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A YHS Band tradition!  Senior Liz Scinto will host this year’s caroling party, and all band students are invited to attend.   Students will enjoy hot chocolate and treats, and then spread holiday cheer by caroling around the neighborhood.  Students should plan to bring their instrument, lyre and dress warmly.  Music will be provided.   Interested students should sign up in the band room and plan to bring a treat to share.  Information and directions will be available in the band room. Questions?  Please contact Ms. Kluga.

The students and Ms. Kluga are so looking forward to seeing you all at our Winter Band Concert!  Please contact Ms. Kluga with any questions.

At next week’s band lesson, students will have their second video assessment.  Using the music for our upcoming Winter Concert, students will be assessed on their ability to demonstrate the musical concepts we have been studying so far this year: performing the correct notes and rhythms at a steady tempo with a metronome, playing with good posture, using dynamics, and using correct articulation.

You should hear your student practicing at home (and you should hear improvement!).  Students are always welcome to practice during their free periods or after school.  If your student has questions, Ms. Kluga would love to help!  Please have them see Ms. Kluga for an appointment.

It is Ms. Kluga’s pleasure to announce the YHS Wind Ensemble’s participation in the Rhythms International Music Festival held in Philadelphia, PA.  The music festival will take place the weekend of Saturday, April 1 through Monday April 3, 2017.  Students received our tentative itinerary and their personal payment information before break.  If possible, a down payment and permission slip are requested by Friday 12/2.

Please review the dress requirements below for our concert (as found in the Band Handbook, which you all received back in September).  Our professional and unified visual appearance is an important part of each performance. Hopefully some items are already part of your student’s wardrobe, and all are available at your local department store.   Please contact Ms. Kluga with any questions.

Our concert is Wednesday 12/14, at 7:30 in the YHS Auditorium.  Students will need to arrive by 7:00 to warm up.

Concert Dress – (as found in the YHS Band Handbook)

Ladies:

• Black dress pants or LONG black skirt. LADIES, LONG MEANS YOUR SKIRT FALLS BELOW THE KNEE.  (no black jeans/jeggings/tights/yoga pants)
• Black Blouse– longish sleeves (no sleeveless shirts or spaghetti straps)
• Black stockings
• Black Shoes (no flip flops)

Gentlemen:

• Black Dress Pants (no black jeans/track pants/sweat pants)
• Black, Button-Down, Long Sleeved Shirt
• Black Socks.
• Black Shoes

To celebrate our student’s performance, we will host a reception in the cafeteria.  Look for an e-mail in the coming weeks from Band Aid Core Helper (BACH) Mrs. Serafin with info as to how to donate a food item, or to help us set up/clean up.

The citrus delivery date is Friday 12/19. All students are required to pick up their ENTIRE order on this day.  Please mark your calendars!  WE ARE IN NEED OF PARENT & STUDENT VOLUNTEERS FROM 2:30 – 7:00pm to help students assemble and pick up their orders. Please e-mail Ms. Kluga if you are available.  Please note the pick-up time is from 2:30 – 7:00pm.  The start time of 2:30 will not disrupt the middle school buses.

A unique and fun performance opportunity for our euphonium and tuba students!   Perform in a public concert on the Rockefeller Center Ice Rink with hundreds of fellow low-brass musicians!  2016 is the 43nd anniversary of this event.  Go to the email for a flyer with more info.  Questions?  Speak to Ms. Kluga.

Again this year, the YHS Band program is sponsoring a needy child for the holidays.  His name is Luis and he is in 1^st Grade. Using the money we have raised from our various fundraisers, the band officers have purchased items from his list to Santa.  If you are interested in donating additional items, please contact Ms. Kluga. Items are needed by Friday 12/9.  Luis wears a size 2 shoe, 6X shirt and 7 pants.  He particularly likes Spiderman.

Saturday and Sunday 12/3 and 12/4, the West Point Concert Band will present free holiday concerts at Ike Hall on the West Point campus.  The West Point Band is a professional ensemble, and their concerts are always top quality and great fun! Students who attend will receive extra credit.  Please bring in a program from the concert. Visit their website for more detailshttp://www.usma.edu/band/SitePages/Home.aspx

A YHS Band tradition!  Senior Liz Scinto will host this year’s caroling party, and all band students are invited to attend.   Students will enjoy hot chocolate and treats, and then spread holiday cheer by caroling around the neighborhood.  Students should plan to bring their instrument, lyre and dress warmly.  Music will be provided.   Interested students should sign up in the band room and plan to bring a treat to share.  Information and directions will be available in the band room. Questions?  Please contact Ms. Kluga.

Many thanks to you all for your wonderful support of our music program, and the many opportunities we are able to share with our students!  Ms. Kluga thankful for the opportunity to work with all of you.   The students and Ms. Kluga are looking forward to seeing you at our Winter Band Concert!

Hi Concert Band! Please click here to take a survey regarding your general thoughts on our band program. Thanks!

–  Your 2016-2017 Band Officers

Congratulations to the YHS Bands and Orchestras on another successful Citrus Sale!  After a month of selling and a week of sorting through and tabulating orders (A HUGE THANK YOU to all the parent volunteers!) the results are in.  Thanks to all for your help!

CB Total Boxes Sold: 564 (542 boxes last year)

CB Total Pounds Sold: over 12,620 (mail orders are various weights)

CB Total Citrus Sold: $17,514 ($16,178 last year)

CB Total Profit: $5,956 ($5,607 last year)

WE Total Boxes Sold: 620 (479 boxes last year)

WE Total Pounds Sold: over 15,040 (mail orders are various weights)

WE Total Citrus Sold: $19,624 ($14,554 last year)

WE Total Profit: $6,796 ($5,139 last year)

85% of the funds generated from the Citrus Sale go directly into student personal accounts, toward their spring festival trip.  15% go into the band “general fund” and are used to pay for items that benefit all band students.  Some examples include: chaperones for our festival trips (we can’t go on trips without chaperones, and are not allowed to roll chaperone fees into student costs) and band events. Funds generated from the Tag Sale and Swing Dance also benefit the band general fund.  We are fortunate to be able to provide these musical opportunities to our students!  Thanks to all for helping us do so.

The citrus delivery date is Monday 12/19. All students are required to pick up their ENTIRE order on this day.  Please mark your calendars!  WE ARE IN NEED OF PARENT VOLUNTEERS.  Parent and student volunteers will be needed from 7:00 – 11:00am to help unload the trucks, and again from 2:00 – 7:00pm to help students assemble and pick up their orders. Please e-mail  Mrs. Kluga if you are available.

Five members of our band program represented YCSD this past week at the Westchester County School Music Association’s Area All State festival. Based on their spring 2016 NYSSMA scores, top music students from across Westchester are invited to participate in an honor band, orchestra, or choir.  These ensembles are open to 10^th-12^th graders only, rehearse with an esteemed college music educator, and present a concert at SUNY Purchase.  The concert took place this past Thursday.  Congratulations to these YHS Band members on this fantastic musical achievement!

James Ernst, Trumpet (10)

Stephen Good, Bassoon (12)

Jack McKeown, Clarinet (11)

Emily Olivier, Oboe (11)

Christopher Perrino, Trumpet (10)