September 2013

Dear SMS Band Students and Families,

Welcome to a new year of music makin! My name is Madalena
Widomski, and " am t#e new band director at Sta$ord Middle Sc#ool and
Sta$ord %lementary Sc#ool& " am 'ery e(cited to be #ere, and ")m lookin
forward to a reat year of music wit# all of you!
*#is year marks many new c#anes to t#e Sta$ord Music
Department& +ere are some t#ins you need to know about t#e upcomin
sc#ool year,
Rehearsal Days
*#is year, t#e band will meet twice a week durin D period& -n
*uesdays, t#e ensemble will re#earse wit# me& -n *#ursdays, t#e
ensemble wit# re#earse wit# Mr& Duc#on& Students are e(pected to attend
e'ery re#earsal unless absent or e(cused by me or Mr& Duc#on& .lease
brin all your band music, your instrument and accessories /reeds, 'al'e
oil, mout#pieces, stick ba, etc&0, and a pencil to e'ery re#earsal&
Sectional Rehearsals
Students will #a'e a sectional re#earsal e'ery *uesday durin t#e
times listed below& Because t#e sc#ool sc#edule rotates, students will not
miss more t#an one of t#e same academic class per term& Students are
e(pected to make up any work t#ey miss in t#eir reular class and to keep
up t#eir rades in t#eir coursework& " will be communicatin wit#
classroom teac#ers reularly to ensure t#is is t#e case&
.lease brin your lesson book, band music, instrument and
accessories, sined practice c#art, and a pencil to e'ery lesson&
Sectional Times:
.eriod 1, 1,212 3,142 Sa(op#ones /altos, tenors, bari0
.eriod 2, 3,1525,032 Flutes and .iccolo
.eriod 3, 5,11210,002 .ercussion
.eriod 4, 12,05212,632 7larinets /includin bass and contra2alto0
.eriod 1, 1,0121,602 Brass /trumpets, trombones, Frenc# #orn,
baritone #orn0
Calendar of Events
" am pleased to #a'e a wide 'ariety of performance opportunities
t#is year& *#ere may be more e'ents added t#rou#out t#e year! *#e
sc#edule is sub8ect to c#ane&
9o'ember 5, 20132 %astern :eion ;uditions (optional)
December 10, 20132 Winter 7oncert
Marc# 3, 201<2 %astern :eion Festi'al (optional)
May 13, 201<2 Sprin 7oncert
May 24, 201<2 Memorial Day .arade
*B;2 %i#t# =rade .romotion
Performance Attendance Expectations
Students are e(pected to participate in eac# performance, unless
speci>cally marked abo'e& %ac# student makes a uni?ue contribution to
t#eir section and to t#e entire ensemble& ;bo'e all, performances are t#e
>nal step in t#e cumulati'e process t#at is music2makin& .articipation is
interal to rowt# as a musician& "f t#ere is any con@ict wit# t#e concert
sc#edule, a parent or uardian of t#e student must contact me directly
before t#e concert& Ane(cused absences from any performance will result
in an automatic deduction of two letter rades on t#eir report card&
Concert Dress
For t#e winter concert, sprin concert, and ei#t# rade promotion,
Ladies: W#ite blouse /wit# slee'es0, black s#oes, and c#oice of
lon black dress pants or black skirt t#at oes past t#e knees& "f you
c#oose to wear a skirt, please wear black ti#ts as well&
Gentlemen W#ite s#irt /wit# slee'es0, lon black dress pants, black
s#oes and socks, tie
For AMass ;m#erst Band Day and Memorial Day parade, students will
wear customiBed t2s#irt& -rder forms for t#ese will be distributed at a later
time&
Grading
7lass .articipation and Be#a'ior230C
*ec#nical .roress on "nstrument /scales, #and position, tone, r#yt#m,
etc&02 30C
.erformances2 26C
Sined .ractice 7#arts2 10C
+omework2 6C
"f t#ere are any ?uestions, feel free to ask me in person or email me
at widomskimDsta$ord&k12&ct&edu& " look forward to a reat year of
makin music wit# you!
Musically,
Madalena Widomski
Band Director
Sta$ord Middle Sc#ool
Please sign and return
", /student)s name0 EEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEE, #a'e read t#e attac#ed
letter and aree to fully participate in t#e Sta$ord Middle Sc#ool band for
t#e 20132201< sc#ool year& " understand t#at " am an important asset to
t#e ensemble and my work and be#a'ior will re@ect t#at&
Student Sinature,
EEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEE
.arent Sinature,
EEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEE
Please sign and return
", /student)s name0 EEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEE, #a'e read t#e attac#ed
letter and aree to fully participate in t#e Sta$ord Middle Sc#ool band for
t#e 20132201< sc#ool year& " understand t#at " am an important asset to
t#e ensemble and my work and be#a'ior will re@ect t#at&
Student Sinature,
EEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEE
.arent Sinature,
EEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEE
Please sign and return
", /student)s name0 EEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEE, #a'e read t#e attac#ed
letter and aree to fully participate in t#e Sta$ord Middle Sc#ool band for
t#e 20132201< sc#ool year& " understand t#at " am an important asset to
t#e ensemble and my work and be#a'ior will re@ect t#at&
Student Sinature,
EEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEE
.arent Sinature,
EEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEE