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!

BAND UPDATE #0.5: AUGUST THANK YOU AND REMINDERS

Aug 28, 2026

Hello YHS Band Students and Parents,

It was so much fun welcoming back our awesome music students at yesterday’s Retreat and Ice Cream Social! What a pleasure seeing our students—and parents—connect, build community, and kick off the year on such a high note (ha!). Many thanks to our student leaders, parent volunteers, and First Nighters for their help making this event a success – we could not offer these fun activities without your support!

Special shout out of thanks to Ms. Rindone for running our two SUGs and to Mrs. Jones for ordering and delivering the pizza for the Band Retreat!!

BAND POLO DELIVERY

Thank you for your patience as we wait for our order to be delivered! Shirts should be distributed in class next week.

STAY CONNECTED WITH THE YHS BANDS!

Please take a moment to register on our website so you don’t miss out on important updates, event schedules, lesson info, and weekly emails. We want to ensure every student has everything they need to succeed this year—help us keep your family in the know!

* New YHS Band Students – Go to register.yhsbands.com

* Returning YHS Band Students – login to your Dashboard at my.yhsbands.com and confirm/update you and your family’s info. Reminder: Your login is the first part of your @yorktown.org address (ex. [email protected] would be “john.smith”). Forgot your password? Change it at login.

NEW MUSIC ON DASHBOARD!

Once your registration is complete, students will have access to our sheet music and recordings for Concert Band, Wind Ensemble, Jazz Band, and Pep Band. Have fun practicing!

INSTRUMENT RENTALS

Please secure your instrument now to ensure your student can participate in class from day #1! Suggested rental companies are: 

1.     Music and Arts Centers          Bedford Hills (Drop-off service to YCSD)    914-241-0689

2.     Radovitch and Dean               Carmel                                                            845-225-4515

3.     Ardsley Music                        Ardsley                                                           914-693-6639

**For students who play tuba, euphonium, trombone, tenor sax, bari sax, bass clarinet, bassoon, French horn, or oboe, YHS-owned equipment is available. The rental fee is $150, checks made payable to YCSD.  To reserve, please e-mail me your child’s name and instrument.

REQUIRED SUPPLIES

·       Required musical supplies can be purchased online, or at a local music store. See attached list.

·       All YHS Band students are required to own our polo shirt for use at events and performances.

PEP BAND REHEARSALS AND FIRST PERFORMANCE!

Let’s get ready for our first Varsity Football Pep Band performance of the season!  Please join us for two after school rehearsals – where we will play fun pop music, have snacks (because Band = Food), and enjoy time together. 

Pep Band Rehearsals: Bring your instrument. Music and snacks provided. Late buses at 3:30.

·      Thursday 9/3 (NOTE this date has change from Wed. 9/2!) @ 1:45-3:15pm Band Room

·      Wednesday 9/9 @ 1:45-3:15pm Band Room

·      Snacks needed, please. If you can send in individually wrapped nut-free snacks, please e-mail me. Thanks!

Pep Band Performance #1: Thursday 9/10. Report at 5:30pm in the Band Room. Bring your instrument and charged cell phone. Music and Snacks provided. Football game 7-10:00pm

YHS BAND SUMMER SOCIAL ~ Monday 9/7 ~ West Point Labor Day Celebration

Join me as I bring my own family to enjoy this amazing (and free!) West Point concert at Trophy Point park – a gorgeous outdoor venue overlooking the Hudson.  Bring a blanket, a picnic, and arrive early to get through security. Check out their website for more details.  E-mail me if you are planning to attend and you’d like to sit with our group – we will have a YHS Band section!

JOIN THE FIRST NIGHTERS!

As the Huskers are to YHS athletics, the First Nighters is a parent group whose mission is to support our YHS Performing Arts programs.  Their sponsorship form is attached. Please consider joining!

CONGRATS YHS JAZZ BAND STUDENTS!

Bravo to our student musicians who performed alongside the pros in Monday’s Jazz Forum Arts Jazz Lab Concert in the Park! This event wrapped up months of shared rehearsals and amazing mentorship. So grateful for this unforgettable opportunity!

OPPORTUNITIES OF INTEREST:

Questions? I’m happy to help.  Enjoy the rest of the summer and I look forward to working with you all!

Musically Yours,

Ms. Kluga

Our Next Event:

No current Lesson Schedule found. Please visit the Student Dashboard for the latest information.