Huge congratulations to the Class of 2026! Our 9th, 10th, and 11th-grade band members did a great job performing at the graduation ceremony at the VBC to send our seniors off in style.

Summer Dates and Band Camp 2026
May 26-29 (Tues - Friday)  Color Guard Camp (Color Guard Only)
June 29 - July 1 Leadership Camp (leadership team only)
July 13-14 (Mon-Tues) 9th grade marching band students, leadership team, all percussion, all color guard.
Wednesday, July 15 - Monday, August 3 Band Camp - All Marching Band Students (excluding weekends)
**Friday, July 24th  Optional DCI Trip to Nashville (afternoon and evening)
Tuesday, August 4th - Parent Preview Performance (evening)

Wednesday, August 5th First Day of School (pending school board approval - this is not official yet).

Wind Ensemble 2026-27
The Wind Ensemble after school rehearsal schedule is changing because of traditional block.   In addition, the Wind Ensemble is applying for one of two major national festivals - the Music for All Concert Festival in Indianapolis.  You can review the Music for All National Festival Information  for more details. The dates are April 1-3 and all Wind Ensemble members would be expected to go.  The cost is around $1000. The new schedule details are available in this 2026-27 Wind Ensemble Handout, which was given to each member.

We have not been accepted yet, and although we stand a good chance, nothing is guaranteed.  We should know by August.  However we want to be upfront about this major opportunity.  We are not planning a major band trip for the whole band next year.

Monday: Spring Training 4- 7 pm.  (Drum Majors, captains, and section leaders plus all new members) and Marching Percussion placements. HJHS students dismissed at 6 for their concert....  HJHS Band Concert - 7 pm.
Tuesday:  Marching Percussion placements 4-6:30 pm.  HJHS Choir Concert in Auditorium
Wednesday:  Spring Training 4- 7 pm.  (Drum Majors, captains, and section leaders plus all new members) 
Thursday:   Band Banquet at the Round House
Friday:   Off. 

A huge congratulations to Mr. Tankesley on his election as President-Elect for the Alabama Music Educators Association (AMEA). We are incredibly proud to have his leadership representing Huntsville High School at the state level.

Kudos to our student leaders! Throughout April, some of our students have been diving deep into what it means to be a leader. Beyond interviews with community mentors and leadership workshops, a core part of their application process was a servant leadership service project. From assisting our feeder programs to improving our own band facilities, these students have shown that true leadership starts with a heart for service. 

Rome New Year's Parade 2028 
Please Complete the Interest Survey
​
We are headed to Rome! The trip is scheduled for approximately December 27, 2027 – January 3, 2028.

• If you are a student or parent in grades 7–10, please fill out this interest survey to help us with our preliminary planning. It's anonymous and non-binding.
• More Info: You can find the March 23rd presentation, sample itineraries, and additional details in this Google Drive folder.

Graduation
Huntsville High School's graduation is Friday, May 22nd at 5:30 pm in the VBC Arena.  All band students (excluding seniors and color guard) are required to perform. We will also take a limited number of percussion students. This is the day after the last day of school.   We will take school buses to the event. ​

2026-27 Football and Tentative Marching Competition Schedule
August 14 - vs. Florence (Milton Frank)
August 21 - vs. Jasper (Milton Frank)
August 27 vs. Mae Jemison (Thursday)  (Milton Frank)
September 4  vs. Grissom (Milton Frank)
September 11 at Buckhorn (school buses)
September 18 vs. Sparkman (Homecoming)
September 25  Open
September 26 - Rocket City Invitational Marching Competition
October 2 at Hazel Green (school buses) (Required game right before Fall break)
October 9 vs Gadsden City - Senior Night (REQUIRED FALL BREAK GAME).
October 16 at Bob Jones (Madison City Stadium - school buses)
October 17 - Possible competition
October 23 at James Clemens  (Madison City Stadium - school buses)
October 24 - Possible competition
October 30  at Muscle Shoals (school buses)
October 31 - Possible Competition

Mrs. Flippo wants the band at all of the games including the game before and during Fall break.  This is a change from past years as the game during Fall Break has been optional.  We plan to do the halftime show at the Fall break game.  We will excuse anyone from this game who has already spent money on a 2026 Fall break trip and let us know prior to April 1st. ​

Summer Dates and Band Camp 2026
May 26-29 (Tues - Friday)  Color Guard Camp (Color Guard Only)
June 29 - July 1 Leadership Camp (leadership team only)
July 13-14 (Mon-Tues) 9th grade marching band students, leadership team, all percussion, all color guard.
Wednesday, July 15 - Monday, August 3 Band Camp - All Marching Band Students (excluding weekends)
**Friday, July 24th  Optional DCI Trip to Nashville (afternoon and evening)
Tuesday, August 4th - Parent Preview Performance (evening)
​Wednesday, August 5th First Day of School (pending school board approval - this is not official yet).

2025–26 Band Awards Banquet
For those who have signed up to join us for "Music Under the Stars," we look forward to seeing you this Thursday as we celebrate our students’ accomplishments!
​
Event Details: Thursday(May 14), 6:00 PM, The Roundhouse
Attire for the Evening: The theme colors for the evening are black with silver and gold/yellow. We invite you to join in the theme if you’d like, or simply come ready to impress.
Banquet Volunteers Needed: Please take a look at the volunteer sign-up in CutTime. We need a few parents to help set up the banquet and a few to help serve dinner. We ask that parents of seniors not sign up so they can fully enjoy their student's final banquet. 

2026–27 Band Fees
As we look ahead to another great year, band fees for 2026–27 will be $800 for marching band & color guard and $400 for concert-only students. A 5% discount is available for families who pay in full by the end of band camp ($760 marching / $380 concert-only).
Marching & Guard Payment Schedule:

• $275 due by August 5, 2026
• $275 due by September 11, 2026
• $250 due by the Fall Concert (Oct/Nov)

Concert-Only Payment Schedule:

• $200 due by September 11, 2026
• $200 due by the Fall Concert (Oct/Nov)

Families with multiple students will receive a multi-child discount, with additional students eligible for the concert-only rate.
If you have any questions, please reach out to [email protected]. We’re happy to help!

Help Wanted: Video Coordinator
We are still looking for a volunteer to help capture the HHS Band’s best moments for the 2026-27 season!

• The Mission: Film halftime shows, competitions, and concerts.
• ​The Impact: Your work preserves memories for our students and populates our HHS Band YouTube channel.
• The Perk: Best seat in the house for every performance!

No professional experience is required just a passion for our students and a willingness to help. If you're interested, please email [email protected].

Color Guard marching band uniform return should follow the instruction of Mrs. Morales. 

Color Guard 26-27 Camp 
May 26th - 29th
Location: Band Room and Soccer Field 
Times: 2:00pm-8:00pm
Dinner: 4:30pm-5:30pm, at school
***Thursday Dinner: team dinner. Build your own Sandwiches, chips, fruit and veggies (Morales has it covered)
***Friday Dinner: team dinner. Pizza, salad, and fruit (Morales has it covered)
​
If any parents would like to help with guard camp dinners, please let Mrs. Morales know! [email protected]

Mon, May 18 - Spring Training for 8th graders and leadership
Tues, May 19 - Spring Training for 8th graders and leadership.  8th grade parent meeting 7:00 pm.
May 22 - Graduation

The 25-26 Band Schedule can be found here and on the Cut Time calendar.

Directors
For grades, absences, conflicts, instruments, or general band questions:

• Stuart Tankesley: [email protected]
• Andrew Kirk: [email protected]

Color Guard
For all guard-related inquiries:

• Annabelle Morales: [email protected]

Band Booster Support
For all inquiries below, email: [email protected]

• Finances: Account balances, band fees, and sponsorships
• Support: Fundraising questions and Volunteering/Chaperone opportunities
• Digital: Questions regarding Cut Time, the Band App, or Social Media
• Events & Gear: Senior Night and Uniforms (excluding guard)

​

Such a fun night at Toyota Field! Our students did an amazing job representing HHS with the National Anthem and pep tunes, highlighted by a standout '5th inning stretch' performance of Take Me Out to the Ballgame by our sax quartet.

In case you missed it, here is the full video of our Chamber Concert from last week. Great job to all our student performers!

As we look ahead to another great year, band fees for 2026–27 will be $800 for marching band & color guard and $400 for concert-only students. A 5% discount is available for families who pay in full by the end of band camp ($760 marching / $380 concert-only).
Marching & Guard Payment Schedule:

• $275 due by August 5, 2026
• $275 due by September 11, 2026
• $250 due by the Fall Concert (Oct/Nov)

Concert-Only Payment Schedule:

• $200 due by September 11, 2026
• $200 due by the Fall Concert (Oct/Nov)

Families with multiple students will receive a multi-child discount, with additional students eligible for the concert-only rate.
If you have any questions, please reach out to [email protected]. We’re happy to help!

Please join us for our annual HHS Band Awards Banquet, ""Music Under the Stars", as we come together to recognize our students and all they’ve accomplished this year. We’ll enjoy a BBQ dinner and cake while celebrating a fantastic year of music, leadership, and memories.
​
Event Details

• Date: Thursday, May 14, 2026
• Time: 6:00 PM
• Location: The Roundhouse

Attire for the Evening
The theme colors for the evening are black with silver and gold/yellow. We invite you to join in the theme if you’d like, or simply come ready to impress.

Tickets and Registration

• Price: $35 per person
• Seniors: Attend FREE
• Signup Deadline: Friday, May 8, 2026
• Registration Link: RSVP via Google Forms

Payment Options

• Venmo: @HuntsvilleHS-BandParentAssoc
• Check: Deposit in the Band Box
• Cash: Accepted at the Band Box

Questions? Please contact Brianna Sieja at [email protected].

We’re looking ahead to the 2026–27 school year and have an important HHS Band Parents Board position we need to fill — Video Coordinator.
​
This role is responsible for capturing and sharing the story of our band throughout the year by filming band events that are meaningful and fun for our students, including:

• Marching band competitions
• Halftime performances, stand tunes, and rehearsals
• Concerts and special events

​​
The Video Coordinator helps record, create, and upload videos to our HHS Band YouTube channel, preserving memories for our students and families while showcasing our program to the community.

This is a great opportunity to get involved, be creative, and document everything our students work so hard to achieve. If you already have video equipment and love capturing moments, we’d love to have you — or think of this as a great excuse to finally get the camera you’ve always wanted. No professional experience required, just a willingness to help and learn.
​
If you’re interested or have any questions, please reach out to
[email protected]

Monday: Off.  Monte Sano 6th Grade Band/Choir Concert in Auditorium
Tuesday:  Off
Wednesday: Off.  HJHS Band Concert in Auditorium
Thursday:   Off.  Hampton Cove Band Concert in Auditorium.
Friday:   Off.  Wind Ensemble recording session in class.

SENIORS ONLY!!

Did you receive a band, music, or other fine arts scholarship offer?  If you did,  Please let us know by filling out this form.

Fine Arts Signing Day
We are excited to celebrate the incredible achievements of our senior artists at this year’s Fine Arts Signing Day!
Event Date: May 6th at 2:30 PM
Set-Up Begins: 1:00 PM
Sign-Up Deadline: May 1st
Sign-Up Link

Fine Arts Signing Day honors students who plan to continue their artistic journey beyond high school—whether by studying the arts in college or participating in an arts-related group or program. This includes (but is not limited to): band, choir, theatre, visual arts, dance, film, or any other fine arts discipline.

During the event, each student will:

•  Have a teacher share a few words about their year, followed by an opportunity for the student to say a brief thank you or share excitement for the future
• Receive a certificate of recognition
• Parents and Students sign commitment letter
• Celebrate with a short reception following the signing

Parents and guardians are warmly invited to join their students on stage and take part in this special moment.

 Please Note:

• Students are responsible for bringing decorations for their individual tables
• This event is intended to commemorate each student’s commitment to their college or program of choice and to honor their dedication to the arts

​
Graduation!!!
Huntsville High School's graduation is Friday, May 22nd at 5:30 pm in the VBC Arena.  All band students (excluding seniors and color guard) are required to perform. We will also take a limited number of percussion students. This is the day after the last day of school.   We will take school buses to the event. 

2026-27 Information

2026-27 Football and Tentative Marching Competition Schedule
August 14 - vs. Florence (Milton Frank)
August 21 - vs. Jasper (Milton Frank)
August 27 vs. Mae Jemison (Thursday)  (Milton Frank)
September 4  vs. Grissom (Milton Frank)
September 11 at Buckhorn (school buses)
September 18 vs. Sparkman (Homecoming)
September 25  Open
September 26 - Rocket City Invitational Marching Competition
October 2 at Hazel Green (school buses) (Required game right before Fall break)
October 9 vs Gadsden City - Senior Night (REQUIRED FALL BREAK GAME).
October 16 at Bob Jones (Madison City Stadium - school buses)
October 17 - Possible competition
October 23 at James Clemens  (Madison City Stadium - school buses)
October 24 - Possible competition
October 30  at Muscle Shoals (school buses)
October 31 - Possible Competition

Mrs. Flippo wants the band at all of the games including the game before and during Fall break.  This is a change from past years as the game during Fall Break has been optional.  We plan to do the halftime show at the Fall break game.  We will excuse anyone from this game who has already spent money on a 2026 Fall break trip and let us know prior to April 1st. 

Rome New Year's Parade 2028
We are going to Rome for the 2028 New Year's Day Parade!  The approximate dates for the trip are December 27, 2027-January 3, 2028.

You can view the presentation from March 23rd, sample itineraries and other information in this google drive.

A survey will be sent out in late May to get an idea of commitment for this trip.

Color Guard 
Color Guard marching band uniform return should follow the instruction of Mrs. Morales. 
Color Guard 26-27 Camp 
May 26th - 29th
Location: Band Room and Soccer Field 
Times: 2:00pm-8:00pm
Dinner: 4:30pm-5:30pm, at school
***Thursday Dinner: team dinner. Build your own Sandwiches, chips, fruit and veggies (Morales has it covered)
***Friday Dinner: team dinner. Pizza, salad, and fruit (Morales has it covered)

If any parents would like to help with guard camp dinners, please let Mrs. Morales know!
[email protected]
​
 Summer Dates and Band Camp 2026
May 26-29 (Tues - Friday)  Color Guard Camp (Color Guard Only)
June 29 - July 1 Leadership Camp (leadership team only)
July 13-14 (Mon-Tues) 9th grade marching band students, leadership team, all percussion, all color guard.
Wednesday, July 15 - Monday, August 3 Band Camp - All Marching Band Students (excluding weekends)
**Friday, July 24th  Optional DCI Trip to Nashville (afternoon and evening)
Tuesday, August 4th - Parent Preview Performance (evening)
Wednesday, August 5th First Day of School (pending school board approval - this is not official yet).

Upcoming Dates
Mon, May 11 - Spring Training for 8th graders and leadership.  Marching PERCUSSION PLACEMENTS!
Tues, May 12 - Marching Percussion Placements
Wed, May 13- Spring Training for 8th graders and leadership.
Thursday, May 14 - Band Banquet
Mon, May 18 - Spring TRaining for 8th graders and leadership
Tues, May 19 - Spring Training for 8th graders and leadership.  8th grade parent meeting 7:00 pm.
May 22 - Graduation

The 25-26 Band Schedule can be found here and on the Cut Time calendar.

Questions/Concerns?  Please contact the following:
Grades, missing rehearsals/absences, conflicts, instruments, general band questions - [email protected] or [email protected]
For color guard, contact Annabelle Morales at [email protected]
If you have any of the following issues, please direct your questions to [email protected]. They’ll be able to guide you to the appropriate point of contact.

• Band Student Account Balances, band fees
• Business or Individual Sponsorships
• Fundraising Questions 
• Volunteering/Chaperones 
• Cut Time, Band App, or Social Media Questions 
• Senior Night 
• Uniforms (except color guard uniforms)  
• Percussion 
• General Band Boosters Questions