This year’s junior and senior banquet will take place on Wednesday, May 25th at 7:00pm in the YHS Cafeteria, 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.
Participating students have a 10-minute audition slot this week. Ms. Kluga have explained, and will review, the entire process in class. To prepare, students should be practicing their scales, solo, and sight-reading. Percussionists should be practicing their solos for timpani, snare, and mallets.
The yearbook was created by senior Abby Ferri, is professionally printed, and contain photos and captions of the many (many!) band events throughout the year. The cost is $25 each. If your student is interested, a sign-up sheet is available in the band room. We are asking for orders and payment by THURSDAY 5/26. This is not a fundraiser; the books are sold at cost.
No rehearsal this coming Wednesday 5/25. Our final performance will be on Friday 6/10 for the Relay for Life (sometime in the evening, they have not given us an exact time yet). More details to come.
To celebrate their final concert, it is a tradition for the Seniors to go out to dinner. This year’s event will take place at Little Sorrento’s on Wednesday, 5/18 (the day of our concert) at 5:00pm. The cost is $20 per person (cash). Please RSVP with payment to senior Alanna Williams by Friday 5/13.
Your YHS Band Senior Bio and/or Senior Will is due by MONDAY 5/9, to be featured in our Spring Concert program/Newsletter. Please e-mail your completed Bio/Will to Ms. Kluga.
Our Spring Concert will take place on Wednesday, 5/18 at 7:30pm in the YHS Auditorium. You will be receiving an e-mail in the coming weeks from parent organizers regarding refreshment sign ups. Your students and Mrs. Kluga look forward to performing for you!
All students have a homework assignment due at their weekly lesson. You should hear your students practicing at home.
Spring is a very busy time for everyone. The students and Ms. Kluga have talked about the privilege of attending our spring festivals. You should hear your student practicing (and improving!). A reminder to students that 30 minutes of practice 5 days a week is more effective than one marathon cram-session the night before their lesson.
Ms. Kluga is always available after school to help students. The band room is open everyday after school for students to practice, and students are encouraged to practice during their free periods throughout the day.
Sat – Mon 5/14-16: Wind Ensemble NYC Festival Trip
Wed 5/18: YHS Band Spring Concert @ 7:30pm (Senior Dinner @ 5pm, Little Sorrento’s)
Fri – Sat 5/20-21: NYSSMA Solo Festival
Sat 5/21: Concert Band Hershey Trip
Mon – Fri 5/23-27: Wind Ensemble ’16-’17 Auditions
Wed 5/25: First Nighter’s Awards Dinner @ 7pm, YHS Cafeteria (Juniors and Seniors only)
Mon 5/30: Memorial Day Parade and BBQ
Thurs 6/2: Band Officer Elections ’16-’17
To maximize the rehearsal time before our concert and festival trips, the ’16-’17 Wind Ensemble auditions have been moved to the week of May 23rd – 27th. Sign ups and information will be available in the coming weeks.
All students have a homework assignment due at this week’s lesson. You should hear your students practicing at home.
CB Students:
- Memorize the D concert scale and arpeggio, in the pattern at quarter note = 100.
- Band Music: Lauda m. 1-34 AND Jurassic Park m. 1-23.
- Be able to play the correct notes and rhythms at a steady tempo. Write in the counting for the difficult rhythms.
- Bring your assigned NYSSMA solo to your lesson.
WE Students:
- Memorize the D concert scale and arpeggio, in the pattern at quarter note = 100.
- Band Music: Shortcut Home m. 1-41 AND Star Wars m. 1-38.
- Be able to play the correct notes and rhythms at a steady tempo. Write in the counting for the difficult rhythms.
- Bring your assigned NYSSMA solo (or ensemble) to your lesson.
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, and possibly be selected to perform in an ensemble with the best band students in all of Westchester. To participate, 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 20 – 21, 2016
Location: John Jay Middle School (Cross River)
NYSSMA Forms are under the documents tab and are also available in the band room. COMPLETED FORMS ARE DUE FRIDAY 4/1.
Auditions for the 2016-2017 Wind Ensemble will take place 4/25 – 4/29 (Monday- Friday). Students wishing to audition should review the audition information sheet (attached) with you. If your student is interested in auditioning, I strongly suggest that they also participate in NYSSMA. The Wind Ensemble audition information sheet/permission slip is attached and is also available in the band room. FORMS ARE DUE FRIDAY 4/1.
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 under the documents tab. Please contact Ms. Kluga with questions.
The First Nighters of Yorktown sponsors three $500 summer camp scholarships each year. An application can be found in documents. Please contact Ms. Kluga with questions.