The WGHS Band Update

Second, we have our annual Wind Symphony and Symphonic Band Auditions that will take place IN-PERSON this year during the last week of October. ALL STUDENTS will be asked to prepare some scales, exercises and do a little sight-reading for this audition. It will be for a grade! Students will be placed in one of our two concert bands based on their audition. This audition will also determine chair placement.

Music will be available this week. All students will be given ONE hard copy packet. However, addition music will be available for thiem to print if them misplace the packet that they are given.

• Rhythm of the Night Memorization Test due (Sept.18) on Canvas. See button at the bottom of this newsletter.

• Sept. 19th - Jazz and Blues Festival in Old Orchard. Jazz 1 performs at noon on the Gore stage.

• Next football game is Sept. 25th - Hixson/High School NIght. Arrive at 4:30 pm to rehearse with their band.

• We need trumpet players, horns, trombones and a tuba for two honor full orchestras through Webster's Community Music School, Young People's Concert Orchestra and Young People's Symphonic Orchestra. See Mrs. Young for details on how to get involved.

• Home football game on 10/9. Arrive at 5:45 pm.

• 10/10 Mattress Sale Fundraiser at WGHS - Earn $$$$ for your child's band account and help the general fund! See information below and start getting the word out on social media and texts. $50 per mattress purchased by your referrals. All students must work at 1 hr shift.

• 10/23 - Home Football Game and Senior Night at Moss! Arrive by 5:45 pm

• City Museum Performance - 2 pm performance

This is a link to our trip website. It is also a good source of information and where you will go to register for the trip. You can access it HERE. When you're ready to register, the passcode is WGHS (all caps).

Are you great at menu and meal planning, an expert grocery shopper or a grill master? You nave just the skills we are looking for to help run the concession stand. We have some BIG shoes to fill as long-time concession stand leader, Virginia Smith, we be retiring from many years of service after next year when her youngest child graduates. Please let a director, Cathy Pettibone (Band Aides President), or Virginia know if you would be interested in learning more.

We must have a high percentage of our students in attendance to have a successful rehearsal or performance. While there are always legitimate reasons people have to miss scheduled events, we cannot excuse all absences from performances during the school year. Communicating is also important. I appreciate email and verbal reminders, but it is hard to keep all that organized. Please complete the link below if you need to miss a rehearsal or performance. The sooner we know, the better.

https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSd4R2I0yzOVYln53FZH-lkWDb22-0E5EwK4R2L4_Do6kyvqmw/viewform?usp=publish-editor

ALL performances once school starts are for a grade. An evergreen makeup assignment is on Canvas. Students may choose an option from the list of choices on this assignment to complete for the missed points. Make-up assignments are due 14 days after the missed performance. Assignments turned in later than this will not be given points.

Want to earn money for your individual band account to use for Band Camp , New Orleans or Spain trips by simply purchasing items you already buy, eating at your favorite restaurants or shopping online? Raise Right is your answer. Download the app to your phone and purchase gift cards to places you know you will shop or dine. You will easily earn 2.5 percent to 17 percent back on your purchases. This money adds up quickly and easily. Click this link to get started: https://drive.google.com/file/d/1aGuOpkvtxyYH3VZymjffUbNoSYHopMwS/view?usp=sharing

The Mattress Sale is a unique fundraiser in the fact that it benefits both individual student accounts and the band’s general fund. Students main job is to get the word out. Post on social media, hand out flyers to neighbors, text family and friends. The statistic says one in four people is looking to buy a mattress every year. Why not get one from a band student that you know and love. For each mattress sold, sales people will ask who referred the customer and that student gets $50 for their band account for each mattress sold! That can add up quickly!

Also, new this year, there is a scholarship contest for senior band students who make up to a 30 second video to advertise the sale. Please see the attached flyer for details!

Our next Band Aides meeting is this Wednesday, Sept. 16 at 7 pm. You can join the Zoom meeting here: https://wgsdstl.zoom.us/j/85723461922?pwd=tixi63tFW3bdJ6GTazgv7vASsxFDHK.1&jst=2

Thank you for the awesome response as volunteers in the Concession Stand! Looks like we have 3 spots open for our next varsity game on the 25th and 2 spots for the jv football game on Oct. 26th. If you haven’t signed-up for a shift, take a moment to do that.

Varsity Games: Concessions

JV/Soccer Games: JV Concessions

Our expectation is that each family volunteers for one Varsity game to support the fundraising efforts that benefit all band students.

Our hospitality team is up to four volunteers and there is room for a few more. A social event is in the works for October. If you would like to be part of the planning of this student event, reach out and I’ll add you to the list.

Thanks for supporting the band!

Cathy Pettibone

cathypettibone@gmail.com