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Dear Wilde Lake Band Parents,
I am very excited about next year at Wilde Lake Middle School! There have been many changes made here regarding the overall school schedule and adjustments to the curriculum to help our students to be more college and career ready. I am especially fond of how the band program benefits from these changes.
Additionally, we are looking at the largest incoming class of 6th grade band students since I began teaching at WLMS a decade ago. Those of you who have visited the band room at WLMS are aware of the limitations we work with in respect to its capacity to seat student musicians. With an estimated 90 students enrolled in the Concert Band, and over 60 enrolled in the Symphonic Band, I have had to get creative with the solution to the space issue.
My solution is to remove all of the percussion instruments from the band room and relocate them to a separate rehearsal space in the building. This would allow for a fourth row of chairs and stands, and it opens up the correct amount of space to fit all of the students.
Daily rehearsals will then be brass and woodwind rehearsals only. Students interested in performing in the percussion section will then be required to learn and rehearse a secondary instrument during the daily rehearsals. Those percussion students will then receive a once-a-week class (“percussion sectional”) that focuses on percussion instruction and repertoire only. There will be night rehearsals, just prior to performances, designed to coordinate the addition of the percussion section to the band. Percussion students will perform in the percussion section, not on their secondary instruments, for the concerts.
I believe that the students will garner some additional benefits as a result of this accommodation to our routine: added depth in understanding of the curriculum, variety of instruction, better classroom behavior, and more.
This is a significant change from the familiar design of rehearsals that our students in this community are accustomed. As a result, I would like to offer a band open house at Wilde Lake Middle School on Wednesday, May 16th, from 6:00pm – 6:30pm, in the band room. I will conduct a short presentation, outlining the updates to my program, and I will follow up with a question and answer session, in order to alleviate any concerns you may have regarding the structure and expectations for next year. Immediately following my meeting will be the 5th Grade Parent Orientation at 6:30pm in the cafeteria. Mr. Saunders will then review the new middle school program of study and schedule for rising 7th and 8th grade parents in the media center at 7:30pm that same evening.
Please join me on May 16th. I am very excited about next year, and I look forward to getting together with you.
Warmly,
Dave Messick
Band Director
Wilde Lake Middle School
http://wlmsband.weebly.com
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Welcome Mr. Mercer - Intern
Born and raised in Elkhart, Indiana, Mr. Mercer studied piano for a few years, but didn’t start playing the trombone until right before 9th grade! He worked hard, and by the time he was a senior in high school, he was playing euphonium in symphonic band and trombone in the jazz ensemble.
After high school, he joined the army, and played trombone all over the world, to include Europe and South Korea. He has played with Susan Anton, Dudley Moore, Aretha Franklin, the Sammy Kaye Big Band, Guy Lombardo band, and the Jimmy Dorsey Orchestra. In Norfolk, Virginia, he played in several Broadway Shows at Chrysler Hall to include Westside Story, Peter Pan with Kathy Rigby, and The Broadway Revue with Chita Rivera. While living in Germany, he studied trombone with the late Bob Burgess of the Stan Kenton Orchestra. After retiring from the army in 1999, he has been teaching trombone from his home in Catonsville, Maryland, where he lives with his wife Joni, and two cairn terriers, Laci and Solo. Many of his students have been members of Howard County GT Bands and All-State Band. His wife is a vocalist with the Soldiers Chorus of the U.S. Army Field Band stationed out of Ft. Meade. They enjoy traveling and camping together, especially in the Black Hills of South Dakota. They are also the proud grandparents of a cool little boy named Gannon Rhys Collins. Mr. Mercer likes to read and enjoys watching movies, and is a huge Baltimore Ravens Fan. Mr. Mercer went back to college to finish his degree in Music Education through Towson University, and he is very excited about teaching the students at Wilde Lake Middle School! Congratulations!
Howard County Band Assessment
The Wilde Lake Middle School Symphonic Band performed at River Hill High School last week for the Howard County Band Assessment. The band performed some very challenging music in front of a panel of 3 adjudicators and a full auditorium. The students then "sight-read" a piece of music for a fourth judge after performing in the auditorium. The judges awarded us with superior ratings and made many favorable comments on the quality, appearance, and discipline of our students. I am so proud! (...and we had lots of FUN!) Solo & Ensemble Festival 50 students from Wilde Lake Middle School participated in the Howard County Solo & Ensemble Festival this past weekend at Mt. Hebron High School. Of the 50 participants, 22 received "Superior" ratings and qualify to progress to the Maryland State Solo & Ensemble. Way to go! Honors Band Eighth Graders Jamie Saunders (Alto Sax), and Jack Kavka (Trumpet) were selected to participate in this year's Howard County Honors Band. The group gave a concert at Howard Community College on Sunday, January 29th at 4:00pm. Congratulations on a terrific achievement! G/T Band Kevin Hagaman (Clarinet), and Ben Rosicky (Bari. Sax) were selected to participate in this year's Howard County Gifted and Talented Band. This is an extra-curricular group that rehearsed several times in the evening over the last few weeks, and it gave a concert at Towson University on Saturday, November 5th at 7:30pm. Check out the awesome footage on Youtube! Enroll In A Summer Band Camp!
Guest Percussion Clinician - Doug Jones
Thank you Doug Jones for spending Tuesday, February 7th with the Wilde Lake Middle School bands. Mr. Jones worked with the 18 percussion students during their sectionals, placing focus on individual technical skills and ensemble coordination. Mr. Jones works with the Atholton High School and Marriotts Ridge High School marching bands. Starting this winter, he will be offering private lessons at both of those schools. Please visit his website and check out what he has to offer our community.
 
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