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The YHS Band has been asked to perform at the 2024 YHS Graduation. Students of the 2024-2025 Wind Ensemble are asked to play. (If you are not in next year’s WE, but are a sibling of a graduating senior and would like to save your family a ticket, you are also welcome to join us!)

The 2024 graduates, and our entire learning community, truly appreciate your time and talents!

Who: Students in the ’24-‘25 Wind Ensemble and/or siblings of graduating seniors.

What: Provide graduation music for the seniors of YHS!!

Date:  Saturday, June 22, 2024

Place:  YHS Stadium

Time:  Arrive at the YHS band room by 10:00 AM. Ceremony is at 11:00AM

Attire: Please dress “nicely” (no jeans, t-shirts, or sneakers).

Bring:  Your music, your instrument and water.

Students who perform at the graduation are eligible for 3 community service hours.

If your student has a YHS owned instrument, and have not yet returned it to school, please do so ASAP.  The instruments are being sent out for cleaning and service.

I’d love to see you all back in Band next year! To make sure Band is in your schedule, and avoid possible scheduling conflicts, please double check with your guidance counselor.

If your student is interested in continuing to practice over the summer (hooray!), some YHS-owned summer rentals are available.  Rental fee is $25, check made payable to Yorktown Central School District. Please e-mail me to reserve an instrument.

A big THANK YOU to all the awesome parents who were instrumental in making our year a success! I so appreciate your time, help, creativity, and sense of fun. It is a pleasure to work alongside you to create our calendar of events for our students.

If you are interested in becoming a member of our core group of band parent helpers, please e-mail me.  I will be in touch in August to start planning our ’24-‘25 events. 

Official playing permits will be distributed tomorrow in class.

You have 4 days until your audition.  Your daily job is to: run your solo from top to bottom, and practice scales/rudiments/sight reading factory. You will be glad you did!

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).

Auditions for the 2024-2025 Wind Ensemble will take place during the student’s lesson period. We will review the sign up and blind audition process tomorrow in class.

Similar to NYSSMA preparation, run your solo from top to bottom, and practice scales/rudiments/sight reading factory. You will be glad you did!

All Wind Ensemble students, mark your calendars for this rehearsal.

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 patriotic grand finale.

Attached are two documents I made to help you study our festival music. They are filled with musical tips to help you focus on each section of each song. 

Please use them to:
1. Mark your music – Writing this info on your pages will help you play more musically.
2. Guide your personal practice – Go section by section, follow the musical tips.
3. Guide your active listening – Take 10 minutes and listen to the recording while watching your sheet music, and your markings. Finger along to help work on muscle memory. YouTube recordings are attached.

I’m excited to hear our progress this week! Happy practicing!

Wind Ensemble students – Please fill out and return the attached photo release form.

Offered weekly and hosted by our junior and senior band members (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

Please mark your calendars.

4/24+4/26 (Wed+Fri)  ’24-‘25 Wind Ensemble Auditions

4/26-27 (Fri-Sat)        Up-County NYSSMA Solo Festival @ Chappaqua  HS

4/29 (Mon)                 WE Festival Dress Rehearsal p.9

5/3-5 (Fri pm-Sun)      Wind Ensemble Festival Trip to Ithaca College

5/10 (Fri)                    CB+WE Concert Finale Rehearsal p.9

5/11 (Sat)                   YHS Music Dept Festival trip to Six Flags Great Adventure

5/14 (Tues) @ 7pm     YHS Spring Band Concert

5/27 (Mon)                 Memorial Day Parade and Annual YHS Band BBQ

5/31 (Fri)                    First Nighters Senior Celebration

5/31-6/1 (Fri-Sat)       NYSSMA Piano Festival at Ardsley     

6/14 (Fri)                    Jazz Band performs at Relay for Life

6/22 (Sat)                   YHS Band performs at YHS Graduation

Our music, recordings, and the HW assignment are posted on Dashboard. A reminder that including this week’s rehearsal, we only have 3 meetings left until our concert. Happy practicing!

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