WINTER PARK BAND Weekly Newsletter

Dear Winter Park Band families,

It's our first full week of school and the first show week of the year! Looking forward to our two performances this week at Thursday's "Meet the Cats" pep rally and at Friday's away football game.

When we have performances or events with detailed timing, an itinerary will be posted for each event. Itineraries can be found a few ways:

• Look above at the itinerary link in the event information above this section in the Newsletter.
• Attached to the email the link to this Newsletter was sent in.
• www.winterparkhsband.com > Information > Newsletters
• Posted on the bulletin board outside the Band room in the 600 building.

Our regular after school marching band rehearsals continue this week. Rehearsals take place weekly on Tuesdays from 3:15 - 6:30 PM and game day afternoons from after school - 5:00 PM. On game days, members will be fed between rehearsal and the game. As a reminder, these rehearsals only take place during the marching band portion of the year and continue only until Marching Band MPA and the Fall Festival of Bands.

Schedule Notes:

• SOTW will perform at the "Meet the Cats" Pep Rally this week on Thursday, 8/20. We will wear the summer uniform, same as the Premiere Show. Itinerary is on the Band website.
• Our first football game performance is scheduled for Friday, 8/21. We will wear the Summer Uniform, same as the Premiere Show. Itinerary is on the Band website.
• An information meeting for the Boston Tour will take place after marching band rehearsal on Tuesday, August 25 from 7:00 - 8:00 PM. Commitment forms and first trip payments will come due on Tuesday, September 8.

As always, please visit the Band Calendar early and often so your student's Band activities are factored into your family schedule. Thank you so much for your continued communication! 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 this semester 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!

In exciting news, we are finally receiving our new Wenger instrument lockers as a part of the renovation! The only unfortunate part is that our current lockers are being removed beginning on August 18 and the new lockers are being delivered and installed the week of August 24. All current lockers must be cleared by the end of school Monday, August 17. Members may leave their instruments in the Band Room, but space will be limited. If you have a smaller instrument, you are encouraged to take it home each afternoon and bring it back the next morning. Members must have their instrument for class each day and for marching band rehearsals and performances.

Fundraising: Please take note of the Sponsorships & Student Dedication Fundraiser section of the newsletter this week. Sponsorship collection deadlines have been extended, so get out there, ask our community for their support, and sell some ads!

Please also read all information from our amazing Band Booster Board members.

Let's make it a great week!

Mr. Clemente & Ms. O'Rourke

Please fill out the form below completely to register for your 2026-2027 Florida All-State Ensemble Audition. If you wish to audition for both a concert band and a jazz ensemble, you will need to fill out this form twice. Also, if you wish to audition on multiple instruments for any ensemble, you will need to fill out this form for each audition you will perform.

• Register for your audition no later than Monday, 9.24.26

All-State Audition Registration Form

All-State Auditions - Saturday, September 19 at Ocoee HS

Reference Recordings and Play-Along videos: http://www.winterparkhsband.com/honor-bands.html

Concert Band (9th & 10th grade)

• Woodwinds
• Brass & Percussion

Symphonic Band (11th & 12th Grade)

• Woodwinds
• Brass & Percussion

Piano (9th through 12th Grade)

High School Jazz Band (9th - 12th grades)

• Requirement Sheet
• Excerpts & Backing Tracks
• Improv Instructions

Sight-Reading Guidelines and Past Sight-Reading Excerpts

Concert (9th & 10th Grade)

Symphonic (11th & 12th Grade)

Past Years Sightreading

Happy practicing!

Band Families,

This week we have Q&A zoom on Wednesday at 7pm, Pep Rally Thursday at 6, and our first football game on Friday! At the Zoom we will discuss football games, the Pep Rally, and any other questions that may come up.

Extra show-shirt orders close THIS WEDNESDAY. Once this window passes, there will be no more show shirts available this year. https://ocps.schoolcashonline.com/Fee/Details/65035/574/False/True

Sign ups for volunteering at the football games are out! Please see Jen Mullins Volunteer Coordinator's section for the Sign Up Genius. Remember you will not be allowed to volunteer until you are fully ADDitions approved.

The band is still accepting Sponsorships and Dedications for the concert program, please email Erica Diltz at wpbandprogram@gmail.com to submit those.

Have a great week!

Laura Cambridge

wphsbandboosterpresident@gmail.com

Turn onto Woodcrest Dr. from Lakemont Ave. Take a left on Bellwood Dr., followed by a right into the WPHS school gate (yellow star on map). Park in A Lot (orange star on map). Please do not drive down the bus loop as that road must be clear for buses and trailers. Walk under the covering next to the 200 building (green line on map) and cross the courtyard to the Band room, 06-125 (green star on map).

Please use the Bellwood gate and A Lot for pickup after rehearsals and football games. Thank you!

Sponsorships & Dedications — Still Time to Submit! 🎶

There’s still time to support the Winter Park High School Band AND earn fundraising credit toward your student’s band expenses!

Sponsorships and Student Dedications are being accepted through August 31st!

To make sure everything is included, all forms, payments AND artwork must be received by August 31st. This includes:

• Sponsor forms, payment, company logos and/or completed ads

• Dedication forms, payment, photos and/or completed dedication artwork

Thinking BIG with a corporate sponsor?
If you or your student would like to approach a larger company, employer, or corporate sponsor, we now have a special Corporate Sponsorship Letter available to provide along with the sponsorship forms. The letter is specifically written for companies whose giving policies require their sponsorship to support the Winter Park High School Band Program as a whole, rather than an individual student.

Students & Parents: If you secure a corporate sponsorship, please make sure the sponsorship form is turned in and let us know the name of the student who obtained the sponsorship so we can properly track and apply their fundraising credit. The company’s sponsorship itself will remain designated to support the Winter Park High School Band Program as a whole.

Your own business, a business you work for, or a company your family already has a relationship with can all be great places to start! Think about your employer, your spouse’s employer, businesses you regularly support, your dentist or orthodontist, realtor, insurance agent, favorite restaurant, local service providers, or companies owned by family and friends. You may be surprised how many businesses are happy to support our band when someone they already know simply asks!

Have questions, or need help getting everything submitted? Reach out anytime!

Erica Diltz, Sponsorship Chair
Winter Park High School Band
wpbandprogram@gmail.com | 407-784-4361

Our Widdy Up email campaign fundraiser launches in 10 days!

Hey Band!

It's time to raise money in an awesome way! Our band is teaming up with WiddyUP to raise $25,000 to help our amazing band families cover Fair Share fees AND to help fund our amazing band program, including equipment, instruments, expert clinicians, transportation, competition fees and so much more! **Last year we profited $15,966! Let's top it!

Fundraiser dates: 08/26/26 through 09/13/26

Why this fundraiser? WiddyUP is a fun, video fundraising platform where students make awesome videos to safely share with friends and family via email to raise money for our band program. A portion of funds raised goes directly into participating students’ band accounts. Remember, it’s a travel year and fundraised money can be applied to trip fees!

Widdy Up does not share or sell the students’ information or contacts or use the contacts outside of this fundraiser.

More details: Look for a Cut Time message this Tuesday with more details on how the fundraiser works, signing up and making videos.

Take Action This Week: In the meantime, make a list of at least 20 emails of friends, family and acquaintances to upload next week when you register.

Let’s Goooooo!

Robyn Fodor & Deanna Glidden

wpbandfumdraising@gmail.com

The stadium lights, the crowd, the uniforms, the music, and that AMAZING halftime show… MARCHING SEASON IS HERE!

You know what that means - our SOTW Volunteer Crew is back in action!

The 2026 Football Volunteer Sign Up Genius is officially OPEN! Come spend your Friday nights with us, support our incredible Band and Colorguard students and experience the excitement from a whole new side of the field!

New volunteers are ALWAYS welcome!

Volunteers must be ADDitions APPROVED before signing up.

CLICK HERE TO JOIN THE FUN!

https://www.signupgenius.com/go/5080A49A8AE22A02-65163027-football

🎺 Hello Amazing Band & Guard Families! 🎶

We’d like to officially introduce ourselves!

We are Mrs. Vanessa Fleming & Mrs. Damaris Lima Olmeda — your 2026–2027 Uniform Chairs!

Together, we lead our amazing Uniform Crew, made up of Band & Guard family volunteers who work behind the scenes to keep our students looking sharp, organized, and performance-ready!

For our upcoming performances, including “Meet The Cats” on Thursday, August 20 and our first football game on Friday, August 21, students will wear their Summer Uniforms.

👕 Summer Uniform Reminder

🔸 Instrumental Students

• 2026–2027 “For All Mankind” Show Shirt — tucked in

• Khaki or beige shorts

• Black or brown belt

• Black crew socks

• Athletic sneakers or marching shoes

• SOTW Water Jug 💧 — Yes, it’s part of the uniform!

🔹 Color Guard Students

• 2026–2027 “For All Mankind” Show Shirt

• Plain black, form-fitting shorts

• Neutral-colored sneakers and socks

• No Converse-style shoes — supportive athletic sneakers only

• SOTW Water Jug 💧

Questions? Please reach out to a Color Guard Captain for specific Guard uniform details.

📣 When in doubt, check the newsletter and Director itineraries for the most current uniform information.

Let’s keep our students looking sharp, confident, and performance-ready! 🎺🥁💛

💛 Your Uniform Chairs

Vanessa Fleming & Damaris Lima Olmeda

📧 wphsbanduniforms@gmail.com

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 BAND PAYMENTS

• WOODWINDS, BRASS, PERCUSSION
• Friday, August 7, 2026
• Fair Share Payment - $225 OR Fair Share Payment 1 - $100.00
• Marching Band Shoe (new students and if needed) - $50.00
• Extra Show Shirt (optional) - $15.00

• COLOR GUARD
• Friday, August 7, 2026
• Fall Fair Share Payment - $325 OR Fair Share Payment 1 - $100
• Marching Band Shoe (if needed) - $50.00
• Extra Show Shirt (optional) - $15.00

NOTE: On SchoolCashOnline.com, the Fair Share item will show on the main page with a "no cost" indication because it is an item with an open payment amount. When going to make a Fair Share payment, you will need to enter in the amount you are paying. This is to allow our Band families flexibility between the optional payment plans for Fair Share.

This time of year, many families consider purchasing a higher quality instrument for their student. While the rental instruments or student instruments many students had during middle school served them well during that time, high school music and musicians need instruments with higher quality make and materials to continue to improve. Please especially do not buy an instrument for your student from discount websites like Amazon. We music teachers refer to instruments sold on those websites as ISOs - Instrument Shaped Objects.

If you are able and considering a "step-up" instrument for your student (sometimes referred to as "intermediate" or "professional" instruments by manufacturers), please feel free to reach out for guidance. We will be happy to point you in the right direction and give options for quality instruments at fair prices.

Local music stores:

Underwood Music - 4949 N Pine Ave, Winter Park, FL 32792

Music Shack - 702 S US Hwy 17 92, Longwood, FL 32750

Allegro Music - 851 E State Rd 434, Longwood, FL 32750

Music & Arts - 4676 Millenia Plaza Way, Orlando, FL 32839

A few websites to peruse:

www.allcountymusic.com

www.musicmaninconline.com

www.musicandarts.com

www.steveweissmusic.com

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

August 20: "Meet the Cats" Pep Rally

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August 21: Football Game

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August 28: Football Game

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September 4: Football Game

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September 10: Football Game

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September 18: Football Game

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September 19: All-State Auditions, Ocoee HS

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September 25: Football Game

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October 1: FALL BAND CONCERT

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October 3: Marching Band Rehearsal, 9:00 AM - 5:00 PM

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October 9: Football Game

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October 14: Homecoming Parade & "Roar"

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October 16: Homecoming Football Game

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October 17: West Side Showcase

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October 23: Football Game

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October 29: Fall Orchestra Concert, Orch. Winds & Perc. Only

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October 30: Senior Night Football Game

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November 7: MARCHING BAND MPA, 9 AM - 9 PM

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November 10: FALL FESTIVAL OF BANDS

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November 14: Jazz Ensemble I @ WPAAF, Downtown Winter Park

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November 16: All-County Auditions

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 @winterparkhscolorguard @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