Real March Madness

With March Madness right around the corner and this year’s Final Four being in our very own back yard (NRG Stadium), we would like to have some fun with some real March Madness.

The United States Marine Band, “The President’s Own”, is having a March Madness of their own.  Starting March 7, voting begins.  Two marches will go head to head each day.  The march receiving the highest votes will advance to the next round with an eventual championship.  This is a really fun activity and a great way to listen to some of Sousa’s and other composer’s marches.  A few of them we have played or will play in Wind Ensemble.

To download and fill-in your bracket, click here.  You should save it, print it, and turn it in to Mr. Williams.  You can also submit it to the marine band.  Details for this are on the marine band web page.

There may even be some prizes or gifts for those who participate!

Parents can participate too!

Posted on by Lester Williams.

Solo & Ensemble/Spaghetti Dinner Part 2

If you have not already read part 1 please click here and read it before continuing.

Students will be performing in the Band Hall, Choir Room, and Performing Arts Center beginning at 5:30.  The cafeteria will be used for both the Spaghetti Dinner as well as the warm up room.  The side closest to the library will be for warm up and the side closest to the kitchen will be for the Spaghetti Dinner.  Parents are encouraged to show their support for the students by both listening to some performances and eating at the Spaghetti Dinner (tickets are available at the door for $10 each).  The “final” schedule, which is subject to change, has been posted in the band hall and you can click here to download it.

Out of respect for the performers, audience members will need to enter between performances and will need to remain quiet in the music wing hallway as the sound proofing in our building is not ideal.  Video recording is allowed provided it is not a distraction to the performers.  For this reason, flash photography is not allowed.

Important Notes:
  • Students will not be able to get their instrument out of the band hall once the contest begins, therefore students need to take their instruments home after school and then bring them back for the contest.  Larger instruments may be stored in the “triangle” ensemble room.
  • Students should plan on arriving at least 30 minutes prior to their performance time and should be waiting outside the performance room 10-15 minutes prior to their performance time.
  • Students will need to listen and complete an ensemble evaluation form of 4 other performances that evening.  Evaluation forms should be picked up and turned in in the cafeteria.
  • The Spaghetti Dinner will be taking place in the cafeteria beginning at 5:30. Students planning on eating at the Spaghetti Dinner may eat either before or after their performance.  Tickets will be on sale that evening.
Students should wear business casual attire:
  • Boys Attire
    • Polo or button down shirt tucked in (No T-shirt)
    • Khaki or dark pants (No jeans)
    • Matching belt and dress shoes (No athletic shoes)
  • Girls Attire
    • Business casual appropriate pants or skirt (No jeans)
    • Business casual appropriate blouse (No t-shirt)
    • Business casual appropriate shoes (No athletic shoes)

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Calling All Photographers

The 2015-2016 Charger Band DVD is currently in progress and we NEED your photos! If you have taken pictures at any band related event this summer or school year, please share them with us and we’ll include them on the DVD.

In order to share photos, please email the coordinator at cymonet68@yahoo.com to arrange photo exchange.  Students may also leave a USB flash drive of photos with the Band Director.  If using a flash drive, please put it in an envelope titled “DVD photos” with the owner’s name so it can be returned.

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Picture Day

We will be having professional photographs taken of all band students on Tuesday, February 16th during their band class.  All Students (this includes woodwinds, brass, percussion, and color guard) will have their picture taken in their marching jacket as we will be using these pictures to make a composite of the full band.   Please wear a black t-shirt to school that day.   Students/parents may also choose to  have their picture taken in their concert uniform.  If so, they will need to bring the concert uniform to school that morning.

The composite, as well the individual pictures, may be purchased.  Please click here to download the order form.  The order form and payment are due on picture day.

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Solo & Ensemble/Spaghetti Dinner

Our Solo & Ensemble Recital and Spaghetti Dinner will be Tuesday, February 23rd and/or Thursday, February 25th.  All Students are required to perform a solo and/or ensemble; at this time, all students should have a piece(s), should be practicing it/them, and should have completed the google form below to enter.  Only one student from each ensemble should have signed up.  Students were also supposed to use that form to request a day/time if they have a legitimate conflict with one of the days such as a UIL activity or an accompanist that can only come to one of the days.  The exact performance times will be posted at the beginning of the week of February 15th.

Solo & Ensemble Entry Form

Concurrent with the solo & Ensemble Recital will be our 3rd Annual Spaghetti Dinner from 5:30 PM-7:30 PM.  Dinner will be served in the CSHS Cafeteria and has been a big hit for the past two years.

Tickets may be purchased from Mr. Witmer and Mr. Brown beginning on Monday, February 15th and are $10 each. (please bring the money in an envelope so that it can be placed in the safe)

You may download a Spaghetti Dinner Flier by clicking here.

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2015 Region Band Results

Please join us in congratulating the following students on their success this audition season. 18 Charger band students made Area, Region, District, and/or 9th Grade Region.  This year we had the highest number of students to advance to Area Auditions in the history of Clear Springs High School, tripling the number of students who advanced in previous years.  Megan Chu, Felix Fang, Alexander Falks, Richard Zhou, Lucas Raleigh, and Gilberto Torres now advance to the Area audition in January for the chance to join the top 1% of musicians in Texas in one of the All-State Bands or Orchestras.  Also, special congratulations to Megan Chu and Alexander Falks for making 1st chair on their respective instruments at the Region 17 auditions on December 12.

We are extremely proud of all our students and very happy to see them recognized for their dedication and hard work on such a competitively difficult endeavor.  TMEA Region 17 has earned a reputation across the state as having some of the most talented musicians in Texas.  These 18 students represent the top 15-20% of those who auditioned in their respective sections in the region.

Those students who earned Area and Region honors will perform a concert on Saturday, January 16, at Angleton High School (more details on the band calendar).  Students with District or 9th Grade Region honors do not perform a concert.  District and 9th Grade patches have already been distributed to students.  Region patches will be handed out at the January concert and Area patches will be handed out at the audition in January.

Area/Region/District honors:
  • Megan Chu – Eb Clarinet (1st chair in the region)
  • Felix Fang – Bb Clarinet
  • Alexander Falks – Bassoon (1st Chair in the region)
  • Richard Zhou – Alto Saxophone
  • Lucas Raleigh – Baritone Saxophone
  • Gilberto Torres – Trumpet
 Region/District honors:
  • Deanna Ingram – Bb Clarinet
  • Zach Graves – Bb Clarinet
  • Stella Wood – Bb Clarinet
  • Ben Hazel – Bass Clarinet
  • Nathan Burris – Trumpet
  • Daniel Del Nero – Trombone
  • Jordan Avila – Percussion
District honors:
  • Mackenzie Gaona – Flute
  • Nicolas Monticello – Percussion
9th Grade Region honors:
  • Colt Schultz – Bb Clarinet
  • Alexander Falks – Bassoon
  • Richard Zhou – Alto Saxophone
  • Ian Ebert – Trumpet
  • Seth Martin – Trombone
  • Nicolas Monticello – Percussion

We appreciate the work of all students who auditioned.  If your child did not audition, they will have the opportunity to do so again next fall.

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December 5 Holiday Parade and Party

This year there will be many different events within the band surrounding the holiday season.  This includes the League City Holiday in the Park Parade followed by our 1st Annual Charger Band Holiday Party.  Please read below for more details as to what is sure to be a blast for both students and parents.

Schedule:

Saturday, December 5th
4:00 PM – Meet at Band Hall
4:45 PM – Depart for parade assembly area
6:00 PM – Parade begins
7:30 PM – Holiday Party

Holiday Party:

All Current students as well as their parents and siblings are invited to attend and be a part of the festivities upon our return from the parade.  We are asking parents who will be attending to please bring a dessert (homemade desserts are preferred).  We will be providing finger foods from Chuy’s on a first come, first served basis.  All are welcome to eat; however, once the food is gone, it is gone.  Parents are also welcome bring food for a “pot luck” style dinner if there is a concern that we will run out of food.

The Holiday Party will include many different activities including an Ugly Sweater Contest, various section contests and a photo booth. Also, for the seniors, there will be a White Elephant gift exchange. If you are a senior, be sure to bring a gift for the exchange, the price limit will be $10 for the gifts.

Leading up to the Holiday Party, we will be having a band “Locker Decorating Contest.” Get out your battery-operated lights and other holiday decorations and decorate your lockers to get into the holiday spirit! Prizes for the best decorated locker will be awarded at the holiday party. All lockers need to be decorated by December 4th so they can be judged. Also, the decorations that are put up must be taken down before or on December 18.

Also, continuing with the tradition, we will be having a “Best Decorated Section” contest for the League City Holiday in the Park Parade. Get out your battery-operated lights, garland, stockings, etc. The prizes for the “Best Decorated Section” will be awarded at the Holiday Party.

We hope to see everyone participating in these activities and getting into the holiday spirit!

What you need for the parade:
  • Woodwinds – blue jeans & a green shirt* (minimal logos)
  • Brass – blue jeans & a red shirt*  (minimal logos)
  • Percussion – blue jeans & a white shirt* (minimal logos)
  • Lyre and flip folder with Christmas Carols on Parade (no other music is needed)
  • Students must be able to see the music while playing, with their instrument in the correct playing position (i.e. the lyre correctly attaches to the instrument and leaves the hands free to play).  This will be checked before we leave.
  • Students claiming that they do not need the music because they have the music memorized will be required to pass-off the music from memory for Mr. Brown or Mr. Williams.
  • Students should decorate themselves and/or their instruments with battery powered lights, garland, bows, wrapping paper, ribbon, etc.  Decorations must NOT get in the way of correctly playing the instrument and must be safe.  It would also be a good idea to arrange lights in a way that will illuminate their music to make it easier to read since the parade takes place after dark.
  • This is a holiday parade.  Our colors will be red, white, and green – no blue or black.  Red or green Santa or elf hats are encouraged (pretty much all of the students wear one).  College Santa caps may be worn if the school’s colors are red and white like the University of Houston :) or green and white like North Texas.  Reindeer antlers are also acceptable especially if they light up!
  • Per parade rules, students may not dress up in Santa costumes.

Please check the weather and wear any needed warm clothing underneath the above shirts.  The above colored shirts may be substituted with the same colored sweatshirt, sweater, hoodie, or jacket.

*portions of this article were contributed by Anna Lassmann

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Taste Of The Town & Winter Concert

Our Winter Concert and 4th Annual Taste of the Town are coming up and everyone is cordially invited to attend both the Taste of the Town for $15 followed by a free concert.

Thursday, December 3rd
Taste of the Town: 6:00pm – 8:00pm
Winter Concert: 8:00pm
Clear Springs High School – Cafeteria and Auditorium

4th Annual Taste of the Town

So what exactly is Taste of the Town you ask?  Well to start, it is considered the best fundraiser ever by many, if not all, of the people who attend, and it is our 2nd highest grossing fundraiser after the Rock-A-Thon.   At the event there will be approximately 16 different local restaurants that bring samples of their food.  With the purchase of a ticket, you will be able to get samples from each of these restaurants which will easily make up a full meal (you will not need to eat a separate dinner this evening.) Check out the following list of the restaurants which have committed to attending.

  • Brewingz
  • Chili’s
  • Genghis Grill
  • Kona Ice
  • Chocolate Bar Bazaar
  • Marco’s Pizza
  • Le Madeleine
  • Slices and Ices
  • Panera Bread
  • Pei Wei Asian Diner
  • Tea House Under the Oaks
  • Chuy’s
  • Gina’s Italian Kitchen & Pizzeria
  • Thai Spice – Noodle & Sushi House
  • CSHS Culinary Department

So where can you get the tickets that will allow you to eat food from all of the above restaurants all in the same meal, and how much are they?  The tickets are being sold by the band students and are $15.  Five tickets were distributed to the students to sell on Friday, November 20th and any students who need additional tickets can get them from the directors.  All money and any unsold tickets need to be returned by Monday, November 30, 2015.  E-mail cshsbandtasteoftown@gmail.com if you have any questions.

As with many of the other fundraisers that we do, we can raise the most funds if tickets are sold to not only your own family but also to friends, neighbors and co-workers. They also make great gifts for classroom teachers.  So lets all do our best to make this evening a success.   Students don’t forget to purchase a ticket for yourself (or have your parents purchase it for you) in order to partake in all that the restaurants have to offer.  Students will need to eat before 7:00 PM.

Winter Concert

This concert is looking to be a great concert for the whole family. Selections will include numerous holiday favorites, including Leroy Anderson’s famous Sleigh Ride and A Christmas Festival that will be sure to get you in the holiday mood.  Please come out and support the students at this free concert as it is always more enjoyable for the students to perform to a packed house with loud applause.

Important notes for students and parents:
  1. Uniforms will be worn
    • Boys – Tuxedo Jacket, tuxedo pants, tuxedo shirt, black satin bow tie, black satin cummerbund, long black socks, black dress shoes or black marching shoes.
    • Girls – black band dress, black close toed shoes with an inch or less heel.
  2. Students are not permitted to wear any part of their uniform to Taste of the town.
  3. Students should eat before 7:00 PM.
  4. Call time for Symphonic and Concert Bands is 7:15 PM – Concert band on Stage and Symphonic in the band hall.
  5. Call time for Wind Ensemble is 8:00 PM in the band hall.
  6. Concert Band and Symphonic Band members are to stay and watch the remainder of the concert once they have finished performing.
  7. Concert Band and Symphonic band members are to stay in uniform (yes, that includes bow-ties) until they leave the school.
  8. Our concerts are dignified events where attendees and performers are expected to act as if it were a Houston Symphony performance.  Photographs and video may be taken from the back walkway of the auditorium.  Electronic devices should be turned off or left at home.  Small children should be supervised and seated at all times and taken from the auditorium before they become a distraction to others.  Talking should be limited to between bands and whispering should  be limited to between musical selections.

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Playoff Game #2 vs. Northshore

Schedule/Location:

3:00 Rehearsal
4:00 Dinner
4:45 Inspection
5:30 Depart CSHS
7:00 Kickoff
10:00 Depart Stadium
CCISD Veterans Memorial Stadium

Game Meal:

Game meals for playoff games were not included in the band payments, therefore we will be collecting $10 on Friday before the meal.  CASH ONLY! Students that do not reserve a meal and/or do not bring money will not receive a game meal.  COMPLETE THE  REQUIRED PLAYOFF MEAL SURVEY TO RESERVE YOUR MEAL!  

Please make sure that you read the game day checklist below BEFORE Friday or you will be very stressed.

  • Game Day Preparation, Procedures, & Expectations – read this so that you know what to and not to do. (e.g. – do not eat in the stands except for our 3rd quarter snacks or you will be suspended from the remaining football games.)
  • Game Day Checklist (Full Uniform) – read this to make sure you have everything.  Students missing items will either be required to purchase a new item or will be sent home.
Notes:
  • We will monitor the weather.  If it is cold, students will be allowed to wear letter jackets, black jackets, or black hoodies if needed.  They may also wear knit caps as long as they are black.
  • For this week and any future playoff games, we will be taking our equipment in a box truck.  The Charger Band trailer will remain at school.  It is highly recommended that students who have to put their instrument on the truck (anyone who does not play flute or clarinet) purchase a luggage strap to secure around the case to keep it from opening during transit.  This is similar to the request we make when we travel by air on our spring trips.

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Instrument Step Up Sale

If you are still playing on the same beginner instrument you have had since 6th grade now is the time to step to a professional level instrument.  This is something we highly recommend if you have not done so already due to the fact that it is much easier to play with a good sound and play in tune on a better instrument.

Music and Arts is having a sale on November 21.  Check out their flier for more info.
Music & Arts Step Up Sale Nov. 21

H&H is also having a step up sale now through 12/31. Check out their flier for more info.
H&H Step Up Sale

Both companies have competent representatives who will help you select the best instrument.  We recommend that students be present at the purchase and to have them play on at least two or three of the same model instrument as all instruments are not made the same.  You may also want to upgrade the mouthpiece.  Woodwinds can also upgrade their ligatures and barrels (for clarinet).

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