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 #9

Nov 1, 2026

Welcome to November! Amazingly, here we are in the final week of quarter #1, and the holiday season (and concert season!) are also close at hand. Please read on for important reminders.

HALLOWEEN COSTUME CONTEST

Such a fun YHS Band tradition! Winners from each class receive half of my citrus order. The overall student with the highest score wins the right for their section to decorate our class mascot, Otis, for the month of November. Congrats to the flute section for winning this honor!

YHS music teachers went as the Practice Police ready to “serve and correct” your notes, rhythms, intonation and tempo! 

WINTER CONCERT REMINDERS

Our YHS Band Winter Concert will take place Tuesday, December 8th at 7pm in the YHS auditorium. Students will be asked to arrive by 6:30pm (Jazz Band at 5:45pm) for sound check.

At YHS, we wear dressy black attire for concerts – we call it “Concert Black.”  This was outlined in our Band Handbook from September.

·       Top: Long-sleeved professional button-down black shirt or blouse with sleeves and an appropriate neckline

·       Bottom: Long black dress pants or a black skirt that falls below the knee

·       Shoes & Socks: Black dress shoes and solid black socks or tights (no white socks, please!)

VIDEO ASSESSMENT #1 LATER THIS MONTH

·       Details: Students will be recorded during their individual lessons to evaluate progress and readiness for our December concert. I will provide both verbal and written feedback.

·       Preparation: Instructions will be covered in class and posted on Google Classroom and Dashboard. Guided practice sessions and 1-on-1 appointments are available for extra support.

·       Week 8 Practice Milestone: Practicing 15–30 minutes daily adds up to 13+ hours so far! This consistency builds muscle memory, solidifies habits, and boosts musical independence.

EVENTS THIS WEEK:

GUIDED PRACTICE / JAZZ BAND SECTIONALS

Offered weekly and hosted by our YHS Band elders (thank you!). Students who lead or attend a session receive 1 point of extra credit. Sessions are held period 9, unless noted otherwise. I am also always available for help by appointment.

Monday 11/2JB Rhythm p.9, JB Trumpet p.9
Tuesday 11/3 
Wednesday 11/4JB Trombone p.9, JB Sax p.9
Thursday 11/5 
Friday 11/6 

PERIOD “0” JAZZ JAM!

Please join me before school (from 7:10…or whenever you get off the bus… until the first bell) to practice improvising. Help yourself develop your skills and a plan for success!

JAZZ BAND REHEARSAL #7 – THURSDAY 11/5

Nice work tonight giving yourselves feedback from our rehearsal recordings. It’s always ear-opening to hear yourself from a listener’s perspective! Your assignment this week is: #1 – Run Fly Me to the Moon. Play along with the rehearsal recording.  #2 – Use A-CCOMPANY to learn m.103-end of Sandu. Solo your personal track and practice along to guide you in exactly how your part should sound. #3 – Learn the notes and rhythms for Groovin’ Hard m.1-53. Saxes learn m.1-70.  Attend your sectionals: Mon. 11/2 Rhythm p.9, Trumpets p.9, Wed. 11/4 Trombone p.9, Saxes p.9.Please arrive by 6:50 so we can be warmed up and tuned to start promptly at 7:00. Thanks!

NOVEMBER LESSON SCHEDULE

See attached. Wind Ensemble students are group 1, Concert Band students are group 2.

CITRUS SALE IS ENDING 11/13 ~ PLEASE SUPPORT!

Ordering info is attached and is available on Dashboard and Google Classroom.  We are asking each music student to please sell at least 10 boxes. Thank you for your help making our fundraiser a success!

  1. Friday, November 13th is the deadline for all orders.
  1. Friday, December 11th is FRUIT DELIVERY DAY. Our fruit orders will be delivered to YHS by truck.  Students are responsible for picking up their entire order and then delivering to their customers. Pick-up hours are 2:30 – 6:30pm.  Parent and student volunteers will be needed all day (7am-7pm) to help unload and sort our orders. Please save the date!  

https://floridafruitstore.com/YorktownHSBand

UPCOMING EVENTS:

APPLYING TO MUSIC SCHOOLS PRESENTATION – 11/8/26

Is your student interested in studying music in college? This informative online presentation is being hosted by The Juilliard School, Eastman School of Music, and Ithaca College School of Music, Theatre, and Dance. The link to register is here.

Please also see the attached flyer (which I offered at Back to School Night), with similar information.

FREE YONKERS PHILHARMONIC CONCERT – SUNDAY 11/15

Click here for info

WESTCHESTER SYMPHONIC WINDS CONCERT – SUNDAY 11/22

Click here for info (I can get free tickets for students – just send me an e-mail!)

CLOSING THOUGHTS FROM COMPOSER RANDALL STANDRIDGE

Mr. Standridge is the most prolific and popular composer for MS and HS band right now.  Your students have played his music here in Yorktown. His words are powerful and really resonated with me, so I wanted to share them.

Screenshot

Thank you all for your support! Hope that everyone enjoyed a fun Halloween!

Musically Yours,

Ms. Kluga

Our Next Event:

YHS MUSIC: CITRUS SALE 2026

CITRUS SALE ~ Thurs. 10/1 – Wed. 11/13 Please support our 23rd annual Citrus Sale! Ordering info was reviewed in class, is attached, and is...

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YHS Band Lesson Schedule - NOVEMBER 26