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 #29

Apr 27, 2026

Dear YHS Band Parents and Students,

Here we are… knee-deep into our festival and concert season!  Students, take a moment and think back to September (or for our seniors, back to your freshman year…) and recognize how much you have grown! I am so proud of you and our year so far together!

Musicianship, Citizenship, and Friendship are the pillars of our program.  I love how the following quote sums that up and more – everyone is an important part of our team!

“Like a sports team, Band students spend hours practicing together each week, working to improve.  Band students strive to perfect their music for a performance that will last about 4 minutes per song – and each performance is a big deal, the “big game” if you will.  The Band gets 4 minutes to showcase what they’ve collectively spent hundreds of hours working on. Not 4 quarters, 2 halves, or 9 innings…just a few minutes. If someone gets confused or is not quite sure of their music, there is no opportunity to call a time-out and get clarification or try a different play. And, after the performance is over, there is no “player of the week” or MVP for an outstanding individual performance.

Band is purely a team activity where everyone works hard for the good of the group. And that is extremely awesome!

WIND ENSEMBLE BOSTON FESTIVAL TRIP CONGRATS AND THANKS!

Congratulations to our WE students for their SUPERIOR performance on (and off!) the festival stage this week! They served as stellar ambassadors for YCSD, and were complimented on their musicality, professionalism, and good citizenship. Bravo! It was a pleasure to spend time with you.

Monday evening, we arrived in Boston for dinner and then team-building time “questing” at Boda Borg. On Tuesday we spent the entire day exploring this historic city; a guided walking tour of the Freedom Trail, lunch at Faneuil Hall, a visit to the Boston Tea Party ship and museum (a highlight!), and then the Red Sox vs. Yankees game at Fenway. Wednesday morning, it was time to focus on our adjudication. Upon arriving at Boston Latin High School (the oldest public HS in the US), we were greeted by our adjudicators – the conductors of the bands at Harvard and Boston College (!!). Then, it was time for our performance and clinic – what an incredible musical experience, I’m so proud of our students for their superior musicianship!

Special thanks to our awesome chaperones; Mr. Altman, Mrs. Jacobs, and Mrs. Mezzancello for all of their help and support making our festival trip a success!  Thanks also to the parents who drove to Boston to help their students participate as part of our musical team. And, thank you to all who so generously sent in snacks and water!

In addition to these musical experiences, festival trips are also special because of the quality time spent with our “Band Family.”  What wonderful memories the students made together!  And, special to this year, shared memories with our new friends from Sleepy Hollow HS! Also, for our soon to be graduates, we had such a fun seniors-only after curfew pizza party.   The stories, memories, and laughter you shared made me feel so proud that the YCSD Music Department has impacted your lives so positively, and so very lucky to have had the chance to work with you these past four years!

Bravo to all!

IT’S GO TIME ~ WE AUDITIONS, CB FESTIVAL & NYSSMA SOLO FESTIVAL

·      Drill your scales/rudiments

·      Work on the sections of our CB festival music/your solo that still need attention

·      Run your solo from top to bottom without stopping to fix

·      Practice sight reading factory. You will be glad you did!

NYSSMA REMINDER: Make sure you have purchased an original of your music to bring with you to your audition. (Ms. Kluga has a limited number of originals that you can borrow – first come first served – please see me to sign one out!).

Performance permits and your original paperwork will be distributed the week of NYSSMA.

EVENTS THIS WEEK:

GUIDED PRACTICE / JB SECTIONALS

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

NYSSMA Solo help (or any help!) by appointment.

Monday 4/27 
Tuesday 4/28JB Sax, Trumpet w/Gillian
Wednesday 4/29 
Thursday 4/30JB Trumpet p.10
Friday 5/1 

WIND ENSEMBLE AUDITIONS TUES-THURS 4/28 – 4/30

We reviewed the sign-up and blind audition process last week in class. Similar to NYSSMA preparation, do a good warm-up, practice scales/rudiments/sight reading factory, and practice running your solo. You will be glad you did!

JAZZ BAND IS TUESDAY 4/28 THIS WEEK (#8/9)

Including this week’s rehearsal, we only have 2 meetings left until our concert. We will need you at both rehearsals – please plan accordingly.

PERIOD “0” JAZZ JAM!

If you are taking a solo in our concert, make time to attend.  A plan, and muscle memory, will help you find success. Join me from 7:10…or whenever you get off the bus… until the first bell.

CONCERT GRAND FINALE REHEARSAL ~ MONDAY 5/11, p.9

All Concert Band and Wind Ensemble students, mark your calendars for this rehearsal. We will use the auditorium to practice the logistics for our Spring Concert grand finale.

MAY LESSON CALENDAR ATTACHED

FYI

SPRING BAND CONCERT ~ TUESDAY 5/12 @ 7:00pm in the YHS Auditorium

* Students are asked to arrive by 6:30 to warm up.

* Jazz Band students are asked to be ready to play by 5:45 for our soundcheck.

CONCERT DRESS 

A reminder of our concert dress requirements as outlined in the Band Handbook. We call it “Concert Black.” Our goal is to look unified and professional.

·         Black dress pants or long black skirt. Long means that the skirt falls below the knee.  (no black jeans/jeggings/tights/yoga pants)

·         Black professional blouse/button-down top. No sleeveless shirts, spaghetti straps, or crop tops. Please make sure the neckline is appropriate.

·         Black Dress Shoes/socks/stockings 

Jazz Band Students: add a white tie

CONCERT RECEPTION – PARENT HELP NEEDED

To celebrate our students’ performance and our seniors’ last concert, we will host a reception in the cafeteria.  

To volunteer your time, or donate an item, please check out our SignUp Genius.

Your donations are always so appreciated! Thank you to Mrs. Rindone for creating and managing the SignUp!

YHS BAND SPRING DATE REMINDERS

Please mark your calendars!

4/27-5/1 (Mon-Fri)     ’26-‘27 Wind Ensemble Auditions

5/9 (Sat)                      YHS Concert Band, Orchestra, Choir Festival Trip to Six Flags NJ

5/12 (Tues) @7pm     YHS Spring Band Concert

5/25 (Mon) @10am   Memorial Day Parade and Annual YHS Band BBQ

5/29 (Fri) @ 7:15pm Jazz Band performs at Relay for Life (Evening)

5/29-30 (Fri-Sat)        Up-County NYSSMA Solo Festival @ Somers HS

6/25 (Thurs) 6:30pm Graduation (Wind Ensemble 26-27 students will perform)

SENIOR STUFF!

SENIOR BIOS & SENIOR WILLS

We would love to feature you in our spring concert program, and our YHS Band Yearbook. Worksheets to help you are attached.

·      Senior Bio

·      Senior Will

Please e-mail your completed bio and will to Ms. Kluga by this Friday, 5/1.

SENIOR DINNER

It is a YHS Band tradition for the seniors and I to have dinner together before our final concert. Mark your calendars for 4:30pm on Tuesday 5/12. Price and location will be shared soon. Thank you to Ryan Sandhop for coordinating this event!

MUSIC & DANCE OPPORTUNITIES

Flyers are attached for your review and listed below. Some interesting musical opportunities for our students!

·      Teen Swing Dance Class at TDC – classes start today 4/26!

·      GWYOA Auditions for 2026-2027 season

·      Bennett Conservatory – Summer Jazz Institute

·      Summer Music Camps

·      Jazz Forum – Westchester’s premier Jazz club, located in Tarrytown, NY. Free tickets for students – use the code STFREE at checkout to redeem the tickets at www.jazzforumarts.org/events.

·      RiverRock school in Yorktown is looking for some student helpers for FamJam on Saturday 5/9. If this interests you, please e-mail me for more information. (FYI, Concert Band students this is the same day as our Six Flags trip).

Please contact me with any questions and thank you for your help and support! 

Always Musically Yours, 

Ms. Kluga

Our Next Event:

YHS Band Lesson Schedule -MAY 26