Sun Prairie Band Boosters

Flags of Freedom Events - July 5th

Parade - 2pm (along Main Street towards downtown Sun Prairie) 

Field Show - 7pm (Sun Prairie High School-Lower Ashley Field)

By Patti Whitebird as printed in The Star

The 36th Annual Flags of Freedom Band Rally will take place on July 5 and will feature an afternoon parade and an evening band competition hosted by the Sound of Sun Prairie.

The participating bands are members of the Mid-America Competing Band Directors Association (MACBDA) and compete during the summer months.

The parade begins at 2 p.m. and goes up Main Street from Ruby Lane to Market Street.

The parade will feature many entries as well as some of the marching bands that will go on to compete in the evening as well as the Lutheran Vanguard parade band.

Field competition begins at 7 p.m. at Ashley Field and includes the Warren (Ohio) Military Band, CYO Emerald Knights from Kenosha, Saskatoon Lions from Canada, Sandwich (Illinois) Renegade Regiment, Racine Lighthouse Brigade, Oregon Shadow Armada, and in exhibition, the Sound of Sun Prairie and the Racine Kilties.

Ticket prices for the field competition are $3 for children ages 5-12, $6 for senior citizens, and $8 for adults in advance. (Price will be $10 at the gate). Advance tickets may be purchased at Sentry until July 5.

Jazz I receives 3rd place award in New York!

Jazz I placed third in the Essentially Ellington Competition!  Congratulations to the entire band!   Special recognition awards were also presented.   

Sections that stood out: 

   Trombones 

   Trumpets ("most ernest looks on their faces")

Outstanding Soloist Awards:  

   Mike Nonte - Saxophone

   Ben Acton - Banjo

Soloist Honorable Mention: 

   Trae Titus - Trombone

Top Placing Bands:  First:  Roosevelt High School, WA; Second:  Garfield High School, WA; Third:  Sun Prairie High School, WI; and Honorable Mention:  Shorewood High School.

Thank you to the Chaperones:  Mrs. Mertes, Mr. Mesner and Mr. Gleason!

Our biggest thanks to our outstanding band director, Mr. Sveum, for all that you have done to give our kids this awesome experience! 

To view pictures from Essentially Ellington and NY, see the Jazz photos page,  in the "Ellington_#" folders.

Wind Ensemble Performs at National Association for Music Education Convention in Milwaukee

"More people in Wisconsin need to hear this band play - they clearly set the bar for music education in Wisconsin,"  college professor UW Whitewater.

"I am so thrilled I got to hear this performance, I can't wait to tell my students about what is possible,"  Patty Schlafer - Wisconsin Middle school band director.

"Hearing this band has made my trip worthwhile, if I didn't hear another thing this trip has been worth it, and I'm from South Carolina!,"  Band Director from South Carolina.

The Wind Ensemble performed twice at the conference on Thursday, April 10.  Their first performance, at 12:30, was attended by approximately 125 teachers, and included Redwoods, Windsprints, Lux Aurumque, Mother Earth, and Incantation and Dance.  The second, at 4:30 PM, included only Requiem.

The invited school bands attending this music educators convention came from states as distant as Florida and Washington State.  Join us in congratulating our Wind Ensemble Band for their well earned invitation!  "They represented Sun Prairie under a national spotlight in a very positive way, not only in their beautiful performance, but in the professional way they handled themselves - you all can be very proud of your kids!," Steve Sveum, SPHS Wind Ensemble Band Director.

If you would like a recording of the performance, it was recorded professionally and we will mass order next Friday.  Please make a check out to "Sun Prairie High School" for $16 by April 17th and turn it in to Rita Bogosh in the High School Music Office.

Pictures of the Wind Ensemble at the conference are posted here. 

A Whole New Look for the Sun Prairie Band Boosters Web Site!

Welcome to the new SPBB web site.  This new web site runs a sophisticated "Content Management System" (CMS) named Plone.  This CMS allows many people to edit and contribute directly to the web site using just their web browser.    Committee chairs, Band Directors, and Board Members will be able to add timely information.  Please check this site often for updates.  

The Board and Directors are committing to using the Calendar and Events portion of our web site as THE one place to look for the most up to date information about all SPBB Events.

The Sun Prairie High School Band Web Site   is another resource of information.  Check it out!

Jazz Band Successes

Jazz I performed at the state celebration of Dr. Martin Luther King Day at the State Capitol on January 21. This performance was broadcast live on Wisconsin Public Radio and streamed live on the internet as well as taped in HDTV for later airing on public TV across the state! 

Congratulations to our Sun Prairie High School Jazz Ensemble on being chosen as one of only fifteen national high school finalists in the prestigious Essentially Ellington event held in New York City. We will need help fund-raising to lower the cost of the trip for all kids involved. Please get involved - just like the jazz ensemble itself - we are a small group whose success depends on everyone!

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