HHS Band Weekly Newsletter April 3-7 2023

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Schedule for the Week

Monday - Symphonic Band 4-5:30
Tuesday - Wind Ensemble 4-5:30 (No winter guard practice)
Wednesday - Off.  
Thursday - Off
Friday - E-learning Day.  Last day of Sock Fundraiser!

Final Fundraiser of the Year 
The crazy sock fundraiser is currently in progress.  There will be a 60/40 split on this fundraiser with 60% going towards your individual account and 40% going to the band.  As always, we appreciate your help to raise money for your account and the band!  Encourage your student to load as many contacts as possible into their account and share it on text messages, email, and social media!

The deadline is Friday, April 7th.  

FUNDRAISING NEWS
The bricks fundraiser is now live!  To order yours go to www.thatsmybrick.com/Huntsvillehs. These bricks will be professionally engraved and installed in the main courtyard at HHS. These tributes to your student will leave their mark on the grounds of HHS and is a great way to honor their years of hard work!

Also - we are in our final push for our Rock Your Socks Fundraiser.  Please take part in this super easy, very fun fundraiser.  See your student for details!

2022-2023 HHS BAND COMPOSITE PICTURE
Our Spring Concert is Tuesday April 25.  We will be taking individual pictures for the composite before the concert.  Details to come, but be ready 2 hours before the concert for this great opportunity!  Much more information will be coming in next week's newsletter.  We will be wearing concert uniforms for the composite picture.  

2022-2023 Band Banquet
The HHS Band salutes the 2022-2023 School Year with our "Night On the Red Carpet" Band Banquet.  You won't want to miss this great event!  Re-live great moments from the year and take a look back at how far we have come!  We'll dig into the archive for some great highlights from the previous four years, and we will honor our seniors!  This is a wonderful event, tickets go on sale next week!  

Percussion Day - Austin High School - April 13th
On Thursday, April 13th our percussion ensemble (4th block B Day class) will travel to Austin High School to perform at the North Alabama Percussion Festival.   They will be excused from class (B Day).   We will travel by school bus - departing around 8:00 am and returning around 4:30 pm.  Pizza will be provided for lunch.   A detailed schedule and information will be sent out the week of the performance. 

End of Year Items - Instruments
All students using a school-owned marching or concert instrument (except percussion) are required to take your instrument to Southeastern Musical Services (3308 9th Ave SW / 256-539-5906 - about 7 minutes from HHS) to have it looked at and basic repairs done to make sure it is in working order.  You are welcome to use Gadsden Music as well, but they are less familiar with our process.   The cost of any repairs should be paid for by your family.    Marching band instruments are encouraged to be taken now (during the month of April).  Concert instruments should be taken after your audition are complete in May or after the spring concert (if you are a senior).  Seniors must have this done prior to walking at Graduation.   The earlier you take it, the faster you get it back.  The closer you get to summer, the more they get backed up with repairs!

Once completed, bring your instrument back to to school and give the receipt to a director.

Winter Guard Information
All competitions and after school practices have concluded.  We will be focusing during class on fundamentals and learning new skills.  All students are expected to participate in those activities during class.

Auditions are coming up April 24-28 from 4-6 in the Freshman Cafeteria!

London Connection! (updated 3/26)
Remember, even if you plan to do concert band only, if you are planning to march the parade in London, you need to attend week 1 of band camp!

Click here to see an updated list of Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs).

All information on the trip can be found in our google drive:  Click here to access google drive - 

Parent Coordinator
Our parent trip coordinator for London is Karen Hansberger.  If you have specific questions about the trip as we get closer, she will be a great resource.  She will also be helping collect rooming lists, passport copies, bus lists, shipping documents, and more.   Her email is [email protected]

Next Payment

To be included in our travel count with the travel company, each traveler must have paid $1000 at this point.
The next payment of $800 is due September 1, 2023.

What do I need to do right now?
 1.  Get your passport now!  It should be valid 6 months past our return date!
 2.  Investigate your best option for overseas phone possibilities.  Each phone company has different options.  You will need to have access to phone communication while you are in London!
  3.  Research and investigate your credit card and financial options.  Each bank and card is different.  Make sure your card won't lock you out when you get to London 

Wind Ensemble after school rehearsals
We are going to transition to 1 after school rehearsal per week for Wind Ensemble.

We will rehearse the following dates:
Tuesday, April 4th
Thursday, April 13th
Thursday, April 20th.

Upcoming Events
Thursday, April 13th - Percussion Ensemble performance at North Alabama Percussion Festival
Week of April 24-28 - Color Guard Auditions 4-6
Tuesday, April 25th - Spring Concert. 7:00 pm Auditorium
Thursday, April 27-Saturday, April 29th - All State Band (for those involved)
Week of May 1-5 Concert Auditions in Class (after school for 9th graders)
Thursday, May 4th - Percussion / Chamber Music Concert
Friday, May 5th - Senior Fine Arts Signing Day (4th block).
Monday, May 8 - Thursday, May 12 - leadership training for those interested in leadership team.  4-5 pm after school.
Tuesday, May 9 - HJHS Band Concert (Auditorium)
Thursday, May 11 - HCMS Band Concert (Auditorium)
Wednesday, May 10 - Drum Major Auditions
Friday, May 12 - Band Banquet at Stovehouse banquet hall (all band students and families invited)
Thursday, May 25th - Graduation 5:30 pm VBC arena.  All non-graduating Symphonic Band and Wind Ensemble members are required to perform. Dress is business casual (no jeans, no t-shirts, no tennis/athletic shoes).

Band Camp / Summer Schedule 2023
April 24 - 28 Color Guard Auditions 4-6 Freshman Academy.
Tuesday, May 30 - Friday, June 2 Rookie Camp (new members only), Marching Percussion Placement Camp from 1-4, and Guard Camp (percussion times edited 2/24)
July 6-8 - Leadership Camp (leadership team only)
July 12-14 Make up rookie camp (new members only) and Marching Percussion Camp (8-12).  (percussion times edited 2/24)
July 17 - 21 Band Camp Week 1 - All Marching Band Students + any concert only students going to London that want to march in the parade.
July 24-28 Band Camp Week 2 - All Marching Band Students
July 31 and August 1 - Rehearsals before school starts.
August 2 - 1st day of school

Student involved with marching band are required to attend these dates in full!  Students who miss because of summer activities may be removed from the halftime show.  We have worked hard over the past few years to improve our summer schedule to give a full break and options for camps and vacations.  Our dead time this coming summer is June 3 - July 5 although some students have much longer than this!
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