Blog

Grand Nationals, Here We Come

11/10/2024

It’s here! Grand Nationals is the highlight of the band season for many families. There is just so much to do in between watching our band. Here are some ideas:
My family enjoys stopping at Wilson’s Farm Market, right outside of Carmel. They have an amazing selection of fresh baked goods, bulk food, canned jams, jellies, relishes, pickles and an impressive deli. We like to stop on the way down to get some snacks for the hotel room and then on the way back too. I think we will bring a cooler this time to bring home pies and other ready to bake goodies. Side note, they have an incredible bulk candy section.
Wilsons Farm Market: 1720 E 256th St, Arcadia, IN 46030
https://www.facebook.com/wilsonfarmmarket

Within walking distance of Lucas Oil is Shapiros Deli. Shapiro's Delicatessen is a family-owned Jewish deli in Indianapolis, Indiana, known for its sandwiches, fried chicken, and stuffed cabbage. The deli has been a staple in the Indianapolis food scene for over 100 years. Their bakery has some amazing desserts.

https://shapiros.com/indianapolis-stadium-village-babe-denny-shapiro-s-delicatessen-food-menu

The weekend we are in Indy, there is a holiday mart at the Indiana State Fairgrounds.
https://www.indianastatefair.com/events/2024/junior-league-holiday-mart2

There is also a fun looking exhibit at the Eitejorg Museum. Jingle Rails, a holiday train exhibit. This is right downtown Indy.
https://eiteljorg.org/exhibitions/jingle-rails/

There is always the Children's Museum of Indy. They have a special WinterFaire Exhibit right now that looks cool.
https://www.childrensmuseum.org/

30 minutes from Indy is Fishers. There are some fun places to visit there as well:

IKEA in Fishers: https://www.ikea.com/us/en/stores/fishers/
TopGolf: https://topgolf.com/us/fishers/
Adrenaline Family Adventure: https://adrenalineactionpark.com/
Connor Prarie: https://www.connerprairie.org/

Marching Band Do's & Do Not's

9/15/2024

Coming off from our incredibly successful Regionals performance, I thought it would be a good idea to share some reminders for those of you who are new band parents, and for those of us who have done this for a while.
Marching band has etiquette recommendations for competitions. Jenison Marching Band has high standards for their students as well as their parents and families. Here is some helpful “rules”. These rules apply any time you are watching a band performance, including football games, after football games, exhibitions, and of course contests.

RULE #1: Please leave all noisemakers at home. This is extremely important at all Marching Competitions. They may distract the performers and could even impact a band's score if the judge is unable to hear the music. Cheering and applause are fine during a performance and may be especially appropriate after a solo or when the band or color guard achieves a particularly striking effect. Music judges are almost always outside of the press box near the center of the stadium. If you are sitting directly below this area, please be extremely aware of your noise level throughout our performance and the entire competition.

RULE #2: Please refrain from talking in the stands while ANY band is performing. It is important to realize that although it is fun to visit with family and friends during a competition, it is unfair to distract other spectators from enjoying the show. This is true at any performance, including a marching band performance. Be respectful of all other spectators and hopefully they will extend you the same courtesy.

RULE #3: Please turn off (or at least put on vibrate) your cell phone. If you receive a call during a performance, please wait until that performance is over before returning the call

RULE #4: Please don’t get up to leave or come into the stands during a performance. This is especially distracting to the band on the field and those around you. Please do that in between performances. Most competitions will have monitors to prevent exit and entry, but if they don't, please stay put.

RULE #5: EVERY band that takes the field deserves our absolute attention and respect. We applaud every band that takes the field. Remember, those kids have worked just as hard as yours and they deserve it!

RULE #6: Please don’t speak poorly of other bands in the stands, even if you didn’t like their performance. Those other parents around you might be the parents or friends of the kids in the band you were just talking about. Always keep a positive attitude regarding EVERY band. Band is a family even in competition. Negative comments can reflect poorly on the entire Jenison Band program.

Rule #7: Please don’t use anything in the stands that could block any spectator’s vision. Please avoid standing in front of people trying to watch the show. If you have a banner to display, try to do so from the top of the stands or in some way that others can still see the bands. Also do not use large umbrellas, hats etc that will block the vision of other spectators.

Rule #8: Do not allow children to play in the stands and distract other spectators. Obviously, children are the future of this activity. It is good for them to see why big brother and big sister are always at practice and are not at home. However for their safety and as a courtesy to others they should not be allowed to run up and down steps and play in the aisles so others may enjoy the show.

Below are examples of what NOT to wear or use at competitions:

Notre Dame Architecture

8/24/2024

Notre-Dame Cathedral’s Rose Windows

The most notable of Notre-Dame de Paris’ stained-glass windows are its three rose windows. The rose windows are set in the north, south, and west facades of the cathedral. The south rose window, also called the “midday rose” was given to Notre-Dame Cathedral by the king of France Saint Louis IX. The rose windows of the cathedral have a diameter of 32-feet, wider than the length of a London bus. Many of the exquisite stained glass windows date to the 13th century. Sitting directly opposite the south rose window is the north rose window, also constructed around 1250. It is the only rose window that still contains most of its original glass from the 13th century. It depicts Mary enthroned holding the Christ Child, surrounded by kings and prophets from the Old Testament. The colors of the south and north rose windows were thoughtfully chosen, taking into consideration the effect of sunlight hitting the cathedral at different times of the day. The south rose window boasts more reds while the north rose window contains more blues. The west rose window is found above the entrance of Notre-Dame de Paris. The oldest window, originally completed around 1225, none of the original glass survives today.

During World War II, they were removed for safety and reinstalled after the war. The Stained-Glass Windows after the Fire Fortunately, all the stained-glass windows survived the fire in April 2019. They will undergo much needed restoration to repair smoke and lead damage, and wear-and-tear incurred over decades of weathering. When Notre-Dame Cathedral reopens to the public, these windows will once again cast a vibrant glow over the cathedral’s interior.

Flying Buttresses

Notre-Dame Cathedral's flying buttresses are particularly remarkable and serve as a prime example of Gothic engineering. A total of 28 flying buttresses encircle the cathedral's apse and choir, with an additional two at the transepts. The cathedral's initial flying buttresses were incorporated during the 13th century when the concept was still relatively novel.
Notre-Dame’s flying buttresses are not just functional, but also visually striking. They gracefully frame the cathedral's exterior and contribute to the overall design's sense of balance and harmony. Each buttress is adorned with intricate sculptures and ornamental detailing, including statues of saints, angels, and biblical figures. The artistic quality and craftsmanship of these decorative elements further accentuate the flying buttresses' visual appeal.
Notre-Dame Cathedral's flying buttresses have proven their durability over time and even played a crucial role in the building's survival during the devastating fire in April 2019. The fire caused significant damage to the cathedral's roof and spire, but the flying buttresses remained mostly intact, helping to prevent the collapse of the entire structure. Since then, these remarkable supports have been a vital part of the ongoing restoration and reconstruction efforts.

Bells

There are 10 bells at Notre-Dame, all named after Saints. Marie, Emmanuel, Gabriel, Anne-Genevieve, Denis, Marcel, Etienne, Benoit-Joseph, Maurice, and Jean-Marie.
Most of the original bells from the cathedral were melted to make cannons during the French Revolution. New bells were not installed in the cathedral until the mid-19th century.
The South tower is home to the largest bell, Emmanuel, installed in 1638. Weighing in at 13-tonnes, it’s clapper alone weighs 1,100 lbs.
The bells survived the fire in April 2019 and today are still hanging in the bell towers as the cathedral undergoes restoration. They are undergoing cleaning and were rung on the 1-year anniversary of the fire.

The Fire

On April 15, 2019, a fire broke out under the eav and burned until the next morning Tuesday, April 16. Fire engulfed the spire and most of the roof. Thankfully, firefighters were able to control the blaze, saving the main structure including the bell towers and rose windows. Nobody was injured, and the Catholic relics housed in the cathedral and priceless works of art were rescued and brought to safety.
The cathedral is officially scheduled to reopen on December 8, 2024.
Though it was not be ready in time for the Summer Olympic in Paris, as was initially desired, visitors to the French capital can once again see Notre Dame's towering spire following the recent removal of the surrounding scaffolding.

Why Aren't All Instruments in Marching Band

6/28/2024

I didn't play an instrument in high school so marching band was new to me. I assumed if you played french horn, that is what you also marched with. Now, having kids in the marching band, I understand it but this article I found really explains why not all instruments are on the field. I thought others might find it interesting and informative:

Found on Marchingband.com

Why Don’t You See Certain Instruments In Marching Band?

Have you ever noticed that you’ve never seen a bassoon marching in a show? A soloist for a marching show may be seen up near the front ensemble playing the french horn solo from Stravinsky’s Firebird, but wouldn’t be seen doing 8-to-5s with the rest of the band while still holding that horn. A marcher may jump out of the ensemble to play euphonium in a brass quintet for a movement of the show, but would most certainly pick their baritone back up before rejoining the marching ensemble. Why are these instruments not included in marching band? Some instruments are excluded from marching band because they are cumbersome or impractical to march with. For various reasons specific to each instrument, they simply cannot be played well while moving. Instead, players of these instruments interested in marching band can breathe easy, because these instruments have simply been adapted or replaced to get similar timbres and sounds.

Why Are There No French Horns or Euphoniums In Marching Band?

On a french horn player’s first day of marching band, they are handed an entirely new instrument called a mellophone. A euphonium player showing up on their first day would be given a marching baritone. Why is this? Think about all the brass instruments you would see in a marching show: trumpet, mellophone, baritone, sometimes trombone, sousaphone. Each of these have one important thing in common: a front-facing bell (the conical part of the instrument from which the sound comes). Considering that the goal of a marching band is to project and perform towards an outdoor audience sitting in front of them, instruments that deliver sound in a forward direction are a must. The upward-facing euphonium bells and backward-facing horn bells don’t contribute well to this goal.

Euphoniums are used occasionally in parades and more often in the United Kingdom, but for the sake of competitive marching band, they aren’t ideal. Horn requires players to keep one hand inside the bell for tuning purposes, and marching with one hand nearly behind the body isn’t ideal either. Secondly, any horn player could also impart to you how much skill it takes to play horn well and consistently due to how close together horn’s partials are, and as such would be considerably difficult while marching. Thankfully, mellophones and marching baritones came to the rescue in the 1950s!

Why Are There No Double Reeds In Marching Band? Double reeds include oboe, bassoon, and english horn. These instruments’ reeds are notoriously delicate compared to single reeds (saxophones and clarinets). Double reeds are considerably thinner and shorter than single reeds.

They’re broken extremely easily, and certainly are not cheap to replace. One single oboe reed can cost anywhere from $10-$30, a bassoon reed can cost anywhere from $20-$40, and for those who make their own, it can take at least 9 hours to make an adequate reed. With so much money, time, and effort in mind, it isn’t worth taking the chance to damage such a delicate reed by trying to simultaneously play and march with it. All reeds are sensitive to temperature and humidity in general. Most sax and clarinet players already refrain from using their best reeds for marching band. Considering that marching band takes place in the summer, a sweaty, 100℉ day is likely not the best environment to get good sounds from an oboe or bassoon, nor will the instruments stay in good shape for long in such conditions.

Unlike for french horn and euphonium, there is no marching band-version of an oboe or bassoon. Double reed players usually have the choice between any of the remaining woodwinds to march with. Bassoon players are more likely to be seen marching with a saxophone or clarinet, and oboe players most often march with clarinets or flutes; mainly for the sake of sticking with instruments with ranges similar to their main instrument.

Tubas In Marching Band (How The Sousaphone Came To Be)

Let’s get the obvious said right away; tubas are big. While it is possible and fairly common for tubists to stand and play, the instrument’s size and hand positions do not lend themselves well to simultaneous playing and moving for long periods of time. Fairly early on in the history of marching band, bandleaders realize that marching with a concert tuba was not the best way to have bass in the brass section. Before the invention of the sousaphone—the solution to this issue which high school and college bands use today—bands used an instrument called a helicon. An early ancestor of the sousaphone, helicons were worn around the body for mobility, but were overall smaller and thinner, with a bell angled outward and to the side of the player. These were used most often in military mounted and marching bands. After being dissatisfied with helicons and wanting a new tuba for concert band settings, John Phillip Sousa oversaw the invention of the first sousaphone by J.W. Pepper in 1893. Early sousas were bigger than helicons and had a large bell facing straight upwards (these were commonly referred to as ‘rain-catchers’). Although Sousa intended his instrument for concert band, its usefulness in marching band was quickly noted, and the U.S. Marines began using them for marching in 1908. Soon after, sousaphones were adapted to have the completely front-facing bells we see today.

Drum corps, however, use contrabass bugles (often shortened to just ‘contras’) instead of sousaphones. Contras more closely resemble a concert tuba, but are larger and played over the left shoulder of the marcher. While they are heavy, the detachment of the contra from the body allows the performer to more easily put it down and pick it back up, as well as provide more freedom to the lower body which a sousaphone may inhibit due to its shape and size. Conclusion Marching band has evolved over centuries to achieve the level of efficiency the activity enjoys today. Every instrument from a concert band setting can comfortably participate and perform with the accommodations made for them over the years. However, if oboe or euphonium are your favorite instruments, don’t fret! Although performers can’t march with these instruments, they are used very often for solos in shows and still get their own spotlight.

Memorial Day Parade 2024

5/21/2024

This coming Monday is the Jenison Memorial Day Parade. JMB marches in this every year and historically it tends to be a warm day. For new marching families, it might be helpful to share how that day usually unfolds.

Starting this weekend, have your student start drinking lots of water. This pre parade hydrating makes a huge difference, especially if it is warm. Also, to avoid any “chafing” it might be helpful to use a chafing product (such as Body Glide, Gold Bond Friction Defense) on those unseasoned thighs. Sunscreen is also a must. Please also make sure the kids have something in their stomachs before the parade. Probably not the best day for a breakfast of pop tarts and Mt Dew.

Students are dropped off at the corner of 20th and Baldwin at Cedar Presbyterian Church where the parade line up occurs. A lot of students park at the high school and walk down together but non drivers and the 8th grade marchers will need to be dropped off early. It gets very crazy so don’t try to roll up at the time they are supposed to be there and expect an easy go of it.

The students will line up and proceed to the parade route. They will march/play all the way down Baldwin to Cottonwood. Once they get to Cottonwood, they will head through the Meijer parking lot where the high school band will proceed into Meijer to play for customers, led by our band director, Mr. Zamborsky. Parents are welcome to head in as well and line up in the lanes that aren’t being used to watch. Following this performance, they grab water and then load up on buses to head to the Georgetown Cemetery for the Memorial Day Service. The public is invited to attend this as well. Once they are finished there, they will be brought back to the high school and are free to leave.

It is not uncommon for some band students to pass out from dehydration and or heat. This is why we stress adequate hydration the weekend before and the day of.

Jenison Bands Invitational Week

10/15/2023

The Jenison Bands puts on the largest marching band invitational in the state of MI. This year, we are hosting 41 bands throughout the day. This is our biggest fundraiser of the year so it is vital to have the support and help of all our amazing band parents for this event. Thank you so much to all who have signed up for shifts. As you know, each family is required to complete 2 shifts per family. To make this event run smoothly, please arrive 15 minutes prior to your shift.

New this year! There will be a bus shuttle running to help our volunteers and spectators avoid having to navigate the high school parking lot! JPS school buses will be running shuttles from the Early Childhood Center (ECC)/El Puente Elementary at 2950 Baldwin Street to the high school. The shuttles will run every 15 minutes during the following time frames:

11am - 1pm
4:30pm - 6:30pm
10:00pm - 11:30pm (shuttle service will begin at the HS at 10:00pm)

We encourage you to take advantage of this service in order to allow guests from other bands/high schools to utilize our main parking lot! Feel free to also spread the word to family members who may want to take advantage of this shuttle opportunity.

We want to thank our amazing Jenison Invitational Committee. We have been busy planning this event since March. It takes a lot of time to execute this well. This is our BIG week, we can do this. Thank you all for giving up your free time to make this an amazing day. We know it has been stressful and there have been many details to work out, thank you for your patience and willingness to do what was asked of you. Our thanks to :

Freshman Parents: Dan & Karissa DuPuis
Sophomore Parents: Scott & Angie Leuchtmann
Senior Parents: Curtis & Terri Hagberg
JBB Treasurers: Craig & Alaine Kemerling
JBB Concessions Chairs: Dennis Ilkanic & Joyanne Swanson
Feed the Judges Chairs: Alicia Gordillo and Amanda Sorelle
Band Administrative Assistant: Sue VandenBerge
Our Amazing Assistant Director of Bands: Seth Justice

If you have any issues or questions, please contact myself or Mike, the Invitational Committee Co Chairs using the below information.

This event is for our kids. They are the reason we do what we do. We are all representing Jenison Bands Saturday, so thank you for being kind, helpful and assisting guests wherever you can.

Thank you again for helping this be a successful and exciting day.

Mike & Keri Roth
Junior Parents & Committee Co Chairs

[email protected]
[email protected]
Mike cell: 616 446 9033 Keri cell: 616 446 9055

NYC Ideas

9/9/2023

Planning for NYC

Face it, we parents will be having a totally different NYC experience that our students will be. While they have everything planned out for them, let’s start making plans of our own. Then we can compare adventures with our kids when they get back. First things first….FOOD.
Our family already has made dinner reservations for the nights we will be in the Big Apple. We used the app OpenTable as well as booking directly with a few restaurants within walking distance from our hotel. This was huge for me, I know it will be super busy that week and having these reservations took a load off my mind. There are so many different restaurants within walking distance. Italian, Cuban, Spanish, Chinese, Indian…this is the time to explore somewhere you have never eaten! Skip the chains and experience something new!
The average temp in NY the week of Thanksgiving is 50 degree. Hoping we get that lucky! But if not, just prepare for it by packing warm clothing to pound the pavement in. Sensible walking shoes are a must.
Close to where the Friends and Family hotels are, there is plenty to do and see. You can stroll and take in the dazzling holiday window displays along 5th Ave. Knowing that window shopping is one of the best things to do in New York City during Christmas, the stores go all out to impress visitors. About a 6 minute walk from the hotel is Bryant Park. During the holidays it is transformed into an European-style holiday market equipped with 100 vendors that line a skating rink. There are so many tours you could partake in as well.

bryantpark.org/activities/holiday-shops

The day before the parade, you can head up to the American Museum of Natural History and see the parade balloons being filled. This is right next to Central Park.

So secure those reservations now!

Band Etiquette

8/15/2023

Friday nights are for football and marching band. It's a wonderful community experience to sit on the bleachers to cheer on our kids, both football and band. They have so much in common and it is very important to our coaches/directors to keep it that way. We have all seen the shirts, "I am just here for halftime". They are cute, and we love the support of our band kids, but please consider how it would feel to be a football parent and see them wearing, "I am just here for football". That would make you feel either bad or angry, or both. So please be considerate in what you say, do and wear. We are there to actively cheer on the band AND the football team. We are representing our kids and this phenomenal band, stay classy.

Just before the football game is to start, you will see JMB quietly march into the stadium and line up in the end zone. Once given the command to take the field, they will march playing the Jenison Fight Song. Once on the field, they will be led by Mr. Zamborsky, in playing the National Anthem. They will play the fight song again and head to the stands. The JMB has a reserved section in the upper stands, under the press box. Once they take their seats, Drum Majors Nadia Uljaky, Izzy Botbyl , Johnny Ngo & Jadon Busch will led the band in cheering on our Jenison Wildcats. Toward the end of the 2nd quarter, the band will head down and line up on the track to warm up and prepare for their halftime performance. This will be your cue to cheer and clap loudly for your student and the JMB. Once they are finished with their performance, they will head back up to the stands and disperse to get concessions, use the bathroom etc. They must be back by the end of the 3rd quarter. They will stay the remainder of the game and then head down to march off the field together as a band. The parents usually go stand outside of the pool (back entrance of the school for the band) and watch as the drum line plays them back to the grassy area. They will circle up around Mr Zamborsky and Mr Justice and hear a debriefing, then concluding in the band hymn, Lobe den Herren. They will head in to the high school, hang up their band costume and be dismissed.

For Competitions:

Do:

Be supportive of each and every band. Be considerate during each band’s performance and show your appreciation for their hard work by your hearty applause at the end of every band’s performance as well as when they take the field for competition. Remember, the students in the other bands have worked just as hard as our own students. They deserve our respect and applause. Every marching band member in every band is participating in an activity that is teaching them teamwork, respect, and pride in what they do. There are no losers in this activity.
Show up early. This is especially true for supporters of larger class bands. Many smaller class bands have great shows. Arrive early at the next show and see what you have been missing.
Turn off (or at least put on vibrate) your cell phone. If you receive a call during a performance, wait until that performance is over before returning the call.
Refrain from conversation during the performances. Show respect for the bands and the spectators around you by not talking during a performance.

Don't:

Don't allow children to play in the stands and distract other spectators. Obviously, children are the future of this activity. It is good for them to see why big brother and big sister are always at practice and are not at home. However, for their safety and as a courtesy to others they should not be allowed to run up and down steps and play in the aisles so others may enjoy the show.
Don't leave or return to your seat during a band’s performance. Wait until a performance has ended before moving about. You will only need to wait 15 minutes, at the most, before the next break. There is sufficient time between bands to move in and out of your seating area.
Don't "boo" other bands or the contest results during the awards. Unfortunately, everyone is not going to agree on contest results. Booing the award winners or the judges will not accomplish positive results.
Don't comment on other performances unless it's complimentary. Every band on the field is “somebody’s band”, and it may be the folks sitting next to or behind you. Give to the other participating bands the same respect and attention you hope they will give to our band.

THE USE OF NOISE MAKERS, AIR HORNS, BELLS, WHISTLES, ETC. IS NOT APPROPRIATE FOR A BAND EVENT. THIS IS A CONTEST, NOT A SPORTING EVENT.

Jenison Marching Band Presents....DECO

7/23/2023

Symmetry.
Rich Jewel Tones.
Intricate Geometric Shape.
Metallics.
Opulence and Decadence.

That is a brief description of the Art Deco Style that originated in Paris in the 1920's. Our band director, Dave Zamborsky, is pulling from that style for the upcoming Jenison HS Marching Band Show, "Deco". I asked him to share his vision for the show.

Mr Zamborsky:

Jenison's 2023 show is titled "DECO." The production celebrates the art deco design style aesthetic which originated in Paris around 1925 and became extremely prevalent throughout western Europe and America in the 1930s. Art deco style dominated the visual arts (painting, sculpture, and graphic design) and influenced design in architecture, furniture and fashion. The style aesthetic is sleek, streamlined and highly geometric, but also flashy, elegant, opulent and sophisticated.

The show will be presented in three parts, all using the music of George Gershwin, the American composer most associated with the art deco era. All three movements will contain music from Gershwin's two most well known orchestral works, Rhapsody in Blue and An American in Paris. The second movement will also utilize a bit of his song Fascinating Rhythm as transition material.

The band and guard costumes, flags and props will make heavy use of metallics and jewel tones, as they were featured prominently in this style era.

DCI

7/9/2023

A couple of weeks ago in Rockford, DCI (Drum Corp International) kicked off their 2023 Tour. It was fantastic to have them in West Mi for that event. 4 Corps performed: Colts, Blue Stars, Phantom Regiment and Troopers. If you have been to the booster meetings, you will have heard our directors discuss that Jenison HS was hosting one of the bigger groups, Phantom Regiment prior to that DCI summer kick off. Those of us who follow DCI were excited to have them so close so we could watch them practice and later perform at Rockford. I realized some of you might now know just how incredible DCI is so I wanted to give you a little background about them
Drum corps are…well marching bands on steroids. With some differences. Drum Crops are only percussion, brass and color guard. No woodwinds like saxophones, clarinets or flutes. They have a membership limit of 150 members. It costs each member around $5000 to march (and each member has to audition, it is very competitive to get in). Every year, each corps prepares a single show, around 8-12 minutes long Throughout their season, that show is fine tuned and honed with the culmination which is presented at World Championships in Indianapolis in August.
If you have never seen a DCI performance, you owe it to yourself and your kids to see one. We have several Jenison alum currently marching with DCI groups. They are:

Liam Kornoely - Blue Stars
Max Gradisher - The Cadets
Matt Keith - The Cavaliers
Brendan Michael- Phantom Regiment
Hannah Zeitman - Phantom Regiment

Here are some pictures of some of the groups our family saw at the DCI show in DeKalb, IL Friday night.