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Bandapalooza IV is This Friday 3/24!

INFO:

* Students, please arrive by 5:50pm.

* Please wear long black pants and a white shirt.

* Please bring a FOLDING MUSIC STAND if you own one.  Put your name on it so we can return it to you.

 

PARENT HELP NEEDED!

To make the evening successful, we need about 20 YHS Band parent helpers!  Please refer to the e-mail from YHS Band parent organizer Jennifer Weitman outlining how you can help.

 

STUDENT HELP NEEDED!

Many, many students are needed to help set up the 500 chairs, help mentor the younger students, and to clean up after the concert.  Sign up sheets are available in the band room (Student Help time-slots are from 1:30 – 4:30, and 7:00 – 8:30). As always, your student’s extra efforts are worth extra credit!

 

With your help, Bandapalooza IV will be an inspiring musical experience!  Thank you so much, as always, for your amazing support!!!  We are very grateful for the parents understanding, the support of the administration, and all the hard work involved to make this event (and all of our events) happen for our students!

2017 NYSSMA

The NYSSMA (New York State School Music Association) solo festival is a wonderful opportunity for your student to grow as a musician, gain confidence, earn the full 5 extra credit points, and possibly be selected to perform in an ensemble with the best band students in all of Westchester. To participate, students prepare scales, a solo and sight-reading.  At the festival, students will perform for a judge who will give them a score and comments.  This quarter, all band students will be learning a NYSSMA solo as part of their lesson homework (so if they are interested in participating in NYSSMA, or auditioning for Wind Ensemble (see below), they will have the necessary tools to do so).

 

NYSSMA Festival Dates: Friday – Saturday May 19 – 20, 2017

Location: Somers HS

NYSSMA Forms are available in the band room.  COMPLETED FORMS ARE DUE FRIDAY 3/24 (forms are attached, if needed).

 

Wind Ensemble Auditions

Auditions for the 2017-2018 Wind Ensemble will take place 5/22 – 5/26 (Monday- Friday).  Students wishing to audition should review the audition information sheet (attached) with you.  If your student is interested in auditioning, I strongly suggest that they also participate in NYSSMA.  The Wind Ensemble audition information sheet/permission slip is attached and is also available in the band room.  FORMS ARE DUE FRIDAY 4/21.

Summer Music Camps

A fantastic opportunity for your child to experience a week (or more!) of musical study, surrounded by college level teachers, enthusiastic counselors, and new band friends from other towns, counties, and states!  A huge variety of camps are available (both near and far!).  An informational handout is attached.  Please contact Ms. Kluga with questions.

Bandapalooza IV

On Friday, March 10th, the YCSD Band Program will host the fourth annual District Band Concert from 6:30 – 7:30 pm in the YHS Gym.  All band students grades 5-12 will participate.  We hope this will be a wonderful experience for all of our students – fostering positive relationships between all levels, and allowing our youngest band students and their parents to see the full progression of our band program.

 

INFO:

* Students, please arrive by 5:50pm.

* Please wear long black pants and a white shirt.

* Please bring a FOLDING MUSIC STAND if you own one.  Put your name on it so we can return it to you.

 

PURPOSE:

The purpose of the evening is to reach our younger band students and their parents.  We want to show them the full progression of our YCSD band program, and give them the experience of hearing what awaits their children if they stick with band.

 

However, as in past years, due to fire codes and the possibility of exceeding the maximum gym capacity, we ask that YHS band parents and families please not attend this concert as audience members.  I apologize for this and thank you for your understanding.  If it is any consolation, we will be performing selections you have already heard at our Swing Dance.

 

However, if you are interested in volunteering that evening, and helping us achieve this intensely logistical feat, we would love your help!

 

PARENT HELP NEEDED!

To make the evening successful, we need about 20 YHS Band parent helpers!  Please refer to the e-mail from YHS Band parent organizer Jennifer Weitman outlining how you can help.

 

STUDENT HELP NEEDED!

Many, many students are needed to help set up the 500 chairs, help mentor the younger students, and to clean up after the concert.  Sign up sheets are available in the band room (Student Help time-slots are from 1:30 – 4:30, and 7:00 – 8:30). As always, your student’s extra efforts are worth extra credit!  Thank you in advance!!

 

With your help, Bandapalooza IV will be an inspiring musical experience!  Thank you so much, as always, for your amazing support!!!  We are very grateful for the parents understanding, the support of the administration, and all the hard work involved to make this event (and all of our events) happen for our students!

Wind Ensemble Final Trip Payment Due

Last week in class, each WE student was given paperwork outlining their final payment information for our upcoming Philly Festival trip.  If possible, we are please asking for the final payment by this Friday 3/10.  Thank you and please let Ms. Kluga know if you have any questions.

 

Thank you so much, as always, for your support!

Bandapalooza IV

On Friday, March 10th, the YCSD Band Program will host the fourth annual District Band Concert from 6:30 – 7:30 pm in the YHS Gym.  All band students grades 5-12 will participate.  We hope this will be a wonderful experience for all of our students – fostering positive relationships between all levels, and allowing our youngest band students and their parents to see the full progression of our band program.

 

INFO:

* Students, please arrive by 5:50pm.

* Please wear long black pants and a white shirt.

* Please bring a FOLDING MUSIC STAND if you own one.  Put your name on it so we can return it to you.

 

PURPOSE:

The purpose of the evening is to reach our younger band students and their parents.  We want to show them the full progression of our YCSD band program, and give them the experience of hearing what awaits their children if they stick with band.

 

However, as in past years, due to fire codes and the possibility of exceeding the maximum gym capacity, we ask that YHS band parents and families please not attend this concert as audience members.  I apologize for this and thank you for your understanding.  If it is any consolation, we will be performing selections you have already heard at our Swing Dance.

 

However, if you are interested in volunteering that evening, and helping us achieve this intensely logistical feat, we would love your help!

 

PARENT HELP NEEDED!

To make the evening successful, we need about 20 YHS Band parent helpers!  Please refer to the coming e-mail from YHS Band parent organizer Jennifer Weitman outlining how you can help.

 

STUDENT HELP NEEDED!

Many, many students are needed to help set up the 500 chairs, help mentor the younger students, and to clean up after the concert.  Sign up sheets are available in the band room (Student Help time-slots are from 1:30 – 4:30, and 7:00 – 8:30). As always, your student’s extra efforts are worth extra credit!

 

With your help, Bandapalooza IV will be an inspiring musical experience!  Thank you so much, as always, for your amazing support!!!  We are very grateful for the parents understanding, the support of the administration, and all the hard work involved to make this event (and all of our events) happen for our students!

Swing Dance General Info

What: Valentine’s Swing Dance Concert

When: Saturday 2/11

Time: Dance Lesson 7-8pm / Music and Dancing 8-10:30pm

Where: YHS Gym

Cost: $10 for adults / $5 for students and seniors.  Tickets sold at the door.  YHS Band students are free.

 

WHEN TO ARRIVE:

Jazz Band – arrive by 5:30 for our sound check. (PLEASE be prompt!)

Students interested in participating in the dance lesson – please arrive at 6:45pm.

Students NOT interested in participating in the dance lesson, please arrive no later than 7:30pm.

Upon arrival ALL STUDENTS should place their instruments/cases/coats/etc in their designated warm up room (Rooms TBA).  AT THAT TIME STUDENTS WILL HAVE THEIR HAND STAMPED FOR FREE ENTRANCE INTO THE DANCE.

 

SWING ERA ATTIRE ENCOURAGED (For both adults and students!)

Get into the “swing” of things and have fun dressing up in 1940’s garb!

 

SWING CONCERT DRESS FOR STUDENTS

In lieu of the usual concert black, Swing Era attire is encouraged!  Here are some ideas:

 

Boys

Usual Concert Attire: Black pants, long sleeved button down black shirt, black shoes, black socks

AND/OR Swing Additions: fedora hats, suspenders, solid color or pin striped shirts, colorful ties, spats, jackets.

 

Girls

Usual Concert Attire: Black top (appropriate neck-line, no spaghetti straps or sleeveless tops), black skirt or dress (appropriately below the knee), or black pants.

 

AND/OR Swing Additions: Girls are welcome to wear any color 1940’s style dress as long as it has an appropriate neckline, sleeves, and falls below the knee.  Other ideas are: swing-y skirts, polka dots, pin-curls, a flower in their hair, seamed stockings, saddle shoes, 1940’s style hat and gloves.

Parent and Student Help Needed!

STUDENTS:

We have many homemade decorations planned for our event and will need lots of help to create them!  All students are invited:

  1. After school Monday, Tuesday, Thursday and Friday this week from 1:30 – 3:00 to help craft our decorations.
  2. To help decorate the gym on Saturday 2/11 from 10:00am – 4:00pm.
  3. To CLEAN UP from 10:30-11:30pm.

 

Sign-up sheets for all above dates and times are available in the band room.  As always, students will receive extra credit for their extra efforts!  Thank you in advance for donating your time to make our event a success for our learning community, and our greater Yorktown Heights community!

 

PARENTS:

Please visit http://donate.yhsbands.com/swingdance to donate a food item, or to help chaperone.  Questions?  Please contact (Band Aid Core Helper) Margaret Serafin ([email protected]) or Ms. Kluga.

Your Student can Dance (!?)

The students and Ms. Kluga are very excited to perform our music for you!  And, in case they haven’t shared, we have all been learning how to swing dance in class one day each week for the past 5 weeks.  ALL YHS band students are now equipped with about 10 stunning swing dance moves which Ms. Kluga hopes they will use at our event!  (All they have to do now is get up the courage to ask someone to dance 🙂

 

Also, on Thursday 2/9 during Concert Band and Wind Ensemble, professional swing dance instructors Bill Kline and Katrine Bangsgaard (from Swing and Samba Dance Studio) will be visiting YHS to work with our students.

Bandapalooza IV is Friday 3/10

On Friday, March 10th, the YCSD Band Program will hold it’s 4th Annual Town-Wide Band Concert (a.k.a. BANDAPALOOZA!) in the YHS Gym.  All band students grades 5-12 will participate.  This is a wonderful experience for all of our students – fostering positive relationships between all levels, and allowing our youngest band students and parents to see the full progression of our band program.

 

As in years past, due to fire codes and the possibility of exceeding the maximum gym capacity, we ask that YHS band parents and families please not attend this concert as audience members.  Ms. Kluga apologizes for this and thanks you for your understanding.  (If it is any consolation, the YHS Concert Band and Wind Ensemble students will each be performing a selection that you will already have heard at our Swing Dance).  However, we do need parent volunteers.  If you are interested in helping us achieve this intensely logistical feat, we would love your help!  Please e-mail Ms. Kluga.

 

 

Please contact Ms. Kluga with any questions and looking forward to a fun concert & community event!