03.26.09
WBA President's report
I hope this email finds all of you well and heading in to the homestretch of your year with successes and triumphs as reminders of why we do what we do each day. This has been a difficult year for many districts around the
state and on behalf of the WBA board and office, thank you for your continued dedication, even in tough times, to music education. I do hope that WBA continues to be a part of the educational experience for your students in 2009-2010.
A key component of a successful organization is self-assessment, and in turn looking at what we do and how we do it.The board met this winter to discuss long range planning and goals for the betterment of the students,
members and organization.
WBA, in my humble opinion, continues to provide a world-class educational and competitive experience for performers, staff, and spectators. It was our hope in meeting to find ways to serve you better as an organization.
What follows below are some key points of information about what the WBA is doing for you looking ahead to next year.
So, in answer to the question: What has WBA done for me lately?
1. Contest and entry fees will again be held at 2007 levels. There will also be no increase in ticket prices at Championships. There will be no increases in fees for 2009-2010
2. We will continue sponsorship of a 3-region contest format allowing bands to have increased performance opportunities with an eye on keeping regular season travel costs down
3. We will have an increased presence in the central and southern regions, including excellent and improved performance venues for several local shows
4. Fresno will be the home for the championship weekend in 2009, 2010 and 2011 giving bands guaranteed quality of stadiums and an ability to plan ahead for travel
5. Each band will receive a FREE MP3 player for convenience in listening to judges’ commentary
6. We plan an expansion of retreats at both class championships and grand championships. This will be truly spectacular with grand championships culminating in a fully-produced extravaganza and full retreat for all
finalist performers
7. Special services for you will include show(s) offering a video with judges dialogue, opportunities to sit with key judges while your band is performing to see and hear first hand what they are responding to, and critiques early in the season
8. We have revamped and updated the percussion sheets
9. We will offer a Concert Band Festival, slated to be held in Southern California in early April of 2010
10. Our semi-annual fall clinic will be held in conjunction with the annual fall meeting September 12-13, 2009 at the Radisson in Fresno. Your rooms and 2 meals are complimentary.
11. 2008 found 133 bands participating with 12,338 students
12. Our smallest band had 24 members and the largest had 389 members. All were equally valuable.
13. Our championship event is the 2nd largest single marching contest in the country.
WBA is pledged to provide you and your students with the most educationally sound and fulfilling experience possible.
Jon Grantham, Director of Bands, Amador Valley High School
President, WBA
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