Dodgen  Middle  School  Band

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Music Theory Assignment
Please click this link to go to the assignment page. ALL band students should complete the appropriate assignment for their grade level and instrument no later than Wednesday, April 11th! This will go towards the written work portion of your grade in band. Please read the instructions fully and follow them carefully!
6th and 7th graders can get a 5 point bonus for doing the assignment one grade level higher! For example, if a 6th grade student turns in the 7th grade assignment, they will get 5 bonus points!


LGPE Performances were amazing!
Each year, the 7th and 8th grade bands have an evaluated performance, the Georgia Music Educators Association Large Group Performance Evaluation - abbreviated as LGPE!  We are pleased to announce that both groups sounded absolutely amazing!  In fact, they got the highest possible scores of straight Superior ratings! We are especially proud that both grades got straight A's in sightreading. They received a 2-3 minute piece of music with tempo changes, key changes, and other musical challenges, and read it virtually perfectly!  We look forward to guiding the current 6th graders through this process next year.

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Congratulations on a Great Disney Performance!
The Dodgen 8th Grade Band put on a great performance on February 1st at Disney Springs! There was a good crowd, and many in attendance were shocked to learn that this was a middle school band! After the performance, students got to enjoy time in Epcot, the Magic Kingdom, and Hollywood Studios. Our amazing team of chaperones made sure everyone was safe and comfortable, and everything went very smoothly.  We look forward to continuing this tradition when our younger students reach 8th grade!
Check out the concert video!
View hundreds of photos in our gallery!




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Congratulations on Great Concerts!
Each grade level presented their own concert in November, with great results!  Each group shared their amazing progress with family and friends, creating quality music in each and every piece. Mr. Jeffres and Mr. Westphal are very proud, and look forward to leading each band toward their next milestone. 
We have the following media available so far:
  • 6th Grade - Concert Video, Photo Gallery
  • 7th Grade - Concert Video, Photo Gallery
  • 8th Grade - Photo Gallery

ALL groups will have audio tracks uploaded to our SoundCloud page, as soon as we obtain licensing to publish copyrighted material. We will notify the band by email and edmodo once this is ready.
Once again, congratulations on a great concert season!

Other Recent and Upcoming Performances
  • TubaChristmas, December 1st (Photos)
  • Honor Band & All-State Band auditions, December 2nd
  • Dodgen Pops performance at East Cobb Park Holiday Lights, December 3rd
  • Ensemble "Music in the Halls" performance, December 11th
  • Dodgen Pops holiday performance at State Capitol, December 18th


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Dodgen Ensembles Rated Superior!
Our extracurricular ensembles recently had two performances: the Ensemble Showcase at Dodgen on Thursday, 11/2, and the GMEA Ensemble Evaluation on Saturday, 11/4. ALL the ensembles that attended the GMEA Evaluation morning received the highest possible rating of Superior! The judges all had very high praise for our students, using words such as “Awesome, wonderful, great, beautiful, impressive, enjoyable, and well-prepared!”   Each student who performed will receive a blue superior medal!
Starting November 6, we shift to holiday music mode. There are a couple of changes to the schedule: Trumpets now meet on Monday with low brass; double reeds now meet on Friday with flutes.  All holiday music will be performed in the halls of Dodgen on Monday morning, December 11th as students arrive at school.


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Awesome Job on our Fundraiser!
ALL fundraiser orders were picked up on time, and our fundraiser will go down as a huge success!  The money raised provides many things and services that help the Dodgen Band go above and beyond expectations. Some of those include bringing in extra staff, registering for events, providing tons of student recognition, staff development, online services for music and photos, and much more!  We appreciate the constant support we receive from parents, Dodgen faculty, and our entire community!


Welcome to All New 6th Grade Band Members!

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Band is alive and well at Dodgen, with a new 6th grade class of over 120 students!  Your directors are very much looking forward to working with you over the next three years as we explore new skills, present amazing performances, and make lifelong friends!
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A letter was distributed on Friday with information about our next steps. Parents, if you have not seen it yet, ask your child and/or download it below. The week of August 7th we will determine final instrument selections, and learn class procedures and music reading skills. Your child will come home with a packet of information on the day they see Mr. Jeffres for their instrument fitting. After this, you can rent or buy your band instrument. The week of August 14th we will start with instruments!  There are also a few things listed for parents to do, mainly on the Forms Page of this website. Please read the letter thoroughly, so you have a clear idea of what's coming next.

Click here to download the letter that was distributed in class on Friday, August 4th.

If you have any special concerns, please do not hesitate to contact us.  Welcome to the band!!


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Welcome New and Returning Band Students!
The Dodgen Band has big plans to make 2017-2018 the best year ever! Whether you are new to the band or returning, we have many performances, events and opportunities in store that will lead to amazing memories!

6th Grade Students
We are very excited to welcome you to the Dodgen Band! With 14 different instruments, we are sure to find the perfect match for you, so you can learn your instrument easily with long-term success! You will have a great time with both new and old friends as you learn to perform in band. We have a long tradition of excellence, with many awards for the entire group, as well as many students receiving individual honors on local and state levels! Please take a moment to visit our 6th Grade Info Section.  There you will find lots of detailed information, and answers to most questions.

Returning Students
On the first day of school, bring your instrument and band book, so we can hit the ground running!  Now is the perfect time to make sure everything works on your instrument, and take it in for maintenance if necessary. Below are some special considerations for each grade level:

7th Grade - You will need Essential Elements Book 2 for your instrument. You have additional opportunities this year, such as joining an extracurricular ensemble, and trying out for Honor Band or All State! We will explain these activities and have sign-up forms ready during the first week of school.

8th Grade - You will continue to use the same book as last year, Essential Elements Book 2. Ensemble membership is open to everyone, whether you participated last year or not! We are also in the process of finalizing details for our Disney Trip! Once everything is set, we will send home information and sign-up instructions!

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