Welcome to the YHS Bands!

A character education program within itself, the YHS Band experience is centered around three key components: musicianship, citizenship, and friendship. Through these, and the magic of music making, we strive to build community and musical excellence!

MUSICIANSHIP

We take great pride in our tradition of musical excellence and service! Daily classes include Concert Band, Wind Ensemble, and weekly pull-out lessons. Jazz Band rehearses one evening a week, with a weekly sectional. Pep Band fires up the crowd at Varsity Football games, and Chamber ensembles rehearse after school. Major ensembles compete in regional festivals, and students shine at the NYSSMA Solo Festival. Highlights include our Winter and Spring Concerts; the Swing Dance Concert (students explore Jazz, improvisation, musical icons, and the pop culture of the Swing Era, learn to dance, and present a full community Swing Dance!); “Bandapalooza” (our district-wide band festival); and musical enrichment with local clinicians.

CITIZENSHIP

A pillar of the YHS Band program is character education; finding ways to make our community better through musical outreach, peer-leadership, and expressing gratitude are all lessons learned in the YHS Band Room. Highlights include: musically honoring our Veterans and First Responders, visiting with local nursing homes and children with special needs, hosting our community at our Swing Dance Concert, hosting 500+ students at our annual district-wide band festival, supporting our music programs through community fundraisers, using part of our fundraising to sponsor a needy child at holiday time, fostering a strong peer-tutoring program and a very active student executive board.

FRIENDSHIP

We strive to create a welcoming and supportive community for all students! Through team-building activities, social events, and the shared joy of making music together, we cultivate a true sense of Family within the Band and across our Music Department. Students form friendships, build leadership skills, and learn teamwork, dedication, and school spirit. Highlights include annual apple picking and ice skating outings, pep rallies, and celebrations. We also strengthen connections through mentoring and shared traditions that keep our community close-knit. Above all, we celebrate the countless “bandtastic” memories that make our program a place where everyone belongs and feels proud to share their talents!

YHS BAND UPDATE #17

Jan 11, 2026

Dear YHS Band Students and Parents,

Lots of updates and reminders to share this week. Read on for all the latest happenings in Band Land!

POLAR PLUNGE THANKS!

This Saturday a group of YHS Performing Arts students participated in the 5th annual Town of Yorktown Polar Plunge fundraising event. Huge thanks to Mrs. Cabral and the First Nighters for supporting our students in this opportunity!

EVENTS THIS WEEK:

HOW TO HOST A SUCCESSFUL GUIDED PRACTICE

Clear guidelines we have been working with all year, but always good to revisit and remind.  The students and I reviewed this document in class this week.

GUIDED PRACTICE / JB SECTIONALS

Sessions are held period 9, unless noted otherwise. I am also always available for help by appointment.

Monday 1/12Horn w/ Gillian, JB Sax, JB Rhythm (p.10)
Tuesday 1/13Flute w/ Ashley and Kate, Trombone with Vincent, JB Trumpet
Wednesday 1/14Percussion w/ Ava and Sofia, Trumpet w/ Devin, JB Trombone (p.10)
Thursday 1/15 
Friday 1/16 

PERIOD “0” JAZZ JAM!

Are you thinking of taking a solo at our Swing Dance concert? Please join me before school to practice improvising. Help yourself develop your skills and a plan for success!

JANUARY LESSON CALENDAR

Is attached, FYI

JAZZ BAND ~ THURSDAY 1/15

Our music, recordings, and clear assignment instructions are posted on Dashboard. I’m looking forward to your progress this Thursday 1/15/25 from 6:50-8:30pm. Happy practicing!

Jazz Band WORLD TOUR – Permission slip attached – please return!:

Wednesday 2/4: Jazz Band’s annual “World Tour of Yorktown” Fieldtrip (7:45-3:00pm, Mohansic, Crompond, Brookside, BOCES Pines Bridge School and MESMS).

**Please purchase a white tie for this event

**Please return the attached permission slip with $20 cash for lunch. Thanks!

SWING DANCE CONCERT ~ PARENT VOLUNTEERS & RAFFLE ITEMS NEEDED, PLEASE

An event unique to YCSD, our fabulous Swing Dance Concert highlights our students and brings generations of our community together. Help is needed to plan this event – please consider volunteering your time or donating to our raffle!

For raffle item help, we are looking for (please):

  • Help asking local businesses or personal corporate contacts for raffle donations
  • Donations of raffle prize items or monetary amounts to help acquire them
  • Products, services, or gift certs/cards from a business you own or are affiliated with
  • Gift certs/cards for local Yorktown businesses (restaurants, salons, shops – big or small!)

Attached is a letter you can use to ask businesses for donations. 

RAFFLE TEAM VOLUNTEERS NEEDED

If you are interested in joining our awesome, fun, and creative Raffle Team, please e-mail me! We do most of our communication via e-mail and plan to meet in person a week before the dance.

Please see our Sign-Up Genius with ways you can help.

SPRING MUSIC FESTIVAL TRIPS ~ FIRST PAYMENT INSTALLMENT DUE

I am so excited to present these festival opportunities to our students! Paperwork will be distributed and reviewed in class on Monday. We are asking for a first payment installment, please, by this Friday 1/16/26.

WIND ENSEMBLE FESTIVAL TRIP

Students in the Wind Ensemble will participate in a trip to Boston, MA  4/20-4/22 to include a performance at Fenway Park (Yankees vs. Red Sox!) and a performance/clinic at Symphony Hall with a member of the Boston Symphony Orchestra.  Cost estimate is $680 per student. Down payment is $250, and will include student citrus earnings.

CONCERT BAND FESTIVAL TRIP

Students in the Concert Band will participate in the 2026 Rhythms International Music Festival at Six Flags Great Adventure on Saturday 5/9/26. Cost estimate is $210 per student. Down payment is $100, and will include student citrus earnings.

PETER & THE WOLF ~ 2nd GRADE ASSEMBLY ~ THURSDAY 1/22

On Thursday 1/22/26, our Wind Ensemble and Concert Orchestra students will host an assembly at YHS for the entire 2nd Grade. Our fabulous music teachers Mrs. Berger (Brookside) and Mrs. Peters (Mohansic) both teach a unit on Peter and the Wolf to help introduce the instruments. 2nd grade students will watch our performance (with narration and storybook images), be able to see the instruments up close, and ask questions. We are so excited for this collaboration!

YHS students – the assembly will run from 1-2pm. Please either plan to take the late bus, or secure a ride home.

BASKETBALL PEP BAND PERFORMANCE ~ FRIDAY 2/6

Come out and support our Huskers and Blythedale Children’s Hospital at YHS’s 5th annual “Charlie Strong” game!

WHEN: Friday 2/6/26. Report at 5:45pm in the Band Room (note the time change!)

BRING: Bring your instrument and charged cell phone.

WEAR: Your YHS Band polo. Music and Snacks will be provided.

GAME: The basketball game will run from 6:45-8:30pm.

SWING DANCE CONCERT – SATURDAY 2/7/26

Our next major event is the fun and fabulous Swing Dance Concert!  Saturday, February 7th 2026 from 7-10:30pm in the YHS Gym. All YHS Band students are required to attend.

Now in its 17th year, the Swing Dance Concert is an eagerly anticipated, well-attended and fun evening for our entire Yorktown community (each year we have many senior citizens and community members attend and enjoy the evening with us!). 

SWING DANCE CONCERT SNOW DATE

Please be aware that the Swing Dance Concert Snow Date is Sunday 2/28.

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

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

Gentlemen 

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

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

Ladies

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

·      Swing Additions: saddle shoes, any color 1940’s style dress as long as it has an appropriate neckline, sleeves, and falls below the knee.  When seated to perform, your skirt must cover your knees.

(Thanks, Samantha and Tyler, for the great example!)

YOUR STUDENT CAN DANCE?

As part of our Jazz curriculum, students study the music from the period and also learn to social dance the Jitterbug. We have had 2 dance lessons so far! Students have learned the social etiquette of dancing with a partner, and a variety of dance moves. We are off to a great start!

As always, please contact me with any questions and thanks for your help and support!

Always Musically Yours,

Ms. Kluga

Our Next Event:

YHS Band Lesson Schedule - DECEMBER 25