China Grove Middle School

"Red Devil" Band

"A Commitment to Excellence in Music"

Welcome to Mr. Kirk's Band Webpage! This site will detail information about the CGMS Band program in regards to practice schedules, concert events, and contest information. Please check this site weekly to be updated on events for our band. The China Grove Middle School Band Program consists of over 150 students in grades 7 - 8 and focuses on excellence in instrumental music. In addition, our 6th grade students enroll in "Introduction to Instrumental Music" classes throughout the first year into middle school. Students who successfully fullfill the requirements in 6th grade will be chosen to play in our 7th grade band.

Mr. Kirk's Biography: Mr. Kirk is entering his 13th year as a teacher at China Grove Middle School and has taught in Cabarrus County prior to working in the Rowan-Salisbury School System. He graduated with honors from Catawba College in 1994 with the Bachelor of Arts Degree in Music Education (K-12) and was a student teacher at Northwest Cabarrus MS and Northwest Cabarrus HS in 1994. He is currently the assistant marching band director and marching percussion director for The Jesse C. Carson High School "Cougar" Band as well as composer and instructor for numerous high school bands over the past ten years. Mr. Kirk taught the percussion sections of East Rowan HS, Mount Pleasant HS, Northwest Cabarrus HS and South Rowan HS from 1993 to 2003. He is also a marching band judge in North Carolina and judges throughout the state each fall. His percussion sections received consistant "Superior" ratings at band contests. While at Catawba, he served as the college's college president in the music department and received the John Philip Sousa Award for excellence in band.

Mr. Kirk has many years of experience in the marching band and concert band venues. He graduated from Central Cabarrus High School in 1988 and the award winning marching "Viking" band won "High Percussion" at the Bands of America Grand National Championships in Pontiac, Michigan as well as placing 7th place in the nation with North Carolina's highest marching band placement in the late 1980's.

He also has performed with two premier Drum and Bugle Corps in North America; playing in the drumline. In 1989-90, he was a member of the Florida Wave Drum and Bugle Corps from Miami, Florida and performed at the 1989 DCI World Championships in Kansas City, Missouri and the 1990 DCI World Championships in Buffalo, New York. In 1991, Mr. Kirk was a member of the Bluecoats Drum and Bugle Corps from Canton, Ohio and "aged out" in the elite "top twelve" Drum Corps at the 1991 DCI World Championships in the Cotton Bowl (Dallas, Texas). He has also been an instructor for the Carolina Crown Drum and Bugle Corps (Charlotte, NC) teaching the Bass Drum Section in 1992 with their division II finals status at the DCI World Championships in Madison, Wisconsin (The University of Wisconsin-Madison).

In 1999, he was awarded the Time Warner Cable "Star Teacher" plaque by a student in the Rowan-Salisbury School System for excellence in teaching.

Mr. Kirk's professional memberships include MENC (Music Educators National Conference), SCDBA (South Central District Bandmasters Association) and Drum Corps International Alumni Association.

Currently, Mr. Kirk is on the Praise and Worship Team at Grace Covenant Church in Kannapolis playing the drumset. He has performed at the Foursquare Men's Advance in Myrtle Beach, SC in 2007 through 2009 with the South East "District" Praise and Worship Team (again playing lead Drumset at the conference).

Mr. Kirk resides in Kannapolis, NC with his wife Beth and their two daughters: Jordan and Katelyn.

"2010 Rowan-Salisbury Schools All-County Honors Band Clinic"

On Monday and Tuesday (March 22nd-23rd), 19 of the finest young musicians will be representing CGMS in All-County Band.  This is a two day clinic held at Jesse Carson High School with a mass concert performance Tuesday, March 23rd at 7:00pm.  Each student needs to have the following taken care of before Monday morning:

1.  $15.00 per student for lunches and pin.

2.  Parent permission form for students to be filmed on DVD for the concert

3.  Small water bottle (with water) to drink during the time stage.

7th and 8th grade bands

Currently, both grade level bands are working on their music for the Carowinds Band Festival scheduled later this spring.  Ticket money is due and needs to be turned in as soon as possible.  The cost is $48.00 and checks need to be made to China Grove Middle School.

 I would like to thank everyone for our combined all-county band rehearsal at CGMS on Saturday, February 27th.  

6th Grade Introduction to Band

Our 3rd quarter students have started working on learning the flute and clarinet.  In addition, we are studying all four instrument families with instrument listening logs.

Phone:  1-865-382-3107

E-mail:  bobfrye3107@carolina.rr.com

Office location:  47343 Paradise Lane, Norwood, NC  28128

Owner:  Mr. Bob Frye

If you need ANY repairs made to your instrument, please contact Mr. Frye.  He is an excellent repair technician with over 15 years experience and was educated at The University of North Texas (B.S. Degree in Music Education).

CGMS "Red" Percussion Class:  The 8th grade percussion students are enrolled in a special class at the end of the day designed specifically for learning advanced percussion techniques and performance.  The students will learn a variety of different styles of percussion music, rudiments, "chop building" and plan several different percussion concerts throughout the school year and at our district's Solo and Ensemble Festival held in the spring at The University of North Carolina-Charlotte. 

The 8th grade percussion ensemble has been introduced to their UNC-Charlotte Solo and Ensemble Festival piece entitled "Antiphon".  It is an extremely challenging piece of music and it is going to take the entire year to learn and master the piece. 

You can view a performance of "Antiphon" by going to YouTube and typing in "Antiphon Percussion Ensemble".  There is a high school percussion ensemble from Missouri playing the piece.......very impressive!!

"TECHNOLOGY UPDATE"  

Through the generosity of our school, we received a projector for the band room.  This will be a fundamental tool for my students to learn from music education websites and have tests, quizzes and daily agendas visible.  Thanks again for moving our school into the "21st century"! 

Special thanks to the administration for purchasing a large screen for the band room.  It will be used daily for agendas, tests and music education sites and Smart Music Software.

Thanks for checking this website and feel free to contact me at school, home or by e-mail if you have any questions or comments.

Musically,

Mr. Kirk