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Each year the students and Ms. Kluga are proud to use part of our fundraising to benefit a local charity. This year we donated $200 our Citrus Sale profits to the Yorktown Community Help Food Pantry. We sincerely thank them for all the good they do in our community! And, we sincerely thank all who supported our Citrus Sale!

Congratulations to YHS Band senior saxophone student Swaroop Pujari for winning a spot in the All-National Symphonic Band. Swaroop competed against student musicians from across the country and represented Yorktown this past weekend at the national virtual convention.  He attended workshops with college music professors, world class musical ensembles (the Canadian Brass led one workshop!), and will be part of a virtual concert performance. Congratulations to Swaroop and his family on achieving this impressive musical honor, we are so proud to have you serve as a musical ambassador for YCSD!

For those interested/comfortable, the Band Officers and Ms. Kluga will be at Bear Mountain on Sunday 1/31 for the 10:00am public skating session.  Students must be accompanied by an adult chaperone. Everyone is responsible for paying for their own skating.

Parking is $10

Skate rentals are $5

Tickets for skaters and spectators are $5 each. All people entering the rink area need a ticket.

IMPORTANT DETAILS:

* We plan to meet at 9:30 – the rink has been very busy and there are no reservations allowed.  I am planning to get there extra early to get in line to purchase tickets for our group.

* If you plan to attend, please RSVP by filling out this Google Form so Ms. Kluga knows how many tickets to purchase.

* All social distancing and masking rules are required – if you plan to attend, please review the Bear Mountain Ice Rink COVID-19 protocols here: https://bearmountainicerink.org/

* The rink is outdoors. Be sure to dress appropriately.

If this is something that is comfortable for your family, we’d love to spend a few hours with you!

The Band Officers will be hosting a hang-out session on the Band Discord this Friday, 1/22 at 8pm. We hope to see you there!

Students, Ms. Kluga made a few changes to two documents we will be using this week. She apologizes for the need to re-print them! These documents can be printed from Dashboard. Thanks!

o   CB: please re-print “All of Me Lead Sheet with Chord Outlines”

o   WE: please re-print “Don’t Get Around Much Anymore Lead Sheet with Chord Outlines”

Our rehearsal this week will be Thursday 1/21 from 2-3pm in person, in the auditorium. For students who are more comfortable rehearsing from home, please join us via Zoom.

HOMEWORK due at this rehearsal: Sing, Sing Sing measures 1-119. Be able to play all the correct notes and rhythms at a moderate tempo. Use A-ccompany to guide your practice. Attend your sectional (see below).

THANK YOU to our awesome upperclassmen for donating their time!

Tuesday 1/19 – JB Saxes with James and Swaroop, JB Trombones with Colin

Wednesday 1/20 – Bass Line with Ethan, Drum Set with Mark and Robbie

Thursday 1/21 – Horn with Alicia, Sax with Alissa

Friday 1/22 – JB Trumpet with Michael and Trevor

 JANUARY LESSONS BEGIN THIS WEEK – The lesson calendar and new lesson groups were reviewed class and are available on Dashboard.

·      CAMERAS ON, PLEASE – I’ve asked the students to please have their cameras on during our class time. Thanks!

·      THE MUSIC OF THE SWING ERA – As mentioned in last week’s update, we have begun our study of music from the Swing Era.  Students are learning how to interpret jazz rhythms, articulations and style, and we have been introduced to iconic composers Duke Ellington, Count Basie, and Benny Goodman.

At the end of the unit, we usually present our annual Swing Dance Concert – this would have been our 13^th year.  For those new to the program, the concert was held in the gym, in the form of a dance (in old-school prom style, where we decorate the gym and provide light refreshments).  The entire community was invited, a professional dance lesson was offered at the beginning of the evening, and our YHS Band students played swing music for all to enjoy. 

I am sad that we are not able to host our Swing Dance this year. This event has become the highlight of the band calendar, our most beloved tradition, which is a testament to the years of our collective work (students, alumni, community and faculty members, and SO many band parents!) to make it the professional and unique experience that it has become. 

This year, like our winter concert, we will instead put together a virtual presentation for mid-February. 

·      THE SHIM SHAM – Swing music was, literally, made to be danced to. So, as part of our unit, students learn social dances from the period.  Putting the rhythm in their feet, and feeling the “swing” of the beat, helps their ability to interpret the music. This year we are learning a line dance called the “Shim Sham” which was popular in the Harlem Swing venues of the 1930’s (most notably the Savoy Ballroom).  The students learned the first steps this week in class! 

·      NEW APP – This week all students were given access to the A-ccompany app. I am so excited for them to use this awesome practice tool! A-ccompany includes professional recordings of our music, with the ability to isolate individual parts, change the tempo, focus on measures, and choose which instruments to play along with.

Our rehearsal this week will be Thursday 1/14 from 2-3pm via Zoom and A-ccompany.

HOMEWORK due at this rehearsal: Sing, Sing Sing measures 1-50. Be able to play all the correct notes and rhythms at a moderate tempo. Use A-ccompany to guide your practice. Attend your sectional (see below).

There are a ton of options this week. Please take advantage of these practice opportunities: the end of the quarter is coming up, and our Swing unit is a quick 6 weeks (with a video assessment and concert at the end!).  

THANK YOU to our awesome upperclassmen for donating their time!

Monday 1/11 – JB Trombone with Colin, JB Tenor Sax with James, Bass Line with Ethan, Clarinet with Emily and Kayla

Tuesday 1/12 – JB Altos with Swaroop, Saxes with Alissa

Wednesday 1/13 – Horn with Alicia, Trumpet with Michael and Trevor

Thursday 1/14 – Clarinet with Sarah

Friday 1/15 – Drums with Mark and Robbie, JB Trumpet with Michael and Trevor

Congratulations to all YHS Band students on a beautiful performance at Tuesday’s virtual Winter Concert!  Ms. Kluga is so very proud of you all, both for your musicality and for your patience working with our new technology.  

And, many thanks to the Band Officers (and band parents!) who donated their time to create and deliver our concert goody bags.  Thank you for helping make this a special evening for our students.

CAMERAS ON, PLEASE – Ms. Kluga has asked the students to please have their cameras on during our class time. This has especially been an issue in Concert Band, where it is an early morning start…

JANUARY LESSON CALENDAR – The lesson calendar and new lesson groups were reviewed in class today and are available on Dashboard.

THE MUSIC OF THE SWING ERA – For our next unit of study, we will become a “Big Band” from the Swing Era.  Students will learn how to interpret the jazz rhythms, articulations and style associated with this iconic genre of music. Students received their new music today!

NEW APP – This week in class, students will begin using a new app called A-ccompany. This platform gives students access to professional recordings of our swing music, with the ability to isolate (and practice along with) their individual part. Students can change the tempo, choose specific measures to work on, and choose which instruments to play along with. Ms. Kluga piloted this app in the fall with our Jazz Band, and the students found it to be a very useful practice tool.