Check your E-mail for Audition Results.

Audition results will be arriving via e-mail sometime this week.


Parents, I need your help in three areas:

First, some of your sons, although accepted into the band, may decide that they are no longer interested in playing in the band.  This may be a difficult idea for you to accept, but it has to be your son's choice.  If HE doesn't want to play, please respect that choice.

Second, some of your sons may have been accepted into the Pep Band when they really wanted to be in a concert band.  There were many trumpet and alto sax players who auditioned, making it impossible to accept all of them into the concert bands.  Here are answers to some common questions:

"Can my son play on a Chaminade sports team and also play in the Pep Band?"
Yes, he can.  We have many Pep Band members who do both.  Whenever your son has a game, he is excused from Pep Band.  There are fewer conflicts than you might imagine.

"Will my son make a concert band sophomore year?"
It is possible.  The best way is to use the year in Pep Band to improve, including doing well on a level 5/6 NYSSMA solo next year.  Another way is to use the year in Pep Band to learn another instrument.  For alto sax players, learning the baritone sax is an excellent choice.  For trumpet players, the baritone horn is an option.  Good baritone players have a greater chance of making the concert band next year.

“Can my son play in band and do well in school?”
Of course he can!  Band takes place during the school day, replacing your son’s study hall.  Lessons also take him out of a class for 30 minutes once a week.  Time management and study skills will require a bit of adjusting, as it will for all freshmen.  Band students have an excellent history of doing well in both school and band, and in learning how to adjust the balance between them.


Third, we need to know NOW, not September, if your son does not want to be in the band.  Please inform me by June 6th if your son is not interested.  Band will be on your son's schedule this September and he is committed for the year to stay in the band.  Your help in this area is greatly appreciated.

Chaminade Bands to March in the Mineola Memorial Day Parade

On Monday, May 30, 2011, more than 100 students from the Gold, Crimson, Flyers and Pep Bands will march as one unit, leading the Memorial Day Parade of Mineola. 

The parade kicks off at 11:00 a.m., and should arrive at the intersection of Roslyn and Jericho around 11:10.  Around 11:20 the parade will cross Mineola Blvd. and Jericho Turnpike.  Around 11:30, the parade will turn the corner of  Jericho and Marcellus.  All times are approximate.

In addition, members of the Bagpipe Band will be marching, separate from the combined bands

Parade route:  The parade starts at Wilson Park, which is at the east end of Mineola.  North on Union Street, turning left and heading west on Westbury Avenue.   A right turn heading north on Roslyn Road.  A  left turn onto Jericho Turnpike heading west.  A left by the AAC heading south on Marcellus Road.  

Many family members of the band students watch the parade along the one or two blocks EAST of the AAC, making pickup quite easy. 

Band students should report to Chaminade by 9:00 and will be done by 12:00. 

Please come to see the parade and honor the men and women who have served our country!

Music Recitals this Thursday and Friday

On Thursday and Friday, May 26 & 27, students from the various music groups of Chaminade High School will be performing solo pieces in the Hearst Auditorium of the Activity Athletic Center. Different students will be performing each night.

 

The recitals start at 7:00 p.m. and will last about 90 minutes.

 

All are welcome and admission is free.

Nice Showing at Auditions!

Thanks for taking the time to audition.  We had a good number of students show up and now we have the difficult task of sorting everything out.

If there was an unforeseen problem where you could not make the audition, please contact Bro. Karl right away.  We have another day when you can audition.

Results will be e-mailed after Memorial Day.

A Piano Position Has Become Available!

A position for the piano in the Flyers Band has become available.  This is in addition to the piano position available in the Pep Band.  For both of these, the synthesizer is your main instrument, where you will be covering band parts that are missing or weak.

Any questions, please contact the band moderator, Bro. Karl.
You can go to the Audition Information page and use the link in the Band Letter to All Students to contact him.

We hope to see some of you piano players at auditions!

Audtions are this Saturday!

Hopefully you have been practicing and are ready for the upcoming auditions this Saturday!  You can click on the page above for audition information.

Remember to send an e-mail if you can't make it on Saturday and we will try to arrange another date for you.

If you have recently taken a NYSSMA solo, we would appreciate a copy of your score sheet. Some of you will not have performed your NYSSMA solo until after the audition.  Feel free to send in a copy when you receive it.

Results of the audition will be e-mailed to you after Memorial Day.