AREA CONCERT THIS WEDNESDAY & RCC JAZZ FESTIVAL SATURDAY!

THE GAHR AREA CONCERT IS THIS WEDNESDAY AT 6:30PM IN THE GYM!! THIS IS YOUR LAST CHANCE TO BUY RAFFLE TICKETS FOR YOUR CHANCE TO WIN AN INCREDIBLE GIFT BASKET! EAT AT TACO NAZO TOMORROW 5/6 ANYTIME FROM 10AM-9PM AND 50% WILL BE DONATED BACK TO THE MUSIC PROGRAM. JAZZ A & B HAVE REHEARSALS THURSDAY AND FRIDAY AFTER SCHOOL TO PREP FOR OUR FINAL JAZZ FESTIVAL THIS SATURDAY AT RCC! STUDENT LEADERSHIP APPLICATIONS ARE DUE THIS FRIDAY. PLEASE TURN IN YOUR RSVP & MONEY FOR OUR END-OF-YEAR AWARDS BANQUET. A HUGE THANK YOU TO EVERYONE WHO HELPED WITH OUR FUNDRIVE – RAISING $1,457 FOR THE PROGRAM!

The Gahr Area Concert is THIS WEDNESDAY, May 8th at 6:30PM in the Gahr HS Gym! Both the Concert Band and Wind Ensemble will be combining together, and we will be joined by Ross MS, Haskell MS, Tetzlaff MS, and many of our elementary feeder schools. We have some fun music planned – DON’T MISS IT!!!

Admission is FREE – but you can support the program by purchasing raffle tickets for THREE INCREDIBLE GIFT BASKETS featuring items like a brand-new Weber Kettle Charcoal Grill, a pair of AirPods Pro, two (2) tickets to Universal Studios Hollywood, and a two-hour catered churro party valued at $450! We’ll also have snacks, drinks, and merchandise available too. THE DEADLINE TO PURCHASE RAFFLE TICKETS IS THIS WEDNESDAY AT THE AREA CONCERT! All proceeds benefit the program and help us meet our end-of-year budget.

PARENTS: This is a big fundraiser for the program and we need your help! Please click here to sign up here if you can help. We can especially use help from our amazing color guard parents!! See you Wednesday!

STUDENTS: We’re on the home stretch! We have two final rehearsals to prepare for the Area Concert: This Monday from 3:30-6:00PM and Tuesday from 3:30-6:00PM. Attendance is required at these rehearsals to participate in the performance. Make sure you keep practicing your music and have your all black concert attire ready so you look great. Call time on Wednesday is 5:15PM in the Band Room.

CONGRATULATIONS JAZZ A & B – Congratulations to Jazz A and B on awesome performances at the Music in the Parks Festival this past Friday! Jazz A won overall Sweepstakes and 1st place, Jazz B took 2nd place, and William Wu won the Outstanding Soloist award!! Way to go Jazz Band!

Both Jazz A and Jazz B will be performing at the RCC Jazz Festival this Saturday, May 11th. The festival is located at the Coil School for the Arts facility (3890 University Ave, Riverside, CA 92501) and is FREE and open to the public. Call time on Saturday is 12:30PM wearing jazz concert attire to load the bus ASAP. Eat a big meal before you arrive and bring money for dinner (please note that we will be walking as a group to get food nearby).

JAZZ A performs at 4:30PM in the concert hall. JAZZ B performs at 6:45PM in the choral room. Both groups have a clinic following the performance. We are arriving early to watch other bands, participate in clinics, and watch the RCC Jazz Orchestra with Wayne Bergeron and the evening awards ceremony. We will be returning back to Gahr at approximately 10:30PM.

GIFT BASKET RAFFLE THIS WEDNESDAY – We have THREE awesome gift baskets for this year’s raffle featuring incredible items like a brand-new Weber Kettle Charcoal Grill, a pair of AirPods Pro, two (2) tickets to Universal Studios Hollywood, and a two-hour catered churro party valued at $450!! All proceeds benefit the Gahr Instrumental Music Program and help us meet our end-of-year budget.

Raffle Ticket Prices:
$1 for 1 ticket
$5 for 6 tickets
$10 for 15 tickets
$20 for 40 tickets **best value**

Just send money with your son or daughter to purchase tickets from Mr. Loney or Mr. Miller and put them in the basket drawings of your choice! You're also welcome to check out the baskets in-person at the Band Room and buy raffle tickets. Write your name and phone number on EVERY TICKET. ALL TICKETS go into the drawings of your choice (do not keep any tickets). It is your choice which of the three gift baskets you would like to put tickets into. The more tickets you buy, the better your chances are to win!

We also have an ONLINE option if you would like to pay with a credit card and we will fill out the tickets for you:

https://www.gahrband.org/store/p/gift-basket-tickets

The opportunity drawing will take place on Wednesday, May 8th at the Gahr HS Area Concert in the gym! The event starts at 6:30PM and we will call basket winners throughout the concert. You do not need to be present to win as long as your name and phone number are written on the ticket.

LEADERSHIP APPLICATIONS DUE THIS FRIDAY 5/10 – The deadline to turn in a completed Leadership Applications is this Friday, May 10, 2024 by 11:59PM. Please be prompt and professional with your application. We will have interviews for DRUM MAJORS ONLY on Monday, May 13, 2024 beginning at 4:00PM.

The Student Leadership Team works directly with our instructional staff and is critical to the success of the Gahr Marching Gladiators and the entire music program. We hope you find the application process to be interesting and worthwhile regardless of the outcome. If you have any questions, please do not hesitate to contact Mr. Loney or Mr. Miller. Good luck, and work hard to represent the best version of yourself throughout this process!

SNAP! RAISE FUNDRAISER – Thank you to all the students who signed up for our program-wide SNAP! RAISE fundraiser! Donations raised go to help your son or daughter march in the 2025 Pasadena Tournament of Roses Parade! Any additional money will be used to support other students from Gahr participating in the Rose Parade and will ultimately be donated back our program if we exceed the amount needed. We have currently raised over $65,000 amongst all the participating schools!! The deadline to donate is May 18th.

UPCOMING GUARD, PERCUSSION, AND BAND WORKSHOPS!

We have Color Guard and Drumline Workshops on Monday and Tuesday, May 20th and 21st from 4-6PM! No experience is necessary – just a positive attitude. We have a  New Student/Parent Meeting on Tuesday, May 21st at 6:30PM in the Band Room. We will be going through important information about Band & Guard Workshops, Band Camp, and the 2024-25 school year.

Band & Color Guard Workshops are Tuesday, June 4th and Thursday, June 6th for all NEW & RETURNING students from 5-8PM. Please arrive by 4:30PM each day to check in. Attendance at these workshops is mandatory and reserves your spot in our 2024 field show production.

Band Camp is July 22nd through August 2nd, Monday-Friday, from 8:30AM-5PM each day. During Band Camp, students learn the basics and fundamentals necessary for our competitive field show production, including warm-ups, exercises, marching techniques, music, drill, and choreography. All students MUST ATTEND BAND CAMP to be admitted into the field show for the fall semester.

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 amazing year!!

ALL DONATIONS PAST DUE – ALL PAYMENTS FOR THE JV GUARD, VARSITY GUARD, INDOOR PERCUSSION, AND MARCHING BAND ARE PAST DUE. WE NEED TO PAY OUR INSTRUCTORS FOR THE TIME THEY HAVE ALREADY WORKED AND CANNOT DO THAT WITHOUT YOUR DONATION. We accept cash, checks made payable to “Gahr Band Boosters,” or please click here to pay online with a credit card. STUDENTS MUST BE CAUGHT UP WITH OUTSTANDING DONATIONS TO ATTEND THE AWARDS BANQUET.

THIS WEEK:

MONDAY 5/6
TACO NAZO FUNDRAISER 10AM-9PM
7:17AM Jazz Band A & B – RHYTHM SECTION ONLY
3:30-6:00PM Combined Band rehearsal (How to Train Your Dragon, Famishius Fantasticus, Oompa Loompa)

TUESDAY 5/7
7:17AM Jazz Band A & B – WIND SECTIONS ONLY
3:30-6:00PM Combined Band rehearsal (final run-through)

WEDNESDAY 5/8
LAST DAY TO BUY RAFFLE TICKETS!

GAHR AREA CONCERT IN GYM!
Set up for Area Concert during periods 3/4/6
Band Room open after school. Eat dinner and change.
5:15PM Gahr call time in Band Room – All black concert attire
6:00PM Run combined piece with Ross, Haskell, and Tetzlaff
6:30PM Gahr Area Concert starts!
8:00PM Approximate end time / Clean up ASAP

THURSDAY 5/9
NO ZERO PERIOD JAZZ A OR B
3:30-5:30PM Jazz A and B rehearsal

FRIDAY 5/10
LEADERSHIP APPLICATION DUE
7:17AM Jazz A & B rehearsal
3:30-5:30PM Jazz A and B rehearsal (final prep for RCC)

SATURDAY 5/11
Jazz A & B @ RCC Jazz Festival!
12:30PM Call time at Gahr wearing jazz concert attire. Bring money for dinner.

SUNDAY 5/12
Happy Mother’s Day!

UPCOMING EVENTS:

5/6 Taco Nazo Fundraiser
5/8 Gahr Area Concert in Gym!
5/10 Leadership Applications Due
5/11 Jazz A and B @ RCC Jazz Festival
5/14 Last Booster Meeting @ 6:30PM
5/15 AP Music Theory Exam @ 12:00PM
5/16 Awards Banquet @ Cerritos Center for the Performing Arts
5/20-21 Drumline + Color Guard Workshops 4-6PM
5/21 New Student/Parent Meeting @ 6:30PM
5/22 Ross and Gahr Jazz Concert 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