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Bailey
Taps, performed as a Memorial Day remembrance by two local young men, former members of the Klein Oak HS band. One is Luke Tebo from the Texas A&M Corps of Cadets, the other is John Bailey Needham from VA Tech's Spirit of Tech Marching Virginians.
John P. Needham
Spring, TX
May 25, 2020 730PM
This is, really, the beginning of the end of Bailey’s high-school mariachi experience. Yesterday he played in his last state-wide competition with his KOHS mariachi ensemble mates. A year ago Bailey and his bandmates became the first-even mariachi ensemble from the Klein Independent School District to qualify for the Texas State Mariachi Festival. When Bailey and his friends started the ensemble, the did so with it being an entirely student-run organization. They did not have school sponsorship; no band or orchestra director was involved. They started by raising money on their own, to pay for uniforms, to fund mariachi band trips.
When they qualified for state, a generous orchestra director got involved, helped them get to the next level. this little ensemble has come a LONG way since those heady days where it was an entirely student-run ensemble!
Yesterday the ensemble participated in what is Bailey’s find state competition as a member of Klein Oak Mariachi. The ensemble was spectacular. This is their performance.
John P. Needham
February 23, 2019 7:20PM
Spring, TX
Last night the Klein Oak Wind Ensemble performed their annual Winter Convert, along with KOHS Jazz Band, the new KOHS Woodwinds Octet, Klein Oak’s Symphonic I band and local a middle-school’s (Krimmel) band. This is always a super-fun event and last night was no exception. Below are the videos of Wond Ensemble. I also have videos of Jazz Band and Woodwinds Octet, so if any parents want to see those, just let me know and I’ll share them with you.
Wind Ensemble started with Dream of the Silent Night:
They continued with The Sussex Mummers Christmas Carol:
The ensemble closed with their traditional winter concert close: Sleigh Ride. Look for Cody whacking wood planks on this one, it is one of the most important parts of the whole piece, to be honest!
John P. Needham
December 13, 2018
Spring, TX
So, yeah. I’ve been pretty much missing around here lately. That’s plainly obvious.
We’ve been busy with the kids, and marching band season. Plus, inertia. Entropy. Okay, laziness.
We’re mostly through the marching season: the Klein Oak Band has played all the football games so far, and there are a few more left before the playoffs, but generally the band does not march for playoff games. They’ve played in one marching contest so fat, and have another one tonight (Area UIL) and another contest Saturday (UIL again, assuming the band qualifies tonight). Then the big one in San Antonio: BOA (Bands of America).
As most know so far from Facebook, Twitter, and IG, we have two sons in Klein Oak Band: one, John Bailey, is a Drum Major, the other, Cody, is on Bass Drum 3. So here are a few images from the season so far.
Well, I think that catches us up, for now. I’ll try to do better, maintaining this website. No promises, except to promise to try.
John P. Needham
October 23, 2018
Spring, TX
I am WAY behind in posting this, and I'm genuinely sorry about that! The Klein Oak Mariachi Band had their final concert of the 2017/18 school year back in May. It was really nice, held in the KOHS band hall, the ensemble members, their friends and families, a low-key, super-fun event.
Below are some videos of the show.
These talented and motivated young musicians had a great year during the 2017/18 school year. Among other things, they were the first mariachi ensemble from from any Klein ISD school to qualify for, and participate in, the Texas State Mariachi Festival.
It would be hard to overstate how proud everyone is of these young musicians. For many of them, this was the final performance, as they have graduated and are moving on to college and other things. Those that remain are back-filling the ensemble and getting ready for another excellent year of mariachi music. We look forward to what the ensemble does in 2018/2018.
John Needham
Spring, TX
(posting from Chicago, IL)
June 26, 2018
I can't believe I neglected to post this. Apologies to Bailey for the delay. But...Bailey played in te Klein Oak HS Concerto Competition earlier this month. Below is his performance (a 6:47 video).
I guess by now it won't surprise anyone to learn: we thought Bailey did great, we're very proud of his growth this year. He really has developed this skill in an amazing way.
Anyway, here is the video - the hilarious part is when he introduced himself as "John Needham" which is generally how he is known at school, even though we still call him Bailey here at home:
John P. Needham
May 23, 2017
Spring, TX
The Klein Oak Wind Ensemble performed at the Round Top Festival Institute on Friday, April 27th. What a fabulous facility, that was literally in the middle of nowhere, about an hour and a half west of Houston, TX, in Round Top (population: 90). This band of super-talented young musicians practiced for hours, and played really well.
The ensemble opened with Santa Fe Saga (10:46 video):
Then they played Academic Overture (11:07 video):
The ensemble closed with North Wind March (2:33 video):
All the parents, obviously, are very proud of these talented and dedicated young musicians.
John P. Needham
Spring, TX
April 29, 2018
C'mon, you knew this was coming, right? After all the still pictures from this weekend's Texas State Mariachi Festival, you knew there would be some videos of the Klein Oak High School Mariachi Band, right? I didn't take these videos, but another person did, and gave me permission to post them to You Tube.
KOHS Mariachi Band was the first school from the whole Klein school district to qualify for the state mariachi festival. While a lot of schools were playing new, modern takes on mariachi music, with lots of stagecraft, KOHS Mariachi Band just played traditional mariachi music with little fanfare. It was a really well-received performance, to be sure. Take a look at how the crowd responded. They opened with Guadalajara:
The next song they performed was El Rey. This is where the audience really started to respond.
The band closed their set with No Me Se Rajar, which inspired the audience even more.
This was a genuinely extraordinary experience for these talented and hard-working young musicians. They walked off the stage with their feet barely touching the ground.
And we parents were all profoundly proud of these kids.
John P. Needham
February 27, 2018
Spring, TX
Just a couple of images from the final football game of the 2017 season. With marching season winding down, and contests all in the rear-view mirror, and the final game the day after Thanksgiving in College Station, the number of band kids who showed up to play was pretty small. Bailey and Cody were both there. I got this image of them in the stands, Cody in the foreground on bass drum, Bailey behind him on trumpet.
Cody in front on bass drum, Bailey behind on trumpet
Cody had wrapped his drum sticks up in red tape so they looked like candy canes, and he also had our Elf on the Shelf, Bob, mounted on the top of his drum:
Cody on bass drum, accompanied by Bob The Elf.
Bob The Elf and Cody's drum sticks
One last picture of Bailey:
Bailey on trumpet
That's all for now.
John P. Needham
November 28, 2017
Spring, TX
Please allow me this "proud band dad" moment.
Since the beginning of August, Bailey and Cody and the rest of Klein Oak High School's marching band have been practicing, working really hard, on the 2017 competition show. They practiced in heat, they practiced many mornings, may late nights, weekends, after school, at football games, in competitions.
Cody is on bass-4 bass drum; Bailey plays trumpet.
This weekend, all their hard work paid off. The band participated in Bands of America super-regional competition in San Antonio. It was far and away their best show of the season.
The competition at the super-regional is very steep; some 75 bands competed in prelims over two days, and only 114 made the finals Saturday night. Klein Oak Band did not make the finals, unfortunately. But that doesn't not take away from their achievement. This year's show, called Bangarang, was terrific, and the kids performed spectacularly in the prelims.
Another of the band parents was able to record the show, and uploaded it to You Tubs. I am embedding the video below. Take a look at let me know what you think!
We are very proud of our kids and all the band members; other parents I spoke with feel exactly the same way. These kids all worked so hard, for so many hours, over months, and for the show to come together this well, at this competition, was really special to see.
John P. Needham
November 5, 2017
Spring, TX
Earlier this month, the top performers from Klein Oak's band, choir and orchestra performed their annual Masterworks performance. I recorded the whole concert, but many of the pieces are covered by copyright protections so I'm not posting those here (or to You Tube).
Here are two pieces that I can post. First, the Klein Oak Wind Ensemble opened the concert with this piece, a stunning 14-minute piece that I know these young musicians worked so hard on. This is a 14-minute video and Bailey is performing on trumpet.
Next is the Klein Oak Choir. This is a four-minute+ video.
That's all I'm going to share from this night, since I am pretty sure the next five pieces that were performed, jointly, by the Wind Ensemble, the Choir and the Orchestra, are all covered by copyright protection held by the composer.
The concert was genuinely amazing, these young performers worked for months to perfect these pieces and they all did a fabulous job.
John P. Needham
May 29, 2017
1:25PM
Spring, TX
This one made Carolyn cry. I unfortunately had to miss it, traveling for business, but Carolyn recorded it for me, and here is the video (six minute video).
John Needham
Spring, TX
May 29, 2017
10:20AM
Wow. John Bailey Needham turned sixteen yesterday. Naturally, that means it is time to post some new images.
Here he is at sixteen.
I stiched a few images together to post to FB so here are those now too.
And this one...
Finally, this last image - Carolyn made her chocolate chip cheesecake with caramel topping. This was at the request of the birthday boy.
Bay had a good day. But us, his parents, wow. We could not be more proud of the young man that Bailey has become, and continues to grow into.
John P. Needham
Spring, TX
January 13, 2017
As many already know from my excessive social media sharing, our 15YO high-school sophomore, Bailey, was awarded a chair in the wind ensemble in the Region 9 (Texas) band. (This was following two rounds of Region Band auditions.)
Last Friday night they had a three hour practice, followed by 8+ hours on Saturday. Aftter just that practice, the band had a concert last Saturday night. I'm not sure I can adequately express how proud we were of Bailey - and of his bandmates here. They learned these five songs in just a few hours of practice, then played a concert at Klein Forest High School.
The band performed under the direction of Richard Floyd, in his 53rd year of music direction, and who is currently the director of the Austin Symphonic Band.
The first piece they played was This Broad Earth by Steven Bryant (4:47 video):
Then Mr. Floyd spoke for a few minutes (2:58):
The next piece was Sleep, by Eric Whitacre (4:51):
Then the band played Dancing on Water, by Frank Ticheli (8:57). This was a piece Bailey really enjoyed learning and playing.
Then the band played a set from Leonard Bernstein (and other composers, 4:27):
They closed with a song called Zing by Scott McAllister (6:06):
John P. Needham
Spring, TX
December 13, 2016
6:06AM
Cody (freshman) is in Concert Band this year. Here is one of the pieces that the Concert Band played at the winter concert. (This is the only piece Cody played in.) Cody on percussion.
Bailey (sophomore) is in Klein Oak's Wind Ensemble. Here is their set from the winter concert. The set includes two songs - A Holiday Rhapsody, and Sleigh Ride - and between the song is the band director Mr. Clearwater's comments, and the student recognition. (Students were recognized for Region Band auditions, for getting a chair in Region Band, and for qualifying for the Area Band auditions.)
John P. Needham
December 8, 2016
6:20AM
Spring, TX
I shared this over the weekend, but for the sake of posterity: Bailey played trumpet in the Texas Region 9 band auditions on Saturday. He advanced. Definitely worth noting that the top-two trumpeters in Region 9 are from the same school as Bailey. We've said all along that the kids here are getting an exceptional education, especially a fine arts education, at Klein Oak. This is further evidence of that. Mr. Clearwater and his team? Really outstanding.
Region Band Audition Results
For Klein Oak (HS) band, Bailey had to record the three etudes that were used to judge the auditions. Since he had to do that anyway, I figured it would be worth it to preserve them on You Tube. So, below, here are the three etudes, as performed by Bailey. He did great.
