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Welcome Incoming 6th Graders!

Kurt Gray — Wed, 23 May 2012 22:12:58 +0000

We hope you enjoyed our Jazz Band and Chamber Orchestra during the school day on last Monday! Please remember to come to our Instrument Petting Zoo on Thursday May 24 from 6pm-7pm.

Navigate on over to the Registration page to sign up for music for the 2012-2013 school year!

Click Here to Register

Spring Concert – Night 2, May 22

Julie Damore — Tue, 01 May 2012 19:32:00 +0000

The second Spring concert is approaching. Night 2 will include students in the Beginning Bands and Beginning Strings and will be performed at Moorpark Hich School Performing Arts Center. Our Beginning students are excited to show us how much they have learned.

Spring Concert DVD

Relive your child's performance or share with family members who couldn't attend.

Mesa Music Sweatshirts

Julie Damore — Tue, 31 Jan 2012 22:54:27 +0000

Order Your Winter Concert DVD

Julie Damore — Thu, 15 Dec 2011 23:04:04 +0000

Welcome New 6th graders!

Kurt Gray — Sat, 03 Dec 2011 01:16:29 +0000

Hi everyone! Make sure to visit the links section (up top) to find info on music stores, and download the 2011 Student Handbook on the left, under "Quick Downloads".

Enrolling in the Correct Ensemble

Kurt Gray — Tue, 11 Oct 2011 01:52:26 +0000

For information on this topic, please watch the first few minutes of this video.

Enrolling and Practicing

Smart Music is here!

Kurt Gray — Sat, 08 Oct 2011 16:03:21 +0000

Smart Music is finally here! Starting this coming week, students will be given assignments through the Smart Music program. I highly encourage everyone to purchase a subscription this weekend, giving you online access to whole method books, solo books, and repertoire that we play at Mesa, along with a fun, interactive way to practice and listen to your music.

Through our school district's agreement with Smart Music, you are entitled to a discounted subscription if you follow the steps below:

1. Go to www.smartmusic.com and click on Order Now in the For Students pull down menu.

2. Click the red Add to Cart button to place a student subscription in your cart. (NOTE: You only need one subscription per computer, so if you have more than one music student, you're all set!)

3. You may purchase a microphone if you would like, but most Macs have built-in mics that work with Smart Music. PC users may purchase a standard 1/8" microphone for use with their computers from Radio Shack, Wal-Mart, or Target for less. A standard set of headphones even work as microphones, when plugged into your PC's microphone jack.

Your order will show at retail price at this point. This will change to your discounted price during Check Out. Click Continue.

4. New users should Create a New Account, entering the requested contact information. While entering your information, you will be prompted to choose your school. You must do this to receive your discounted price. Search by zip code 93021, then select Mesa Verde Middle School.

5. Click Check Out > Site Agreement Discount will be applied > Enter Payment Information and complete your order.

Feel free to poke around on Smart Music, and download any method book (we use Standard of Excellence for band, Essential Elements for strings), or search for titles. Not everything we play is on Smart Music, but some are. In the future, we'll be making literature selections based on Smart Music availability.

On Monday, students will be given a rundown of how to use the program and its basic features. I will host a Smart Music Parent Night on October 12 at 6:00 pm for parents who are interested in learning the program.

Any student not wishing to participate in the Smart Music program will need to turn in their first practice journal on Friday, October 14, and will also need to submit one Smart Music assignment per week via the practice room computers that will be set up this week. This procedure will be made clear to students and parents on Monday and Wednesday.

Have fun!

Truly amazing!

Kurt Gray — Thu, 26 May 2011 22:15:54 +0000

Congratulations to all of the musicians in the Mesa Verde program! Your performances for the Spring Concerts, both Monday and Wednesday night were nothing short of awesome! You're an inspiration to those around you and you should be SO VERY PROUD of what you've accomplished this year.

Congratulations to our 8th grade award winners:

Outstanding 8th Graders - Band: Aya Karam, Andrew Cowan

Outstanding 8th Grader - Strings: Katie Wieser

Louis Armstrong Jazz Award: Alex Brandenburg

Thank you all and have a wonderful summer!

- Mr. Gray

Congrats award winners!

Kurt Gray — Sun, 22 May 2011 03:18:48 +0000

Congratulations to all of the award recipients at the Mesa Music Picnic!

Most Improved - Strings: Heather Cooper

Most Improved - Band: Ellie McGregor

Rookie of the Year - Strings: Chris Seagraves

Rookie of the Year - Strings: Delani Wolf

Rookie of the Year - Band: Celena Hu

Stay tuned for the winners of the Outstanding 8th Grader awards and Jazz Band award which will be presented at Wednesday's Spring Concert. Congratulations Mesa kids!

Disneyland Wrapup: 90 kids, 5 trophies, 2 Superiors, 2 Excellents, 1 Outstanding Soloist, and 2 fuzzy zebra ties

Kurt Gray — Sun, 03 Apr 2011 19:59:40 +0000

Congratulations to all of the Mesa Music kids who went on the Disneyland trip!

After a long bus ride and a great evening at Dave and Busters, the Mesa Musicians woke up early and had themselves four wonderful performances at the Music in the Parks Disneyland Festival. After managing to get everyone into the awards ceremony, Mesa took home the following:

1st Place MS Jazz Band - Superior

1st Place MS Orchestra - Superior

1st Place MS Concert Band I (Adv. Band) - Excellent

1st Place MS Concert Band II (Int. Band) - Excellent

Outstanding Jazz Soloist - Aya Karam

Best Overall MS Concert Band - Advanced Band

Mr. Gray and Mr. Pracher would like to thank the Superior efforts of all the chaperons and the Mesa Verde Music Boosters for making this event not only a possibility, but the huge success that it was. Thank you Patti Mann, Mike and Julie Damore, Judy Caluya, Wendy Wieser, Laurie Dipietro, Lori Ross, Gary Seagraves, Michelle Bruzzi, Donna Frank, Larry and Yvonne Cole, Mary McGregor, Sandy and Jorge Renteria, and all of the parents who came out to support their children!

For those of you who couldn't make it on the trip, we hope to have you next year!