Winter Park Band Notes
January 21, 2018
From Mr. Blackmer
We are off and running with our second semester! There is a lot going on this time of year, so please make sure that you look ahead on the Band Calendar so that nothing catches you off guard!
First, congratulations to the Winter Park WInter Guard on their premiere performance this past Saturday at Lyman HS! The ensemble had a terrific first dry-run performance with many great comments to work from as they move through the season! A huge thanks to those parents who chaperones and assisted with equipment on Saturday!
Thank you to all of our parents who attended our Band Booster General Parent meeting this past week! We had an excellent turn-out!
For all of our All-County concert band students - this week is All-County week! Make sure you are preparing your music and have the schedule figured out. You cannot be late to anything. Being tardy, even by a minute or two, will result in you being removed from your band.
Finally, summer is right around the corner, and this is a great time of year to begin considering summer music camps. There are many great summer music camps, both in and out of Florida. Again this year, we will be offering a $50 reimbursement scholarship for any approved summer music camp. To be considered, e-mail information about the camp to me for approval. After that, you'll register for the camp and a $50 credit will be placed on your Band account at the end of the summer. Just below you'll find some information about some terrific summer music camps offered at Stetson University.
If you're looking to get away from the Florida heat this summer, consider looking at Blue Lake Fine Arts Camp. BLFAC is situated a few miles north of Muskegon, Michigan, and offers multiple concert band and jazz band opportunities during one of their four 2-week sessions. Of course, there is the expense of flying (driving) up to Michigan, however, Blue Lake does offer complimentary transportation to and from Grand Rapids airport, and they are offering an automatic $475 scholarship for any Winter Park Band student - no audition required. This brings the total tuition (which includes room & board) down to $850. You can also use the $50 Band Booster scholarship with this as well, bringing the cost down even more.
If you have questions about any of these summer camps, please visit their websites, and don't hesitate to contact me.
All the Best,
Mr. Blackmer
Blue Lake Fine Arts Camp
Stetson University Brass Camp
Stetson University Clarinet Clinic
Stetson University Double Reed Workshop
Stetson University Flute Workshop
Stetson University Saxophone Workshop
Door-2-Door Fundraiser
Our largest and most important fundraiser of the year is less than 2 weeks from today! Students from all bands and the color guard are required to participate.
If you have spoken to Mr. Blackmer or Mr. Clemente about an excused conflict with Door-2-Door, please email Maureen Dufresne, mdufresne5@embarqmail.com. We are organizing vehicles now and we appreciate your help. Those who fail to show for their Door-2-Door assignment will be assessed a fundraising fee on their Band Account.
All Door-2-Door Drivers: Log on to OCPS Additions/Samaritan website, search and sign up for the opportunity “Additions Band Volunteer Door to Door” at the following link https://ocps.samaritan.com/custom/503/. Please do it today! If the system prompts you to renew, or answer questions, or if you forgot your password, please follow the directions to take care of this issue and sign up for the opportunity. Thank you!
Volunteers Needed This Thursday at 7 PM!
Volunteers are needed to set up our folders and cans for the Door-2-Door fundraiser. We also need to set up for the OCPS Directors Breakfast which occurs the next morning. If you have a glue gun and some glue, please bring it! This is the same evening as All-County Band rehearsals. If you are dropping off your child for this rehearsal, please consider staying and helping us out for a bit. E-mail Maureen Dufresne at mdufresne5@embarqmail.com if we can count on your help this evening.
OCPS Director's Breakfast Volunteers Needed
We need help serving breakfast to the OCPS band directors from 8:00 AM - 11:00 AM on Friday, January 26. If you have a flexible daytime schedule, please consider helping us to show our appreciation for the band directors in Orange County. From the home page at www.winterparkhsband.com, select “band calendar” and click on the helping-hand icon on January 26, or contact Lee McBurney directly at mcburneyfl@gmail.com.
Earn Band Financial Credit with "Restore the Roar"
4 adults and 8 students are needed to assist in parking cars for “Restore the Roar” at Showalter Field on February 24. You will be shown what to do and part of the donations received will be credited to your Band account. Volunteers will be needed from 5:15 PM - 7:30 PM. Please sign up through the Band Calendar on Charms.
Guard Fair Share & Instrument Maintenance Fees Due
Just a reminder that the following Band fees were due Wednesday, January 3:
- Guard Fair Share 6
- School Instrument Maintenance Fee 2
Both fees can be paid for through SchoolPay.com or by check made payable to WPHS Band.
"Piano & Forte" Tri-M Tutoring
With the Solo & Ensemble coming up and Wind Symphony, Jazz Ensemble I and Drumline auditions just around the corner, Tri-M would to introduce to you the "Piano & Forte" music tutoring program.
As most of you probably already know, upperclassmen and higher-level ensemble students often help underclassmen after-school without asking for any compensation. "Piano & Forte" is meant to recognize these students and expand the available help to more students. Fortes are music tutors who can earn community service/CAS hours for helping the Pianos with anything music-related.
Please see more information and sign up here.
Amazon Fundraising Opportunity!
Even though the holiday season is past us, this is still an excellent tool to raise money for the Band every time you shop at Amazon. The Winter Park High School Alumni Band Association is a registered charity on Smile.Amazon.com, so please remember to use this unique link to shop at Amazon every time, and a small percentage of the sale (at no cost to you) will automatically be sent quarterly to the WPHSABAA account and then donated to the Winter Park Band Program. If we all use this link every time, we can raise funds on an ongoing basis to help the band! https://smile.amazon.com/ch/27-0964817
If you have any questions, contact Jane Claus at janeclaus@live.com.