Dear Winter Park Band families,

I hope everyone had a wonderful Thanksgiving break! The hustle and bustle of December is underway, and we're excited to wrap up the first semester of the 24-25 school year.

Our annual SOLO & ENSEMBLE project has due dates this week on Thursday, 12/5. Please find detailed information below in this Newsletter. We will continue to discuss this project in detail in classes this week.

It's time for a parade or two! This Saturday, December 7, SOTW will perform at the holiday parades in Winter Park and Baldwin Park. Students will be performing "Santa's Parade" which is our traditional holiday parade tune and you should have heard your student practicing their part 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.

Looking forward to next week, we end our semester with the Winter Band Concert on Thursday, 12/12. Student call time is 6:30 PM, ready to walk on stage. This means that students should be walking into the Band room no later than 6:15 PM. This concert will be in Full Concert Uniform so students should be sure they have all the pieces of their uniform this week by laying it out and double checking. Advanced planning will lead to a stress-free performance day!

The Orchestra Winds & Percussion also have a performance at next week's Winterfest on Tuesday, 12/10. Orch Winds & Perc. students also have Winterfest Dress Rehearsal after school on Monday, 12/9.

Together, let's make it a great week!

Mr. Clemente

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 now have a close, if not final, idea of what they would like to perform at Solo & Ensemble since we are now after Thanksgiving break. If a student plans on performing a solo that has piano accompaniment, that student should have already emailed/reached out to secure an accompanist during the Thanksgiving break. If you are having trouble securing an accompanist, please see Mr. Clemente & Mrs. Deane for assistance.

Hello Band Families!

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! 🎶

🎄 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! 🎶

Hopefully everyone enjoyed your Thanksgiving break! Please check your calendar and see if you are able to drive 4 students around on Feb 1 for Door 2 Door. We need lots of help from our band families. Keep in mind that you and your student will both get a credit towards your band account. Sign up here and be prepared to email wphsbandvolunteers@gmail.com with proof of car insurance, drivers license, and ADDitions approval. Please reach out with any questions and have a restful week.

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

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

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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

The Seniors Helping Seniors® team provides affordable, professional in-home care services and heartfelt companionship for seniors. Our caregivers, who are mature adults themselves, understand the importance of remaining independent. Through quality assistance with day-to-day tasks – as well as beautifully shared moments – we brighten and empower the lives of seniors from the comfort of their own homes. Please reach out to them at 407-213-2273 if you have a loved one that needs care or if you are interested in becoming a caregiver.

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