HHS BAND WEEKLY NEWSLETTER DECEMBER 15 - 21, 2025

Things We Like

What a night! Our three bands put on an amazing show Monday—everything from Sleigh Ride and It’s the Most Wonderful Time of the Year to the stunning O Magnum Mysterium and the crowd-favorite You Better Sleigh. Check out more ​​​Christmas Concert photos here and ​video here 

March along with our band in the 2025 Homecoming parade!

A special honor for the Huntsville High School Band. Aubrey and Shelby represented our program at the AUSA Redstone-Huntsville Chapter holiday party, where the HHS Band was recognized for winning the band category in this year’s WAFF 48 News Veterans Day Parade. 

It’s great to see the HHS Tubas and Euphoniums represented at Tuba Christmas. 

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​Schedule Of The Week

Monday:  Off
Tuesday: Exams. Off
Wednesday:  Exams. Off  
Thursday: Exams.  Off
Friday:  Exams.  Off

Semester Exams (December 16-19)
Students are not required to come to their band exams in December.  Band exams consist of your Winter Concert and Audition. We encourage students to use this time to study for their other exams.   

The band directors will be out of town at a conference, but there will be a substitute here.  Any student who is ON CAMPUS during their band exam, must still be in the band room (not in another room, roaming around campus, etc).  Bring something to study or do!

Spring Exams for A Day Band Classes and B1 Band Class are required to rehearse for Graduation.  

After School Rehearsals
After school rehearsals will resume when we return.  Symphonic Band will meet on Monday, January 12th; Wind Ensemble on Tuesday 1/6 and Thursday 1/8; and Winter Guard rehearsals will begin on Monday, January 5th.  

All State/District Honor Band Auditions:
The following students have registered for auditions.  This list was posted in class all day Friday for students to verify.  This is the last call for anyone to audition.  Email me before 10 am on Monday for any additions - [email protected]

Winter Guard 
 Please look at the winter guard schedule here.

We would love to have some color guard student volunteers serve as ushers at the winter concert on Monday night.  Be here by 6:15 pm!

Winter Guard is looking for a parent or parent(s) to tow our band trailer to our competitions this year.  Please email Mrs. Morales (Rizzardi) if you can commit to any of these dates.  [email protected]

January 31 - Mortimer Jordan HS (Bham area)
Feb 7 - Hoover HS
February 21 - Bob Jones HS
March 7 - Columbia Central - Columbia, Tennessee
March 28 and 29 - Western Kentucky University.  Bowling Green Kentucky.  

Summer Dates and Band Camp 2026
May 26-29 (Tues - Friday)  Color Guard Camp (Color Guard Only)
June 30 - July 2 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).

Spring Training / Audition Dates for Spring 2026
Wednesday, January 28th - 8th grade band student day at Huntsville High (all 8th grade band students from HJHS and HCMS will come over during the morning.
Tuesday, February 17 6:00 pm - Parent and Student Informational Meeting for 8th grade students/parents
April 7-9 - Concert Band Auditions for 26-27 during class (8th grade after school).
Monday, April 20 - April 24 Color Guard Auditions
THURSDAY, April 30 Spring Training -  4:00- 6:00 pm. Music! (all winds and percussion)
Monday, May 11th Spring Training 4:00-7:00 pm. Marching Fundamentals (leadership and 8th graders) and Percussion Placements (all marching percussion)
Tuesday, May 12th Percussion Placements 4-7 (all marching percussion)
Wednesday, May 13 Spring Training 4:00-7:00 pm Marching Fundamental (leadership and 8th graders)
Monday, May 18th Spring Training 4:00-7:00 pm.  Marching Fundamentals (leadership and 8th graders

Spring Trip 
We will be having students sign up for their room when we return in January.  There will be 4 students per room.

We have officially been approved for the Orlando trip departing Wednesday evening March 11th and returning Monday morning, March 16th.  Full information on this trip is found in Cut Time in an announcement/email message from August 19th.

 Make sure you are making your scheduled payment directly to the travel company using the link below.  If you miss 2 payments in a row, it is the policy of the travel company to remove your name from the trip.   If you are waiting to pay due to fundraising credits, please make sure you let us know [email protected]

HUNTSVILLE HS BAND in Orlando, FL, USA

College Corner
Universities often offer marching band days, instrument days, and honor bands as a way to give high school students additional opportunities and recruit for their university.  If you are interested in doing one of these events, they are generally marked as an administrative absence or field trip (excused by the school).  I would be happy to do a form or recommendation to get anyone involved if you are interested.  I will attempt to post SOME of the events offered in our state and area, but there are many so not everything will get posted on here!  It's a great chance to meet new people, experience college music, and see a university you may be interested in attending in the future.  The vast majority of events are open to all high school students (grades 9-12).  

UAH Honor Band: January 22-24  https://www.uah.edu/ahs/departments/music/ensembles/honor-band 
UAB Honor Band December 11-13th  UAB High School Honor Band Festival - UAB Bands
University of Alabama Honor Band Feb 5-7   High School Honor Band – The University of Alabama Bands (application coming soon)
Auburn University Honor Band Feb 27-March 1 Auburn University High School Symphonic Honor Band
Tri-State Honor Band (University of Tennessee Chattanooga) - UTC Tri-States Honor Band | University of Tennessee at Chattanooga
UNA Honor Band:  April 24-26.... UNA Invitational Honor Band
Mississippi State Honor Band 2026 MSU Honor Band Clinic Audition Information | The Famous Maroon Band

Upcoming Dates
January 28th - 8th grade band day (all 8th band grade students coming to visit us)
January 30-31 - All State / District Honor Band Auditions at Huntsville High (we will need lots of student and adult volunteers!!)
January 31 - Winter Guard Competition at Mortimer Jordan HS (Varsity and JV)
February 7 - Winter Guard Competition at Hoover HS (varsity and JV)
February 12-14   Winter Camp (all band students required excluding color guard)

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 Rizzardi 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 

Thank you to our 2025 sponsors!