HHS BAND WEEKLY NEWSLETTER JANUARY 27, 2025 - February 2, 2025

Things We Like

What a fantastic Friday night for Panther Nation! Congratulations to both the girls' and boys' varsity teams for their victories against Grissom High School! The pep band, along with the spirited student section, made this event electric.

​Marching Uniform Collection will begin in February

What you need to know

• Uniforms must be dry cleaned prior to turn in.
• A proof of dry cleaning (receipt) must be pinned to your uniform at the time of turn in.
• Before dry cleaning, remove the mirror from your jacket and put in a safe place.
• After dry cleaning, put the mirror back on your jacket.
• Gauntlets do NOT need to be dry cleaned.
• Since you own the bibbers, you will turn in the Jacket, Gauntlets, Shako, and Red garment bag.

Schedule

• Seniors - Turn in starting February 3
• Juniors - Turn in starting February 10
• Sophomores - Turn in starting February 18
• Freshman - Turn in starting February 24

Please bring your uniform to school and hang it on the racks by the uniform closet. If you have any questions, please contact: [email protected].

Weekly Schedule

Monday:  Symphonic Band 4:00-5:30 pm; Winter Guard 4-6 pm
Tuesday:  Wind Ensemble 4-5:30.  
Wednesday:  Off.  
Thursday:  Wind Ensemble 4-5:30 pm
Friday:  All State Band Auditions at Huntsville High School
Saturday - All State Band Auditions at Huntsville High School

Congratulations!
Congratulations to Joey Colavita for making percussion/drum set in the Alabama All State Silver Jazz Band.  They rehearsed and performed this weekend at the Alabama Music Educators Association Conference at the BJCC in Birmingham.

Congratulations to Jayne Hansberger for making all region orchestra on French Horn!  They were supposed to have their festival a few weeks ago, but because of the snow, it is rescheduled to Memorial Day weekend at Huntsville High School.

Congratulations to the following students for making upcoming college honor bands.

Mississippi State Honor Band (January 30-31)
Aurora Parrish 
Anna Stahl 

Auburn Honor Band (February 6-8)
Lila Boyd 
Jayne Hansberger 
Aidan McDavid
Calen Miller
Tori Smith 

Alabama Honor Band (February 6-9)
Jasminer Courter 
Shelby O'Linger 

All State and District Honor Band Auditions - Friday, January 31/Saturday, Feb 1

For those volunteering:
We are excited to host!  Thank you for those that have volunteered.  I believe there are still some spots open that we must fill by Friday.  Please check those out on CutTime or on the sign up sheet in the band room for students.

Adults - when you arrive, head to the auditorium lobby and we will show you a few things before you start registration.

Students - when you arrive, sign in at the auditorium lobby and head to your room.  We are highly depending on you.  If you are to get sick or an emergency occurs that would prevent you from attending, you need to let a director know ASAP.    

We will have pizza available for all volunteers Friday evening and Saturday around lunchtime.  

For those students auditioning.
Review this student information document given to all students.

Audition Times:   All auditions for high school are Friday, January 31st EXCEPT for Flutes and Bb Clarinets, which are Saturday.  

St. Louis Trip Update! Thursday May 1 - Saturday, May 3.
https://urtoursandevents.wetravel.com/trips/huntsville-high-school-band-trip-ur-tours-and-events-84984574  

Updates 1/20/25:
Here is the most updated itinerary.  We hate that we cannot perform the national anthem at the Cardinals game.  This was well beyond our control and we did everything we could to make it happen.  Because we are unable to perform the national anthem at the Cardinals game, it is going to save everyone $40 on the trip.

Wait list:  If you registered recently, you were placed on a wait list.  The reason for this is because our buses are completely full.  Getting another bus has 2 challenges - 1 it will change the price of the trip making it more expensive and 2 - getting charter buses May 1-3 has been very challenging - no availability of charter buses this particular weekend across many companies.   We are considering our options with this as we want as many people to go as possible, but for right now you are wait-listed.

Payment Schedule
$150.00 PER PERSON ON OR BEFORE OCTOBER 31ST TO CONFIRM TRIP DETAILS
$200.00 PER PERSON ON OR BEFORE DECEMBER 15, 2024
$250.00 PER PERSON ON OR BEFORE FEBRUARY 3, 2025
BALANCE DUE ON OR BEFORE MARCH 14, 2025

Summer Schedule and April/May adjustments
We are making some adjustments to our April/May schedule that will hopefully be beneficial to our families and program.  The most impactful change is that we are eliminating Rookie Camp after Memorial Day and replacing it with "Spring Training" sessions held in April and May after school.  We will have all of the percussion and winds in marching band attend a couple of these sessions.  This will allow us to plan better for the Fall while giving leadership team students and upcoming 9th grade students an extra week of off time in the summer.  

There are a few other additional changes that will mostly impact in class activities or leadership selection.  You can view the whole schedule and a more detailed explanation here.   We are updating our CutTime calendar to reflect these changes.  

Summer Schedule 2025
​June 30 - July 2 Leadership Camp (Leadership team only - mornings and afternoons)
July 9-11 Marching Percussion Camp (required for all marching band percussion)
July 14-18 Band Camp Week 1 - All Day (required for all marching band students)
July 21-25 Band Camp Week 2 - All day (required for all marching band students)
Friday, July 25th  Optional DCI Trip to MTSU (afternoon and evening)
Tuesday, July 29 Rehearsal  6-9 pm (required for all marching band students)
Thursday, July 31 Rehearsal 6-9 pm (required for all marching band students)
Monday, August 4th First Day of School

Winter Guard 
 The schedule can be viewed here.  
Our next competition is Saturday, February 15th at Bob Jones.  We will not be taking a school bus for this local competition.

Upcoming Dates
Tuesday, Feb 4 - Wind Ensemble picture.  Group picture will be taken during our normal after school time and it will be at school.  You will need to wear concert attire.
February 13-15   Winter Camp!! (Required for all Symphonic band and wind ensemble students)
February 15 - Winter Guard Competition at Bob Jones HS
February 21-22  District honor band at Grissom HS (for those who made it).
February 22 - Mattress Sale!
February 25 - Symphonic Band MPA at Hartselle High School
March 5 - Wind Ensemble MPA at James Clemens HS

Questions/Concerns?  Please contact the following:
Grades, missing rehearsals/absences, conflicts, instruments, general band questions - [email protected] or [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)  
• Color Guard including uniforms (except for absences, conflicts, or grades) 
• Percussion 
• General Band Boosters Questions 

A Big Thank You To Our Sponsor, The Biscuit Express