THANK YOU FOR AN AMAZING END-OF-YEAR AWARDS BANQUET! PLEASE SEE BELOW FOR A FULL RECAP – INCLUDING LINKS TO THE VIDEO SLIDESHOWS AND OUR 2024 SHOW REVEAL. CONGRATULATIONS TO THE STUDENTS WHO MADE GAHR HISTORY BY TAKING THE AP MUSIC THEORY EXAM THIS PAST WEDNESDAY. WE’D ALSO LIKE TO THANK ALL THE PARENTS WHO CAME TO OUR FINAL BOOSTER MEETING LAST WEEK.

This past year we did A LOT. We had outdoor rehearsals leading up to Hawaii because of the construction on campus, the Hawaii performance trip, Band Camp at the stadium, moving back onto campus in Rooms 609/610, new uniforms, a busy fall marching season, our biggest Gahr Invitational yet, the move (again) to the renovated Band Room, Holiday Concert, Honor Band, JV Guard, Varsity Guard, Indoor Percussion, Jazz A and B performing at jazz festivals, district festival, SCSBOA Festival, our first-ever Regional Festival, the Area Concert… While this was hands down the biggest, most visible, and most successful year the Gahr Instrumental Music Program has ever had, it was also non-stop and exhausting. I hope you will take time to reflect on all the fun memories and the incredible accomplishments we shared this past year! While we’re super excited about our 2024 field show production, please use the summer to relax and decompress so you can come back rejuvenated.

We’re on the home stretch! Drumline and Color Guard Workshops are tomorrow and Tuesday from 4-6PM! There is a New Student/Parent Meeting on Tuesday at 6:30PM in the Band Room. We have our last big week of Jazz Band with zero period Monday and Tuesday, a Jazz Concert on Wednesday at 6:30PM in the renovated MPR, and a clinic with Willie Murillo during zero period on Friday! The 1st Division Marine Band will be coming in to perform for our students during 4th period this Thursday. Finally, watch the Cerritos College Honor Band Concert this Friday, May 24th at 7:00PM.

DRUMLINE & GUARD WORKSHOPS START TOMORROW!

Drumline and Color Guard Workshops are tomorrow, Monday, May 20th and Tuesday, May 21st from 4-6PM! This is for both new AND returning students. On Tuesday, May 21st, we have an important New Student/Parent Meeting at 6:30PM in the Band Room. If you know any 8th graders who will be at Disneyland with Haskell, please tell them to have their parents come to the meeting to get the information. We will be going through important information about Band & Guard Workshops, Band Camp, and the 2024-25 school year.

If you have any friends who are interested, bring them along too! No experience is necessary, and as long as they work hard and have a positive attitude, we will be able to teach them everything they need to know to be successful. We're gearing up for an incredible year!

JAZZ CONCERT THIS WEDNESDAY AT 6:30PM IN THE MPR!

Our first-ever Jazz Concert is Wednesday, May 22nd at 6:30PM in the Gahr HS MPR! This will be our first concert in the new MPR featuring performances from the Ross MS Jazz Band, Gahr HS Jazz B, and Gahr HS Jazz A. Hear some fun music and support our incredible student musicians. Admission is FREE!!

JAZZ STUDENTS: Outstanding work so far this year! We have important zero period rehearsals Monday and Tuesday to finish preparing for the jazz concert. Please arrive early to set up and warm up so we can start on time. Call time on Wednesday is 5:15PM wearing jazz attire to warm up. Doors will open at 6:00PM and the concert starts at 6:30PM. All the jazz bands will be watching each other to support when not performing. This Friday, we will have our last zero period class with special guest clinician Willie Murillo!! We will be combining both bands together for this session. We’re looking forward to a super fun week!

BAND & GUARD POTLUCK THIS THURSDAY AT 4PM

We will be having a BAND & COLOR GUARD POTLUCK at 4:00PM this Thursday 5/23 in the MPR! Bring something (appetizer, entree, snack, dessert, drinks), hang out, and watch a movie :)

CERRITOS COLLEGE HONOR BAND CONCERT FRIDAY

The Cerritos College Honor Band Concert is this Friday 5/24 at 7:00PM at the Cerritos College Performing Arts Center! Parking is just $3 and admission is free. Come support your fellow student musicians and hear some incredible music performed by the Cerritos College Band, Cerritos College Honor Orchestra, and Cerritos College Honor Band!

END-OF-YEAR AWARDS BANQUET RECAP!

Thank you to everyone who came to Thursday’s End-of-Year Awards Banquet! It was a special evening as we celebrated the accomplishments of our amazing students and reflected on such an incredible year. We would like to thank Jerry Islas for capturing such beautiful photos from throughout the year and putting together the video slideshows!

THANK YOU to our 2023-24 Booster Board, Reps, and Chairs led by Presidents, Ammie Goncalves and Ida Barcelos; Vice Presidents, Gaby Dominguez and Tania Costa; Secretary, Terra Ojeda; and Treasurer, Charlynn Rachell, who worked tirelessly to make this such a successful year for the program. Thank you to our staff members in attendance: Mr. Lopez, Sami Taylor, Trent Gronewold, Zach Wilson, Dante Hernandez, Dana Pedersen, Chris Fausto, Ashley Kocour, and Lucas Mociler. Thank you to our Awards Banquet Committee, led by Dee Dee Varney and Julie Castro, who planned and executed the event flawlessly. We would to like thank all of the parents who helped – decorations and centerpieces, check-in, food, set up, clean up, just to mention a few areas. We would also like to extend a special thanks to our ALUMNI parents and students for their help! Finally, on behalf of the students, parents, and staff, we would like to extend our deepest thanks and gratitude to Mr. Miller for his incredible work, energy, and effort throughout the entire year.

CONGRATULATIONS to our new 2024-25 Student Leadership Team; our new 2024-25 Booster Board, Reps, and Chairs; the senior Class of 2024; and ALL the students in the entire program for an amazing year! We look forward to seeing our seniors at graduation next week.

KUBRICK | Gahr Marching Gladiators 2024 Production

NATIONALLY RECOGNIZED AWARDS

John Philip Sousa Band Award – Sean Kim
Louis Armstrong Jazz Award – Gabriel Dominguez
Director’s Award for Band – Gustavo Sanchez
National School Marching Award – Ryley Jay Hibionada
Golden Silk Color Guard Award – Becca Mendoza

STUDENT-VOTED AWARDS

JV GUARD

Most Improved — Kaylee De Hoop and Lucas Mendoza
Best Attitude — Hazel Soriano
Most Outstanding Weapon — Lucas Mendoza and Imara Bell
Most Outstanding Flag — Riley Hernandez
Most Outstanding Dance/Movement — Kaylee De Hoop
Most Dedicated — Carmen Alcaraz

VARSITY GUARD

Most Improved — Tiffany Truscott
Best Attitude — Gustavo Sanchez
Most Outstanding Weapon — Becca Mendoza
Most Outstanding Flag — Kazandra Torres
Most Outstanding Dance/Movement — Darin Dial
Most Dedicated — Gustavo Sanchez

INDOOR PERCUSSION

Most Improved — Ayden Estalilla and Zachary Gonzales
Best Attitude — Presley Cruz and Caleb Om
Most Outstanding Battery — Ryley Jay Hibionada
Most Outstanding Front Ensemble — Sean Kim
Most Outstanding Visual — Cody Pham
Most Dedicated — Ryley Jay Hibionada

JAZZ BAND A

Most Improved — Ethan Buenaventura
Best Attitude — Vincent McIntosh
Most Outstanding Musician — Sean Kim
Most Outstanding Improvisation — Vincent McIntosh
Most Dedicated — Alegria Rodriguez and Sean Kim

JAZZ BAND B

Most Improved — Briana Gonzales
Best Attitude — Nehemiah Wood
Most Outstanding Improvisation — Bryan Rosales
Most Outstanding Musician — Bryan Rosales and Julian De Santiago
Most Dedicated — Supreme Thapaliya

CONCERT BAND

Most Improved — Nathaniel Carnow
Best Attitude — Estefania Sanchez Salcedo, Christian Armas, and Maya Martinez
Most Outstanding Woodwind — Ethan Buenaventura
Most Outstanding Brass — Tyus Munford and Zachary Gonzales
Most Dedicated — Maya Martinez

WIND ENSEMBLE

Most Improved — Madeline Barcelos
Best Attitude — Joshua Villanueva
Most Outstanding Woodwind — William Wu
Most Outstanding Woodwind — Mikayli Hickerson
Most Outstanding Brass — Gabriel Dominguez
Most Dedicated — Joshua Villanueva

BLUE & GOLD WINNERS

Jazz Band A – Alegria Rodriguez
Jazz Band B – Nehemiah Wood
AP Music Theory – Victoria Abenoja
Concert Band – Ethan Eugene Buenaventura
Wind Ensemble – Joshua Miguel Elijah Villanueva
Color Guard – Becca Mendoza
Percussion – Aiden Islas
Marching Band – Ryley Jay Hibionada

2024-25 STUDENT LEADERSHIP TEAM

Head Drum Major — Zion Dodoo
Field Sergeant — Joshua Villanueva
Assistant Drum Major — Maya Martinez
Color Guard Captain — Kazandra Torres
Percussion Captain — Aiden Islas
Assistant Percussion Captain — Nia McKinstry
Field Captain — Cody Pham
Field Captain — Faith Yu
Field Assistant — Supreme Thapaliya

2024-25 EXECUTIVE BOOSTER BOARD

Presidents: Ida Barcelos and Tania Costa
Vice Presidents: Vickie Gonzales and Renay Lim
Secretary: Caryle Buenaventura
Treasurer: Charlynn Rachell
Bookkeeper: Deanna Varney

2024-25 CHAIRS & REPRESENTATIVES

Gahr Invitational Chair: Julie Castro
Transportation/Equipment: Larry Barcelos and Joe Goncalves
Prop Managers: Rod Maralit and William Gonzales
Uniform Managers: Renay Lim and Sarah Szabatura
Food Coordinator: Noemi Ramirez
Gahr Gear: Cassandra Ellis
Drumline Representatives: Charlynn Rachell and Ammie Goncalves
Color Guard Representative: Lawanda Thomas
Paparazzi: Jerry Islas

THIS WEEK:

MONDAY 5/20
7:17AM Jazz A and B
4:00-6:00PM Drumline and Guard Workshops!

TUESDAY 5/21
7:17AM Jazz A and B
4th/Lunch/5th – Lindbergh HS Band & Orchestra Clinic
NO PLAYING NEAR THE MPR DUE TO MUN
4:00-6:00PM Drumline and Guard Workshops!
6:00PM Ice Cream Social!
6:30-7:30PM New Parent/Student Meeting in the Band Room

WEDNESDAY 5/22
4:00PM Set up for Jazz Concert in MPR
5:15PM Jazz A & B call time wearing jazz attire
6:30PM Ross MS & Gahr HS Jazz Concert in the MPR – Free admission!
8:15PM Approximate clean up time.

THURSDAY 5/23
NO JAZZ A OR B
4th Period – 1st Division Marine Band Performance!
4:00PM Band & Guard Potluck!

FRIDAY 5/24
7:15AM Jazz Band A & B — Clinic with Willie Murillo!!
3rd/4th Period – Start Wind placements/Final in class
3:00-6:00PM Cerritos College Honor Band rehearsal
7:00PM Cerritos College Honor Band Concert!

Have a great three-day weekend!

IMPORTANT DATES:

5/20-21 Drumline + Color Guard Workshops 4-6PM
5/21 New Student/Parent Meeting @ 6:30PM in Band Room
5/22 Ross and Gahr Jazz Concert at 6:30PM in MPR
5/23 1st Marine Division Band
5/24 Cerritos College Honor Band Concert
5/30 Last Day of School!
6/4 Band & Guard Workshops 5-8:30PM
6/6 Band & Guard Workshops 5-8:30PM
6/8 605 All-Star Band Color Guard Workshops
6/28 “Corps at the Crest” DCI Show at Mt. San Antonio College