How do I sign up to participate in Band?
Make sure you indicate band as a course selection when you
complete your schedule. This is especially important as you move
from Middle School to CHS. Most Middle School students are invited
to audition to determine their band placement. However, even if you did
not have an audition, be sure to select band as one of your courses.
Adjustments and placements can be made after school has started.
I've heard that band can take a lot of time? Is this true?
Yes. You are part of a large and closely
integrated team. It takes practice and dedication to make any team
work. And CHS students have enjoyed a progressive improvement in
their skills and in the recognition they receive at all levels:
county, state, and national. Depending on the group (or groups) that you
participate in, you will be required to attend after school rehearsals,
performances, festivals, and competitions. However, many of our students
do participate in a variety of other activities, and are able to balance their
schedules.
Is there travel associated with the band?
Absolutely! In addition to local travel for
performances and festivals, the bands are often required to travel to
competitions or festivals throughout the state. Most competitions
and festivals occur on the weekend. These are usually one-day events and
are mandatory.
Do you go on any large trips?
Yes. Almost all of the groups are invited to attend
the spring trip. This usually occurs in March or April of each year.
Since this 4-5 day trip is overnight, and requires some expense, it is an
optional trip, but highly encouraged for both professional and personal reasons.
And there are other trips. The Jazz Bands strives to attend a
festival in New York. The Color Guard often travels to Ohio for a
national competition. And the Jazz Combo goes with the Touch of
Class on their trips.
This much traveling sounds as though it could be expensive?
There are costs. All members have a
uniform/equipment (UniQuip) fee that is due at the beginning of school.
In 2001, this fee is $80. The Spring Trip (and other
large trips) are the most costly events and are usually around $450.
The CHS Band Booster Program is very active, and offers the students a variety
of ways to raise money to offset the costs of large trips. Some students
raise enough funds to completely pay for their spring trip.
What are PDF files and why are
they used on this web site?
In order to produce exact duplicates of some
files, such as order forms and newsletters, we occasionally use the Adobe
Portable Document Format (PDF). This
PDF format is ideally suited for creating pages that print exactly as the author
intended, when the formatting is beyond the capabilities of the web site. Adobe®
Acrobat® Reader is free, and freely distributable, software that lets you
view and print Portable
Document Format (PDF) files.
How do I listen to the music files?
Use RealAudio
Player to listen to the music on this site. RealAudio is a technique for playing
big files over dial-up connections without having to wait for the entire file to
download. RealPlayer is a free application.
What is the Band Booster Program?
This is a parent organization that works to support the
band program at CHS. It is part of the CHS Music Boosters, and are
integral parts of most high schools band programs. At CHS, it is very
active and plays a critical role in organizing and operating most of the band
events and functions. Band Boosters meet on the second Thursday of
each month at 7:30 pm in the band room. Meetings last one hour, and are
the best source of information regarding schedules, upcoming events,
fundraising, volunteering, etc.
It's a real jungle out there, but the monthly
meetings are a great way to stay abreast on what's happening... and,
believe us: THERE IS ALWAYS A LOT HAPPENING!
How do I keep informed?
"Band Updates" are published monthly. You'll find the
latest copy on the bulletin board in the band room and also on this web site at Band Update
(past issues are retained there also).
