Winter Park Band Notes
March 26, 2017
From Mr. Blackmer
Dear Band Families,
Welcome Back! I hope that everyone had a restful spring break!
Congratulations to all of our State Solo & Ensemble MPA participants! It was great to most of you perform, and you all had some terrific verbal and written comments from the adjudicators!
Congratulations also to our new and returning Drum Majors for the 2017/2018 school year! Returning Drum Majors Mitchell Thomas and Dylan Wagg will be joined by David Johnston and Colin Urbina!
As is the case every year, once we come out of spring break, we begin to focus in on the final months of the school year and begin planning for the next:
Wind Ensemble audition sign-up times will go up this week. All students are encouraged to prepare an audition and to seek out help with that preparation! It is my intention to make the Wind Ensemble a slightly larger group next year (based on auditions, of course), so please do not make assumptions that, for example, there are no senior trumpet players and therefore no additional trumpets will be taken for next year. This is not the case! If there are 10 great trumpet auditions, there will be 10 trumpets in Wind Ensemble, etc. The biggest point is to prepare and to seek out assistance from me, Mr. Clemente, or another student.
Percussion audition clinics begin this Wednesday after school from 5 PM - 7 PM. All percussionists and any wind players who might like to audition for marching percussion (battery and front ensemble) are strongly encouraged to attend as many of these clinics as possible!
Band Registration night will take place on Tuesday, May 2, from 6 PM - 9 PM. Registration forms and information will be available on the Band website in the coming days, but please make note of the date!
Finally, please take a moment to begin looking at the 2017/2018 Band calendar. There are many dates for the next school year that are already in place. Consider syncing our calendar to your iCal or Google Calendar.
All the Best,
Mr. Blackmer
State Solo & Ensemble MPA
Congratulations to the 7 events that performed at Saturday's State Solo & Ensemble MPA held at Apopka High School!
Solos Earning a "Superior Rating": Tony Paredes (euphonium); Adam DeLoach (alto saxophone); Maia Ruiz (clarinet); and, Blake Konkol (flag).
Ensembles Earning a "Superior Rating": Tommy Claus, Patrick DeLoach, Samuel Dufresne, and Zachary Noble (trombone quartet); and, Adam DeLoach and Edun Kalmar (saxophone duet).
Ensemble Earning an "Excellent Rating": David Johnston, Bryan Lopez, and Madhav Patil (clarinet trio).
NY Tour Payment Updates
New York Tour Payment Updates went out with the students on Thursday, March 9. They are on bright green paper for student participants, and blue paper for chaperones.
This update covers the amount due over the final two tour payments (March 13 and April 17). For most, you will have a small positive balance owed toward the trip, however, because of the corporate donations brought in over the past several months, there are a few who have a negative balance, meaning that we owe you!
FOR THOSE WHO ARE DUE A REFUND, it is important that you act on this by TOMORROW, MONDAY, MARCH 27 (the day we return from break). After March 27, we will take refund balances, apply them to any outstanding Band fees, and transfer the rest into the general account.
Band Banquet Video
Our year-end video will be created by Dylan Wagg this year. Please help Dylan by sending him some of your favorite band and guard photos for the video via social media or at Dylan.Wagg@gmail.com. Please try to send Dylan a variety of pictures from throughout the school year, not just from the marching band season!
SENIORS should send a baby picture, young child picture, and a recent picture to Maureen Dufresne at mdufresne5@embarqmail.com (digital preferred). Hard copies can be turned into the Band Office. Hard copies will be returned when we are finished with them. The deadline for senior photo submissions is MONDAY, MARCH 27 (first day back after spring break).
Java Joes Fundraiser
The Java Joes coffee fundraiser kicked-off the week before spring break, and the sale will end on Tuesday, March 28. In order to get the the product ordered in a timely manner, it is critical that all order forms (and payments) be turned in before the end of the day on Tuesday.
Fair Share
Just a reminder that our final Fair Shares for the 2016/2017 school year are now past-due. As of tomorrow, Monday, March 27, all outstanding balances will be forwarded to the WPHS Administration and placed on the school's Obligations List. Students on the Obligations list will not be able to purchase prom tickets or obtain tickets for Commencement, among other things.
2017/2018 Band Calendar
The 2017/2018 Band Calendar is beginning to take shape! We have several dates already in place for next school year, including Band Camp, home/away football games, Marching Band MPA, Door-2-Door Fundraiser, Jazz MPA, Solo & Ensemble MPA, Guest Conductor Workshop, Concert Band MPA, and much, much more! Please check it out and sync with your family calendars!
Upcoming Auditions
Information is now available for several upcoming audition opportunities for our students:
If there are any questions about any of these auditions, please contact Mr. Blackmer or Mr. Clemente.