Daily Archives: April 15, 2018

The auditions have been moved to the week of 4/30-5/4. Sign-up sheets will be available later this week.

The final video assessment of the year will take place during your student’s lesson the week of 4/23. This assessment will determine your student’s readiness to attend and successfully participate in our Six Flags music festival. You should hear your students practicing at home. Mrs. Kluga is available for help every day after school by appointment.

On Saturday 4/21, Wind Ensemble students will travel to Washington D.C. to participate in the Rhythms International music festival. Look for a separate e-mail later this week with more detailed information.  A few reminders are below:

YHSWE P.9 REHEARSALS THIS WEEK

• Tuesday 4/17, p.9
• Wednesday 4/18, p.9
• Friday 4/20, p.9

CNN SERIES – American Dynasties: The Kennedy’s

This series airs every Sunday evening at 9pm. One of our festival pieces, Elegy for a Young American, was written in 1964 in response to President Kennedy’s assassination. To help us interpret our music, we have been learning about the life, times, and contributions of JFK. If you have time to watch, it may help you add deeper meaning to our performance.

WE HAVE 5 REHEARSALS LEFT (!):

1. Are you able to play the details, at the correct tempo?
2. Can you focus on balance and intonation? Or, are you occupied only with playing the correct notes, rhythms, and tempo?
3. Can you perform your music with meaning and emotion?
4. Are you proud of your personal performance?

I hope you enjoyed working hard on our music this weekend, the last weekend before our trip. Mrs. Kluag can’t wait to work with you on Monday!

If any YHSWE Seniors are interested in attending the Six Flags trip to cheer on our Concert Band (and help with equipment!), please e-mail Mrs.Kluga ASAP.   The number of WE seniors attending will determine the cost. The trip is Saturday 5/12.

The First Nighters is a parent group whose mission is to support the YCSD Performing Arts programs.  Each year they honor our junior and senior students at a Performing Arts awards banquet.  Junior and senior students should have received an invitation (please let Mrs. Kluga know if you have not).   This year’s banquet will take place on Wednesday, May 23^th at 7:00pm at the Putnam National Golf Course, and will include catered dinner, entertainment, and awards presentations. Please look “nice” as this banquet is honoring you and your achievements in the Arts.  No jeans or sneakers. PLEASE RSVP BY FRIDAY MAY 4^th.

4/21-23 (Sat-Mon)           Wind Ensemble Festival Trip to Washington DC

4/24-4/27 (Tue-Fri)          ’18-‘19 Wind Ensemble Auditions

4/27-28 (Fri-Sat)              NYSSMA Solo Festival @ Westlake HS

5/12 (Sat)                       Concert Band Hershey Park Festival Trip

5/16 (Wed)                     YHS Spring Band Concert @ 7:00 pm

5/23 (Wed)                     First Nighters Awards Dinner (Juniors/Seniors only), Putnam Valley Golf Club @ 7:00pm

6/9 (Fri)                         Jazz Band performs at Relay for Life @ time TBA

5/28 (Mon)                     Memorial Day Parade and Annual YHS Band BBQ

6/23 (Sat)                       YHS Bands perform at Graduation @ SUNY Purchase 10:30am – 3pm

Spring Festival season is upon us! Both the Concert Band (Sat. 5/12) and the Wind Ensemble (Sat thru Mon 4/21-23) will each attend a music festival that I created just for them; each group will perform before a panel of adjudicators AND experience an on-stage clinic with the adjudicators, as they coach the students on how to achieve better musicianship.  We are so excited for them to learn from this musical experience!

All students have a homework assignment due at their weekly band lesson. You should hear your student practicing at home.  Professional recordings of our festival music are available for download on your student’s YHS Band Dashboard. Mrs. Kluga is always available for help by appointment.

The Greater Westchester Youth Orchestra is a by-audition-only group of advanced student musicians who rehearse weekly, and present concerts at WCC, and Lincoln Center (NYC).  Open auditions for the 2018/2019 season will take place Saturday, May 12^th.

Our local farm is looking for small groups of student musicians to volunteer to perform at their annual Farm Fest on Saturday 6/2 from 1-4pm. Performances would be 15 minutes to 30 minutes in length. As a thank you, the farm will provide refreshments. Please see Ms. Kluga if you are interested.