THIS WEEK 1/8
Welcome back! I hope you had an awesome Winter Break and are ready to rock for second semester! We’ve got a lot of fun things planned and incredible performance opportunities in store for the Concert Band, Wind Ensemble, Jazz A, Jazz B, JV Winter Guard, Varsity Winter Guard, and Indoor Percussion. Remember, the more you put into it, the more you get out of it!
Congratulations to the Indoor Percussion, JV Guard, and Varsity Guard on huge improvement during their winter camps! Thank you to all the parents who helped coordinate lunches and dinners for the students throughout the week. All three groups are off to a terrific start on their 2024 productions!
This week, ALL WOODWINDS in the music program have rehearsal on Tuesday 1/9 from 3:30-5:30PM and ALL BRASS PLAYERS have rehearsal on Thursday 1/11 from 3:30-5:30PM. Please note that this is regardless of whether or not you plan to audition for the honor band. Even though we will spend some time going through the honor band excerpts, we will also be working on overall fundamentals and some sight-reading. No percussion is needed after school for these two rehearsals, but you are strongly encouraged to practice. Honor Band auditions are next week at Whitney High School, Wednesday, January 17th for Woodwinds and Thursday, January 18th for Brass and Percussion. Both days go from 5-8PM (but you are free to leave once you finish your audition).
You can always access the entire Gahr Instrumental Music Program calendar here:
https://www.gahrband.org/calendar
2024 SHOW SHIRT PRE-ORDER!
New 2024 show shirts are available for PRE-ORDER ONLY the website! Support the JV Guard, Varsity Guard, and the Indoor Percussion by purchasing a shirt. We will be doing pre-orders and sales exclusively through the online store for just $20 per shirt. Student members of each group will receive a free shirt as long as they have turned in the first donation.
GO TO 7LEAVES ON ARTESIA THIS WEDNESDAY 1/10
Go to 7Leaves on Artesia Blvd. this Wednesday, January 10th anytime from 7AM-11PM! Just show the flyer and 20% will be donated back to the program. Thank you for supporting the band and color guard!
605 ALL-STAR BAND MEETING 1/21
We’re 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). There is an information meeting for ALL PARTICIPANTS AND PARENTS on Sunday, January 21, 2024 at 4:00PM in the Artesia HS Gym. This is open to all current high school students, current 8th graders, and alumni from the Class of 2023 that participated in the audition video!
In addition to marching in the Rose Parade, the 605 All-Star Band also plans to march at Disneyland and will put together a field show for “BandFest” that includes front ensemble. Please make sure you’ve filled out this survey so we are able to approximate costs for uniforms/costumes, shako wraps, music, drill, and instructors:
https://docs.google.com/forms/d/1FLkUjH06-E_wAzEhlQKwPASDvjy-qkv7-u5noH64lQE/edit?usp=sharing_eil_m&ts=6584aae5
1ST DONATION PAST DUE FOR WINTER DRUMLINE & WINTER GUARD
The 1st donation for Indoor Percussion, JV Guard, and Varsity Guard is past due. This is critical so we are able to purchase the new floors needed for Indoor Percussion and Varsity Guard, costumes , and pay our instructional staff. We highly encourage you to pay the entire amount if you are financially able to do so to help with these up-front costs or we will not be able to register for shows or get floors/costumes/props early. Thank you!
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
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. The goal is for as many students to take part in the ABCUSD Honor Band as possible. The Wind Ensemble and Concert Band weekly after school rehearsal schedule has even been adjusted around the Honor Band rehearsals and concert.
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
Auditions will be held NEXT WEEK 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). All you have to do is show up tomorrow and we can get you worked in!
CONCERT BAND AND WIND ENSEMBLE UPDATE
After this week, we will resume normal ensemble rehearsals with Wind Ensemble on Tuesdays from 3:30-6PM and Concert Band on Thursdays from 3:30-6PM. Please note that there have been some adjustments made due to Honor Band auditions, rehearsals, and the concert. All percussionists will be assigned to either Concert Band or Wind Ensemble (typically based on Honor Band audition results). While Wind Ensemble students have the option to also participate in Concert Band, the Concert Band will be a completely separate ensemble this year. We will combine back together after festival season as we gear up for the Area Concert. Any movement from Concert Band to Wind Ensemble or vice versa must be done on an individual basis this week. All Wind Ensemble students should be prepared to play all 12 major scales from the blue book, as well as their honor band audition excerpts.
Concert Band Festival Repertoire
1. Into the Clouds - Richard L. Saucedo
2. Forever… - Brian Balmages
3. Drawing Mars - Michael Markowski
Wind Ensemble Festival Repertoire
1. Cry of the Last Unicorn - Rossano Galante
2. Dancing Fire - Kevin Day
CHECK OUT NEW MERCH ON THE STORE
It’s getting cold out there! This is the perfect time to pick up a brand-new black Gahr Marching Gladiator hoodie. We also still have new 2024 wall calendars available with beautiful photos from throughout our award-winning marching band season!
THIS WEEK:
MONDAY 1/8/24
7:20AM Jazz A & B! New music!! Come check it out :)
6th-6:00PM Indoor Percussion rehearsal
TUESDAY 1/9/24
7:20AM Jazz A & B
6th – Varsity Guard study hall
6th-5:00PM JV Guard rehearsal
3:30-5:30PM ALL WOODWINDS ONLY (Honor Band excerpts, new music, sight-reading)
5:00-9:00PM Varsity Guard rehearsal
WEDNESDAY 1/10/24
Go to 7Leaves on Artesia anytime from 7AM-11PM
No Jazz A or B
3:20PM Optional sectionals / Honor Band help
6:00-9:00PM Indoor Percussion rehearsal
THURSDAY 1/11/24
7:20AM Jazz A & B
6th – Varsity Guard study hall
6th-5:00PM JV Guard rehearsal
3:30-5:30PM ALL BRASS ONLY (Honor Band excerpts, new music, sight-reading)
5:00-9:00PM Varsity Guard rehearsal
FRIDAY 1/12/24
7:20AM Jazz A & B
3:20PM Optional sectionals / Honor Band help
Take all instruments/music home to practice for Honor Band auditions.
MONDAY /15/24
NO SCHOOL – Keep practicing for Honor Band auditions