Directions to Band Festival

Hello to all Norup 7th and 8th grade band parents and BHS band parents,

Please find directions to festival sites, here. Norup bands will play at Clarkston High School on Friday, March 19:

Directions to Clarkston HS

Here is a link to the schedule for the day:

NIS Festival Schedule

Berkley HS bands will play at Novi HS on Saturday, March 20:

Directions to Novi HS

Here is a link to the schedule for the day:

BHS Festival Schedule

TUESDAY REHEARSAL CANCELED

Tonight's Tuesday rehearsal has been canceled due to inclement weather (fancy way of saying too much snow). We'll pick up again after Feb. break...

Congratulations to BHS Solo and Ensemble Participants

Congratulations to all of the students who represented the BHS Bands at MSBOA District IV Solo and Ensemble Festival over the weekend. We had 25 events attend, a record for my time at BHS. Below is a breakdown of the students who earned a first-division or second-division rating. Those students who earned a first-division rating are now eligible to attend State Solo and Ensemble Festival at the end of March.

First Division Ratings
--Nick Rifel: trumpet solo
--Matt Germaine: trombone solo
--Amy Molner: piano solo
--Ryan Levy: snare drum solo
--Shelby Chessman: trumpet solo
--Daniel Okun: tuba solo
--Mark Jones, Chelsea Rowe, Alissa Rowe, Matt Germaine & Nick Rifel: brass quintet
--Mark Jones: euphonium solo
--Kris McGough: euphonium solo
--Sarah Shaw & Katie Murphy: clarinet duet
--Megan Gilson: flute solo

Second Division Ratings
--Max Dubrinsky: snare drum solo
--Cassi Fitch & Justine Ciaravino: flute/clarinet duet
--Lim-Lim Kobe: piano solo
--Mitchell Hart & Zack Lask: mallet duet
--Sydney Oliva: tenor saxophone solo
--Ashleigh Merriman: clarinet solo
--Joylene Jabboori: flute solo
--Chelsea Rowe & Alissa Rowe: trombone/trumpet duet
--Chloe Bennett, Anna Goldberg & Michelle Henning: clarinet trio
--Phillip Ring: alto saxophone solo
--Sarah Binkow & Zilphia Martin: clarinet duet

Great job, Berkley Brass Quintet

On Sunday, January 17, the Berkley Brass Quintet had their debut, performing as part of the "Friends Day" celebration at the Huntington Woods Library. They performed alongside a cello quartet and woodwind quintet, playing "Sonata from Die Bankelsangerlieder."

The best part is--they got paid! I can't wait to see them keep playing together and get more gigs along the way.

Here is the video from the performance:

Brass Quintet at HW Library

Just for Fun...

Maybe this is the next generation. If I were an orchestral player, I guess I might get a little nervous...

Robot Clarinet

BHS Improv Class featured in The Oakland Press

We were very excited to have reporter Sharon MacDonell visit the Berkley High School improv class a few weeks ago. She wrote a piece that appeared in today's Oakland Press. Here's a link to the electronic version of the article (with video):

Berkley Students Learn Jazz Improv Technique from New Artist in Residence

Thanks, Sharon!

BHS Winter Concert 2009

The BHS Bands did very well at their concert last night! I hope everyone is proud of their hard work and ready to move ahead toward festival season. Here is a sampling of pictures from before the concert and during, thanks to Chris Germaine.