santa hats and red & green neckwear are popular accessories at the concerts.
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