Winter Park High School Band Notes
November 4, 2018
FROM MR. BLACKMER
Dear Winter Park Band Families:
First off, many thanks to all of our senior Band parents for coming out to "Senior Night" this past Friday! It was great to see all of our seniors represented and appreciated for their nearly 4 years of service and dedication to the Winter Park Band Program! I'd like to especially thank Ellen DeLoach for helping to plan and organize the senior sashes and flats, and Stacey Cox for helping to move the presentation of Band seniors to the pregame portion of the night!
Congratulations to our three Winter Park Band students who were selected for the Florida All-State! They include: Jeremy Fielder (Symphonic Band), Maia Ruiz (Symphonic Orchestra), and Daniel Sullivan (Symphonic Band). They will perform as part of the Florida Music Education Conference this coming January in Tampa.
Thank you to our many parents who came out for the annual Trunk r' Treat this past Tuesday afternoon!
This week is our 6th annual "Fall Festival of Bands" - the official closing to the "marching band season." We are looking forward to hosting two of our feeder middle school band programs - the Glenridge Symphonic Band and Maitland Wind Ensemble! In addition to those two middle school bands, the evening will also feature the Winter Park WInd Symphony and Sound of the Wildcats Marching Band!
Please see the information below regarding the Amazon Smile program. This is an easy way to make a contribution to the Winter Park Band Program (through the Alumni Band) when you make any purchase through Amazon! There is no additional cost to do this, but you do need to make your purchase after logging into the Amazon Smile program.
Finally, I'd like to thank everyone for a really terrific Marching Band MPA Saturday. Everything ran so smoothly, and this is in major part due to four individuals - Candice Griffin, for organizing our terrific chaperones; Lee McBurney, for making sure that our students were watered and fed; Mary Bernard, for making the Band look great in uniform; and Willson McBurney, for heading up our parent Operations group!
The Marching Band had a solid MPA performance, but just came up short of an overall "superior rating." The ensemble earned a "superior" in the areas of General Effect, Visual Performance, and Auxiliary, and earned an "excellent" in the area of music. The Marching Band had some very focused rehearsals over the past two weeks, but it wasn't quite enough to get them over that "B" rating.
I always look at MPAs like an annual physical. You go in, hear what the doctor has to say, and then come away with a prescribed "to-do" list for making improvements to your health. Sure, everyone would like to receive a "superior rating," however, in the bigger picture, it's more relevant to take the experience, build on it, and make improvements as we prepare for our next performance. I'm very proud of of what the Marching Band has been able to accomplish over the past three months - there has been tremendous growth and advancement in skill and musicality throughout the Band, and I know you will hear that on display this Wednesday night!
All the Best,
Mr. Blackmer
FROM SHARON FLOOD
Dear Band Families:
I would personally like to thank Ellen DeLoach for taking charge of putting together this year's Senior pins, sashes and "flat Seniors," along with Senior parents and volunteers who helped. Those items turned out beautifully and really made it special for our band Seniors at this past Friday's Senior Night game. It was also special when our band Seniors were able to walk out onto the field and be recognized with their family.
I would also like to thank our Operations team for putting together an awesome potluck lunch for members of Operations and the chaperones during MPA at University High School on Saturday. Everything was delicious and very much appreciated. Thank you to all our volunteers who helped out, and to all the parents who showed up to MPA to watch and support our band kids! It was a great day!
Also, a reminder for parents who are volunteering as drivers for Door-2-Door, you need to make sure you have signed up on ADDitions. Candice Griffin (our Volunteer Coordinator) will be available at the time of Butter Braid pick-up on November 14, from 5 PM - 7 PM, so please bring your driver's license and insurance cards during that time!
Thank you!
Sharon Flood
MISCELLANEOUS
With the holiday season quickly approaching, this is 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.
THIS WEEK
SOLO & ENSEMBLE REGISTRATION
Registration for Solo & Ensemble MPA is now up and available through the Band website. It is never too early to begin forming ensembles and selecting music for S&E MPA. Also, if you are going to prepare a solo for S&E MPA, be sure to lock-down your accompanist immediately! The deadline for S&E MPA registration is Friday, November 9 at 2:30 PM. Also, if you want the Band Program to purchase music for your event, those orders are due no later than Monday, December 3 at 2:30 PM.
FALL FESTIVAL OF BANDS - NOVEMBER 7
Our annual Fall Festival of Bands, featuring the Glenridge MS Symphonic Band, Maitland MS Wind Ensemble, Winter Park Wind Symphony, and the Sound of the Wildcats Marching Band is coming up next Wednesday, November 7 at 7:00 PM in the Auditorium!
GROUP COMPOSITE PICTURES - NOVEMBER 9 & 12
The Band will be taking their annual individual pictures for use in the composite portrait this coming Friday and the following Monday. Pictures will take place throughout the day, and students will be pulled from their regular band rehearsals to do this. Students have an option to have their picture taken in either their marching band uniform or concert uniform.
If they choose the marching band uniform, they will need to make sure that they have their black show shirt with them at school on Friday and/or the following Monday. They will grab their uniform jacket from the Uniform Room on the way to take the picture, and then return it to storage afterward. If they are choosing to have their picture taken in their concert attire, they will need to have that with them on those days (gentlemen will only need their jacket, tuxedo shirt and bowtie).
Proofs will be available for viewing in the Auditorium lobby beginning at 5:30 PM on Thursday, December 13 (the same night as our Winter Concert).
PLAY-OFF GAME - NOVEMBER 9
We now know that there will be a play-off game on Friday, November 9, and it will be played at home. If you have a pre-existing conflict with that evening, please e-mail both Mr. Blackmer and Mr. Clemente ASAP.
UPCOMING
NIGHT OF JAZZ - NOVEMBER 15
Our night featuring the Freshman Jazz Band, Jazz Ensemble I & II, and the jazz bands from Glenridge and Maitland middle schools.
CHRISTMAS PARADES - DECEMBER 8
Please remember that both of our holiday parades (Winter Park & Baldwin Park) fall on the same day this year. While it will make for a longer day, it does ultimately free-up a Saturday in December! Look for an itinerary in the near future.
WINTER FEST - DECEMBER 11
This annual ticketed event features the Winter Park choirs and orchestras - including the Park Philharmonic which involves many of the winds and percussion from Wind Symphony.
WINTER BAND CONCERT - DECEMBER 13
Our last Band event of the calendar year!
FINANCIALS
BAND FEES
Please make sure that we are paying Band Fees in a timely manner! If you have financial constraints that are preventing you from making your Band fee schedule, please contact Mr. Blackmer directly so that arrangements and/or a payment plan can be made. In addition to this, make sure that you are actively participating in our fundraisers. These are specifically created to alleviate our fees, but you need to take advantage of them! If you have questions regarding which fees are due and when, please go to our website for the Financial Obligations PDFs.
- GUARD FAIR SHARE #4 is due on Wednesday, October 7.
CALENDAR
WINTER GUARD AUDITIONS/REHEARSAL
Monday, Nov 5, 2018, 03:00 PM
2100 Summerfield Road, Winter Park, FL, USA
Marching Band Rehearsal
Tuesday, Nov 6, 2018, 02:45 PM
Winter Park High School, Summerfield Road, Winter Park, FL, USA
Fall Festival of Bands
Wednesday, Nov 7, 2018, 07:00 PM
Winter Park High School, Summerfield Road, Winter Park, FL, USA
HOME PLAY-OFF FOOTBALL GAME
Friday, Nov 9, 2018, 05:30 PM
Showalter Field, Cady Way, Winter Park, FL, USA
Winter Park High School Bands
Email: Christopher.Blackmer@ocps.net
Website: www.winterparkhsband.com
Location: 2100 Summerfield Road, Winter Park, FL, United States
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/groups/121733824572614/
Twitter: @wphs_bands