Dear Band Family, Please come out Tuesday evening, 3/27, to see our annual Percussion/Jazz Extravaganza at 7:00 PM in Lassiter Theater! We are featuring percussionist, composer, arranger, educator, Dr. Brian Mason of MSU! Should be a great show!
Thanks to all for your support! Sincerely, Bill Kite william.kite@fayette.kyschools.us Director of Bands Henry Clay High School
Dear HC Band Family, See link below for the Percussion/Jazz Extravaganza Itinerary for your review. The concert is next Tuesday, March 27 at 7:00 PM in Lassiter Theater. Call Time is 4:30 PM and dress is professional ALL BLACK. This concert will feature Dr. Brian Mason with both percussion ensembles and the EJ Hayes Middle School Jazz Band under the direction of Ms. Lois Wiggins. Please come out to support Steel Bands, Lab Band, Jazz Ensemble, and 1st-3rd Percussion Ensembles! Should be a great show!
Also over the next 2 days, we will be voting on annual HC Band Awards to be presented at the Banquet on Monday, May 14. For color guard members in the marching band not in regular classes, please come by the band room to vote!
Thanks to all! Please stay up to date on the calendar! We will need plenty of parent volunteers to help with the Band Banquet and Pops Concert!
2012 Perc-Jazz Extravaganza Itinerary
Sincerely, Bill Kite william.kite@fayette.kyschools.us Director of Bands Henry Clay High School
Dear HC Band Family, I wanted to quickly touch base with you concerning some upcoming important dates and info. Thanks to all who attended the Disney trip for a great performance, workshop, and weekend! The professional Disney clinician came out to watch our performance which I was later told “never happens.” He was very impressed by the band students and the level of concentration and playing ability. He said that he was glad he could relax and enjoy the workshop because he knew the students were high caliber performers. He also mentioned that he rarely has students sight read and record the sound track to Tarzan because it is one of their more difficult workshops and our students handled it well!
Reminder: There is a VERY important band booster meeting this evening in the band room at 7:00 PM. We will be discussing the budget, upcoming events, and positions for the future. Parents, please attend to help continue this great experience for your child.
Please keep checking the online calendar at www.henryclayband.org The next 2 weeks are busy preparing for our annual Percussion/Jazz Extravaganza on Tuesday, March 27. We will be featuring Dr. Brian Mason, Morehead State University on that concert. All perussionists must attend the rehearsal with Dr. Mason this Fri. 3/23.
Also, please be reminded about HC Band Auditions beginning Monday, April 9 the day we return from spring break. This audition will be used for class placements for next year. We also begin Drumline, Color Guard, and Drum Major training sessions for next year that week in addition to those interested in positions of leadership.
We begin rehearsing after school for district concert band festival during the week of April 9 with Concert Band and Wind Ensemble. Each group is performing the highest level of literature and we need all students prepared for after school rehearsals with percussionists. KMEA District Concert Band Festival is Saturday, April 28.
Thanks to all for your support! Should be a great last few months! Sincerely, Bill Kite william.kite@fayette.kyschools.us Director of Bands Henry Clay High School
Dear Jazz Families, We have 2 great opportunities this week with a guest artist who is nationally known both as a teacher and performer. Ron Carter will be flying in tomorrow to work with our jazz bands. Please see the below schedule.
Wed. 3/7: Rehearsal with EJ Hayes MS 4:00-5:15 PM in EJ Hayes Band Room (please come observe)
Dinner for Hayes and HCJE students
Rehearsal with HCJE 6:00-8:30 PM in EJ Hayes Band Room
(Bass, Guitar will need instruments AND amps, cords, etc. Drums will be provided, but aux. equipment will not be and drummers should bring anything needed for comfort- cymbals, etc.)
Thurs. 3/8: Rehearsal with HC Lab Band during zero hour 7:30-8:20 AM at HC
It is very important that we represent ourselves and the HC program well while our guest is with us. Please be professional and do NOT be late to rehearsals. Come prepared with pencils, etc. This should be a GREAT learning experience for everyone involved including Mr. Bayerle and myself.
Thanks for your effort! Sincerely, Bill Kite Director of Bands Henry Clay High School
Dear HCJE, I wanted to send a quick reminder to everyone concerning next week’s jazz schedule. We have dinner and a rehearsal with a wonderful guest teacher, Ron Carter (professor of jazz at Northern Illinois University and lead clinician at Lincoln Center Jazz).
The event will be held at Edythe J. Hayes Middle School in the band room. EJ Hayes Jazz Band will rehearse from 4:00-5:15 PM, dinner at 5:30 PM (with all students), and HCJE rehearsal with Mr. Carter is 6:00-8:30 PM.
Please understand that this rehearsal is mandatory and has been planned since last summer. The experience Mr. Carter will bring to the group will be invaluable and this will be a great opportunity for the jazz students! Our students are also encouraged to observe Mr. Carter’s rehearsal with the EJ Hayes jazz band.
I’m looking forward to the event next week! See you there! Sincerely, Bill Kite william.kite@fayette.kyschools.us Director of Bands
Henry Clay High School
Dear HC Band Family, First, I would like to thank all of the people that helped us run the first All-District Jazz Band Audition for our district. Mr. Bayerle and I are grateful for all of the wonderful support from our program to give our district these kinds of new and exciting opportunities.
Thanks to the following parent volunteers who worked last night! I couldn’t have done this without you: Pam Cox, Cathy Doll, Joni Piper, Angie Parrish, Bill Smith, Tom Bensberg, Kathy Edwards, Russell Edwards, John Alcorn, Michelle Alcorn (hospitality), Karen Rardin (hospitality)
Also, a BIG thanks goes out to the dedicated students who set up and cleaned up rooms and helped students locate their audition rooms last night! Elise Edwards, Kristine Grossman, Bangaly Savane, Nick Morris, Valerie Varble
Finally, it was another extremely competitive audition in various sections and I’m proud of our students regardless of the result of the judges.
Congratulations to the following HC band students for being selected to the 2012 District 7 All-District Jazz Ensemble!
Nathan Bush- Lead Alto Saxophone
Paris Crosby- Baritone Saxophone
Clay Cox- Trombone 3
Bram Dutch- Bass
As you know, there is very limited instrumentation in the jazz band so congrats again to these students!
The all-district jazz weekend will be Thursday, March 8 through Saturday, March 10 at Henry Clay HS. Ron Carter, Lincoln Center Jazz and Northern Illinois University, is the guest conductor for the band!
Ron is coming to Lexington on Wed. March 7 (1 day early) to work with the EJ Hayes MS Jazz Band and our HC Jazz Ensemble. We have some great opportunities this spring!
Thanks again. Sincerely, Bill Kite william.kite@fayette.kyschools.us Director of Bands Henry Clay High School
Dear HC Jazz Family, For anyone interested, you can access all Duke Ellington pieces and original recordings that HCJE will be performing at: http://jalc.org/jazzED/ee/f_repertoire.asp
We will perform: Swinging the Blues (again 
, In a Mellow Tone, Riding on a Blue Note, Tippin on the QT
I’m also creating a reference listening play list of concert repertoire for those interested.
Thanks, Bill Kite william.kite@fayette.kyschools.us Director of Bands Henry Clay High School
Dear Band Family, First I want to congratulate all of the All State students on a remarkable week last week and some outstanding concerts on Friday and Saturday! The All State Bands continue to amaze me year in and year out and I appreciate the hard work, professionalism, and behavior of our students at the annual KMEA conference. I certainly hope it was an enjoyable experience for all!
Please continue to stay current on the band calendar for this spring online as we are entering a busy stretch that will carry us to the end of the year. I received the following information concerning district basketball games just a couple of hours ago:
Below is the schedule for the district basketball tournament at HC:
Tuesday, February 21st 6:00 (girls) HC vs Scott County
Wednesday, February 22nd 8:00 (boys) HC vs Bryan Station
Friday, February 24th 6:00 (girls) 8:00 (boys)
Mr. Bayerle will release Pep Band assignments tomorrow. Pep Band A will play Tuesday and Pep Band B will play Wednesday next week. We will continue the rotation on Friday and into the Regional and State Tournament rounds. Every student is required to participate in pep band as one of our duties is to support the school community at the home football games and tournament basketball games.
Also, I still need a few parents to help us run the All-District Audition Jazz audition next Thursday evening Feb. 23rd. If you could be here around 5:00 PM that would be a tremendous help.
Currently, I have the following volunteers and need roughly 6 more: Russell Edwards, Kathy Edwards, Tom Bensberg, Angie Parrish, Bill Smith, Debbie Varble
Please let me know if you are able to help.
Thanks to all for your support and effort! It takes a family effort to run the program. Sincerely, Bill Kite william.kite@fayette.kyschools.us Director of Bands Henry Clay High School
Dear Band Family, I am writing to ask for parent help on the night of Thursday, February 23rd. I have taken on the task of organizing an All-District Jazz Ensemble for the first time in this region in 20 years. I need 12 parent volunteers (prefereably whose children are not auditioning) to help me monitor and run the operation that evening. The audition process will start around 5:00 PM. If you are available to help, I would love to put down the first 12 folks to respond! Thank you for your consideration!
Also, I have updated the spring 2012 online calendar to include dates for the following:
Drum Line Trainings
Color Guard Trainings
Drum Major Trainings
Leadership Interviews
Senior Cookout
Please review all information for interested participants! We have an exciting spring planned and are looking forward to it!
Sincerely, Bill Kite william.kite@fayette.kyschools.us Director of Bands Henry Clay High School
Dear Jazz Families, I wanted to pass along a GREAT opportunity for those who may be interested! Please check out the JACK flyer link below and submit all audition material by Feb. 15. John Fedchock is the guest artist and is a world renowned jazz musician and teacher!
I hope you will take advantage of this wonderful opportunity!
Sincerely, Bill Kite william.kite@fayette.kyschools.us Director of Bands Henry Clay High School
