Winter Park Band Notes
May 7, 2017
From Mr. Blackmer
Dear Band Families,
It has been a busy but memorable week!
First, congratulations to our concert and jazz bands on a terrific spring concert this past Wednesday evening! I felt that it was one of the strongest final concerts in the past four years, and a great way to close out the school year! And bravo to the Winter Park Guard on a great Showcase last Thursday!
I also want to thank our parents and students for making our Band Registration night go so smoothly. The process seems to get easier each year, but we couldn't do it without the help of some terrific volunteers! I'd like to especially thank Maureen Dufresne and Nancy Stephens for working so hard to make registration a success!
Finally, congratulations to everyone who successfully auditioned into Jazz Ensemble 1 for next school year - it's going to be a fantastic group! I'm also happy to say that we will have three fulling instrumented jazz ensembles next year - the Freshman Jazz Band, Jazz Ensemble 1 and Jazz Ensemble 2!
Only seventeen school days left to go! Make the best of them!
Mr. Blackmer
Band Banquet - Friday, May 12
The Band Banquet begins at 6:15 PM in the West Cafeteria. Your ticket to the dinner is your dish serving 8 - 10 individuals. Students attending alone may team up with another student attending alone and bring a dish together. PLEASE, IF POSSIBLE, USE A DISPOSABLE DISH AND BRING A SERVING UTENSIL MARKED CLEARLY WITH YOUR NAME. All students and families will be responsible for cleaning up their own dish before the awards ceremony begins. Bring a cooler in your car if you would like to take home leftovers. The awards ceremony will begin at approximately 7:30 PM. Please RSVP and sign up for your dish on the Band Calendar (May 12).
Concert Attire Turn-In
Please remember that school-owned concert tuxedos and dresses are due to be turned in by Wednesday, May 10! Tuxedos and dresses are to be dry-cleaned and left in the plastic dry-cleaning bag with the student's name attached. Uniforms returned outside of the dry-cleaning bag will be returned to the student to do again.
Wind Ensemble: because you will need to your tuxedo/dress on the New York Tour, your turn-in date is Monday, June 12. Same instructions as above.
Seniors: if you have a personally-owned tuxedo or dress that you would like to donate to the WP Band Program, please have it dry-cleaned and turn-in to the Band Room no later than May 31. Thank you!
Band Banquet Help
We still need help for Band Banquet preparations this week. We are in special need of help in the afternoon on Friday from 1PM - 3 PM in the West Cafeteria, and for clean up after the awards ceremony. Seniors: we would love your help in the cafeteria from 1 PM - 3 PM (there is no Wind Ensemble rehearsal that day)! Sign up is on the Band Calendar on May 12 at Band Banquet Decorating Set Up.
Marching Uniform Cleaning
It is time to get our marching uniforms ready for next fall! Please help us by washing 10 or more marching uniforms in your home machine. We will give you complete instructions and, depending on the size of your washer, 10 uniforms can be washed in 3 - 4 loads. Volunteer will receive $5 credit to their student’s account for every 10 uniforms washed to help offset the cost of water/spot cleaner. Uniform pick-up is at the Uniform Room, Saturday May 13, 11 AM - 3 PM. Return is Saturday, May 20. Please e-mail Michelle Clemons at with the number of uniforms you can wash.
New York Tour Meeting
For all of our students traveling on the New York City Tour in June, there is a mandatory trip meeting this coming Wednesday, May 10, beginning at 7 PM in the High School Auditorium. All students and at least one parent/guardian are required to be in attendance.
If parents are planning on taking their son/daughter with them before the end of the trip, they must bring the Parent Pick-Up Notification form with them to the May 10 meeting. You will also need a picture ID that we can scan onto the form while you are there. If possible, please plan on arriving around 6:45 PM to get this completed prior to the meeting.