MRHS Orchestra Newsletter

March

• Thursday, 3/6 Pre UIL Concert - ALL students will perform
• Friday-Saturday, 3/7-3/8 All-Region Mariachi Concert and Clinic at Klein Oak HS
• Monday-Friday, 3/10-3/14 Spring Break!
• Tuesday or Wednesday, 3/25 or 3/26 Chamber Purple UIL at Taylor HS - Date and Time TBA

April

• Wednesday, 4/2 Camerata UIL at Paetow HS, Time TBA
• Friday, 4/4 Sinfonia UIL at Kerr HS, Time TBA
  
• Saturday, 4/12 5:30-7:30pm Skate Night at Mason Rd. Skate Center
• Friday, 4/18 and Monday, 4/21 (Teacher Professional Day) No School!
• Thursday, 4/24 7pm in MRHS PAC, Mariachi Spring Show
• Saturday, 4/26 KYAC Katy Young Artist Competition, State Solo and Ensemble at Jordan HS
• Wednesday, 4/30 Senior Fine Arts Recognition Day! 8:00am in MRHS PAC

May

• Saturday, 5/3 8AM-3PM Car Wash at Brookshire Brothers, students are required to take an AM or PM shift
• Thursday, 5/8 7pm Spring Orchestra Concert and Senior Farewell
• Saturday, 5/10 Orchestra Banquet in MRHS 9th Grade Cafeteria 6-9pm

Sinfonia

• Monday, 3/3 3-4:30pm
• Monday, 3/17 3-4:30pm
• Monday, 3/24 3-4pm
• Monday, 3/31 3-4pm

Camerata

• Wednesday, 3/5 3:45-4:30pm
• Thursday, 3/20 3:45-4:30pm
• Monday, 3/24 4-5pm
• Monday, 3/31 4-5pm

Chamber Purple

• Wednesday, 3/5 3-3:45pm
• Thursday, 3/20 3-3:45pm
• Tuesday, 3/25 3-4:30pm

Our Pre UIL Concert is scheduled for Thursday, 3/6 at 7pm in the MRHS PAC.

Concert Dress: formal attire (same as Winter Concert)

Call Time: 6pm for all students!

Students can leave after they are done performing. We want to encourage parents to attend this concert to help boost our student's confidence for their upcoming UIL evaluations!

We will have Judges and a professional recording engineer. Please refrain from bringing small children, we are trying to keep the PAC quiet due to recording.

I find out UIL times roughly two weeks prior to the event. Once I have your student's ensemble UIL time I'll send out a schedule through Cut Time. Good luck to all students involved, everyone is working hard and making a great amount of improvement on their instrument!

UIL Concert and Sight Reading Evaluation Dates and Times

(please clear your student's schedule in advance)

• Tuesday or Wednesday, 3/25 or 3/26 Chamber Purple UIL at Taylor HS - Date and Time TBA

• Wednesday, 4/2 Camerata UIL at Paetow HS, Time TBA
• Friday, 4/4 Sinfonia UIL at Kerr HS, Time TBA

UIL is not about the rating, but about the journey your student takes through this amazing learning process!

We are starting our WiddyUp fundraiser this week! Thank you for students who brought in their contacts. MRHS Orchestra Booster Club has some amazing prizes for the highest sellers!

This fundraiser is crucial for our Organization. We are needing funding to sustain us through Orchestra Banquet, student instrument repairs, student instrument equipment, student private lesson scholarships, summer student leadership, and fall socials.

Thank you in advance for fundraising for Orchestra and Mariachi! This fundraiser is awesome, you can connect with contacts all over the US and they can share with their friends to support our students.

Now is the time to start thinking about summer camps and summer plans! Many deadlines are fast approaching.

Summer is the best time for your student to gain an edge on their instrument, continue to follow their inspiration and desire to become a better musician.

Here are a few I highly recommend:

• AFA
• Stephen F Austin String Camp (this is my top choice for MRHS students!)
• UNT String Camp
• Texas Tech String Camp
• MRHS will host a Region Kickstart Camp here the week school gets out from 5/27-5/29 sponsored by Katy Youth Symphony, approximately $150 and more details to come soon! Scholarships are available by request. This three day Region kickstart is an expectation for 2025-26 Sinfonia (Varsity students)

Comprehensive Orchestra Summer Camp/Festival Listing

We are very excited to have 5 students participate in the 2025 Mariachi Region this coming week March 7th and 8th at Klein Oak HS!

Congratulations to Cesar Rodriguez, James Flores (advanced group), Carlos Albornett (advanced group), Justin Venegas, and Samuel Espino. Come and support them by attending their performance on March the 8th at 4pm at Klein Collins HS.

The Mariachi Department will have a special guest on March the 27th and April the 1st. From 3:00-6:00 pm. Mr. Jose Longoria Mariachi Imperial and UH Mariachi Director will come and work with the groups as a clinician, he will talk about his College program and Summer Camp these two dates are mandatory for all Mariachi students please make sure you have them down on your calendars.

Rehearsals continue in preparation for our April 24th concert. Attendance is essential as we have only 7 weeks left students should memorize their 6 songs by the end of Spring Break. Please make sure you save the date and buy your tickets that is a special performance not to be missed!

Mariachi Luna goes back to 1-hour rehearsals twice a week:

Tuesday 4:35 to 5:35 and some Fridays 3:00 to 4:00 pm

The Friday dates are: Feb 28, March the 21st and 28th, April the 14th the 11th and the 18th These rehearsals are very important as we don't not have lots of rehearsals with the full Luna group.

Please consider talking to your guidance counselor about signing next year for 7th period Instrumental Ensemble class (Mariachi course for credit in KISD) as we want to continue building up our program and compete at UIL. Only students in the class will be considered for Luna de Jalisco (Varsity). Audition Material will be delivered soon.

Torito stays on Mondays 3:00-4:30 pm and Junior High Mondays 5:00-6:00 pm

At the moment there are not extra special performances (gigs) scheduled for Luna in March but please keep checking the schedule often, requests come on a daily basis and it may change.

https://tinyurl.com/y67v9vje

We will have at least one Spirit fundraiser for all groups around 5 de Mayo the exact date will be announced soon as we are waiting to hear from different Restaurants.

Like always I appreciate your support to Mariachi education . Please don't hesitate to contact me if you have any questions, comments or concerns.

Mr. Roca

We are in need of parent volunteers for various events this school year! We also need parents to join our 2025-26 Parent Booster Club team.

We could use help with:

• Skate Night
• Car Wash
• All Concerts
• Banquet Planning and set up
• Booster Club 2025-26!

Please email Ms. Kim Cude if you have interest in becoming a volunteer or upcoming Booster Club member. kimtcude@yahoo.com