• Kudos!
• Logan Field Show November 15th, at Diablo Valley College
• Band Room Availability
• Water, Water, Everywhere…..
• Vegetarian Meals for Competitions
• Looking For Fresno Help
• About Buddy Bags…..
• Now on Sale – Keepsake Band Pillows!
• CMEA Solo/Ensemble Festival applications due Friday, Nov 20th
• Complete County Honor Band Applications
• State Honor Band/All-State Orchestra Audition tapes due Wed, Nov 25th
• HHS Auction is Coming!
• Volunteers Needed for Key Positions 2010-11
• Reminders, additional schedule highlights –
• Music Dept Event Calendar

Kudos…..!

To Pat Tomosada, for organizing the hotel rooms, meals and Magic Mountain  for the Bands of America trip.  We were all well-fed, well-rested, and had a great time at the amusement park!  Pat also handled nurse and chaperone duties on the trip!  Superman, meet Super Pat!

To alumnus  Donna Brown for organizing and coordinating the Dinner, with Music event that took place after Homeshow on Saturday.  She put on a sit down dinner for over 200 people, with alumni working as wait staff.  A fun and delicious time for everyone who attended.   We hope Donna will make this an annual alumni event!

To Cathy Lu for taking on the coordination of Homeshow at the last minute.  She was initially the Homeshow reception coordinator, but got all the bits and pieces together to make sure everyone enjoyed the show!

To Alumnu Lori Wong for quietly working in the back ground collecting money, making deposits, keeping track of funds, shopping, food prep, schlepping equipment and being one of the unsung wait staff for the dinner!

We are very fortunate to have these super moms on our team!

Parents, please contact Mr. Burn immediately at john_burn@fuhsd.org  if your student is missing any performance or practice.  These are all mandatory events that affect your student's grade.

Schedule Highlight Saturday, November 14 – Logan Field Show

10 am-4 pm    Full band practice at Homestead, with lunch break around 12
4:00 pm           Load truck (tubas/percussion)
                        Load busses/depart for Diablo Valley College in Pleasant Hill
(bring your instruments/CLEAN LONG black socks/gloves/regulation
Black Shoes.  Please remember to wear a collarless shirt with short
sleeves (no tank tops or tube tops) Also, remember to wear your boxer
shorts; we'll be changing outside).
5:30 pm           Arrive at Diablo Valley College
Eat booster provided meal
Use bathrooms
Unload truck
                        Get in uniform
6:30                 Warm up
8:45 pm           Homestead PERFORMS!
9:00 pm           Remain in stadium; watch Logan
9:15 pm           Awards
10:00 pm         Get out of uniform/load buses/depart for Homestead
11:15 pm         Arrive at Homestead/UNLOAD TRUCK

Logan Field Show Details

Date: Saturday, November 14, 2009 Start Time: 2:20pm
Location:         Diablo Valley College
321 Golf Club Road
Pleasant Hill CA 94523
Ticket Prices:  General: $15
                        Senior Citizens and Students: $10
Children 5 and under: Free

Directions:
From the South Bay: Take I-680 North, Exit at Willow Pass Road toward Taylor Boulevard; Left at Willow Pass Road; Right at Contra Costa Boulevard.
Spectators, from Contra Costa Blvd, take a left on Vikings Road; stadium and parking lot 1 will be on the right.
Busses and trucks, Left at Golf Club Road; park in Parking Lot 7 8 on Golf Club Road, and in overflow parking on the right side of Golf Club Road.
A portion of Parking Lot 9 will be reserved for volunteer parking.  It is recommended spectators park in parking lot 1 where the ticket booths are located.

Band Room Availability

Contact Vicki Feltman at vfeltman@pacbell.net for band room availability.
The band room will be open after school until 6 pm on the following days:
Thu, Fri  Nov 12, 13 
Mon-Fri Nov 16-20

Water, Water, Everywhere…..

Except where we need it. 
We are in need of more cases of water to get us through the last two competitions; this week and the week after.  We go through 12 cases at each meal, then another 12 after the performance when they get out of uniform.  If we have a practice scheduled  during the time we are on the road, you can bet that will be another 12 cases.

We would appreciate all donations of water.  If you drop them off in the band room they will be put in a safe location until we leave for competition. 

Thank you for your continued support!

Vegetarian Meals for Competitions

At the competitions, vegetarian meals will be packaged separately for those who have previously stated that they would like vegetarian meals.  There is no need to stand in line.  Go to the vegetarian table and your meal will be waiting for you.
The names of people that are on the vegetarian meal list are:
            Naomi Nishihara
            Kenan Baker
            Shreyas Srinivasan
            Megan Bridge
            Thomas Kenney
            Hannah Huang
            Ashwin Iyer
            Nicole Washington
            Deborah Smith
            Rene Watkins
            John Watkins
            Ken Lamarche
If your name is not listed and you would like to order vegetarian meals, please contact Pat Tomosada at Tomosada@comcast.net.  If I don't have your name, a vegetarian meal will not be ordered for you.

Looking For Fresno Help

If you are going to Fresno for the WBA Competition and would like to volunteer to help, please contact Pat Tomosada at Tomosada@comcast.net.   Help is needed with hotel check-in, bed check chaperones, night chaperones, and serving the meals and snacks.  If you have any questions, my number is 408-737-1740.  Thank you.

About Buddy Bags…..

Students and Parents, we are seeing an increase in the amount of food being stuffed into these buddy bags.  In fact, we have noticed BOXES now being used. 

Please remember, no student can, or should, finish one or more 2 liter bottles of soda on a trip, no matter what length, especially if they don't have access to bathrooms on the bus.  Perishable items, such as spinach dip, won't be safe to eat after sitting in a hot bus for hours.  Large loaves of French bread?  Family size boxes of cheezits/wheat thins/ritz crackers?? Just because someone asks for certain food items doesn't mean you have to buy everything on a list, and certainly not megasizes.  What happens on the bus are spills of fruit loops, crushed boxes of chex mix, and spilled root beer that is left for chaperones to clean up because students kick it under the seat in front of them and pretend it doesn't exist.

From now on, we will not allow students to board the bus with any buddy bag larger than a grocery bag.  No more boxes.  No more See's Candies size bags.  They become safety hazards because students set them in the aisles since there isn't room enough on their seats.

We aren't asking you to eliminate the buddy bags.  We are requesting that you use a little common sense and put in sandwich size bags of chips, crackers, cereal; one or two cans of soda (not a six-pack); sandwich bags of grapes, etc. 

This will eliminate a lot of garbage, stomach aches, and save you money for the next buddy bag.

Now on Sale – Keepsake Band Pillows!

These novel HHS Mighty Mustang Marching Band Keepsake Pillows are lovingly crafted by authentic HHS band moms from recycled outdated marching band uniforms.  Each pillow has the jacket number sewn under the white flap.  There are no two pillows alike! 

We only have about 100 pillows.  Get one while they last!  They make great gifts!

The cost is $75 per pillow.  Order forms can be found on the music booster website. 

Proceeds benefit the Homestead Music Program.

Contact Vicki Feltman at vfeltman@pacbell.net  for more information or if you would like to order a pillow.

Deadline FRIDAY - Sign up for CMEA Solo/Ensemble Festival…

Or explain to Mr. Burn and Mr. Marra why you haven't!

The CMEA Solo/Ensemble Festival will take place Saturday, March 6th, 2010 in the San Jose State Music Building.   The registration fee is $20 per soloist or ensemble group. 

Participation in this festival is highly recommended by Mr. Burn and Mr. Marra.  HINT, HINT, HINT.

See Mr. Marra for application forms.  Forms and registration fees are due by Friday, November 20th at 3 pm.  It is very important that all information on the application form is completed. 

Contact Mr. Marra at chris_marra@fuhsd.org if you have any questions. 

County Honor Band Applications

The Santa Clara County Honor Band is comprised of the most advanced band students from over 20 high schools in our county. Homestead has a long reputation of being very well represented in this band and students are encouraged to participate. The audition date is Friday, December  11th. Interested students should see Mr. Burn and Mr. Marra for audition details and application form.

All-State Honor Band and All-State Orchestra Audition Tapes Due !!

The CBDA All-State Honor Band and the CMEA All-state orchestra audition tapes are due to Mr. Burn by Wednesday , November 25th. Interested students should see Mr. Burn right away – if they have not already done so – to get detailed information.

HHS Auction is Coming!

THE HOMESTEAD AUCTION WILL BE HELD ON Jan. 23rd, 6pm to Midnight
at Mariani's Restaurant in Sunnyvale!
Need to unwind after a hectic holiday season?  Ready to have some fun and
enjoy great food with great people while supporting the Music Department?
Come to the HHS Auction!  The auction is a SCHOOL WIDE event (organized by
the Athletic Boosters). Tickets to the event are $75 each - $25 going to the
organization (HHSMB) of your choice.  Bid on a basket during the Silent
Auction, or on an item during the Live Auction.  If you get the item, 45% of
the winning bid goes to the Music Department.  If the item was donated by
the Music Department, then HHSMB gets 90% of the sale price!  Some of the
items up for auction include vacation home getaways, progressive dinners,
tickets to sporting/theatre events, etc. For more information: contact Mary
Mansir at mfmansir@sbcglobal.net. Thank you!

The Music Department Needs Your Help!

DONATE ITEMS to the HHS Auction. Do you have season tickets to the Symphony?
Opera? A Theatre group? Sports Team? Is there some performance or game that
you're not that excited about attending? Those tickets would be the perfect
donation item to the Auction!! How about provide a service - teeth
whitening, legal service, tutoring? Or are you creative and can provide a
monthly floral arrangement, meal, or cookies? Email a description of your
items to me at mfmansir@sbcglobal.net. Items/certificates/baskets can be
dropped off at school during scrip sale hours, my house, or I will arrange
for pick up. All donations must be in by January 16th. Any questions, please
call or email Mary Mansir (408) 245-2218. Thank you in advance for your
support!          

Volunteers Needed for Key Positions 2010-11

It's already time to start thinking about next year!  We need volunteers who are willing to take on the following positions.  Please contact me, randersonwatkins@mac.com, if you are interested in taking on any of the following:
BBQ Co-Chair
Potatoes Co-Chair
Concessions Charcoal Starter
Jamba Juice Coordinator
Colorguard Liaison
Spring Program
Home Show Coordinator
And a huge thank you to those of you who have stepped forward to help out for next year:
Nanette Baltazar Winnie Lo—Band Manual
Gabbi Crum—Concessions Coordinator
Marc Membreno Shannon Metoyer—Field Show T-Shirts
Deborah Smith—Lead Bus Chaperone
We are off to a great start!
 
Reminders, additional schedule highlights –

Logan Field Show November 15th, at Diablo Valley College
CMEA Solo/Ensemble Festival applications due Friday, Nov 20th
WBA Championships Fresno Nov 21-22
Complete County Honor Band Applications
State Honor Band/All-State Orchestra Audition tapes due Wed, Nov 25th
Thanksgiving November 26th
No School Nov 27th
Festival of Lights Parade Sunday, Nov 29th

Music Dept Event Calendar

Below is a list of performances and activities for the coming school year.  Performances are shown in bold italics.  The dates and times listed below were accurate at the time of printing, but things can change!  Please be sure to read your e-mail to keep up with any last minute changes.