Concert Band
The Gull Lake Concert Band is composed of instrumental students of all proficiency levels. Unlike the audition-only Symphonic Band, the Concert Band is open to all students who have successfully completed a Middle School (grades 6 - 7 - 8) band program. At the discretion of the Band Director, students who have not participated in Middle School band may be admitted to Concert Band following an audition; please contact Mr. Burris for more information. Current 8th grade students will audition for band placement in March; the schedule will be announced following Middle School Festival. The Concert Band is a graded class, meeting daily during second and third trimester, and performs various concerts throughout the school year as well as graded events such as MSBOA District XI Festival and MMEA Instrumental Clinics.
The Gull Lake Blue Devil Marching Band has traditionally traveled to Orlando, Florida every four years to perform in a Disney World parade and student workshop. The Disney trip is an optional event, and Marching Band fees do not cover the cost of participation. Students and parents may earn credits toward their trip account by volunteering in the GLBPA-run fall sports concession stand dates. Students wishing to participate in the 2020 Disney trip are required to meet additional proficiency and behavior expectations, including enrollment in all three 2019-2020 trimesters in the Gull Lake Band program. Concert Band students who are unsure about signing up for Marching Band should keep this in mind.
The Gull Lake Blue Devil Marching Band has traditionally traveled to Orlando, Florida every four years to perform in a Disney World parade and student workshop. The Disney trip is an optional event, and Marching Band fees do not cover the cost of participation. Students and parents may earn credits toward their trip account by volunteering in the GLBPA-run fall sports concession stand dates. Students wishing to participate in the 2020 Disney trip are required to meet additional proficiency and behavior expectations, including enrollment in all three 2019-2020 trimesters in the Gull Lake Band program. Concert Band students who are unsure about signing up for Marching Band should keep this in mind.
Festival Performance - MMEA Instrumental Clinic -
Saturday, March 7
Our MMEA Instrumental Clinic performances will be on Saturday, March 7 at Fowlerville High School. The Concert Band will perform at 4:25; the Symphonic Band will perform immediately after (approximately 5:00). We invite families to join us!
We will have buses for students, both to Fowlerville High School and returning back to Gull Lake High School following the performance. Families who wish to sign their student out following the Symphonic Band performance may do so at the buses after the trailer has been loaded.
Students should eat lunch at home before arriving at school for the 11:15 call time, and should bring a packed "sack lunch" to eat on the bus ride home. Concessions at Fowlerville may not be open following our performance, as we are the final bands of the day.
Fowlerville High School
700 North Grand Street
Fowlerville, MI 48836
This year, we will be performing in a Michigan Music Education Association Instrumental Clinic. Similar in nature to our participation in the MSBOA Festival in year's past, the MMEA is the Michigan chapter of the National Association for Music Educators. Bands will perform selections for a panel of judges composed of college music instructors and retired high school band directors. Following the performance, the students will participate in an in-depth clinic with comments and an evaluation of their performance.
Performance time and a detailed itinerary is below.
Subject: Important Festival Announcement
Hello Parents,
I am sending you the information that was given to High School students today. I received the following email from the President Elect of MMEA (the organization that runs the festival we will be attending) yesterday morning. I have blanked out the names for privacy.
"Good morning Branden,
My name is. . I am the President-Elect of MMEA and oversee many facets of the Instrumental Clinics.
Shortly after you registered for the clinic, MMEA was contacted by our national organization (NAfME) and told that our website, as well as seven other states, had been compromised and had to be shut down for an indefinite period of time. Due to this unplanned shutdown, we were not able to access any registration data on that website that had not already been downloaded. When the website came back up two weeks ago, we found out that we had lost all of that data. Unfortunately, your registration was among that data. When everything was then sent to the site hosts to schedule, the Gull Lake bands were omitted.
I am very sorry about this and want to offer a few options. Unfortunately, the Hartland site is incredibly full and cannot add another ensemble. If you would still like to participate in the event, my site (Fowlerville High School) could fit one ensemble on Friday (March 6) at 4:55 pm and/or one ensemble on Saturday (March 7) at 5:10 pm. Regardless, MMEA will be refunding you the entire $400. Additionally, your registration for next year for both ensembles will be waived and I will make sure that you are put into a site that works for you.
I am sorry, Branden, that this situation put you and your students at the short end of unfortunate events. Please also know that this was completely out of the control of. at Hartland High School, as he could only schedule with the information that was sent to him.
Once again, please accept our apologies."
I have worked with the MMEA leadership to let both Concert and Symphonic Bands perform on Saturday, March 7th @ Fowlerville HS.
Concert will perform at 4:25PM & Symphonic directly following.
Call time in Concert Black @ GL 11:15AM (load trailers & busses)
Leave GL @ Noon
Arrive in Fowlerville HS @ 2:30
Warm Up @ 3PM
Performances @ 4:25PM and 5ish
Load trailers @ Busses
Leave @ 6:15-6:30PM
Arrive @ GL around 8:15-9PM (Weather dependent)
Please eat a good lunch before you arrive, and bring a "sack dinner" to eat on the way home.
I understand that this will possibly cause scheduling issues for some students and families. I am committed to finding creative solutions for all involved with those conflicts. This is something that was completely out of our hands and I appreciate everyone's patience and understanding.
Please feel free to let me know of any questions or concerns that arise.
With Pride,
Branden Burris
We will have buses for students, both to Fowlerville High School and returning back to Gull Lake High School following the performance. Families who wish to sign their student out following the Symphonic Band performance may do so at the buses after the trailer has been loaded.
Students should eat lunch at home before arriving at school for the 11:15 call time, and should bring a packed "sack lunch" to eat on the bus ride home. Concessions at Fowlerville may not be open following our performance, as we are the final bands of the day.
Fowlerville High School
700 North Grand Street
Fowlerville, MI 48836
This year, we will be performing in a Michigan Music Education Association Instrumental Clinic. Similar in nature to our participation in the MSBOA Festival in year's past, the MMEA is the Michigan chapter of the National Association for Music Educators. Bands will perform selections for a panel of judges composed of college music instructors and retired high school band directors. Following the performance, the students will participate in an in-depth clinic with comments and an evaluation of their performance.
Performance time and a detailed itinerary is below.
Subject: Important Festival Announcement
Hello Parents,
I am sending you the information that was given to High School students today. I received the following email from the President Elect of MMEA (the organization that runs the festival we will be attending) yesterday morning. I have blanked out the names for privacy.
"Good morning Branden,
My name is. . I am the President-Elect of MMEA and oversee many facets of the Instrumental Clinics.
Shortly after you registered for the clinic, MMEA was contacted by our national organization (NAfME) and told that our website, as well as seven other states, had been compromised and had to be shut down for an indefinite period of time. Due to this unplanned shutdown, we were not able to access any registration data on that website that had not already been downloaded. When the website came back up two weeks ago, we found out that we had lost all of that data. Unfortunately, your registration was among that data. When everything was then sent to the site hosts to schedule, the Gull Lake bands were omitted.
I am very sorry about this and want to offer a few options. Unfortunately, the Hartland site is incredibly full and cannot add another ensemble. If you would still like to participate in the event, my site (Fowlerville High School) could fit one ensemble on Friday (March 6) at 4:55 pm and/or one ensemble on Saturday (March 7) at 5:10 pm. Regardless, MMEA will be refunding you the entire $400. Additionally, your registration for next year for both ensembles will be waived and I will make sure that you are put into a site that works for you.
I am sorry, Branden, that this situation put you and your students at the short end of unfortunate events. Please also know that this was completely out of the control of. at Hartland High School, as he could only schedule with the information that was sent to him.
Once again, please accept our apologies."
I have worked with the MMEA leadership to let both Concert and Symphonic Bands perform on Saturday, March 7th @ Fowlerville HS.
Concert will perform at 4:25PM & Symphonic directly following.
Call time in Concert Black @ GL 11:15AM (load trailers & busses)
Leave GL @ Noon
Arrive in Fowlerville HS @ 2:30
Warm Up @ 3PM
Performances @ 4:25PM and 5ish
Load trailers @ Busses
Leave @ 6:15-6:30PM
Arrive @ GL around 8:15-9PM (Weather dependent)
Please eat a good lunch before you arrive, and bring a "sack dinner" to eat on the way home.
I understand that this will possibly cause scheduling issues for some students and families. I am committed to finding creative solutions for all involved with those conflicts. This is something that was completely out of our hands and I appreciate everyone's patience and understanding.
Please feel free to let me know of any questions or concerns that arise.
With Pride,
Branden Burris
Concert Attire, AKA "Concert Black"
Students are required to wear appropriate attire for all concert performances. As a reminder, the Uniform Room does not stock loaner concert clothes.
Required for all performers:
Required for all performers:
- Long sleeve, button, collared black dress shirt
- No t-shirts, polo or crew neck shirts, sweatshirts or hoodies
- Black dress pants
- No jeans, leggings, cargo pants, yoga pants or shorts
- No skirts or dresses
- Black socks or tights
- Black dress shoes
- No tennis shoes, boots or extremely high heels
- Tie optional
