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Welcome to BOHS Instrumental Music!

 
 
Hello! Welcome to the Brea Olinda High School Instrumental Music Website!
I am James Charrette, the Director of Instrumental Music here at Brea Olinda HS. Please click on the links on the right to find more information and materials regarding our wonderful performance ensembles. 
 
Please share this website with anyone interested! bit.ly/bohsband
 
Support our program! Visit the BOHS Instrumental Music Boosters webpage and donate! https://www.bohsband.com/
 
If you have any questions/comments/concerns about our program please email me at jcharrette@bousd.us
 
Have a nice day!
James Charrette
Director of Instrumental Music
Brea Olinda High School
Latest News:
(3/19/20)
Hello Instrumental Music family!
Online Classes have begun! Please see the links below for our first assignment! 
     Everyone has basically the same assignment: you will all record your warm ups, and excerpts from your festival/competition music. These first few days I really want to make sure everyone has their required materials and that we all have the ability to record and share with each other. I have also created a google form asking about your necessary materials that everyone needs to fill out. These first assignments are due by the end of the weekend (Sunday, 3/22 at 11:59pm). Please check all of your classes daily for updates and assignments. 
     I will be available and will do my best to respond to emails and Remind texts between the hours of 8am and 6pm as soon as possible. If you message me after 6pm I will not answer until first thing in the next morning. I’m sorry for the inconvenience, but I also need to balance my personal life and professional life. Please plan accordingly. 
 
 
 
Assignment #1 rubric links: 
 
 
 
 
 
Good luck everyone!
Please let me know if you have any questions/comments/concerns!
James Charrette
jcharrette@bousd.us
Director of Instrumental Music @ Brea Olinda High School
http://bit.ly/breaband
 
(3/16/20)
Hello everyone!
 
Sorry in advance for duplicative emails - I’m trying to make sure I cover all bases to make sure this information gets out to absolutely everybody. 

I’d like to share with you all how I’d like to manage our Instrumental Music classes for the next two and a half weeks. I am currently planning on running all classroom activities through my already existing Google Classrooms. Students should already be enrolled, but everyone needs to double-check that you can log in and access everything. If you cannot, make sure to sign up with your BOUSD account ASAP. To help keep parents informed I will copy materials and assignments on the corresponding webpage at bit.ly/bohsband as well as sharing assignments through Charms. If you would like to contact me, email is still best (jcharrette@bousd.us), or you can direct message me anytime from 7am-7pm on the Remind App (text the number “81010” the message: @bohsband19 to sign up for text alerts). Unfortunately, my school office phone has a terrible setting that is forwarding calls during the regular school day immediately to voicemail - I’ll do my best to get that fixed ASAP, but in the meantime the number is (714) 990-7850 ex.1408. 
 
**Google Classrooms**
(Only students with BOUSD account can sign up for Google Classrooms)
Wind Ensemble: https://classroom.google.com/u/0/c/MTU5NDU5NzM0Nzda
Code:  pjpi66e

Jazz Band: https://classroom.google.com/u/0/c/MTg2NjYxOTY1Njha
Code:  nvpulwq
 
Code:  pzl76tg


**Materials**
     ALL students will be required to have their instrument and music available at home. All instrumental music students will be required to practice their instrument for each class for a minimum of 30 minutes every day (averages to about 3hours/week) and in order to do that, you WILL need the instrument that you perform on in that ensemble. During the craziness last Friday, many of you may not have been able to gather all your instruments and materials. I will be in the classroom for the next three days (Mon, Tues, Wed) from 8:00am-2:35pm (I’ll take a 12-1pm lunch) so if you need any instruments/materials, please email me to make an appointment to come pick them up over the next few days. 
     In addition, I will need all students to have access to a video recording device, such as a camera on a cell phone, laptop, or other similar digital recording device, and have the ability to upload that to the Google Classroom (so access to come kind of computer). I will be requiring students to record themselves performing their instruments/routine and then send that video to me.
     I know the district/school is sending similar questionnaire forms out, bit I will also be sending my own survey to make sure all my students all have access to the materials and technology they need to be successful (i.e. internet, computers, recording devices, etc.). 
 
Winds & Strings (woodwinds/brass/violins): 
You will be required to have your instrument and music for each class you are enrolled. So if you play one instrument in Wind Ensemble and a different one in Jazz Band, then you will need BOTH of those instruments and corresponding music. Please let me know ASAP if we have conflicts with students sharing a school instrument, or if you’d like to check out another school instrument (this would be a good opportunity to try a new instrument out if you’ve been thinking about it!). I may have to prioritize instrument distribution but otherwise anything we own is fair game to check out. Be sure to bring a parent with you to sign the rental agreement when you pick it up. 
 
Percussion: 
You will be required to have drumsticks (concert sticks preferred) and a practice pad (preferably one that makes sound - so not rubber). Frankly this is not a new expectation, so if you don’t have these and need them, please let me know ASAP. In addition as an optional supplement, I’ll allow percussionists to check out any of our school mallet instruments with the following requirements: 
1. You must bring large enough vehicle to transport it safely (marimbas are big! - and bring some friends for muscle power as it takes 1 person a very long time to transport a marimba), 
2. You must set it up & store it in a climate controlled environment (INSIDE your house), and it must stay set up in that location the whole time (I don’t want it being broken down/transported an unreasonable amount). 
3. You must make every effort to return it BEFORE we return for normal classes - which at the moment is April 13th…, 
4. I’ll require an instrument rental agreement signed by your parents BEFORE you leave with the instrument. This means you’ll have to bring your parents to pick up an instrument so we can fill out the paperwork together.
     I will give priority on distributing instruments by seniority first (our seniors deserve some special treatment right now!), then a first-come-first-served basis. Please email me ASAP if you’d like to reserve a mallet instrument. For mallet instruments we have 4 marimbas, 2 vibes, 2 xylos, 2 bells so more than half of you should be able to get a mallet instrument if you want one. I would rather NOT check out the marching drums (I’ll only make an exception if you have some kind of audition or something like that coming up). You can practice everything you need to on a drum pad for these instruments. They’re also SUPER-unnecessarily-loud, so your parents and neighbors are already thanking me as well! lol.
 
Color Guard: 
You will be required to have EVERYTHING you use in your competitive show as you will continue to work with that program. I realize many of you were unable to get your equipment last Friday. Please make an appointment with me if that’s the case. Also, if you have personal items in the guard room, please take those home as well (don’t know when the next time you’ll be able to access that will be…). 
 
 
 
     I’ll be sending a lot more information out over the next few days about what the content of our classes will look, but to start I need to make sure everyone has the required materials and access to technology. Online classes start this Thursday 3/19, so let’s do our best to get our materials prepared before then! If you have any questions/comments/concerns regarding materials or technology access please email/contact me ASAP. 
 

Best wishes!
James Charrette
jcharrette@bousd.us
Director of Instrumental Music @ Brea Olinda High School
http://bit.ly/breaband
About the Director:
 
James Charrette is the Director of Instrumental Music at Brea Olinda High School. A graduate of El Dorado HS, James went on to study percussion performance at U.C.L.A. (B.A. Music Performance) and The Boston Conservatory (M.M. Percussion Performance). In his performance career, James has performed with many educational, independent, and professional organizations including The Santa Clara Vanguard Drum and Bugle Corps, UCLA, The Boston Conservatory, Irvine Valley College, CSUF, and the Pacific Symphony (OC Can You Play). As an educator, James taught high school level marching and concert percussion ensembles at many schools in the Southern California area for over 10 years. James earned his teaching credential at California State University Fullerton in 2018 and is excited to be in his second year teaching at Brea Olinda High School.