HAPPY NEW YEAR!
Happy New Year! We hope you’re having a relaxing and well-deserved Winter Break with your family, friends, and loved ones. It’s also a great time to reflect back on all the incredible accomplishments this past year, and all the amazing things yet to come.
We’re officially less than ONE YEAR AWAY from marching down Colorado Boulevard for the 2025 Pasadena Tournament of Roses Parade!! This is the experience of a lifetime and you will be seen by over 750,000 people (imagine filling Angels Stadium 16 times over). You are part of a small group of bands that were chosen out of hundreds who applied – and we recently found out that the 605 Parade Band was the FIRST BAND CHOSEN by the Rose Parade music committee! Some of the “605 Parade Band” directors recently had the opportunity to take a tour of the Wrigley Mansion, also known as the “Tournament House,” where we learned about the rich history of the Rose Parade. We also got to meet the directors from the other bands who will be marching with us in 2025 and the Tournament of Roses president elect.
SAVE THE DATE AND SPREAD THE WORD: There is an information meeting for ALL PARTICIPANTS AND PARENTS (including current 8th graders) on Sunday, January 21, 2024 in the Artesia HS Gym. The directors from all eight participating schools are still working on the exact details/cost; however, we need ALL STUDENTS to please complete this general interest survey so we can begin planning. Hopefully you’re excited to be a part of this once-in-a-lifetime experience, but there is also an option to let us know if you do not wish to participate.
https://docs.google.com/forms/d/1FLkUjH06-E_wAzEhlQKwPASDvjy-qkv7-u5noH64lQE/edit?usp=sharing_eil_m&ts=6584aae5
Please note that this cost helps pay for a custom band uniform top / color guard costume (that you would get to keep after the parade), parade music and copyrights, drill design and music for the BandFest field performance, banners, flags, and additional instructors for percussion, color guard, and visual. Unfortunately, this does not currently include Disneyland or bussing, which we will be trying to see if it is possible to fundraise for. We will have more info, including the full rehearsal and Rose Parade schedule, at the meeting on Sunday, January 21st.
HOLIDAY BAND CONCERT – THANK YOU!
Before we went on Winter Break, we had our annual Holiday Band Concert at Whitney HS! The students did a fantastic job preparing the concert with limited rehearsals. Thank you to everyone who came and to all the parents who ran the front-of-house. Special thanks to ABCUSD School Board Vice-President, Mr. Ernie Nishii and our principal, Mr. Jeffrey Hernandez, for attending. We sold out of 2023 ornaments, BUT we still have brand-new black Gahr Marching Gladiator hoodies and 2024 wall calendars available! Click below to see more detailed photos of these items.
1ST DONATION DUE FOR WINTER DRUMLINE & WINTER GUARD
The 1st donation for Indoor Percussion, JV Guard, and Varsity Guard is due this week. This is critical so we are able to purchase new floors for Indoor Percussion and Varsity Guard, costumes and deposits for all three groups, and pay our instructional staff. While we have the total donation broken down into payments, we highly encourage you to pay the entire amount if you are financially able to do so to help with these up-front costs.
Indoor Percussion
$200.00 due 1/3/24
JV Winter Guard
$150.00 due 1/4/24
Varsity Winter Guard
$225.00 due 1/4/24
INDOOR PERCUSSION CAMPS THIS WEEK
We’re back at it this week with camp rehearsals as we continue learning our 2024 production, “12345.” Can you believe WE’RE ONLY ONE MONTH FROM OUR FIRST SCPA COMPETITION AT LA QUINTA HS?? This Wednesday we have camp from 9AM-4PM, Thursday is also 9AM-4PM, and Friday is one block from 9AM-1PM. Make sure you keep practicing, hydrating, eat a good breakfast each day, and bring $5 for lunch on Wednesday and Thursday. Please bring the 1st donation of $200.00 on Wednesday or click here to pay online. Make sure you’ve turned in the Indoor Percussion Parental Consent form. INDOOR PERCUSSION IS LOOKING FOR ONE STUDENT TO BE A “CHARACTER” IN THE SHOW. This is a special visual role for the production (that would also have less rehearsals). If you are interested, please let Mr. Loney, Mr. Lopez, or Zach know ASAP. Thanks!
PARENTS: We can use your help with lunch this week if you’re available! Please click here to sign up.
JV & VARSITY WINTER GUARD CAMPS THIS WEEK
We hope you had a great week off and are ready to continue learning our 2024 productions. WE’RE ONLY ONE MONTH AWAY FROM THE CHINO HILLS PREVIEW SHOW!! This Thursday we have camp for Varsity Guard ONLY from 1PM-9PM, Friday camp for Varsity Guard ONLY is from 9AM-5PM, and on Saturday we have JV Guard from 9AM-1PM and Varsity Guard from 1PM-9PM. Make sure you continue to hydrate, eat a good meal before you arrive each day, and bring $5 for dinner on Thursday, lunch on Friday, and dinner on Saturday. Please make sure you’ve turned in the Winter Guard Parental Consent form.
PARENTS: We are gearing up for an awesome 2024 Winter Guard season and need YOUR SUPPORT to make it successful! To donate food items, please click here. To volunteer to serve food, please click here. Get involved and let’s work together so our students can have an amazing experience. We’re looking forward to a fantastic season for both teams!
2024 ABCUSD HONOR BAND INFO
This year we are fortunate to have Dr. Travis Cross from UCLA conducting the high school honor band! All Wind Ensemble students are required to audition for the honor band. Concert Band students are STRONGLY ENCOURAGED to audition. WIND STUDENTS: Any movement from Concert Band to Wind Ensemble or vice versa will be done on an individual basis the first week we’re back from break. Wind Ensemble students should be prepared to play all 12 major scales from the blue book as well as their honor band audition excerpts.
Make sure you’re using this week to practice SLOWLY with a metronome so you can be successful. You’re encouraged to come to school this week when the Band Room is open or during Indoor Percussion or Winter Guard rehearsals to practice before we get busy with second semester. Just ask Mr. Loney or Mr. Miller and we can open up a classroom for individual practice or sectionals.
These are the four pieces for the program:
“Halcyon Hearts” by Katahj Copley
“Memento” by Travis J. Cross
“The Liberty Bell March” by John Philip Sousa
“Variations on a Korean Folk Song” by John Barnes Chance
This drop box link for the audition excerpts for each instrument:
https://www.dropbox.com/scl/fo/o993r4qq4m2cg1s7i2y83/h?rlkey=h3mkljo1w5dg7a37hnqyr7i57&dl=0
This year, the high school auditions will be held at Whitney HS.
Woodwinds: Wednesday, 1/17 from 5-8PM
Brass & Percussion: Thursday, 1/18 from 5-8PM
In addition to the excerpts, the auditions will also include some basic sight-reading.
Rehearsal Schedule:
Tuesday, 1/30 from 6:00-8:30PM at Whitney HS (on stage)
Tuesday, 2/6 from 6:00-8:30PM at Whitney HS (in band room)
Thursday, 2/8 from 6:00-8:30PM at Gahr HS (sectionals)
Tuesday, 2/13 from 6:00-8:30PM at Whitney HS (on stage)
Thursday, 2/15 ABCUSD Honor Band Concert at Whitney HS at 7:00PM
JOIN JAZZ BAND FOR SECOND SEMESTER!
Congratulations to both Jazz A and Jazz B on wonderful performances at the Holiday Band Concert! Now that marching band rehearsals are long behind us, this is a GREAT TIME to hop into either Jazz Ensemble as we begin our festival season! Both groups will be going to the Mayfair Jazz Festival, Workman Jazz Festival, RCC Jazz Festival, and once again to the “Music in the Parks Festival” and Knott’s Berry Farm! If you are a more advanced/experienced player we have a few positions open for trumpet and trombone in Jazz A and one of the tunes we’d like to play is “Dance of the Stargazer.” We can still add more underclassmen students in most sections for Jazz B. Jazz B will be competing as the “Novice” division and Jazz A will be in the “Heavy” division (which requires full instrumentation). Let Mr. Miler know if you’d like to join Jazz B and Mr. Loney know if you’re interested in Jazz A!
THIS WEEK:
MONDAY 1/1/24
Happy New Year!
TUESDAY 1/2/24
10:00AM-4:00PM Band Room open to practice or have sectionals
WEDNESDAY 1/3/24
Indoor Percussion Payment #1 Due
9:00AM-4:00PM Indoor Percussion Camp (bring $5 for lunch)
THURSDAY 1/4/24
JV Guard Payment #1 Due
Varsity Guard Payment #1 Due
9:00AM-4:00PM Indoor Percussion Camp (bring $5 for lunch)
1:00PM-9:00PM Varsity Guard Camp (bring $5 for dinner)
FRIDAY 1/5/24
9:00AM-1:00PM Indoor Percussion Rehearsal
9:00AM-5:00PM Varsity Guard Camp (bring $5 for lunch)
SATURDAY 1/6/24
9:00AM-1:00PM JV Guard Rehearsal
1:00PM-9:00PM Varsity Guard Camp (bring $5 for dinner)
SUNDAY 1/7/24
Lay out everything you need for school including your instrument/music. Go to bed early.
NEXT WEEK:
MONDAY 1/8/24
7:20AM Jazz A & B
6th-6:00PM Indoor Percussion rehearsal
TUESDAY 1/9/24
7:20AM Jazz A & B
6th-5:00PM JV Guard rehearsal
3:30-6:00PM Wind Ensemble rehearsal (new pieces, Honor Band excerpts)
5:00-9:00PM Varsity Guard rehearsal
6:30PM Executive Board Meeting
WEDNESDAY 1/10/24
No Jazz A or B
3:30PM Totally optional sectionals / Honor Band help
6:00-9:00PM Indoor Percussion rehearsal
THURSDAY 1/11/24
7:20AM Jazz A & B
6th-5:00PM JV Guard rehearsal
3:30-6:00PM Concert Band rehearsal (new pieces, Honor Band excerpts)
5:00-9:00PM Varsity Guard rehearsal
FRIDAY 1/12/24
7:20AM Jazz A & B
3:30PM Totally optional sectionals / Honor Band help
Take instruments/equipment home to practice.
HONOR BAND AUDITIONS NEXT WEEK!