JPS is an honor band that was created as an opportunity for early musicians to experience what it’s like to be a part of a group of musicians who excel at their instruments. Music is usually made available near the end of the school year. The link is available in our website (page?). The auditions are usually due around October, and the announcement who made the band is around Thanksgiving. Historically, the JPS Honor Band has performed at the Lied Center at the University of Kansas. This opportunity is available to 6-9th graders.

District Band is an opportunity for 9-12th grade to audition for this honor band. Students are selected based on live auditions. If selected for the District Band, then you will have the opportunity to audition for State Band.

State Band is an opportunity for 9-12th graders who were selected for district, and then auditioned for state band and made it. They will perform during the Kansas Music Educators Conference at the end of February. Students who were selected will be asked to select which group they would like to be apart of if selected: Full Orchestra or Band.

This is a great opportunity for students to play for a judge. They can perform a solo, which in most cases, would be with a piano accompanist. On rare occasions, solos do not have accompaniment. Middle school students have the opportunity in March, and High School students have regionals in the first part of April. Then, if they receive a I rating, then they get another opportunity to perform at state.

Yes, you must have an original for the soloist, the accompanist, and the judge. (Judge’s original must have each measure numbered.) Often, the school or private teachers might have an original that can be borrowed. The family will need to purchase one or two originals depending on availability from others. (The school always will welcome the donation of the second original if they don’t have it in their library as a way to help future students.)

This is an opportunity for students with like instruments or same instruments to perform trio, quartet, quintet, or choir. Duets are not allowed. (i.e. (using woodwind instruments as an example) clarinets can get together to do an ensemble, or you can have a flute, clarinet, oboe, French horn, and bassoon get together and do a woodwind quintet.). Ensembles are usually student led and directed.

Large Group in middle school is the same school day as the solo and ensemble festival. They happen on opposite parts of the day (i.e. large group happens in the morning and solo/ensembles are in the afternoon). Large group in High school happens separately from solo and ensemble. This is an opportunity for the full bands to go and be judged, usually by three different judges.

If your student is a wind player performing a solo, there is more than likely a piano accompanist. Rarely do percussion solos have accompaniment.

If you know someone who is able, then the students will need to let the director know they have their accompanist covered. If they do not, then the directors will try to find someone to accompany the student. The cost to pay for the accompanist will be the family’s expense. The payment will either be requested to be sent to school, or you will pay the accompanist directly depending on school and instructions given by directors. You could also use your student’s account as well.

Yes, parents are allowed to go. High School Large Group is typically on a weekday. Middle School Large Group and solo/ensemble is usually during a week day. High School regional and state solo and ensemble are usually during a Saturday in April.

This is an opportunity for the marching band as a whole to go and perform for judges and receive ratings or rankings depending on the competition. There are often categories that you can also win (i.e: Best Drum Line, Best Color Guard, Best Drum Majors). Parents are welcome to travel with the band as chaperones, or can travel in their own vehicle and watch the performances at the different competitions.

Lettering in band is based on a point system. The directors provide the information required to letter usually in the syllabus that is provided in December when concert season begins. Please refer to that information provided on the Band Resources section of our website.

Yes. The Maize Eagle Bands Boosters maintains an e-mail list for band booster communications. To be added to this list, please e-mail maizeeaglebands@gmail.com. In addition to that, our Maize Eagle Band Directors (Ms. Goss and Mr. Siler) maintain an e-mail distribution list based on band program enrollment in the Maize USD 266 Skyward profile for your students.

Band fees help with transportation, some marching contest meals, uniform maintenance, uniform cleaning, Sparky and Cricket maintenance (our golf carts), sound system needs, prop needs for marching show, clinician fees, and other needs that appear throughout the season.

Yes, there is a fee for concert band only students. This helps cover expenses that arise during the concert season.

If you are in the entire year, the band fees are collected during marching band camp.

The marching shoes and jacket are personalized and belong to you. These expenses are not needed every year unless your student outgrows them. We will not ask for these back at the end of their time in band.

We ask that each family make a donation of a case of water and/or Gatorade. We do our best to keep our band fees to a minimum, and these donations help us make that possible. The students receive a drink at every football game and after every competition.

Band is is a co-curricular class. It takes time during the school day and outside of class time as well. There are many moving parts and many hands are needed to make this band successful. Volunteer opportunities include people helping build a trailer to transport our pit instruments, transporting the water to the stadium, hanging our senior banners, selling our items at our merch table, chaperoning on the busses (free ride to competitions!), helping with uniforms, and loading and unloading equipment. These are just a few of the opportunities that are available during marching season. (and there are many more throughout the year especially during a trip year) We will be asking during a parent meeting at the end of the previous year and beginning of current year so we can make sure that the needs we have are covered and that it’s something that interests you.

No, you are not required to fundraise for band fees or trip fees.. You are welcome to pay for the items out of pocket. We just want to make sure that there are opportunities for those who would like them. Even if you don’t fundraise, we ask that you still share that our band is fundraising especially for the Spirit Nights.

Fundraisers serve many purposes. Sometimes we fundraise to help students put money in their accounts for band fees or a trip; sometimes we are raising funds for new equipment. Depending on the need will depend on what percentage will go into the student accounts versus the whole band account.

These are individual “savings accounts” for each student. When the band does fundraisers, the percentage that should go to the student accounts will be placed here. These funds can be used towards band fees, new marching shoes, new band jacket, accompanist, trip expenses, band banquet tickets, and many more.

Students can start raising money in middle school to go towards middle school band accounts. These accounts will follow them through to the end of their time in high school.

They are the first Monday of every month at 7:00pm in the band room. Watch social media and email for date changes/reminders.

If you are a band parent, then you are welcome to attend. The band boosters support our Maize Eagle Band program from 5-12th grade.

On the calendar, there are performances, rehearsals, game schedules, concert festivals, and much more. These are listed in the calendar/handbook that is given out at the beginning of the year/semester. These are also updated through our website as well. Please make sure to put these in your calendar when receiving this information to avoid conflicts.

The specific information on concert attire is included in the handbook and will also be discussed in the classroom. Intermediate school, middle school, and high school levels are all asked to wear a specific attire for concerts. As students this age are always growing, please make sure that these items fit prior to a concert.

These lessons are an opportunity for students to get one-on-one help and coaching with their instrument. This can be a great tool if the student is new or needs help outside the classroom. It is also a way for your student to find more opportunities to learn how to master their instrument.

There is a list of private teachers that are recommended by our directors on the Documents page on our website.