2020 – 2021 BREAKTHROUGH INDOOR PERCUSSION AND INDOOR WINDS SEASON PLANS
August 7, 2020
RE: 2020 – 2021 Breakthrough Indoor Percussion and Indoor Winds Season Plans
To our Breakthrough Organization, the Arizona WGAZ and Greater WGI Winter Communities;
The health, safety, and well-being of our Breakthrough organization and of our Arizona percussion, winds, guard and marching-arts community are and always will be our NUMBER ONE priority!
As we approach the fall marching season and we near the beginning of the winter audition season - our state, our nation, our activity, and our world is faced with many unknowns regarding the COVID-19 pandemic and the public health crisis which has impacted us all. Due to the ever-changing climate in dealing with COVID-19, we are incapable at this time of predicting what WGI, our national circuit, and what WGAZ, our local circuit, will look like - but we will be basing our upcoming season, curriculum, activity, and ensembles on decisions that our own guidelines, WGI, WGAZ and our partners make.
Despite these uncertainties, Breakthrough remains optimistic and positive that we will be able to perform this winter in an engaging format that ALL winter percussion and winds performers will enjoy and thrive in!
The Breakthrough Team is hard at work in developing and refining materials within a structure that will benefit not only our student and performer membership, but also music education programs and educators alike! Breakthrough will be expanding our winter offerings and looking to offer future Breakthrough performers, our local Arizona schools’ music programs, and the marching arts world at large, opportunities that ALL can engage in.
Some opportunities that will be released soon include:
Developing Indoor Percussion and Indoor Winds Program Material
This will be material uniquely for our performing percussion and winds members to learn, with the intention of ultimately performing it in person together (when safety and health guidelines allow for this).
Releasing Audition Materials Free of Charge
To anyone looking to audition for Breakthrough, regardless of what the audition process may look like.
Providing a Virtual, Percussion and Winds Education Curriculum
For all performers that are interested in furthering and expanding their skills and training. This curriculum will likely include a combination of video and/or livestream options. This curriculum would be for percussion and winds teachers as well, to supplement band directors’ and instructors’ efforts and/or to give teachers and instructors more tools to adapt within their own teaching styles.
Curricula Focused on WGI and Marching Percussion, Concert and World Percussion, Dance, Movement, Choreography, and WGI Indoor Winds.
In addition to our virtual percussion education curriculum.
To ensure the highest quality of educational and performance experiences, Breakthrough is 100% committed to the safety and well-being of all of our staff, members, potential members, volunteers, partners and community. We are continuously meeting and continuously assessing the ever-changing status of our circumstances and have plans in place for several different scenarios.
Some of our plans include:
Breakthrough health and safety benchmarks that have been developed and will be rigorously followed to assure and remind everyone of our commitment to the health and safety focus of our organization and all those involved.
Delaying in-person meetings until we are able to ensure the safety of our community and members. As referenced above, we intend to offer a variety of virtual learning opportunities, and when it is determined safe to meet “in person”- we will do so!
Any and all future in-person meetings will abide by all health and safety regulations set by the CDC, local & national health organizations, our own Breakthrough M.D. Medical Advisors, and any and all local & national marching arts circuits. These regulations will demand space for adequate social distancing, wearing masks and other Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) when necessary, and following all cleaning/sanitizing procedures to the highest degree.
By following these guidelines and policies, we will continuously demonstrate that the physical and mental health of our organization is our number one priority! Participants can rest-assured of the safe and healthy environment that all will experience while participating in Breakthrough!
While we are in an unprecedented time, we are excited to have the opportunity to teach, learn, and grow with our percussion and winds community in Arizona!! We are optimistic about the future and look forward to offering both virtual AND in-person opportunities and ensembles! We look forward to sharing more information regarding our season plans as soon as possible!
Stay safe, Stay healthy and we will release more details as soon as possible!
Regards,
Cutler W. Boughn
Executive Director
Breakthrough Indoor Percussion
Breakthrough Indoor Winds