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NEWS ITEMS

2008-2009

Schools everywhere in the country are feeling the budget crunch as Fine Arts budgets are often a low priority well-meaning administrators who are trying their best to figure out how to deal with fixed revenues and increasing costs. Directors are finding their budgets trimmed and in some cases, even some of their classes cut back, combined, or eliminated.

Some band programs that do their fund-raising over the summer have told us that raising money is more difficult this year than ever before, as many parents and businesses struggle to cope with the financial pressures facing our country.

At FMBC we believe that music and music education is vital to our youth. As we approach the new school year, we encourage band directors to work closely with their school administrations, and to be as active in the financial planning process for your school as you can.

Please, if at all possible, attend your FBA District Meetings and take an active role in supporting the efforts of FBA and FMEA as they work on your behalf to keep music alive not only in our schools but in the hearts and minds of the thousands of wonderful, enthusiastic students in the state of Florida.

A View from the top of FMBC FINALS retreat
- Check out the 2007 Mini-Video
Register for 2008 Semi-Finals

ATTEND AN FMBC REGIONAL EVENT

Our new format includes a special page listing all FMBC Regional Events. Click on the links for each event, and a drop-down window will appear giving specific details about each event, and in many cases there will be an event-specific application you can dowload and send to the show host. No need to go through that huge pile of papers in your office to find the application forms - just come to the FMBC Website.

SHOW HOSTS! HAVE YOU SUBMITTED YOUR LIST OF ADJUDICATORS TO THE FMBC ADJUDICATION REVIEW COMMITTEE? IF NOT, YOU ARE LATE!

REGISTER YOUR BAND FOR SEMI-FINALS

On-line Registration is available now. You can register on line, or download a mail-in form.

IMPORTANT DATES FOR 2008

Sanctioned Regional Deadline for Declaring Judges	June 1st
DCI ORLANDO (Priority seating and more for FMBC Directors)	July 12th
FMBC Annual Seminar - Orlando	July 12th
FMBC Final Approval of Regional Judges	August 1st
FMBC 1st Sanctioned Regional Event	Sept 27th
FMBC Semi-Finals Entry Deadline	Oct 25th
FMBC Yearbook Ads and Photo Deadline	Nov 4th
FMBC Semi-Finals Program Information Deadline	Nov 10th
FMBC State Performance Schedule Announced	Nov 11th
FMBC State Finals Judge Assignments Announced	Nov 11th
FMBC 2008 Championships!	Nov 22nd

FMBC 2008 PRELIMS SITES ANNOUNCED

FMBC extends sincere thanks and appreciation to the many schools that submitted applications to become a host site for the FMBC 2008 State Semi-Finals. After reviewing the applications and checking out the most promising sites, the FMBC Board of Directors has chosen Lakewood Ranch and Braden River as the two primary remote sites for Prelims (along with the Tropicana Dome, of course). The size class assignments for these sites will be determined based on the bands that qualify for this event, to try and achieve a balanced performance level at each site. FMBC reserves the right to add a third prelims site if needed.

FMBC ANNUAL MEETING

We thank all the directors, staff, judges, and many others who attended our annual meeting and seminar in Apopka. We reviewed our plans for 2008 and beyond, and we appreciate the input provided by all those who joined us. If you could not make it this year, we hope you will come and see us in our booth in Tampa in January, and join us next summer. See you in the fall!

We hope your band has the most successful year ever in 2008. Our sponsors are experts in helping to make that dream a reality. Give them the chance to help you and your band!

DCI-FMBC STRATEGIC PARTNERSHIP

FMBC is working closely with DCI this year, and we encourage all interested directors to attend and support the effort of Drum Corps Interenational. We enjoyed seeing many of our friends and their students at DCI Orlando in early July.

After some early morning rains, the weather for the show turned out to be perfect. It was a packed house and an outstanding show.

Our thanks to our friends at DCI for an outstanding evening.!