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 #0

Aug 20, 2026

Hello YHS Band Students and Parents,

Welcome to a new school year with the YHS Bands! Whether you are a brand-new family joining us or a returning veteran, I am thrilled to work with you all!

Every week, I’ll send out an e-mail update to keep you in the loop with all things YHS Band. Below, for our first update, you’ll find key details for our upcoming Band Retreat and Ice Cream Social events as well as essential info to set us up for a fantastic year!

YHS BAND RETREAT & ICE CREAM SOCIAL ~ Thursday 8/27 from 3pm-8pm

All YHS Band students are requested to attend. You will need your instrument. Please wear your YHS Band polo. I look forward to welcoming our freshmen and welcoming back our returning students!

  • 3-5:30pm – Small and large group rehearsals and team building
  • 5:30pm – Pizza dinner
  • 6-8pm: 25th annual YHS Music Dept. Ice Cream Social

PARENT VOLUNTEERS AND DONATIONS NEEDED, PLEASE

If you ask the students, they’ll tell you that “Band = Food!” Hosting social times and snack breaks is one of our favorite ways to build community and keep everyone connected. Thank you so much to Ms. Rindone for setting up our volunteer and donation links and thank you all in advance for supporting these events! You can sign up to donate snack items or volunteer your time below:

Band Retreat Sign Up Genius 

Ice Cream Social Sign Up Genius 

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. Log in to see what songs we will be rehearsing at our Band Retreat (and this fall in general). Have fun practicing!

INSTRUMENT RENTALS

Please secure your instrument now to ensure your student has it in time to participate in our 8/27 Band Retreat. Suggested rental companies: 

  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

Each company’s policy is available on their website or by phone. Some also offer rent-to-own options.

**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 – See next page for details

  • Required musical supplies can be purchased online, or at a local music store. 
  • All YHS Band students are required to own our polo shirt for use at events and performances.

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. (https://band.westpoint.edu/events/)  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!

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: Wednesday 9/2 and Wednesday 9/9, 1:45-3:15pm in the Band Room.

Bring your instrument and charged cell phone. Music and snacks will be provided. Late buses are available at 3:30.

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 will be provided. The football game will run from 7-10:00pm

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!

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

PS – Freshmen parents are encouraged to attend our Ice Cream Social on Thursday, 8/27 from 6-8pm. We would love to meet you! Please stop by and introduce yourself to me and to our parent helpers.  Find out about our music program from a parent perspective.

PPS – YHS BANDS LIVE MUSIC ALERT!

Join us this Monday, August 24 at 6:30 PM at Henry Gourdine Park in Ossining for a free outdoor big band concert! Several of our YHS Jazz Band students will be performing as part of the Jazz Forum Lab Band. Grab a blanket, bring the family, and enjoy an evening of music! Click here for event details. 

Emily Kluga
Band Director
Yorktown High School
2727 Crompond Rd.
Yorktown Heights, NY 10598
(914) 243-8050 x.22249

www.yhsbands.com

X and Instagram: @MsKluga and @yhsbands

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