HHS BAND WEEKLY NEWSLETTER FEBRUARY 23- MarCH 1, 2026

Things We Like

A big congratulations to these outstanding students for earning a seat in the District 1 Honor Band! This achievement reflects months of preparation and a rigorous audition process. We are thrilled to recognize our students who successfully competed with peers from across the district to secure their places in this talented ensemble. Congratulations to Katelyn Sehn (Clarinet), Jake Smith (Bass Clarinet), Oliver Sieja (Alto Sax), Gray Gaba (Alto Sax), Aiden McDavid (Trumpet), Cole Long (Trumpet), Sebastian Gotvald (Trombone), Shelby O’Linger (Baritone), Joshua Hutcherson (Baritone), and Chloe Foster (Percussion) on an incredible performance.

Help Wanted: HHS Band Video Coordinator for 2026–27

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.
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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

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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.
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If you’re interested or have any questions, please reach out to
[email protected]

​HHS Winter Band Camp Concert 2026

If you missed the live performance or just want to relive the music, you can watch the full concert here.

Schedule Of The Week

Monday: Symphonic Band 4-5:30 pm.  Varsity Winter Guard 4-6:30 pm
Tuesday: Wind Ensemble 4-5:30.  
Wednesday:  MPA for ALL BAND STUDENTS (excluding guard) at James Clemens (see info below).  Varsity and JV Winter Guard 4-6:30 pm 
Thursday: Off.  No Wind Ensemble rehearsal
Friday:   Off

Music Performance Assessment (MPA) - Tentative Schedule

Click here for Concert Band Information Sheet (given to students in class)

Schedule
Arrive at school as normal - 8:30 am.  Since you have Band 1st block, you can bring your uniform in it’s bag and change into it during 1st block or wear it to school.  You will be going to 4th block, so make sure you bring something to change into when you return to school.
10:00 am - Bring a snack to eat!!
10:30 am   School bus arrives
10:45 am - Depart Huntsville High School on 1 school bus.  All equipment on school bus (30 students + instruments + 5 teachers/chaperones). 
11:10 am - Arrive at James Clemens.  Unless there is bad weather, cases will remain on the bus.  Percussion will bring all equipment (including cases) backstage.  
12:00 pm - Warm up
12:30 pm - Performance
1:00 pm - Sight reading 
1:30 pm - Depart James Clemens
2:00 pm - Arrive back at HHS.  We will have pizza for you when you get back to eat.  Change clothes and go to 4th block.
Click here for Symphonic Band and Wind Ensemble MPA Information sheet

Wind Ensemble and Sym Band Schedule
Arrive at school as normal - 8:30 am.  Hang up your uniform bag with your tux/dress and accessories (tuxedo shirt, cummerbund, bowties, black socks, black dress shoes) in the band room.
12:45   Come to the Band room (except 11th grade) at the start of 3rd block.  You will eat normal lunch at school during the normal time.    Load truck.  Get in uniform.
1:45 pm Juniors dismissed from ACT bootcamp - change and load quickly!
2:00 pm Depart for James Clemens (97 students + a few chaperones).  Instruments will be on a band truck.   Symphonic Band on Bus 1.  Wind Ensemble on Bus 2.
2:30 pm - Arrive at James Clemens. Unload truck in the loading dock area.  Buses will NOT stay so everything must be removed from the bus. 
3:15 pm -  Symphonic Band Warm up 
3:45 pm - Symphonic Band Performance
4:15 pm - Symphonic Band Sight Reading  
4:45 pm - Wind Ensemble Warm up
5:15 pm - Wind Ensemble Performance
5:45 pm - Wind Ensemble Sight reading
6:30 pm - Load and Depart James Clemens
7:00 pm -Back at Huntsville High School

Spring Trip  - 17 Days away!!
Students who take medication and do not have a parent going

Medication Deadline is approaching on March 4th! See letter and info link below.
Orlando Trip - Nurse parent letter and School Medication Prescriber/ Parent Authorization Form

Upcoming Schedule for Orlando:
Tuesday, March 3 @ 6:00 pm in the Band room.  Meeting for all ADULTS going on the trip!
Wednesday, March 4 - Deadline to turn in medication to school nurse
Monday, March 9 4:00 - 5:30 pm - Parade rehearsal for Disney - outside.  All students who plan to march the parade must attend.

Important Orlando details
Our itinerary has changed:  Thursday - Epic; Friday - Magic Kingdom +soundtrack studio session; Saturday - EPCOT with parade; Sunday - Universal/Islands of Adventure.  The Epcot parade is Saturday around 10 AM.  The Soundtrack sessions (wind and percussion students only - no chaperones/guard) is 5:30 pm on Friday.

Our hotel is Drury Inn  (7301 West Sand Lake Road).

We have your Disney Park Tickets!  If you have the Disney app and want to engage in reservations, lightning passes, or other things that may require your ticket number, please email our HHS band travel coordinator Tawnita Cheek at [email protected] and she can give you those numbers.

All travelers must have paid in full or your trip will be cancelled by the touring company.
HUNTSVILLE HS BAND in Orlando, FL, USA

Class Registration 26-27
All band students should register for 2 band classes for the upcoming year, regardless if they are concert only, color guard, or marching band.  Please ignore the title of the class as they have little meaning.(Concert only students should still register for marching band class even though they are not in marching band). It helps our counselors out. 

Upcoming 9th grade:  Traditional and Emerging Ensemble:  Marching Band 1
                                             Traditional and Emerging Ensemble Concert Band 1

Upcoming 10th Grade:  Traditional and Emerging Ensemble:  Marching Band 2 
                                                Traditional and Emerging Ensemble: Concert Band 2

Upcoming 11th Grade:  Traditional and Emerging Ensemble Marching Band 3  
                                               Traditional and Emerging Ensemble: Concert Band 3

Upcoming 12th Grade:  Traditional and Emerging Ensemble: Marching Band 4 
                                                Traditional and Emerging Ensemble: Concert Band 4

Winter Guard 
 Please look at the winter guard schedule here.

Competition Schedule
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

Upcoming Dates
March 9 - Disney Parade Rehearsal 4-5:30 (only those students going to Orlando).
March 11-16  Spring Trip to Orlando
March 28 Mattress Sale
April 23 Spring Concert, Mandatory photos taken from 5-6:15.

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 b[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 2026 Sponsors!