GHS Band News and Notes - 2/21/13

Parents and Students,

 

I just wanted to give some updates to you about our upcoming events over the next few weeks.

 

First of all, time is running out to buy discounted Dallas Brass tickets.  Orders are due to me by Thursday, February 28th to receive the discount.  I have attached the order form to this email.  Please do not miss the chance to see this world renowned group live in the GHS Auditorium on April 26th.  Visit www.dallasbrass.com to see some videos and learn more about the Dallas Brass.

 

Next, we are taking sign ups for Gatornationals Parking.  The event days are Saturday, March 16th and Sunday, March 17th.  Students will earn $50.00 per person per day and we can sign up family members, friends or anyone middle school age and older to work.  Money made from this event can help pay off fair share, rental fees or the Daytona trip.  Please have your student come see me in the band office to sign up, spots are becoming very limited.  I will be passing out detailed information to those who sign up next week. 

 

Speaking of Daytona, our annual beach trip is scheduled for May 17th - 19th.  The cost of the trip is $125.00 per student or adult.  To be eligible to attend, students must have all of their fair share, instrument rental fees, indoor drum line or guard fees paid in full before they can go on the Daytona trip.  You may use the Gatornationals as a way to raise a lot of money for this.  Last year, we had one family raise $500.00 just by parking cars at Gatornationals.  (See notes above).  Feel free to send in Daytona money at anytime.  A fresh fair share list will be posted on Friday.

 

Here's whats coming up event wise over the next few weeks.

 

Friday, Feb 22.  Solo and Ensemble at Buchholz HS.  Many of our students are participating throughout the evening.  The guard will be perfroming at 7:10 PM in the BHS gym.  Admission is free and this would be a great chance to see our girls perform close to home.

 

Thursday, Feb 28:  Pre-Festival Concert for the Concert and Symphonic Bands, 7:00 PM in the GHS Auditorium.  Students will need to report by 6:15 PM.  This is a great opportunity to see how the judges evaluate the bands at District Festival.  We will have numerous band directors from other schools with us to evaluate and critique our performances.

 

Thursday, March 14th:  FBA District Concert Festival at Eastside HS, Concert Band performs at 7:00 PM and Symphonic Band performs at 8:30 PM.  Admission is free!

 

Saturday, March 9th:  Indoor Drum Line Show at Nease HS, times TBA

 

Saturday, March 16th:  Indoor Drum Line and Guard Show at Fleming Island HS, times TBA

 

 

That's all for now.  As always, feel free to email me at pirzerb@gm.sbac.edu if you have any questions.

Band Booster Meeting Minutes - 02/11/2013

Meeting began at 7:02  PM.

President’s Report
Approved minutes from prior meeting.  Motion made and seconded.  All in attendance approved.

Band Director Update

• Wednesday, 2/13 – drum major auditions - 3pm in band room.  Probably will not announce the new drum majors until next week.
• Friday, 2/22 - Solo and ensemble - Preliminary times have already been given to all who are participating, and has been no indication at this point that those times have changed.
• Thursday, 2/28 - Pre (district) festival concert - 7pm in GHS auditorium.  Will have guest judges.
• Thursday, 3/14 - FBA District Concert Festival – 7pm Concert Band, 9pm Symphonic band at Eastside.  Students will travel there and back on the buses. 
• Saturday, 3/9 - Indoor drumline performance– Nease High School
• Saturday, 3/16 - Both Indoor Drumline and Color Guard - Fleming Island
• Saturday, 3/23 - Color Guard performs at Fletcher HS
• Saturday, 3/23 March of Dimes – morning performance at annual walk.  More details to follow – participating students get 12 volunteer hours.

The remaining dates were not discussed at this meeting but I pulled them off of last month’s minutes to keep everyone aware:

• Monday, 3/25 – State Solo and ensemble performances for those individual students who made superior ratings – Westport High School in Ocala.  This is during spring break
• Thursday, 5/2 - State concert Festival at USF, Tampa. In order for the bands to go, they must earn superior ratings at the FBA District Concert Festival
• Indoor state competition– Ocean Center in Daytona Beach
• Color guard – Friday, 4/5
• Indoor – Saturday, 4/6

Next Year competition dates:  Tentative

• 10/12 Showcase– Gators at LSU
• 10/19 Westport (Ocala) – Gators at Miss
• 10/26 FBA Districts Columbia (tentative location) – no Gator game
• 11/9 North Marion – Gators playing Vanderbilt – homecoming
• 11/23 State Competition
• GHS will probably remain as 4a, but not sure.

Haven’t finalized GHS football schedule yet.  Football team moved up to 7a from 6a, and will have a new coach.

First concert for symphonic and concert band – 7pm, 2/28, at GHS

ALL students, regardless of what band they are in, must have a white tuxedo shirt.  Please try on before the day of the concert and make sure it fits properly.

• Concert band – all must wear black dress pants, shoes, socks
• Symphonic band - boys – must wear black pants, will be fitted for concert jacket provided by the band, and must wear black shoes and socks
• Symphonic girls – will be fitted for concert skirt provided by band, and must wear black shoes and socks

Mens Wearhouse by Toys R Us has tuxedo shirts for $20

Dallas Brass Tickets

Don’t wait to get your tickets as the event will likely sell out.

Dallas Brass will perform at GHS on April 26^th. GHS students and families may pre-purchase tickets for $9 (see handout).  Need to receive payment and orders by February 28 to receive discounted rate.  Everyone (including students and parents) will need to purchase a ticket to come to the concert except for members of the symphonic band, who will be performing with the Dallas Brass.  We are expecting a sell-out before the night of the concert.  Tickets at the door will be $15 if there are any available.  Please don’t wait.  Get these in as soon as possible.  Make checks out to GHS band boosters.  Check or cash.  Once we go out to general public, tickets will be $10 each, and a PayPal option will be available on the website, but there will be  $2 service charge.

Starting March 1^st, we will have a new GHS band website and we will be able to use PayPal for fair share, among other things.  Mr. Pirzer will let us know when that site is ready and the web address will be communicated at that time.

Treasurer’s report  - Susie Hummel

$2,914.20 – bank balance, still have approximately $20,000 in fair share outstanding.

Known upcoming expenses:

$1000 indoor drumline uniforms

$750 indoor drumline staff

$1,164.20 – ending balance after expenses

Fundraising-  Cindy Mason

Only fundraiser right now is Domino’s (see attachment).

H & R Block Fundraiser (see attachment).

Gatornationals –

Weekend of 3/16 and 3/17

Need 40 people – 8 students, the rest parents or other family members.  Each person earns $50 per day to go towards fair share. First 40 people who sign up on the list get the opportunity to work.  Once you are done parking cars, you can go in and watch.

Indoor drumline has a performance on 3/16, so they will not be able to participate on that day.

Sign up list to go up end of this week in the band room

Volunteers must be middle school aged and older.

Uniform Report – Susie Hummel

Almost done fitting symphonic uniforms.

Marching Band Uniforms need to be cleaned before putting them up in storage for this school year.

Hospitality – Lea Musselwhite

Will be meeting with Mr. Pirzer after this booster meeting.  More info to come.

Next meeting:  March 11, 2013

Meeting adjourned approximately 7:20pm.

Band Booster Meeting Minutes 1/14/13

Meeting called to order at 7:05 PM

President’s Report

Approved minutes from prior meeting.  Motion made and seconded.  All in attendance approved.

Band Director Update

 Dallas Brass will perform at GHS on April 26^th. GHS students and families may pre-purchase tickets for $9 (see handout).  Need to receive payment and orders by February 28.  Everyone (including students and parents) will need to purchase a ticket to come to the concert except for members of the symphonic band, who will be performing with the Dallas Brass.  We are expecting a sell-out before the night of the concert.  Tickets at the door will be $15 if there are any available.  Please don’t wait.  Get these in as soon as possible.  Make checks out to GHS band boosters.  Check or cash.  Once we go out to general public, tickets will be $10 each, and a PayPal option will be available on the website, but there will be  $2 service charge.

Important dates for 2013-2014

See Handout.

Daytona Trip – dates are 5/17/13 to 5/19/13.  Cost is $125 per student.  All fees (fair share, equipment rental, etc. must be paid by Feb 28 in order to be eligible to go on the trip.)   The $125 Daytona fee is not due until mid April, however.

Indoor drumline is taking place now.  Their first competition is 2/2/13.   The 1^st $75 installment of the indoor fee was due before Christmas, remaining $75 is due on 1/31/13.

Indoor color guard had premier show last Saturday, next show is 2/2/13.  Their fees are due now, as well.

All County Band meets Tuesday 1/15, Thursday 1/17, Wednesday 1/23 from 4-6pm, then all day 1/28, with the Concert is 1/29.

Pre (district) festival concert is 2/28, at 7pm, and the FBA District Concert Festival is 3/14, at Eastside.

Monday, 3/25 – state solo and ensemble performances for those individual students who made superior ratings – Westport High School in Ocala.  This is during spring break

5/2, State concert Festival at USF, Tampa. In order for the bands to go, they must earn superior ratings at the FBA District Concert Festival

Indoor state competition– Ocean Center in Daytona Beach

Color guard – Friday, 4/5

Indoor – Saturday, 4/6

Next Year competition dates:  Tentative

10/12 Showcase– Gators at LSU

10/19 Westport (Ocala) – Gators at Miss

10/26 Districts Columbia (tentative location) – no Gator game

11/9 North Marion – Gators playing Vanderbilt – homecoming

11/23 State Competition

GHS will probably remain as 4a

Haven’t finalized GHS football schedule yet.  Football team moved up to 7a from 6a.

1^st concert for symphonic and concert band – 7pm, 2/28, at GHS

ALL students, regardless of what band they are in, must have a white tuxedo shirt

Concert band – all must wear black dress pants, shoes, socks

Symphonic band - boys – must wear black pants, will be fitted for concert jacket provided by the band, and must wear black shoes and socks

Symphonic girls – will be fitted for concert skirt provided by band, and must wear black shoes and socks

Can get tuxedo shirts at a place in Creekside mall, Michael’s, Gentlemen’s Wearhouse.

Treasurer’s report  - Susie Hummel

Current balance $1400, last payment of fair share is due this month.

Made $1250 at the Christmas concert from fundraising activities.

Fundraising-  Cindy Mason

Not doing the cookie dough fundraiser anymore.  Instead, will do Krispy Kreme fundraiser – coupons cost $6, $3 goes to fair share.  More info on this fundraiser will come in a separate email.

Gatornationals – 3/16 and 3/17

Need 40 people – 8-10 students, the rest parents or other family members.  Each person earns $50 per day to go towards fair share. First 40 people who sign up on the list get the opportunity to work.  Once you are done parking cars, you can go in and watch.

Indoor drumline has a performance on 3/16, so they will not be able to participate on that day.

Note:  Fair share $$ can go to the Daytona trip once other required fair share is paid.

H&R Block fundraiser – if you are a first time H&R block customer, $20 will go to the band.

Uniform Report – Susie Hummel

Symphonic band needs to be fitted for jackets (boys) and skirts (girls), and marching band pants will need to be cleaned.  Will need to have the marching band uniforms for yearbook pictures.  Mr. Pirzer will communicate more about yearbook pictures and senior yearbook pictures as the time gets closer.

Hospitality – Ruth Dean

Senior gifts – Lea will get info and report for next meeting.

Next meeting:  February 11, 2013

Meeting adjourned approximately 7:40pm.

GHS Band Booster Meeting Minutes - 12/10/12

Meeting began at 7:10  PM.

President’s Report

Approved minutes from prior meeting.  Motion made and seconded.  All in attendance approved.

Band Director Update

Holiday Concert is this Thursday, 12/13/12, at 7pm.  Students need to be there at 6pm, in their travel uniforms.  Parents who want to help with setup – please arrive at the auditorium between 4:30pm and 5pm.

GHS Football State Championship game is this Saturday, and 53 students will be going to play in the stands.  Those students need to meet at GHS at 8am Saturday, and they will be taking a charter bus to the game, which is at the Citrus Bowl in Orlando.  The game begins at 1pm.  They will return around 7ish.  They will need to wear their travel uniforms, and they will wear their marching band uniforms during the game.  Please pack a lunch, but understand they will not be able to bring food into the stadium.  Food inside the stadium will likely be expensive.  Be sure to provide $$ if your student will be buying food.  Note:  These students will have a short practice this Friday from 3-4 pm.

Indoor Percussion and Guard – last practice before holiday break is this Tuesday, the 11^th.  Practice originally scheduled for 12/18/12 has been cancelled.   First performance is 1/12/13 for Guard, and 2/2/13 for Percussion.  Mr. Pirzer will put an updated calendar out after the holidays.  Percussion has 4 shows this season, Guard has 5.

All County Honor Band – 12 GHS students made this band, which is 4 or 5 more than made it last year.  Congrats to them!  Julie Bailes, Stephanie Hargrave, Kyle Nipper, Nathan Fisher, Rachel Brown, Chris Berry, Michael Dodge, Levi Riley, Megan Booth, Victoria Williamson, Michael Perez-Hill, and Ashton Mason.  The concert is on January 29^, 2013.

Daytona Trip – dates are 5/17/13 to 5/19/13.  Cost is $125 per student.

Treasurer’s report  - Susie Hummel

Bank account has approximately $1500.  Most bills have been paid.

If you have overpaid fair share and would like to apply it to your student’s $150 to participate in indoor drumline, please send an email to Mr. Pirzer or Susie Hummel stating that.

Fundraising-  Cindy Mason

There are a few sprays left over from the wreath fundraiser.   Will take $20 each with no credit to fair share.  These will be brought to the concert and made available for sale there, as well.

H&R Block will donate $20 to the band fund for every new client they serve that brings in the attached referral form.  Thanks, Anna Fisher, for bringing this to our band!

VP/ Volunteer Coordinator Report – Mike Grantham

No report.  Will need volunteers for Indoor Percussion/ Guard.  Will coordinate once it gets closer to the dates.

Uniform Report – Susie Hummel

Final wearing of marching band uniforms will be at State Championship game.  Given that there are only 53, students and a small number of parents can help with the final process.

Hospitality – Ruth Dean

No report.

Other business

Dallas Brass will be performing on April 26^th.   Susie Hummel, Mike Grantham, Carolyn Lukert, and Nadine Moretta will be working on the coordinating, advertising and marketing, and hospitality for this event.  More details, and perhaps the need for additional support, will be forthcoming after the new year.

Next meeting:  January 14, 2013

Meeting adjourned approximately 7:30 pm.

Poinsettias Available - Holiday Concert

We still have poinsettias available to reserve for the Holiday Concert.  These are beautiful white poinsettias in silver pot covers, accessorized with a special Realm-themed decoration.  Only 13 left!!  Plants are $20 each.  Payment can be made at the concert.

These make great gifts for family, friends, and co-workers.

Those who have reserved plants so far are:  Brown (2), Caudle (1-paid), Giudice-Teller (1), Kantner (1), Mason (1), Sailor (2), Sellers (1), Thomas (1), Williams (1).

Please email me if you would like to reserve a plant.  We really need to sell all of them!

Thanks,

Liz Brown
barney4liz@cox.net

State Championship Football Game

Parents and Students,

If you have not heard yet, GHS won tonight and are headed off to the State Championship game next Saturday at 1:00 PM at the Citrus Bowl in Orlando.  We will be taking a pep band to the game.  I have selected a group of about 50 upperclassmen and they will be invited to play in the pep band.  What I need all Juniors, Seniors and drum line members to do is to check their calendar for December 15th and make sure they can go.  I will post my list of invitees in the band room on Monday.  We will not be needing a trailer as Mr. Shelnutt has told me that he will provide us with a charter bus.  All parents and underclassmen are encouraged to come to Orlando if they like, but they will need to pay the $12.00 admission into the game.  I have to submit a roster of students to the FHSAA so I am going to only submit the names of the students that we are taking on our bus.  Please understand that this game comes with a whole different set of rules for bands and I must follow them to the letter.  

I will have exact details as I receive them from our football people on Monday.

I hope to see everyone at the booster meeting Monday Night and at our concert on Thursday.

Have a good weekend,

Bill

Band Booster Meeting Minutes - 11/12/12

Meeting began at 7:05  PM.

President’s Report

Approved minutes from prior meeting.  Motion made and seconded.  All in attendance approved.

Band Director Update

• Thanks to all for everything that has been done to support the band.
• Don’t know what to expect for Saturday.  Very competitive class.  If we don’t make finals, we leave right after preliminaries.  In our class, there are 6 bands who have won state championships in last 2 years.
• On Friday, students need to be here at 7:45am.  Parent, please drive students to school and be patient with the whole bus process.  If students drive and are leaving their cars overnight, park on the upper end of Hurricane Lane.  Same with parents who want to leave their cars overnight. Do not park in the dirt lot.  Student car keys will be locked in Mr. Pirzer’s office so they don’t get lost in Tampa. Parents are welcomed to leave their car keys there, as well.
• Students need to be dressed in blue/ red shirts (preferably the sector shirts).  Price is now $5, so if you don’t have a sector shirt, now is the time to get one.
• For those parents riding the bus, please be here at 8am, as well, as you will be helping with the bag-checking process.
• If kids bring energy drinks, they will be thrown away.  All drinks must be in sealed containers.  No candy.
• All parents, please pack good food for your students and yourselves for Friday lunch.  We will not be stopping anywhere to eat on the way to the high school for afternoon practice.  We will be going to the mall for dinner.
• Saturday – you may want to pack lunch and dinner food for Saturday, as well.  We will be warming up 11:30, perform 12:26, and there will not be time for students to go into the Dome to get any kind of food before prelim performances.   
• We will not be leaving the Dome at all after we arrive – so you will need to provide $$$ for food (for after prelims and finals), or pack enough food for those meals.
• Student clothes – they need their practice uniform (with sector shirts, purple shirts, and shorts), mall clothes, sleeping clothes.  No need for multiple suitcases per student.
• Dr. Berry will be with us the whole time.  Also have parents who are nurses.  Students can handle their medication needs, but must let Dr. Berry know they have medication in the event of emergency.

All students received a multi-page handout with specifics for the competition trip.  Please ask your own child for it and read it.

Competition Parking

Only busses and trailers can park together.  All others must park in a designated spectator area.  Fees (CASH ONLY) are as follows:

• $10 parking
• $14 for prelims, under age 6 free.
• $20 for finals, under age 6 free.

 Awards for preliminaries will be around 1:15pm.

Go to www.floridabandtournament.com and click on Regional Events to see the complete preliminary schedule.

For Finals, the order is picked randomly.

2 different judging panels from prelims to finals.  Theoretically, the finals judges don’t know the scores and placement from preliminaries.

90% of judges have not seen any of these shows.

Thursday’s Rehearsal and Trailer Loading

• Thursday’s rehearsal is different than other Thursday’s – 4pm-7pm, then load trailers.  Trailers will be loaded in place, so no need for drivers to pull them out.
• Friday – We have to wait until busses clear before we can hook trailers up – around 8:30am.

Miscellaneous State Competition Info:

• At Tropicana, be sure to cheer in the beginning.  It was noticeably silent at north Marion.
• Don’t clap on the chant- it confuses the band.  Yell, hoot, and holler, just don’t clap.
• Everyone reiterated that the show is the fan favorite, and it has been a great experience creating and supporting everything that has to do with the show.  Students and parents have really pulled together, and students have shown great pride in their parents’ participation.
• Will get driving directions and any other specific instructions out mid-week, so be sure to check your email.  One piece of advanced notice – please be sure to leave early enough in the morning to get to the Dome on time.
• No videotaping allowed.  Professional videos will be available for order afterward. Takes a month or so to get the videos.

 Student Pictures

Students got their pictures last week, orders are due this Thursday.

Treasurer’s report  - Susie Hummel

Bank account has $1800, which will not cover all of our upcoming expenses.  Please pay fair share.

Fundraising-  Cindy Mason

• Susie H.  Picture buttons – Mr. Pirzer will have them in his office until Friday.  $10 for the first 2, then $5 for each individual one ordered.
• Wreaths – grossed $3,800, will make approx $1,000 to fair share accounts.  Holiday wreaths will come in week of 12/3.
• Domino’s pizza cards are $10 each - $9 goes to fair share – must pay in advance to get the cards.  These are only good at local Domino’s.
• Baskets for holiday concert – Will send out an email with additional details.
• Other ideas for holiday fundraising are welcomed.

Concession Report – Ruth Dean

Made $6,448 so far in concessions/ 37 people participated. We have grown to 6 stands.  A couple of families worked many games … Very impressive to see students and families working to make their fair share payments.  Our students worked so hard on showing the purple pride.  We got close to $100 in tips each game.

VP/ Volunteer Coordinator Report

Mike Grantham wasn’t in attendance.  A follow up email will come to pit crew with any further instructions.

Uniform Report – Susie Hummel

Nothing new. Will load up Thursday night.

Hospitality – Ruth Dean

Nothing to report.

Other business

Football team has made the playoffs. Will most likely win and we will send a pep band the day after Thanksgiving, and maybe future playoff games if school will pay the expenses.  Students who are not in town the day after Thanksgiving will not be expected to attend.  Note:  Marching season ends on Saturday, so the band will not be marching.  They will only be playing in the stands.

Next meeting: December 10, 2012

Meeting adjourned approximately 8:20 pm.