Dear Winter Park Band families,

SOTW did a great job at the away playoff football game on Friday night! It was a ton of fun to perform in a cool new-to-us stadium, meet new friends from the University HS Orange City band, and spend time together as a band. Unfortunately the football team did not get the result they wanted, which means that the varsity football season has come to an end. Our last two marching band events of the year will be our performances at the Winter Park and Baldwin Park parades on Saturday, December 7.

Thank you to Laura Cambridge and the chaperone team for helping our students stay safe and spending the long evening and bus rides with our students. That awesome playoff volunteer team included Dana Adkinson, Jenniffer Randolph, Jennifer Mullins, Kirsten Cowan, Vanessa Marshall, Sandra Clisby, Barbara Arroyo, Mary Lippert, Yessinia Ortiz, Christina Armendariz, Lissette Dennis, Beth Lybarger, Glenda Santiago, and Vanessa Irons. Thank you to Ellen Deloach, Robyn Fodor, Christina Armendariz, and the provisions team for coordinating pre-game pizza and post-game snacks for the bis ride home!

Speaking of the upcoming parades, please plan ahead for our performances on Saturday, December 7 in Winter Park and Baldwin Park. Students will be performing "Santa's Parade" which is our traditional holiday parade tune and they should be practicing their parts at home over break. We will wear the

Full Marching Band Uniform with “festive headwear” & “festive accessories.” Students are permitted and encouraged to add “festive accents” to their uniform and instrument without damaging them, such as lights, garland, and Santa hats; however, Mr. Clemente has final say! A full itinerary for the parades can be found on the Band website.

All-County Auditions are THIS Monday, 11/18. Auditions will take place at Lake Buena Vista HS. See below for links to audition requirements, final reminders, and tips going into Monday. Remember to breathe, relax, visualize the best performance possible, and have fun!

Our annual SOLO & ENSEMBLE project is coming up as we head toward Thanksgiving Break. Please find detailed information below in this Newsletter. We will be discussing this project more in detail in classes this week.

There will not be a Newsletter next week, so we hope that everyone in the Winter Park Band family has a wonderful Thanksgiving break! See you all back at school on Monday, 12/2.

Together, let's make it a great week!

Mr. Clemente

Auditions for the 2024-2025 OCPS All-County Bands and Jazz Ensembles are scheduled for Monday, November 18 at Lake Buena Vista HS.

SCHEDULE OF AUDITIONS

• Parking- All participants should park in the auditorium lot on the west side of campus. The entrance to this lot is NOT at the stoplight. A map is provided below. Plan to arrive at LBVHS roughly 30 minutes before your audition time, and take traffic into account with your travel time.

• Check-in: Students will check in adjacent to the cafeteria and proceed to the cafeteria for warm up. Your audition card will be your ticket to audition - don't lose it! Physical room numbers will also be provided at check-in. Go find your room before warming up.

• Follow all requirements stated on the audition requirement sheets.
• All scales must be memorized.
• No electronic devices in the audition room. This includes laptops, tablets, phones, smart watches, etc. Remember your paper copy of the required excerpt.
  
• Students should both enter and exit the audition room with only their instrument and their paper copy of the required audition excerpt. Sight reading copies stay in the audition room.
• Auditioning students should not talk in the audition room. If there is a question or concern, please communicate through the LBVHS student volunteer who is monitoring the room.

Happy practicing, good luck, and most importantly have fun!

All-County Band Audition Materials

All-County Jazz Audition Materials

Congratulations to all the students who auditioned and made the team! We are so excited to see this year's show come together over the coming months.

As we continue into the 2nd marking period of the school year, it's time to begin finalizing selections for the annual Solo and Ensemble MPA. As a reminder from our Band Handbook, Solo and Ensemble is a part of our 2nd - 3rd quarter project for all students in the Winter Park Band. This project allows our students to have a performance opportunity where they are able to showcase their individual musicianship and take what they are learning in their Band classes and apply it toward a piece of music of their own choosing. It is our firm belief that preparing a piece for performance either individually or in a small group is one of the most effective ways for our students to improve their musicianship. Students' work performing solos and multiple events for Solo & Ensemble MPA is also taken into consideration with ensemble auditions for the upcoming school year. As the saying goes, a rising tide raises all boats, and when all students work to improve their individual musicianship, the Band program benefits as a whole.

Band students have two performance options to complete the Solo and Ensemble project:

• Option 1(preferred): Solo and Ensemble MPA. Solo and Ensemble MPA takes place each year at the beginning of February and is hosted by a school in our district, this year Horizon HS on February 7 and 8. This event is put on by the Florida Bandmasters Association (FBA), and allows students to perform for an adjudicator for a rating. Adjudicators for this event are professors, teachers, and performers from across the state of Florida, and students have the opportunity to receive feedback on their performance from someone who is an expert on their instrument. Students perform either a solo or chamber ensemble piece from the FBA Solo and Ensemble Required Music List, and may perform in up to 4 different events. Performing a solo at S&E MPA is a requirement for the Wind Symphony audition each year, so if your student is planning to take that audition this coming spring, they should select a solo as their entry/one of their 4 entries. Entrance fees are paid for by the Band program as a part of Fair Share.

• Option 2: Solo and Ensemble Recital Option. For students who choose not to perform at the Solo and Ensemble MPA put on by FBA, those students will perform as part of our Solo and Ensemble Recital at school. This year, that recital will take place in the Band Room on Wednesday, January 29, beginning at 1:30 PM. Students must select a piece from the FBA Solo and Ensemble Required Music List, and the performances will be adjudicated by both Mr. Clemente and Mrs. Deane. Students who wish to choose this option must have their choice cleared by both Mr. Clemente and Mrs. Deane.

WHAT'S NEXT:

The next step is choosing which option you prefer and what piece(s) you will perform. Start looking at solo literature, consult your private lesson teacher, and/or get your chamber ensemble together and committed to performing as a group. Once you are prepared to register for either Solo and Ensemble MPA or the Solo and Ensemble Recital Option, follow the links below. If a student chooses to play a solo, they are responsible for providing a piano accompanist or pre-recorded accompaniment. If you are in search of an accompanist, please consult this list of piano accompanists on the Band website.

Links to all forms/lists below can be found at: http://www.winterparkhsband.com/solo--ensemble.html

Winter Park Solo and Ensemble Library

Solo and Ensemble Music Purchase Request

• Due no later than 12/5/24

Solo and Ensemble MPA Registration

• Due no later than 12/5/24

Solo and Ensemble Recital Option sign-up (if approved by Mr. Clemente & Mrs. Deane)

• Due no later than 12/5/24

Students should have a close, if not final, idea of what they would like to perform at Solo & Ensemble before we leave for the Thanksgiving break. If a student plans on performing a solo that has piano accompaniment, that student should secure an accompanist before or during the Thanksgiving break.

Hello Band Families!

Once again, great job on our Butter Braid fundraiser! The students benefited as funds were added directly to band accounts for Chicago or to help cover band fees.

Our delivery date is this Thursday, Nov. 21st!

I will send out a CutTime message at the beginning of the week with exact times to pick up, however my tentative times are 3:30-6:30 pm. Plan on picking up your Butter Braids during this time and taking them directly home to put in your freezer until you are able to deliver them to your buyers.

Door 2 Door (D2D) Feb.1, 2025

Our biggest and most important fundraiser of the year is a few months away, but we are starting to recruit drivers for the big day. There will be more details in the near future, but on this day parent drivers take band students and guard out into our school zone neighborhoods to walk door to door in pairs to collect money for our program. The band could not function financially without this day and we need drivers to make it happen!

To sign up, you will need to provide proof of an active Additions approval, a current driver's license and insurance valid at the time of D2D. You will also need seats for at least 4 students and functioning seat belts for all. The link to sign up is here and also in our Volunteer Coordinator's section of this newsletter. Please email Laura Cambridge at wphsbandvolunteers@gmail.com all your documents listed above once you sign up.

Thanks for helping! You all have been amazing this marching season! Enjoy the calmer "vibe" and rest up until February while we have fewer volunteer needs.

Robyn Fodor

Fundraising Chair

🎶 Hello, Marching Band and Guard Families! 🎶

As the final notes of our marching season fade into cherished memories, we are thrilled to reflect on a season full of high notes and harmonious teamwork. From the entire Uniform Crew, we are overflowing with pride and gratitude for every Band and Guard member and their incredible families.

🎺 A Standing Ovation for Our Uniform Crew Volunteers! To those who measured, fitted, tailored, and styled this season—plus the champions who kept every plume perfectly perched and every shako sharp—we’re marching to the beat of your dedication. Your behind-the-scenes magic ensured our band looked as sharp as they sounded! Bravo, and thank you!

🎷 Drumroll, Please: Thank You to Our Washers and Ironers! The following families deserve a round of applause for washing, ironing, and ensuring our uniforms were crisp, show-ready, and stage-worthy:
Marshall, Baez, Mullins, Calderon, Paul, Randolph, Kramer, Rediske, Watzman, MacKinnon, Hindle, Jimenez, Irons-Fleming, Sports, Diltz, Browne, Baillargeon, Lybarger, Lippert, and Del Rio!

Special thanks to Yessenia Ortiz, Vanessa Irons, Vanessa Marshall, and Laura Cambridge for their assistance in organizing, re-blinging, and helping us manage uniforms over the past two weeks. You’ve made the magic happen, one detail at a time. 🎉

🎄 Save the Date: Upcoming Performances!

We’re ready to march into the holidays with two exciting parades on December 7th:

• Morning: Winter Park "Ye Olde Hometown" Christmas Parade

• Evening: Baldwin Park Holiday Parade

Stay tuned for updates and opportunities to volunteer with the Uniform Crew for these festive events!

🎼 Transitioning to Concert Season: With the shift to concert season, students have received their tuxes or dresses along with the appropriate accessories. Please ensure everything is ready to shine for the Winter Concert on Thursday, December 12th. If your student needs assistance with their concert uniform, don’t hesitate to reach out to your Uniform Co-Chairs for help.

Yours in “Band Couture,”

Andrea Rediske (andrea.rediske@gmail.com) & Jenniffer Randolph (jenrandolph13@gmail.com)
WPHS Uniform Co-Chairs

Let’s keep making music and memories together! 🎶

Many thanks to all the volunteers who helped to make this marching season a success. We couldn't have done it without you! There is a little rest period and then we have holiday parades and getting organized for the Door 2 Door fundraiser. Please sign up here; this is the band's biggest fundraiser and we need as much help as we can get. It takes place on February 1 but there are a lot of logistics so we like to have the list of volunteers and their documents done well ahead of time.

November 18: All-County Band & Jazz Auditions, Lake Buena Vista High School

_____________________

November 25-29: Thanksgiving Break

_____________________

December 7: Winter Park (morning) & Baldwin Park (evening) Holiday Parades

_____________________

December 10: Winterfest (Orch Winds & Perc. only)

_____________________

December 12: WINTER BAND CONCERT, 7 PM, WPHS Auditorium

http://www.winterparkhsband.com/calendar.html

Since the Cut Time software has been updated, the synced calendar link has changed. 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 DUE BAND PAYMENTS

• WOODWINDS, BRASS, PERCUSSION
• Wednesday, July 31, 2024
• Fair Share Payment - $225 OR Fair Share Payment 1 - $100
• Marching Band Shoe (if needed) - $45

• Wednesday, August 28, 2024
• Fair Share Payment 2 - $50

• COLOR GUARD
• Wednesday, July 31, 2024
• Fall Fair Share Payment - $325 OR Fair Share Payment 1 - $100
• Marching Band Shoe (if needed) - $45

• Wednesday, August 28, 2024
• Fair Share Payment 2 - $125

For questions concerning general Band inquiries, Band financial obligations, or to request a payment plan, contact Mr. Clemente, at Michael.Clemente@ocps.net. For questions regarding your CutTime account or statement, contact the Band Booster Treasurer, Kim Somers, at kimrosesomers@gmail.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

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 @winterparkcolorguard @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