Dear YHS Band Parents and Students,
Welcome to your weekly (snowy!) update. This edition is packed with details about our Swing Dance Concert, and what is needed from our parents and students to help make it a success.
PETER & THE WOLF 2nd GRADE ASSEMBLY A HUGE SUCCESS!
On Thursday 1/22/26, our Wind Ensemble and Concert Orchestra students hosted an assembly at YHS for the entire 2nd Grade! YHS students introduced the instruments and performed the story of Peter and the Wolf (with narration, storybook images, and matching character hats! Adorable!).
Huge thanks to our awesome music teachers Mrs. Berger (Brookside) and Mrs. Peters (Mohansic) for initiating this collaboration! What a fun afternoon of sharing music and laughter!
EVENTS THIS WEEK:
GUIDED PRACTICE / WE SECTIONALS / JB SECTIONALS
Sessions are held period 9, unless noted otherwise. I am also always available for help by appointment.
| Tuesday 1/27 | JB Sax |
| Wednesday 1/28 | JB Trumpet, JB Trombone, JB Rhythm p.10 |
| Thursday 1/29 | |
| Friday 1/30 |
PERIOD “0” JAZZ JAM!
Please join me before school (from 7:10…or whenever you get off the bus… until the first bell) to practice improvising. Especially if you are planning to take a solo at the Swing Dance concert – help yourself develop your skills and a plan for success!
JANUARY LESSON CALENDAR
Is attached, FYI
JAZZ BAND ~ THURSDAY 1/29
This will be rehearsal #4 out of 5 to prepare for our Swing Dance Concert. Our music, recordings, and your assignment are posted on Dashboard. I’m looking forward to hearing your progress this week. Happy practicing!
Jazz Band Field Trip – Permission Slips and $20 Due
Wednesday 2/4: Jazz Band and Chamber Orchestra annual “World Tour of Yorktown” Fieldtrip (7:45-3:00pm, Mohansic, Crompond, Brookside, The Pines Bridge School, and MESMS)
*Reminder: Attire for our World Tour is concert black with a white tie
YHS BAND SPIRIT TRIP – ICE SKATING @ BEAR MOUNTAIN – SUNDAY 2/1/26
The Band Officers will host a skating outing at Bear Mountain on Sunday 2/1/26 during the 12:00-1:30pm public skating session. We hope you will join us as we have some outdoor winter fun!
INFO: Students must be accompanied by an adult chaperone. Everyone is responsible for paying for their own skating. Meet at 11:45pm to get in line and purchase your tickets. (Parking is $10. Skate rentals are $10. Tickets for skaters and spectators are $5 each). All people entering the rink area need a ticket. The Bear Mountain Skating Rink website is: https://bearmountainicerink.org/
All YHS Band students are welcome! Please RSVP on the sign-up sheet in the Band Room so we have a basic idea of whom to expect. Thanks!
BASKETBALL PEP BAND PERFORMANCE ~ FRIDAY 2/6
Come out and support our Huskers and Blythedale Children’s Hospital at YHS’s 5th annual “Charlie Strong” game!
WHEN: Friday 2/6/26. Report at 5:45pm in the Band Room (note the time change!)
BRING: Bring your instrument and charged cell phone.
WEAR: Your YHS Band polo (or the Charlie Strong shirt). Music and snacks will be provided.
GAME: The basketball game will run from 6:45-8:30pm.
SWING DANCE CONCERT – SATURDAY 2/7/26
Our next performance is the fun and fabulous Swing Dance Concert! Saturday, February 7th 2026 from 7-10:30pm in the YHS Gym. All YHS Band students are required to attend.
Now in its 17th year, the Swing Dance Concert is an eagerly anticipated, well-attended and fun evening for our entire Yorktown community (each year we have many senior citizens and community members attend and enjoy the evening with us!).
SWING DANCE CONCERT SNOW DATE
Please be aware that the Swing Dance Concert Snow Date is Saturday 2/28.
SWING ERA ATTIRE ENCOURAGED (For both adults and students!)
Get into the “swing” of things and have fun dressing up in 1940’s style.
Gentlemen
· Usual Concert Attire: Black pants, long sleeved button-down black shirt, black shoes, black socks
· Swing Additions: fedora hats, suspenders, solid color or pin striped shirts, colorful ties, spats, jackets.
Ladies
· Usual Concert Attire: Black top (appropriate neck-line, no spaghetti straps or sleeveless tops), black pants, or black skirt/dress (appropriately below the knee).
· Swing Additions: saddle shoes, any color 1940’s style dress as long as it has an appropriate neckline, sleeves, and falls below the knee. When seated to perform, your skirt must cover your knees.
INFORMATION TO HELP YOU PLAN YOUR EVENING:
· Cost: $15 for adults / $10 for students and seniors. Tickets sold at the door only. Cash, Check, Zelle or Zeffy. YHS Band students, and parent volunteers, are free.
· Time: Dance Lesson 7-8pm / Music and Dancing 8-10:30pm
· WHEN STUDENTS SHOULD ARRIVE:
1. Jazz Band – arrive at 5:30 so that you are ready to play for our soundcheck at 5:45.
2. Students interested in participating in the dance lesson – arrive by 6:50.
3. Students NOT interested in the dance lesson – arrive by 7:45.
4. FYI – students can earn 2 points of extra credit for quarter #2 or #3 (you pick!) by respectfully participating in the entire dance lesson (about 45 minutes).
STUDENT HELP
Please mark your calendars to help us set up and tear down the gym on Saturday 2/7. Part of the fun (and community building) of this event is setting up and decorating the space together!
· Saturday 2/7, 8:00am – 4:00pm – help is needed setting up and decorating the gym.
· Saturday 2/7, 10:30pm-12:00am – help is needed cleaning up the gym.
In addition, student help is needed organizing supplies and decorations during any free period, or p.9 during the week of 2/2.
YOUR STUDENT CAN DANCE?
As part of our Jazz curriculum, students study the music from the period and also learn to social dance the Jitterbug. Students have learned the social etiquette of dancing with a partner, and a variety of dance moves. We are off to a great start!
SHIM SHAM TUTORIAL
The Shim Sham is a line dance the students are learning to take part in at our Swing Dance Concert. For those interested, here is a video I made over COVID to help review/teach the steps.
EAST COAST (JITTERBUG) BASIC STEPS
To review the social dance steps we are learning, I recommend this video.
SWING DANCE CONCERT ~ PARENT VOLUNTEERS & RAFFLE ITEMS NEEDED
An event unique to YCSD, our fabulous Swing Dance Concert highlights our students and brings generations of our community together. Help is needed to plan this event – please consider volunteering your time or donating to our raffle!
For raffle item help, we are looking for (please):
- Help asking local businesses or personal corporate contacts for raffle donations
- Donations of raffle prize items or monetary amounts to help acquire them
- Products, services, or gift certs/cards from a business you own or are affiliated with
- Gift certs/cards for local Yorktown businesses (restaurants, salons, shops – big or small!)
Attached is a letter you can use to ask businesses for donations.
RAFFLE TEAM VOLUNTEERS NEEDED
If you are interested in joining our awesome, fun, and creative Raffle Team, please e-mail me! We do most of our communication via e-mail and plan to meet in person a week before the dance.
GENERAL PARENT VOLUNTEERS NEEDED
Please see our Sign-Up Genius with ways you can help.
As always, please contact me with any questions and thanks for your help and support!
Always Musically Yours,
Ms. Kluga