WINTER PARK BAND Weekly Newsletter

Dear Winter Park Band families,

I hope all our Band community is enjoying the Labor Day holiday weekend! It's a well-deserved rest after a busy beginning of the school year.

We launched the Widdy Up fundraiser this past Tuesday, August 26 and have $4163.00 raised (17% of total). Current leaders for the fundraiser are:

1. Joel Lippert $455

2. Christian Aguilera $385

3. Kaylin Schnepf $393

4. Ray Armendariz $290

Keep sharing the fundraiser on social media, and check-in with Mrs. Fodor's Fundraising Update below in the this Newsletter.

The Extra Show Shirt sale is now closed and shirts are on order. Please look out for a message regarding them either being sent home or available for pickup. Looking forward to seeing you in your shirt at a future football game!

This week, we will have the same marching band rehearsal schedule as last week - regular Tuesday rehearsal on 9/2 from 3:15 - 6:30 PM along with a Thursday rehearsal on 9/4 from 2:45 - 5:00 PM. The varsity football team is on their "bye" week and do not play a game on 9/5.

Next week, we will have our regular Tuesday rehearsal on 9/9 with our Game Day rehearsal and first away game performance on Friday, 9/12.

As always, please visit the Band Calendar early and often so your student's Band activities are factored into your family schedule. As stated in the Band Handbook, the directors must both be notified by parent/guardian email a minimum of 60 days in advance of an absence for the absence to be able to be considered excused. At this point in the year, any absence between this week and the week of November 8 should have already been discussed with Mr. Clemente and Ms. O'Rourke. Thank you so much for your continued attention to the calendar and communication!

Let's make it a great week!

Mr. Clemente

TRI-STATE BAND FESTIVAL (FSU) - Open to 11th and 12th grade

The 44th annual Tri-State Band Festival on the campus of Florida State University, Thursday, December 4th through Sunday, December 7th. Following a nomination and selection process, students will audition for placement in one of four concert wind ensembles or the select honors jazz ensemble (pre-audition video required). Each ensemble will rehearse and perform under the direction of renowned guest conductors. The festival includes instrument-specific masterclasses and a series of concerts featuring FSU’s premier jazz ensemble, the University Wind Ensemble, and the PRISM concert—showcasing performances from chamber groups to the world-renowned Marching Chiefs.

Additional information can be found on the Tri-State Festival website here.

Festival Highlights for 2025

• Guest Composer Residency — John Mackey

• Each of the four concert bands will perform one of Mr. Mackey’s works, and on Saturday he will lead a special Q&A session for all students and directors.

• Honors Jazz Ensemble with Guest Conductor

• This year, the Honors Jazz Ensemble will welcome a guest conductor: Dr. Jeremy George, Director of Jazz Studies and Assistant Professor of music at Huston-Tillotson University. We are thrilled to expand the experience with a nationally recognized jazz educator.

• Guest Conductors for Honor Bands

• Dr. Patricia Cornett – Temple University

• Dr. Jack Eaddy, Jr. – University of Georgia

• Dr. Jeffrey Miller – Tennessee Technological University

• Dr. Jason Nam – Indiana University Bloomington

If you wish to be nominated for this year's Tri-State festival, please complete the Google form linked below by Monday, September 15.

Tri-State Band Festival Nomination Form

FESTIVAL OF WINDS (USF) - Open to 10th, 11th, & 12th grade

The University of South Florida’s School of Music is proud to host the 50th Festival of Winds on Thursday, December 4th through Sunday, December 7th. FOW was founded by Jim Croft in 1974 and has grown to become one of the finest events of its type in the southeast. In addition to playing in one of three large concert bands conducted by outstanding clinicians, students will participate in master classes, attend multiple concerts, play in a chamber ensemble or jazz band, and experience the thrill of being on a college campus for four days. Participants are nominated by their band directors based on their musical and leadership excellence, and must be high school sophomores, juniors, or seniors in order to be eligible.

In addition to the three large concert bands and instrumental choirs – (flute choir, percussion, etc) – we also have one jazz band as a primary ensemble. Students who are interested in playing in the jazz band must submit a separate audition, and if selected, will not perform in a concert band, but will participate in all other aspects of the festival – masterclasses, chamber ensembles, etc. The jazz band and chamber ensembles will perform on Saturday evening, and the concerts will be livestreamed. Students who are not selected for the jazz band will perform in a concert band.

The 2025 Clinicians are Dr. Dennis Llinas (University of Oregon), Col. Don Schofield (US Air Force Band) and Alfred Watkins (Lassiter High School, retired). In addition, students will interact with and learn from USF's outstanding School of Music faculty.

If you wish to be nominated for this year's Festival of Winds, please complete the Google form linked below by Monday, September 15.

Festival of Winds Nomination Form

It was great to see so many people at our Kelly's Ice Cream spirit night! Don't forget to have your student share their WiddyUp fundraiser as well.

It will get easier as everyone settles into the football game routine, but please remind your student that the volunteers are there for your student's safety and sportsmanship. Any student or parent who is not heeding volunteers will be referred to the band directors.

We will see you September 12 in marching uniforms!

As always, you may email me with any questions or comments. wphsbandboosterpresident@gmail.com

Laura Cambridge

Band Booster President

Get ready to WiddyUP!

WiddyUp email campaign fundraiser launches on Tuesday!

Hey Band!

It's time to raise money for our school in an awesome new way! Our band is teaming up with WiddyUP to raise $ 25,000 to fund our amazing band program, including equipment, instruments, expert clinicians, transportation, competition fees and so much more! **Last year we profited $22,144! Let's top it!**

Fundraiser dates: 08/26/2025 through 09/09/2025

WiddyUP is a fun, video fundraising platform where students make awesome videos to safely share with friends and family to raise money for their school. A portion of funds raised goes directly into participating student's band accounts.

Widdy Up does not share, sell or rent the students’ contacts.

If the following links do not work on your phone, try on a computer, visitwww.widdyup.com or email me.

Click here to watch this important video before you get started—it has everything you need to know. Check it out now!

Click here and SIGN UP for our fundraiser now. For returning students that have an account from last year: IF you no longer remember or have your password saved, you may use this password to sign in to your account with a capital W: Winterpark123!

To raise the money we need for our band program, you need to:

1. Upload 2 videos—a Pitch video explaining why we’re raising money, and a WiddyUP Thank You video showcasing something you love doing.

2. Add at least 15 donors (family and family friends) to your fundraising page.

Click here to see what fun Pitch and WiddyUP videos look like!

Important: We can’t kick off our fundraiser until everyone uploads their videos and enters donor's emails. NOTE! Mr. Clemente will upload the whole band pitch and whole band thank you videos to the student accounts on Monday. If a student does not wish to make their own personal videos, there will be no more videos to add. If a student wants to create their own pitch or thank you videos, they should do that before Tuesday and once signed in to their WiddyUP account, they can override the band video and upload their personal videos instead.

Heads up! If our group raises at least $1,000, the two students with the most donations and the two students with the most money raised at the end of the fundraiser will each get a $25 Amazon gift card (4 different students).

Let’s goooo! 🥳

Robyn Fodor

Band Fundraising

wpbandfundraising@gmail.com

🎺✨ Volunteer Spirit in Action! 🐾

We have had some incredible volunteers this past week who we appreciate more than you know for their support and time—it truly makes a difference! But the fun is just beginning—we’d love for YOU to join us too. With exciting events like parades, MPAs and Door to Door on the horizon, now’s the perfect time to get registered through ADDitions. It’s quick, easy, and the best way to be part of the action while cheering on our amazing band and guard students. Stay tuned—more volunteer opportunities are coming soon, and you won’t want to miss out on the fun! ✨

👉 ADDitions registration here: https://ocps.samaritan.com/custom/503/opp_details/112867

👉 Sign Up Genius: https://www.signupgenius.com/go/5080A49A8AE22A02-57686523-football#/

Jennifer Mullins

WPHS Band Volunteer Coordinator

🎉 Sponsorship & Dedication Update 🎉

We’re thrilled to share that this year, the Winter Park High School Band has secured over 20 incredible sponsorships and raised significant funds to support our students and program! None of this would be possible without the dedication and hard work of our amazing band students—thank you for showing up and making it happen!

We’re still actively collecting Student Dedications, and this is the final call! If any parents are planning to submit a dedication for their student, now is the time. We are on a tight timeline to finalize and send everything to print for this year’s concert program.

📌 Please submit your form, payment, and dedication within the next few days to ensure your spot!

Let’s finish strong and make this year’s program the best one yet!

Whether a student is learning a musical instrument to pursue a career in music, or simply for personal musical fulfillment and recreation, private lessons are one of the best investments that a parent can provide for their musical child. When working with a private teacher, students receive one-on-one instruction from a professional musician who specializes on that instrument.

​Unlike a full band rehearsal experience, studying with a private teacher focuses in on the student’s individual needs. Students who study privately once a week from a professional musician are usually those who excel and find Band more enjoyable. These students frequently earn positions in honor groups like All-State and All-County, and make entry into our more advanced bands like Wind Symphony and Jazz Ensemble I. Some even go on to earn college scholarships, even if they are not majoring in music!

Below is a link to a list of local private teachers. This list is not exhaustive, and there may be other individuals who are not on the list. If you are a private teacher who would like to be added to our list (or deleted), or know a private teacher who should be added, please contact Mr. Clemente at michael.clemente@ocps.net.

http://www.winterparkhsband.com/private-teachers.html

September 1: No School/Labor Day Holiday

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September 4: Thursday Marching Band Rehearsal, 2:45 - 5 PM

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September 12: Gameday Rehearsal, 2:45 - 4 PM/Football Game, 5 - 10 PM

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September 19: Gameday Rehearsal, 2:45 - 4 PM/Football Game, 5 - 10 PM

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September 20: All-State Auditions, as scheduled, Ocoee HS

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September 26: Gameday Rehearsal, 2:45 - 4 PM/Middle School Night Football Game, 5 - 10 PM

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September 30: MB Rehearsal, 2:45 - 4 PM/Homecoming Parade, 5 - 7 PM

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October 3: Gameday Rehearsal, 2:45 - 4 PM/Homecoming Football Game, 5 - 10 PM

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October 10: Gameday Rehearsal, 2:45 - 4 PM/Football Game, 5 - 10 PM

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October 11: Jazz Ensemble I @ WP Autumn Art Festival, 9 - 11 AM

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October 13: No School/Teacher Workday

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October 17: Gameday Rehearsal, 2:45 - 4 PM/Football Game, 5 - 10 PM

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October 18: WEST SIDE SHOWCASE, Itinerary TBA, West Orange HS

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October 24: Gameday Rehearsal, 2:45 - 4 PM/Football Game, 5 - 10 PM

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October 30: Gameday Rehearsal, 2:45 - 4 PM/Senior Night Football Game, 5 - 10 PM

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November 1: MARCHING MPA, Itinerary TBA, Boone HS

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November 5 FALL FESTIVAL OF BANDS

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November 17: All-County Auditions, as scheduled

http://www.winterparkhsband.com/calendar.html

Since the Cut Time software has been updated, the synced calendar link has changed. Copy the link below to subscribe to the Band public events calendar in Google Calendar, Apple Calendar, Outlook, or other calendar app:

• https://app.gocuttime.com/program/calendar/c308b229-e7ac-4762-93ef-6112f6f8daf3/ics
  

PAST DUE BAND PAYMENTS

• WOODWINDS, BRASS, PERCUSSION
• Thursday, July 31, 2025
• Fair Share Payment - $225 OR Fair Share Payment 1 - $100.00
• Marching Band Shoe (new students and if needed) - $45.00
• Extra Show Shirt (optional) - $15.00

• COLOR GUARD
• Thursday, July 31, 2025
• Fall Fair Share Payment - $325 OR Fair Share Payment 1 - $100
• Marching Band Shoe (if needed) - $45.00
• Extra Show Shirt (optional) - $15.00

For questions concerning general Band inquiries, Band financial obligations, or to request a payment plan, contact Mr. Clemente, at Michael.Clemente@ocps.net. For questions regarding your CutTime account or statement, contact the Band Booster Treasurer, Kim Somers, at wphsbandtreasurer@gmail.com.

We've been posting lots of photos our social media platforms, and we will continue to post updates, photos, video, and other media to those pages throughout the year. Follow the Band!

• Facebook: @winterparkhsband
• Instagram: @winterparkhsband @wphs_flutes @wphsclarinets @wpsaxes @wphs_trumpets @wphs.trombones @wphstubas @winterparkhspercussion @winterparkcolorguard @wphs.drumajors
• YouTube: @winterparkhsband
• Twitter: @wphs_bands
• Tik Tok: @winterparkhsband

Email: michael.clemente@ocps.net
Website: www.winterparkhsband.com
Location: 2100 Summerfield Road, Winter Park, FL, USA
Phone: 4076223200
Facebook: www.facebook.com/winterparkhsband