Simmons Middle School Band in Hoover, Alabama. Simmons Middle School Band Hoover, Alabama We are BUCS: Building Unity, Character, and Success UPCOMING EVENTS: May 7-8: 7th and 8th Grade Spring Band Trip May 12: Spring Fine Arts Showcase May 12: Spring Band Concert at the HHS Performing Arts Center May 13: 6th Grade Beginning Band Showcase at the HHS Performing Arts Center May 11 and 18: Rising 6th Grade Instrument Selection Band Calendar HOME PARENTS BAND CALENDAR PRIVATE LESSONS DAILY SUPPLY LISTS STUDENT INFORMATION ABOUT OUR BAND ENSEMBLES DIRECTOR OF BANDS ASSOCIATE DIRECTOR OF BANDS CONTACT Search Results

Associate Director of Bands for Simmons Middle School, Brandon Key. HOME PARENTS BAND CALENDAR PRIVATE LESSONS DAILY SUPPLY LISTS STUDENT INFORMATION ABOUT OUR BAND ENSEMBLES DIRECTOR OF BANDS ASSOCIATE DIRECTOR OF BANDS CONTACT Search Results Hailey McCollum, Associate Director of Bands Mrs. McCollum is very excited to be part of the Simmons Band Family! She has lived in Charlotte, North Carolina for the past 4 years and is overjoyed to be back home. Mrs. McCollum grew up in Birmingham and attended the University of North Alabama. Mrs. McCollum is an outstanding flute player, and has five years of experience teaching band in Alabama and North Carolina. She and her husband, Ian, have a very spoiled toy poodle named Dexter and a super cute cat named Cricket! Mrs. McCollum is so ready to meet all of the wonderful musicians at Simmons!

Learn about the different ensembles in the Simmons Middle School Band. HOME PARENTS BAND CALENDAR PRIVATE LESSONS DAILY SUPPLY LISTS STUDENT INFORMATION ABOUT OUR BAND ENSEMBLES DIRECTOR OF BANDS ASSOCIATE DIRECTOR OF BANDS CONTACT Search Results Honor Band The Honor Band at Simmons is made of up of 7th and 8th grade students in the middle school band program with either one or two years of experience. Honor band students have to complete a rigorous series of pass off lines to be selected as part of the Honor Band. Honor Band is the top performing ensemble at Simmons Middle School performing at several honor band festivals, school and community events, and recruiting events for the band program. Concert Band Concert Band is made up of 7th and 8th grade students in the Simmons Middle School Band. The Concert Band is our intermediate level concert band program that focuses on the fundamentals of playing music, and students taking their musicianship to the next level. The concert band is made of primarily second year 7th grade students and some third year 8th grade students. The concert has consistently made superior ratings and the music performance assessment and performs at all band sponsored concerts. Beginning Band Simmons is proud to offer beginning band to both 6th grade students and 7th grade students. Our beginning band is made of up over 120 6th grade students each year excited about learning their new instrument. Beginning band is where students learn the fundamentals of music and band. No previous band or music experience is required to be in beginning band. It is open to anyone! The beginning band performs at all band-sponsored concerts. Jazz Band Jazz band is open to all 8th grade students to take as a class during the school day. Any student that plays saxophone, trombone, trumpet, piano, guitar, bass guitar, mallet percussion, and drum set are welcome to be in jazz band.

Director of Bands for Simmons Middle School, Matthew Chambless. HOME PARENTS BAND CALENDAR PRIVATE LESSONS DAILY SUPPLY LISTS STUDENT INFORMATION ABOUT OUR BAND ENSEMBLES DIRECTOR OF BANDS ASSOCIATE DIRECTOR OF BANDS CONTACT Search Results Matthew Chambless, Director of Bands Matthew Chambless began his teaching career in 2014 and is the Director of Bands at Simmons Middle School where his teaching responsibilities include Honor Band, Jazz Band, and co-teaching beginning band and concert band. Mr.Chambless has held positions at Chickasaw High School, Holtville Middle School/High School, and Double Springs Middle School/Winston County High School. Bands under the direction of Mr. Chambless have consistently received superior ratings at marching band competitions and have received superior ratings at the Alabama Music Performance Assessment. In 2019 the Simmons Middle School Honor Band was selected as a guest performance ensemble at The University of Alabama Middle School Honor Band. Mr. Chambless holds membership in the National Association for Music Education, Alabama Bandmasters Association, and the Alabama Education Association. In 2021 Mr. Chambless gave a clinic at the Alabama Music Educators Association Conference, “A Comprehensive Pass Off System for the Urban and Rural School System”. Mr. Chambless earned a Bachelor of Science degree in Instrumental Music Education from The University of Alabama, and a Master of Music Education degree from Central Washington University. During his tenure at Alabama, Mr. Chambless was an active performer and held positions with the Million Dollar Band, Alabama Wind Ensemble, Alabama Symphonic Band, Huxford Symphony Orchestra, Alabama Jazz Ensemble, Alabama Brass Choir, and the Alabama Trumpet Ensemble, where he served as the conductor of the trumpet ensemble in 2013. Mr. Chambless is still an active trumpet performer who has previously held a position in the Shoals Symphony Orchestra and is now an active member of the community band Alabama Winds. Mr. Chambless currently performs at many churches in the Birmingham, AL area. Mr. Chambless enjoys playing tennis, spending time with friends and family, and traveling. Mr. Chambless is married to Victoria Chambless, who is an outstanding flute player and the Associate Director of Bands at Pizitz Middle School. As a native of Hoover, AL, and a product of Hoover City Schools, Mr. Chambless is thrilled to be teaching in Hoover City Schools and serving as the Director of Bands at Simmons Middle School.

Contact the Simmons Middle School Band Program. HOME PARENTS BAND CALENDAR PRIVATE LESSONS DAILY SUPPLY LISTS STUDENT INFORMATION ABOUT OUR BAND ENSEMBLES DIRECTOR OF BANDS ASSOCIATE DIRECTOR OF BANDS CONTACT Search Results CONTACT Phone: 205-439-2161 1575 Chapel Road Hoover, AL 35226 Email: Director of Bands- Matthew Chambless-mchambless@hoover.k12.al.us Associate Director of Bands-Hailey McCollum- hmccollum@hoover.k12.al.us Send Success! Message received.

Hoover, Alabama HOME PARENTS BAND CALENDAR PRIVATE LESSONS DAILY SUPPLY LISTS STUDENT INFORMATION ABOUT OUR BAND ENSEMBLES DIRECTOR OF BANDS ASSOCIATE DIRECTOR OF BANDS CONTACT Search Results

Hoover, Alabama HOME PARENTS BAND CALENDAR PRIVATE LESSONS DAILY SUPPLY LISTS STUDENT INFORMATION ABOUT OUR BAND ENSEMBLES DIRECTOR OF BANDS ASSOCIATE DIRECTOR OF BANDS CONTACT Search Results Click here for the band handbook

Students can access this page to see the latest updates on music they are playing in class and on smart music. HOME PARENTS BAND CALENDAR PRIVATE LESSONS DAILY SUPPLY LISTS STUDENT INFORMATION ABOUT OUR BAND ENSEMBLES DIRECTOR OF BANDS ASSOCIATE DIRECTOR OF BANDS CONTACT Search Results Are you a beginner band student and wanting to practice your note reading? Choose the button below! Note Reading Make sure that you have joined your classes flip. Below is a link to the pass off system for you to complete on flip! SMS Pass Off System

Hoover, Alabama HOME PARENTS BAND CALENDAR PRIVATE LESSONS DAILY SUPPLY LISTS STUDENT INFORMATION ABOUT OUR BAND ENSEMBLES DIRECTOR OF BANDS ASSOCIATE DIRECTOR OF BANDS CONTACT Search Results Simmons Band Daily Supply List *All Beginning Band students are required to have Essential Elements, Book 1 for their assigned instrument. *All Concert and Honor Band students are required to have Essential Elements, Book 2 for their assigned instrument. Flute 1. soft polishing cloth 2. tuning rod 3. your instrument Clarinet & Saxophone 1. minimum of four reeds (Vandoren 2 ½-3 strength) 2. reed guard 3. swab 4. mouthpiece brush 5. your instrument Trumpet, French Horn, Baritone, & Tuba 1. valve oil 2. soft polishing cloth 3. mouthpiece brush 4. cleaning snake 5. your instrument (french horns, baritones, and tubas provided by the school; $100 rental fee per year) Trombone 1. Slide-O-Mix slide lubricant 2. soft polishing cloth 3. mouthpiece brush 4. cleaning snake 5. your instrument Percussion Beginning Band Percussion 1. your percussion kit -SD1 General snare drum sticks -bell or xylophone mallets -practice pad -bell or xylophone set -stand for practice pad and bell or xylophone set Concert and Honor Band Percussion 1. SD1 General snare drum sticks 2. bell or xylophone mallets 3. medium-hard marimba mallets 4. stick bag in which to store sticks and mallets 5. T1 timpani mallets 6. Practice pad and snare pad The following music stores carry the supplies listed above. Feel free to use whichever store is most convenient: Art’s Music Shop on Hwy. 280 in Inverness (phone: 205.995.8376) Gadsden Music Company in Hoover on Valleydale Road (phone: 205.982.3004)

Information for band parents on the band calendar, trips, supplies for class, private lessons, and more! HOME PARENTS BAND CALENDAR PRIVATE LESSONS DAILY SUPPLY LISTS STUDENT INFORMATION ABOUT OUR BAND ENSEMBLES DIRECTOR OF BANDS ASSOCIATE DIRECTOR OF BANDS CONTACT Search Results Private Lessons Having a significant portion of students taking private lessons from a specialist on their specific instrument is a key component to a successful band program, and we strongly encourage this for all of our band students. We also understand not every student/parent wants to make that extra investment of time and finances that taking private lessons requires. However, we do want to make private lessons more accessible to our students and parents from a time and financial standpoint. To that end, here are the details about our private lesson program: Students are not required to participate in this program. Enrollment will be open from now through August 24, and the private lessons will begin the week of August 31st. Students who do participate in this program will receive one weekly private lesson from a specialized instructor on their specific instrument. Private lesson instructors all undergo the same background checks as other teachers in the school. Lessons will take place at school during band class on a set day each week. The cost of enrolling in this program is $600 per year. This can be paid all at once, or in two $300 per semester installments, or in monthly payments of $75, and can be paid using secure4.myschoolfees.com. By enrolling in this program, students/parents commit to attending their private lessons at their designated times, practicing the material covered in their private lessons, and paying the full enrollment fee. Students enrolled in this program are required to try out for the all-state band on Saturday, January 30th at Hoover High School. If a student/parent is willing to make the time commitment to taking private lessons but is unable to make the financial commitment, please communicate that directly to Mr. Chambless. We want every student who is willing to put in the extra time and effort and wants to take private lessons to be able to do so. Private lesson slots will be filled on a first-come, first-served basis, so the earlier the online enrollment form is completed, the better. PLEASE CLICK HERE TO REGISTER YOUR CHILD FOR OUR PRIVATE LESSON PROGRAM! Our hope is that this makes taking private lessons more attainable for anyone who wants to participate, from a time and financial standpoint. Seeking out private lessons independently would typically cost twice as much or more per student and would require students/parents to travel to and from the private teacher's specific teaching location, so this is a great bargain!

About the 285 member Simmons Middle School Band. HOME PARENTS BAND CALENDAR PRIVATE LESSONS DAILY SUPPLY LISTS STUDENT INFORMATION ABOUT OUR BAND ENSEMBLES DIRECTOR OF BANDS ASSOCIATE DIRECTOR OF BANDS CONTACT Search Results The Simmons Middle School band is made up of 285 of the best students that Simmons Middle School has to offer with two concert bands (honor band and concert band), jazz band, and our beginning band program. Simmons Middle School is one of two feeder programs into the award-winning Hoover High School Band, and the only Title One secondary school in Hoover City Schools. All of the bands at Simmons Middle School have enjoyed musical success, consistently earning superior ratings at the Music Performance Assessment and the Solo and Ensemble Festival. Additionally, the Honor Band has been selected to perform at The University of Alabama Honor Band Festival, the Southeastern United States Honor Band Festival at Troy University, and the Music for All Southeastern Regional. Band is an extraordinary outlet for students throughout the course of the school day, and a place where they feel they belong. In the Simmons Band, we truly believe in the family atmosphere of being in the band and want to build every student up for musical and personal success. We value the trusting relationship that we have with the Hoover Community to ensure that every student has access to the highest quality music education.

Hoover, Alabama Instrument Selection: May 11th and 18th 2026, SMS Lower Gym CLICK HERE TO SIGN UP FOR AN INSTRUMENT SELECTION TIME SLOT Welcome to the Simmons Band! We are thrilled to welcome 142 new students into our band family this year. This is one of the most exciting times of the year for your students to try out band instruments, and see which one will be the best for them. A few notes about instrument selection: Please only sign up for one slot for your student. Please arrive at the time that you signed up. If you come earlier it could make the lines too long! Instrument selection is in the Lower Gym at Simmons Middle School. Expect the process of trying out all of the instruments to take 45 minutes. When your student is done trying all of the instruments we will decide on a first and second instrument choice for them. We will email everyone in July about their students instrument choice and how to get set up with a band instrument. We are here to help make this an exciting and enjoyable experience for your students! For any questions please contact Mr. Chambless @ mchambless@hoover.k12.al.us Instrument Selection Timeline Sign up for instrument selection May 5th and 6th from 4:30-7:30 PM Notification of students first choice of instrument/how to get set up with an instrument for next school year in July. Beginning Band Jump Start, Saturday August 22nd from 9:00 AM-12:00 PM at Simmons. This is required for all beginning band students.