Some requests from Mr B for assistance on Wednesday:

1. Due to the severity of the low temperatures we could not load the van this evening, nor can we load it tomorrow afternoon as instruments would be a risk of damage. Therefore if any yr12 or yr13 students are free p1 and/or 2 Wed morning please come down to Music at 8.55am to help. Any student free p3 please meet me at The Coro to help finish setting up. The entire get-in must be complete by 11.40am so that I can get back to school to supervise and then walk down all the yr7-10 musicians.
2. We need some parents to help sell programmes and raffle tickets before the concert and at the interval. If you can help please be at The Coro by 6.40pm. We already have some impressive prizes but if there are any more to come in could they be brought in tomorrow (or at least let me know that they are coming in) so that I can publish a list?
3. At the end of the concert it would be really helpful if all Wind Band players could help for 10 minutes to pack away and then load the van. If we all muck in it will be a quick job.

Many thanks – this afternoon’s rehearsal went well and I told the band how very proud I am of all of the players. Roll on Wednesday!!!

Due to illness, two pairs of tickets for the Christmas Festival have become available  – one pair on the balcony and one pair in the stalls towards the front.

If anyone is interested please let me know asap.

Period 4         All students taking part (Wind Band, Junior Band, Choir, String Ensemble, Flute & Clarinet Choirs, Brass & Sax Ensembles and readers) will be released from lessons to get an early lunch; Year 7-10  students go straight to the Dining Room, yr11-13 can go into town, signing out at Reception.

12.15pm         Yr7-10 are meet in the Cloister with their instruments at where they will be registered and then escorted to The Coro. Those students not in the Wind Band should bring a quiet form of personal entertainment for when they are not rehearsing; Wind Band players should bring decorations (tinsel, battery lights, hats etc.) for their instruments and stands!!!

12.40pm         Registration at The Coro for ALL students

12.50pm         Rehearsal starts at The Coro

3.15pm           Rehearsal ends – students will be released from The Coro to either walk back to school (supervised by staff) for buses/taxis, walk home or be picked up.  Instruments can be left in the changing rooms between rehearsal and concert.

By 6.50pm     Junior Band arrive, go to the dressing rooms to prepare instruments and then get ready to play from 7.05pm-7.20pm

By 7.10pm     All other performers must be at The Coro to prepare themselves.  

Members of the Wind Band must be in band uniform (pink shirts with logos & black bottoms/socks/shoes – those without a shirt will be able to borrow one for the concert).

Everyone else in smart school uniform without jumper, sixth form dressed smartly in smart black bottoms and a colourful top. 

Lots of Wind Band shirts have just made it to my office!! Apparently they were delivered last week but were then accidentally stashed away by the site team, so apologies.

If you have ordered a shirt please ask your child to come and see me in my office tomorrow/Monday OR collect at the Wind Band rehearsal after school on Monday.

Congratulations to the yr10 ‘boy-band’ which raised a brilliant £180 at the Dickensian Festival last week. A reminder that groups can go into Ulverston at any time and book slots in Barrow town centre by using the contacts in the previous post about busking in Barrow. I also have an email address to use if any students wish to book a busking session in Tesco Extra in Barrow.

On Sunday 18th Dec there is also a Christmas Fair in Ulverston with stalls, Santa etc, and the Market Hall will be open – buskers are welcome throughout town from 10am-3pm. The Little Big Band may also put in an appearance from 2-3pm at the Market Cross, but this is not yet confirmed.

Tomorrow afternoon’s Wind Band rehearsal will go on until 5pm tomorrow in order for us to prepare for the Festival on the 14th. Next Monday’s rehearsal (12th) will go on until 5.15pm for the same reason (and also to get all the equipment ready for transporting to The Coro.

It is imperative that we have full attendance at both rehearsals if at all possible.

At last week’s meeting raffles were discussed and it was proposed (and then unanimously agreed) that instead of asking for random donations of items we should try to focus more on ‘high end’ prizes such as a hamper, experience voucher (eg. Haverthwaite railway), meal voucher (at a local pub or restaurant) etc. Raffles at concerts are the main profit-makers of events – in terms of the Marines concert, the only profit-maker.

Therefore, if any parents either work at places (or have friends that work at places) which may be up for donating something along these lines please could you see if you can get anything. In return I can offer advertising space in the concert programme provided that I have the prize and artwork by Friday 9th December – alternatively I can offer advertising in the Marines Concert programme for prizes donated for 4th Feb. Advertising size is landscape A6.

If you require a generic letter from me to back up a request please email me and I can provide it for you.