HHS Band weekly newsletter October 20-26, 2025

Things We Like

The HHS Band loved partnering with Hampton Cove Elementary School to share the joy of music with more than 100 kindergarten students. For many of these children, it was their first field trip, and they spent it learning about band instruments and color guard at Milton Frank Stadium. Students moved through stations where they explored percussion, brass, woodwinds, and color guard. It was wonderful to see our high school musicians share their love of music with the future Crimson Panthers. We look forward to welcoming these students one day into the HHS Band. Photos of the event here.

Saturday was our final competition of the season, and the Crimson Panther Marching Band went out on top at the 33rd Annual Tennessee Valley Invitational Marching Competition! Out of 29 bands, we took home the Charles R. Stratford Challenge Cup Trophy for the best overall average score—a huge honor at this event. Our results included superior ratings in Drum Major, Color Guard, Percussion, and Overall Band, plus Best in Class Band, Percussion, and Drum Majors (Tori Smith & JT Watt). Special congratulations to our Best in Class Soloists: Joshua Hutcherson and Gray Gaba. The dedication our students showed all season made this outcome possible, and we’re incredibly proud of their effort, energy, and passion.

Poinsettia Fundraiser

Poinsettia Sale – Red, White, or Pink
Add holiday cheer to your home or office!
Sizes & Prices: 6” – $12 | 8” – $20 | 10” – $25
Orders due: Oct. 31
Delivery: Week before Thanksgiving through 2nd week of December
Payment: Venmo @HuntsvilleHS-BandParentAssoc

Spread the word to help support the band!
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Print Order Form

Thank you for supporting the HHS Band!

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Schedule of the Week

We are all very sad to hear about the loss of one of our senior dance team members, Ellie Anderson.  Ellie, her sister, and her dad all perished in a plane crash in rural Montana on Friday.   Many of our band students knew her, and we have color guard members who danced with her at Element Dance Studio.    Mrs. Flippo has postponed all homecoming events this week - no homecoming activities will occur.  The schedule below reflects all the changes - including a day off from rehearsal on Tuesday.  The football game against Bob Jones is still scheduled to still be played.  

Monday:  Off
Tuesday: Off  No rehearsal!
Wednesday:  Off
Thursday: Rehearsal 4-5:30 pm (note the earlier dismissal time).
Friday:   Game vs. Bob Jones HS at Milton Frank

​Football Game vs. Bob Jones - Friday, October 24th at Milton Frank Stadium

Gameday Information
Schedule
5:30 pm - Unload trucks
6:00 pm - Warm ups outside stadium
6:30 pm - Move inside stadium 
6:45 pm - Pregame performance
7:00 pm - Game Starts.    We will perform homecoming halftime.  We will not be performing our normal halftime show at this game.
~9:30 pm - Approximate end of game.  Pack and load Trucks!  Instruments (and cases) either go home with you or back on the truck/trailer.  

Transportation
All students meet at Milton Frank.  We do not provide transportation for games at Joe Davis or Milton Frank. 

Uniform
Full Band Uniform. Color Guard in SCHOOL uniform!
Hair should be pulled back off of your face.  No jewelry.

Things you need
Instrument or equipment (larger instruments loaded on trailer and brough to stadium - you are responsible for making sure YOUR instrument/equipment gets loaded or placed in the proper location to get loaded)
Flip Folder (winds)
Water jug
All accessories (sticks, guard poms, mouthpieces, reeds, etc)

Things everyone should know

• Only band students and approved chaperones should be in the band section.  Students are not allowed to leave band section without permission.  
• No food or drinks (other than water) permitted in the stands.  It is recommended students eat food before arriving.  Students are not allowed to go to the concession stand during the game.
• All students stay the whole game unless they have received permission in advance to leave early.
• Instruments should always be in a student's hands in the stands (to avoid any accidents/damage that could occur).  Students who are using the restroom can leave their instrument at the front of the band in a safe location.
• Students are expected to have good sportsmanship and use appropriate language while in the stands.  
• We hope all of our students and parents will not only support us, but all the other bands we see this season

Spring Trip

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.
We must make a decision on the 3rd bus this week.  We are still short a few people to make a third bus.  If a band student, parent, or family member wants to go, get on the waitlist now or reach out to Mrs. Parrish today.   We want to make this work very much, but not at the expense of raising the trip cost for everyone else.  This is the absolute last chance!
 HUNTSVILLE HS BAND in Orlando, FL, USA

Fall Concert - October 28th 

Our Fall Concert is coming up a week from Tuesday at 7:00 pm in the Auditorium.  All 3 ensembles (Concert Band, Symphonic Band, and Wind Ensemble) will perform.  Call time for students is 6:15 pm and dress for students is formal concert dress (your band tux or band concert dress).  All students are required to both perform and stay the full length of the concert to listen to the other ensembles perform as well!

The concert is free and open to the public!

Clarinets and Saxophone - Reed Day on Wednesday, November 5th

Dr. Melissa Koprowski is a VanDoren performing artist who lives here in town.  Although from Alabama, she has taught all over the US including being a clarinet professor at the University of Wisconsin.  She "retired" to be a full time mom to her 6 kids.    Every few years, she comes and does a special reed presentation during class to our clarinets and saxophones that's really helpful to them.  She will have free reeds for them to try and give away as part of the presentation. Unfortunately, she is only available during our B day 1st period band class, but if there is a concert only student who wants to join us, please see Mr. Tankesley and we can ask your teacher for permission to come.  

Courtyard by Marriott Performance - November 13th

Courtyard by Marriott on University Dr is doing a grand re-opening on Thursday, November 13th after school from 4-6.  Our leadership team will be performing.  Any other marching band students that want to join us are welcome!    Courtyard by Marriott is giving us a donation and allowing us some free hotel rooms for our clinicians.

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).  

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 Marching Honor Band November 22nd Marching Honor Band - Honor Bands - Events - Auburn University Bands
Auburn University Honor Band Dates TBA Auburn University High School Symphonic Honor Band
University of Tennessee Chattanooga Band Day - UTC Band Day | University of Tennessee at Chattanooga
Tri-State Honor Band (University of Tennessee Chattanooga) - UTC Tri-States Honor Band | University of Tennessee at Chattanooga
UNA Honor Band:  Dates for 2026 not announced yet.... UNA Invitational Honor Band
Mississippi State Honor Band January 30-31  (don't sign up if you are planning to audition for district honor band/all state)

Upcoming Dates

October 28th - Fall Concert (All students)
October 30th (THURS) - Final regular season game vs. Lee at Milton Frank
November 5 - Reed Day for Clarinets and Saxophones during 1st block
November 11  Veterans Day Parade
November 13th - Leadership performance at reopening of Courtyard by Marriott Huntsville.

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 

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