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And we are SO excited! Our itinerary is packed with musical awesomeness: attending a West Point concert and masterclasses, enjoying STOMP and workshop with the cast, participating in our adjudication and clinic with a panel of nationally recognized music educators, experiencing a Jazz at Lincoln Center concert with Wynton Marsalis, McCoy Tyner and Charles McPherson. Also a solemn visit to the 9/11 memorial and museum. One of the pieces we are performing is dedicated to the victims and survivors. “A Hymn for the Lost and the Living” by Eric Ewazen. Music teaches empathy and is at the core of ESTEAM. We are so grateful for the support of all these musical opportunities!

A few Wind Ensemble reminders are below as you pack and prepare tonight:

·       Students, please arrive to school tomorrow morning by 7:15 wearing your YHS Band polo, black pants (no sweatpants) and black shoes and socks. If you can arrive earlier, please do.

·       Please report immediately to the auditorium. The goal is to be on the bus and driving by 7:30.

·       Please pack your festival music, jazz band music, NYSSMA solo, and West Point music.

·       Please pack your photo ID for the security check at West Point

·       Listen to today’s rehearsal recordings as you pack! They are available on Dashboard. Enjoy our music and be proud!

There is no Jazz Band tonight. Next week’s rehearsal is TUESDAY. This is due to the Mr. Yorktown pageant Thursday 4/11. See you all at 7:20 on Tuesday evening in the band room!

4/5-7 (Fri-Sun)               Wind Ensemble Festival Trip to NYC

4/29-5/3 (Mon-Fri)          ’19-‘20 Wind Ensemble Auditions                                    

5/1 (Wed)                       First Nighters Awards Dinner (Juniors/Seniors only) 7:00pm

5/10-5/11 (Fri-Sat)           NYSSMA Solo Festival @ Henrick Hudson HS       

5/11 (Sat)                       Concert Band Hershey Park Festival Trip

5/15 (Wed)                     YHS Spring Band Concert @ 7:00 pm

6/8 (Fri)                         Jazz Band performs at Relay for Life @ time TBA

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

All CB 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. Ms. Kluga is always available for help by appointment.

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 Ms. Kluga know if you have not).  This year’s banquet will take place on Wednesday, May 1st at 7:00pm at Vittoria’Z on the Lake in Jefferson Valley, and will include catered dinner, entertainment, and awards presentations. Please be sure to RSVP!

We are in need of a few additional parent chaperones for our Six Flags festival trip on Saturday 5/11.  If you are interested in spending your Saturday with 70 teenagers at a music festival and an amusement park, please e-mail Ms. Kluga. 🙂

YHSWE Seniors are welcome to attend our Six Flags trip to cheer on our Concert Band (and help with equipment!). If you are interested, please e-mail Ms. Kluga.   The number of WE seniors attending will determine your cost. The trip is Saturday 5/11.

A fantastic opportunity for your child to experience a week (or more!) of musical study, surrounded by college level teachers, enthusiastic counselors, and new band friends from other towns, counties, and states!  A huge variety of camps are available (both near and far!).  An informational handout is attached.  Please contact me with questions.

Spring Festival season is upon us! Both the Concert Band (Sat. 5/11) and the Wind Ensemble (Fri thru Sun 4/5-7) 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.  I am 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. I am always available for help by appointment.

The March/April lesson calendar is attached FYI.

Please remind your WE student to fill out the on-line form that we discussed in class (food allergies/West Point security). The form was sent to students via e-mail, with multiple reminders. I cannot take the next steps in planning our trip without this information.

Please note, we will be rehearsing on Tuesday 4/2, Wednesday 4/3 and Thursday 4/4 periods 8+9 (12:45-2:15) in the auditorium. Students, please make sure these rehearsals are on your personal calendars.  See me this week if you have a conflict so we can make a plan.

The attached document outlines exactly what students need to practice each week so that they are on-track to have their music prepared for our festival. Professional recordings are available on their Dashboard. If your student needs help with their music, I am available every day after school, by appointment, until 3:00.

If you are interested in supporting the Wind Ensemble at their adjudication, you are welcome to watch our performance! Our adjudication and clinic will take place on Saturday 4/6 from 9:30-11:00 at Nutley HS in Nutley, NJ. (315 Franklin Ave. Nutley NJ 07110). Please let me know if you plan to attend so that I can alert the festival.

We have begun our NYSSMA solo unit. If your student needs help with their music or scales, I am available every day after school, by appointment, until 3:00. Reference recordings of NYSSMA solos can be found on YouTube.

The students and I discussed NYSSMA, and reviewed the forms, in class. Information is below and forms are attached.

The NYSSMA (New York State School Music Association) solo festival is a wonderful opportunity for your student to grow as a musician, gain confidence, earn the full 5 extra credit points for quarter 3, and possibly be selected to perform in an ensemble with the best band students in all of Westchester.  

To participate in the NYSSMA festival, students prepare scales, a solo and sight-reading.  At the festival, students will perform for a judge who will give them a score and comments.  This quarter, all band students will be learning a NYSSMA solo as part of their lesson homework (so if they are interested in participating in NYSSMA, or auditioning for Wind Ensemble (see below), they will have the necessary tools to do so).

NYSSMA Festival Dates: Friday – Saturday May 10 – 11, 2019

**CONCERT BAND STUDENTS – OUR FESTIVAL IS SATURDAY MAY 11^th. If you wish to go to NYSSMA you MUST request a Friday May 10^th time!****

Location: Henrick Hudson High School

NYSSMA Forms are attached and also available in the band room.  COMPLETED FORMS ARE DUE TO MS. KLUGA BY WEDNESDAY 3/20