October Gladiator Band Newsletter

A reminder that Band Fees are due by Friday, October 9, 2026. These fees help provide the supplies, materials, and resources scholars need throughout the school year.

Band Fees

• $75 – Instrument Rental: Required for scholars renting an instrument from Manor ISD. This fee is not required for scholars who own their instrument or rent from an outside vendor.
• $35 – Program Fee: Required for all scholars. This fee helps cover essential supplies and materials, including:
  • Starter supplies such as cleaning rods and swabs, reeds, valve oil, slide spray, and sticks/mallets
  • Music and books
  • Binders, pencil pouches, pencils, highlighters, and other classroom supplies
• $15 – Band T-Shirt: Required for Beginning Band scholars and scholars who are new to MNTMS.

T-Shirts will be passed out next week. Other instrument supplies will be passed out throughout the year.

📅 All Band Fees are due October 9, 2026.

If your family needs a payment plan, please reach out to one of the band directors so we can work with you.

We’re excited to announce an upcoming Gladiator Band apparel fundraiser featuring a special-edition T-shirt and hoodie designed exclusively for our band families!

These limited-edition items will be a great way to show your Gladiator Band pride while supporting our program. More details, including photos, pricing, and ordering information, will be shared soon!

Stay tuned!

September was a great month for the Gladiator Band! We had an amazing time performing at two Middle School Nights and showcasing the hard work our scholars have already put in this year. It was a special month filled with great music, school spirit, and plenty of Gladiator pride.

One important date to keep on your calendar is for our Jazz Bands. We will be performing at the Texas State Jazz Festival on Saturday, February 6. This will be an all-day event, so if your scholar is a member of Jazz I or Jazz II, please avoid scheduling any trips or appointments on this date.

As we enter the month of October, our main focus will shift toward All-Region Band Auditions. Below is a detailed note with important information for the select group of scholars who will be auditioning.

We are excited to announce the scholars who will be continuing in the TMEA Region 26 All-Region Band Audition Process this year! The following scholars have demonstrated the preparation and progress needed to continue toward the upcoming audition.

Scholar Instrument

Audition Information

On October 24th these scholars will audition at Cedar Valley Middle School. Each scholar will receive an individual audition time slot, with specific times and additional details to be shared at a later date. If you are aware of a potential conflict, please let me know asap so I can submit your request to the Region. Families will be responsible for transporting their scholars to and from Cedar Valley Middle School for the audition. Please plan accordingly once individual audition times are released.

Scholars who perform at a high level and advance from the first round will return for the second round of auditions on October 31st at Canyon Vista Middle School.

We encourage all auditioning scholars to continue preparing consistently and taking their instrument home to practice. This is especially true for Fall Break.

We are extremely proud of these 27 scholars and excited to see them represent the Gladiator Band in Region 26!

Our Beginning Band scholars are making great progress each day, and we are so excited to watch them continue growing as young musicians! Each day, they are building new skills, developing their sound, and becoming more comfortable with their instruments.

Scholars are currently working on proper assembly, instrument care, essential tone production, and the fundamentals of playing their instruments. It has been exciting to see their growth already!

Beginning Band instruments are allowed to go home each day as long as the scholar has turned in their Manor ISD Instrument Rental Agreement.

Beginning October 9th, scholars must have both their Instrument Rental Agreement and all required band fees completed in order to take their school-issued instrument home.

A huge thank-you to everyone who participated in our World’s Finest Chocolate Fundraiser! We are excited to recognize our top sellers with special prizes for their hard work and dedication.

Prizes will be delivered sometime next week and will be distributed to scholars once they arrive. We’ll share more information with our prize winners soon!