Hi band family!
It has been an amazing summer for our ensemble and we are so thrilled for the rest of this season. I am reaching out to you with a number of announcements for the start of school and remainder of this week. I apologize now for the length of this message, but please be sure to read ALL of it.
- Tomorrow (August 14th) is our Clearwater Park outing for all members of the band (from noon-9p). This is an amazing day of fellowship and camaraderie to celebrate the end of a successful summer! After tomorrow’s rehearsal, students will board school buses and head to Clearwater Park in Hartville for an afternoon/evening of fun! Students are able to swim, play mini golf, etc. They should plan on bringing towels and swimsuits if they plan to swim. Sunscreen is also encouraged! While at Clearwater, students will receive a meal around 2:30p. Our band parents are very gracious and take the time to prepare this for the kids. Since this event is longer, we do encourage students to bring money for food at the concession stand or they can bring a bagged lunch. Concessions food cost varies and selection might be slim as well. Please keep this in mind as you plan for tomorrow! We are excited for a very nice end to our summer rehearsals.
- Friday (August 16th) is another busy day for the band. Students will be performing for the district staff at Convocation in the morning. They should plan on arriving to CHS around 7:15a. We will perform at approximately 7:45a and will be done by 8a. At this time, students should plan to leave the building, as there are staff meetings and activities that go on throughout the day. Friday night is also our Friday Night Futbol Performance. This performance has been on our calendar since May, and like football games and competitions, students should be there! Students should report to CHS at 5:15p for this performance. This is a new experience for us, so flexibility is important. We will wear Pathos (aka Tour) Shirts and jeans for these performances. Make sure you all have jeans… we will need these throughout the season! Jeans with holes in them are not acceptable.
- School starts Monday (August 19th) for freshman, new students, and select seniors. There are no after school band activities on Monday! REST AND RELAX!
- Tuesday (August 20th) begins our after school rehearsals. Every Tuesday and Thursday from 2:45p – 5p the band has after school rehearsals to continue to clean and refine for our performances. These rehearsals are mandatory and students must be at them if they wish to continue to march throughout the season. These rehearsals are graded!
- Wednesday (August 21st) is a very cool day for our percussionists. Staff members from Phantom Regiment (a world class Drum and Bugle Corps) will be coming in to work with our percussion section from 3p – 7p. We understand that this is last minute notice for members of the section, but it is mandatory. Please make a point to clear your schedules so you don’t miss out on this opportunity! Winds – you do not need to attend this event. Wind sections (and percussion) should be planning regular sectionals throughout the season as well. Please make sure this is communicated to all members of the section so everyone can attend. These small rehearsals are what help us work on nuances that push us to the next level of achievement.
- If you ever have a question about the schedule for the band, please be sure to reference our Schedule of Events Page. You will be able to find a lot of information by looking at it.
Again, thank you for your support so far this season! We are looking forward to a great school year. Take care!
-Aaron Welker, Director of Bands