Winter Guard and Winter Percussion Update

Reminders to all:

1. Return your syllabus sheet as soon as possible if not done already.
2. Our camp is the evening of Friday, January 10th and the morning of Saturday, January 11th. Check your drum/spin-a-thon paper for times.
3. Work on those end-of-the-year tax contributions for the drum and spin-a-thon fundraiser done in conjunction with the camp. That money helps defray the cost of mallets, flags, and other necessary items for this year’s shows. We don’t want to charge you for your costumes, mallets, etc.
4. Our food fee for the winter is $30.00. In the fall that covered 5 competitions, making it $6.00 per day. The boosters are also feeding you at camp, so the $30.00 actually covers 6 events, making it a bargain.
5. The boosters need the food money by Friday, January 10th, day of the camp. They approved a $5.00 increase to $35.00 if money is late. Pay your money to Mrs. Wilmer; she will give you a receipt.

Looking forward to a great season!!!

Mrs. Wilmer

December/Early January Band Notes

It’s ALWAYS the season for music ….

We now accept PayPal (or credit card) donations on our website! All music parents are members of the RHS Music Boosters! As you speak with family, friends and co-workers, please share our Booster Donation Letter (click on the link to open a new window with the letter in it) that explains our situation. Encourage them to consider a donation to our program! Please put your thinking cap on and help us raise funds for our program! Plus, we're always looking for parents to join in the fun of working with the students. There's nothing more satisfying than seeing how hard our students work!

The orchestra is playing our annual performance for the school on the 20th. Classes are invited each period to attend our performance of holiday-themed music that culminates in a performance with Christmas Eve Sarajevo with either guitars or our class. The morning and afternoon performances will feature different songs for students who might see the performance more than once.

Students can get credit for two practice charts during winter break. Students were issued two charts before break. Concert, Symphonic bands and orchestra number them 13A & B. The beginners’ charts are 11A and 11B. They can choose to turn in one or both depending on time available to practice. They should spend time preparing for our concert January 15th.

The Winter Concert is slated for Wednesday, January 15th at 7pm for all music groups and lasts about 90 minutes. Call time for performers is 6:30pm, which is when we also open the hall. The orchestra, Concert and Symphonic band members wear their concert attire. Make sure the dress or pants are hemmed. The Cadet (Beginning) Band wears their “Event best” semi-formal wear.

Our boosters are sponsoring an electronic “e-waste” collection on Saturday, January 11th from 8am to 1pm. Hold onto those old electronics and support the music program by bringing them to the front parking lot that day. Sorry, we cannot take appliances.

An important aspect of every student’s practice session is work in their etude book. After our winter concert each student will perform a self-selected etude, song or exercise from their book to play for the class as part of their semester’s final practice grade. Performance order is randomly determined by computer. It’s a great opportunity to get students accustomed to performing independently in front of an understanding and supportive audience.

Thank you again for your support of music and recognizing, like university admissions officers, its importance in a well-rounded student’s education.

Winter Quarter - Upcoming Events

Students are getting into the swing of turning in their practice charts every Friday. Students who can’t play for whatever reason (instrument in repair, cold, etc.), should name and name & finger their parts to build hand to eye coordination and muscle memory. No one is exempt from completing a practice chart each week.

Our Fall Concert is Thursday, November 21st at 7PM in the large theater (PAT). The groups performing are the string orchestra, concert, symphonic and marching bands. The beginning students MUST attend to view the concert in preparation for their first concert in January. Please note the Theater Etiquette on the reverse side adopted by the RHS Arts Dept. and approved by administration. Everyone is welcome. Students receive extra credit for each adult that attends on their behalf! Sign in at the lobby table before the concert.

It is a required concert, as stated in the syllabus/handbook, including staying for the entire concert, about 90 minutes. Required concerts comprise 30% of a student’s semester grade. There will be at least two of these concerts during the fall semester. Plus, every student completes a written evaluation of every group, which is a national standard for music and one reason my classes are designated college prep. Students will sign in at their class roster and pick up their evaluation form between 6:30 and 6:45PM. Beginning students then report to the large theater.

Performing students wear their black RHS Music t-shirt and dark from waist down; concert attire is issued next semester. All performing students ordered a t-shirt if they didn’t have one from last year, as per the syllabus. These students pay the $10.00 to the bookkeeper, and then bring Mrs. Wilmer the receipt and sign for their shirt. These shirts are used throughout the year for less formal events.

Students in concert groups now need to incorporate their home “etude” book into their practicing. The “etude” book is geared to an instrument’s specific needs and issues. The cost is under $10.00. The band students should get their instrument’s book in the Rubank series: Concert Band – Intermediate, and Symphonic Band – Advanced vol. 1. Percussion should get “The Reading Drummer,” and strings should get their instrument’s book in the Wohlfardt series.

The RHS Boosters are sponsoring an electronic waste collection (e-waste) as a fundraiser on Saturday, January 11th from 8AM to 1PM in the RHS front parking lot. Please support us by donating old electronics and get them out of your way at the same time! Items with a screen, like televisions, laptops, and computer monitors are the things that earn us money, but all electronics are accepted. We cannot take appliances. The list of approved items will be on our website shortly: www.rhsmusic.net ….

Playoff Game -- Friday, the 15th

There is a playoff game at Rosemont on Friday, the 15th. Please check here for further updates on the schedule for that evening.

TOC - Stockton Trip Info for November 16th

Make sure you have paid for your food and equipment!

Permission slips are due on Wednesday!

Twenty percent (20%) of student’s performance grade for this competition is deducted each day after Wednesday the form is late (20% Thursday, another 20% Friday).

Schedule for week of Nov. 12-15

Wednesday – practice for EVERYONE from 3:00 – 5:30 pm. BE ON TIME!!!! Dress warmly if the weather dictates.
Friday --- practice from 3:00 – 6:00 pm, which includes percussion and trailer loading time. BE ON TIME!!!! Dress warmly if the weather dictates. After practice, follow the same loading procedure. It is YOUR responsibility to make sure your instrument is taken to the trailer.

Saturday – Competition Day!!

Students will have one hour on the bus when they can sleep. It’s important to use the restroom at home before coming to RHS.

Parents who are going to support the group – you will need to park in middle school parking lot on Harrisburg or Alexandria. Only the bus and trailer may park in the school parking lot.

5:57am --- NOTE EARLIER TIME!!! Call time. Come dressed in your bibbers, black socks and shoes. Your gauntlets & gloves are in your shako box, and baldrick is in your garment bag, which goes on the trailer. Put your name on your garment bag.
Guard – come in your uniform with hair and make-up done.
6:15am --- load bus. You can bring a pillow if you want. No one enters the bus until the trailer is completely loaded.
6:27am --- Leave RHS parking lot. We CANNOT wait for anyone because we are on a tight schedule.
7:30am (approx.) --- arrive at the bus parking lot. Inside trailer crew exits bus first. Unload trailer. Mrs. Wilmer will go to registration so follow the direction of the crews and instructors.
Get snack right away.
Percussion set up for warm-up. Students follow warm-up procedures.
Guard – get flags from crew& follow Mr. Moreno for warm-up.
Warm-ups.
8:55am – in block, plumes distributed.
9:10am – Formation area.
9:40am – Proceed to first warm-up zone, then quiet zone where we will do final block up for formal, graded inspection. In class 2A we are last of eight schools.
10:00 am – final warm-up and silent zone.
10:15 am – WE ARE ON!! Street competition! Let’s do it!
10:20 am -- Percussion competition zone. Competition ends. Proceed to pictures.
10:40am -- Put away instruments, change and return your garment bag, shoe and shako boxes to the crews. Changing rooms are in the gym locker rooms.
Back to watch the larger bands perform in class 4A and 5A.

1:00pm – Lunch! After lunch, second guard cleanup crew helps parents. Load trailer.
3:10pm -- Proceed to the stadium for the awards ceremony. The group sits together. Shawn, Chase and Ashley go to the stadium in your uniforms. You must be there by about 3:15. Parent chaperons stay with students.
3:30pm – Awards ceremony.
4:10pm (approximately) – End of awards ceremony. Proceed to bus for return trip. Make sure to use the restroom on your way back. We will leave as soon after the ceremony as possible.
5:15pm (approximately) – Return to RHS. Unload trailer. Take home instruments, and shoe box. Shakos and percussion equipment go into the room.
Leave your garment bag unzipped on the rack
Parents – allow about 30 minutes for trailer unloading.

Thanks for a great day. We will have a 7th period practice Monday, Nov. 18th from 3 – about 4:30 for those not involved in winter percussion or guard. We will go over scores, get some basketball game information, and work pep music.

Napa Competition Itinerary for November 9th!

General Information

If your parent is driving to watch and needs a driving packet, or a parent is driving you home early from the competition, please inform me immediately! Parents who are driving to support the group – you will need to park in the public parking garage next to the competition zone. Only the bus and trailer may park in the bus parking lot on Second Street or on the street.
Please make sure you have paid for your food and equipment! A second bill went out 1 ½ weeks ago.
I hope to get a picture order form. If so, it will be on a clipboard next to the Marching Band agenda.

Marching band & color guard rehearsals in November

Friday, November 1st – block 12:30 – 2 pm. Drum line 2 – 5 pm
Call time for game – 6:15 pm
Monday, November 4th – block & guard 3 – 4:30 pm. Drum line 5:30 – 7pm
Wednesday, November 6th – block & guard 3 – 5:30 pm. Drum line 5:30 – 7pm
Friday, November 8th – block, guard, percussion 3 – 5.
Call time for game – 6:15 pm. Leave at half time (about 8 pm) to load trailer.
Saturday, November 9th – Napa competition. Check itinerary for times.
Monday, November 11th – Veteran’s Day – No school or rehearsal.
Wednesday, November 13th - block & guard 3 – 5:30 pm. Drum line 5:30 – 7pm
Friday, November 15th – block, guard, drum line 3 – 5:30pm. Load trailer 5:30 – 6:10pm
Saturday, November 16th – TOC at Lincoln of Stockton. Check itinerary for times.
Monday, November 18th – begin winter percussion clinics 3 – 5:30 pm; guard & block 3 – 4:30 pm

Schedule for Friday, 11/8

Friday – Practice from 3 – 5:00 pm. Dress warmly. Call time for the game is 6:15pm. We will stay until after we play at halftime, then return to the room to load the trailer. We should be done by 8:30-9pm.
It is YOUR responsibility to make sure your instrument is in line, including drum line and guard equipment. Everyone helps get stuff out to the trailer.

Saturday, 11/9 – Competition Day!!
Students will have 1 ½ - 2 hours on the bus where they can sleep.

5:55am --- Call time. Come dressed in your bibbers, black socks and shoes. ONLY your baldrick is in your garment bag. Put your name on your garment bag.
Guard – come in your uniform with hair done.
Load the baldricks onto the rack & into the trailer.
6:15am --- load bus. You can bring a pillow if you want. No one enters the bus until the trailer is completely loaded.
6:30am --- Leave RHS parking lot. We CANNOT wait for anyone because we are on a tight schedule.
8:15am (approx.) --- arrive at the bus parking lot. Unload trailer. Mrs. Wilmer will go to registration so follow the direction of the crews and parents. Procedure will be similar to Del Oro with percussion warming up first. Percussion set up for warm-up.
Students must follow directions of crews once you receive your garment bag, instrument and shako box.
Get out instrument, put garment bag, and case where crew says and go to warm-up area. You will get your plumes just prior to formation.
Guard – get flags from crew. Find a warm-up spot and go through routine.
9: 55am – Proceed in SINGLE file from staging area to formation area.
10:00am – Formation / Inspection in the inspection zone. There we will be counted to insure we are in correct class. We are in class 1A for bands up to 40 block members.
10:10am – Proceed to final warm-up zone, then quiet zone where we will do final block up for competition. We are the 5th of 6 bands in our class to compete.
10:40am – WE ARE ON!! Street competition! Let’s do it!
10:45am -- Percussion competition zone. Competition ends. Proceed to pictures. Put away instruments, then you may choose to change and go back to watch larger groups or return your garment bag and shoe and shako boxes to the crews. We will load the trailer during this time.
12:10pm – Back at the bus to proceed to the stadium for lunch! Make sure to pick up your trash, cleanup crew work with parents and EVERYONE thank the parent volunteers who made and served lunch.
2:05pm -- Proceed to the stadium for the awards ceremony. Concert percussion competition is in the stadium from 1:30 – 2:00. If you watch the percussion, come back to the bus so we can go over as a group. The group sits together. Shawn, Ashley and Chase P. go to the south end of the stadium in your uniforms. You must be there by 2:15. I go to the north east corner. Parent chaperons stay with students.
2:30pm – Awards ceremony. Keep your fingers crossed!
3:15pm (approximately) – End of awards ceremony. Make sure to use the restroom on your way back. Proceed to bus for return trip. We will leave as soon after the ceremony as possible. Let's be polite to our band family members and stay quiet on the bus after a loooong day.
5:15pm (approximately) – Return to RHS. Unload trailer. Take home instruments, garment bag and shoe box. Shakos and percussion equipment go into the room.

Thanks for a great day! See you at practice next week to prepare for Tournament of Champions at Stockton. It is our last competition, so be ready to work hard.

Del Oro competition, Saturday, Oct. 19, 2013

We continue in the heart of the marching season. Our first competition went well. This Saturday is our second of four. It is critical we have ALL students at every practice for the FULL rehearsal this week. Make sure you are airing out your uniform by taking it out of the garment bag.
We still need someone to pull the trailer and parents to carpool! Please email Mrs. Wilmer at rosemontmusic@gmail.com to give/get information.

Schedule for 10/14 to 10/18

Monday --- practice from 3 - 5:30 BE EARLY!!!! Dress appropriately for marching. Wear your marching shoes to help break them in. Percussion ready to push to 7 pm.
Wednesday --- practice from 3:00 – 5:30 pm. BE EARLY!!!! Dress appropriately for marching. Work hard the entire time! Percussion push until 7 pm. Outside.
Friday --- practice from 3:00 – 6:00 pm. BE EARLY!!!! Dress appropriately for marching. Percussion will work to 7 pm. Preparations for Saturday will take another 15 minutes. Do not expect to leave before 6:15 pm.

After rehearsal on Friday – Make sure instrument is in line in the music room.
Percussion & Guard – make sure your harness, drum, or flag get onto the trailer. Percussion, break down both of the P3s (percussion practice platforms) for the trailer.

Make sure your food fee of $30.00 is paid. A receipt is given. The boosters serve the students a snack pre-performance and hot lunch post-performance. To make it work EVERY student must contribute. It is part of being in the marching band/color guard family. If you plan to use your Brewfest funds for this fee, please let Mrs. Wilmer know, otherwise, please pay Mrs. Wilmer ASAP! Checks made payable to RHS Music Boosters.

Please check the schedule carefully for departure time and clothing information.

Saturday – Competition Day!!

All --Bring a change of clothes including DEODORANT, RHS music shirt (guard), socks & shoes, and extra black socks in a separate bag AND bring a place to put your marching shoes that is NOT your garment bag. I suggest your shoe box.
If you tend to sweat profusely (like me), wear a black shirt under your bibbers and bring your RHS music shirt to wear for the awards ceremony.
Marching block - Come dressed in your black shirt, bibbers, black crew-length (3 or more inches above ankle bone) socks and marching shoes. Your gauntlets are in your shako box. Your gloves & baldrick are in your garment bag. Put your name on your garment bag.
Guard – come in complete uniform with hair done.
7:07 am --- Call time. Get instrument lined up outside the trailer. Give your garment bag to the garment crew. Do your job to get the trailer loaded. Take your change of clothes to your ride.
7:45am --- load cars. No one gets into their car until the trailer is completely loaded.
7:50am --- Leave RHS parking lot. We are on a tight schedule & will not wait.
8:45 am (approx.) --- arrive at the parking lot. Inside trailer crew to their job positions.
Percussion – warm up with instruments.
Guard – follow Mr. Moreno's directions. Get flags from crew when instructed.
Block – help parents set up pop ups, tables & unload trailer.
9:50am --- get instruments. Everyone goes to staging area & warm up. Follow directions of instructors.
9:55 am – begin warm-up.
10:50 am - Students get in line to pick up garment bag, and shako box. Students must follow directions of crews once you receive your garment bag and shako box.
Put on your baldrick, gauntlets and shakos. Grab your gloves. Put garment bag, shako box and case where crew says and get snack from trailer. After snack, get out instrument, put on gloves and put case where instructed. You will be called to get your plumes.
11:00pm --- Begin moving to formation area.
11:05 pm - formation
11:20 pm --- percussion competition. Be flexible.
11:35 pm --- competition time!
Once done - walk back to trailer. Stay in single file. We must walk on the same side as the judges’ stand for the bulk of the walk back.
Stand in line to return plumes, shoes and shako boxes. Once all equipment (with gauntlets and gloves) are in boxes, give to crew to place in trailer. Then pick up garment bag to change. Changing rooms are located in the gym locker rooms. Be respectful of our space; remember our motto to leave a space cleaner than when we arrived. If you see a place to help, ask first, then join in.

About 12:25 pm --- Lunch --- at the trailer. Be sure to thank the boosters! Section assigned to help the boosters clean up help out.
About 1:00 pm – proceed to quad for awards ceremony.
1:30pm --- awards ceremony. Representatives are Shawn, Chase and Haley.
About 2:10pm --- return to trailer to pack. Make sure to stop at the restroom first. Once done, return to cars for ride back to RHS.
About 3:20pm --- return to RHS. Take instrument and shako box to the music room. Take your garment bag and shoe box home. You will be dismissed from the room. Do not leave before then.

Make sure to unzip and air out your uniform once home.
It will not get dry cleaned again until after the season.
Thanks for a great day!