An update on the 2014 Florida tour. 

First, the tour is still on! To save on costs, we will be taking motor coaches rather than flying, but the itinerary has remained pretty much intact.

The new cost per person will be $1248.00, with the following payment schedule:

August 20 - $150.00
September 15 - $365.00
November 15 - $365.00
January 15 - balance

If you have already made a payment(s), that money will just be moved over to this "new" tour, and nothing else is needed until September.

Here is a brief overview of the new itinerary (some details are subject to modification). You can also download a PDF version which in

Friday, April 4, 2014
7:30 a.m. - depart from Grand Ledge High School

Saturday, April 5
7:30 a.m. - arrival in Orlando
9:00 a.m. - Disney park(s) of your choice
9:00 p.m. - check-in to hotel

Sunday, April 6
7:00 a.m. - breakfast at the hotel
9:00 a.m. - "You're Instrumental" band clinic/workshop at EPCOT Center
11:00 a.m. - Disney park(s) of your choice
9:00 p.m. - rreturn to hotel for free time/swim time

Monday, April 7
8:00 a.m. - breakfast at the hotel
9:00 a.m. - Disney park(s) of your choice
TBD - Band concert performance at one of the Disney park venues
9:00 p.m. - return to hotel for free time/swim time

Tuesday, April 8
7:00 a.m. - breakfast at the hotel
9:00 a.m. - Kennedy Space Center w/tours
1:30 p.m. - Melbourne Beach with beachside BBQ dinner
8:00 p.m. - return to hotel for free time/swim time

Wednesday, April 9
8:00 a.m. - breakfast at the hotel
9:30 a.m. - time in Downtown Disney
10:30 a.m. - depart for Stuart, Florida
2:00 p.m. - rehearsal at Martin County High School
5:00 p.m. - dinner at local restaurant 
7:30 p.m. - Concert with Martin County High School (Simon Holoweiko, director)
9:30 p.m. - return to hotel

Thursday, April 10
8:00 a.m. - breakfast at the hotel
9:00 a.m. - Universal's Islands of Adventure and Universal Studios
9:00 p.m. - depart for home

Friday, April 11
9:00 p.m. - Arrive at Grand Ledge High School

Band Parents! We are in need of parent volunteers for several upcoming High School Band events!

CONCERT ON THE GRAND - MAY 24
If you can assist with "Concert on the Grand" concessions, please contact Connie Stevens at [email protected].

SECOND ROUND AUDITION ETUDES
The etudes for the second round of High School Band auditions can now be found on the GLHS Bands website. Audition recordings will take place beginning Wednesday, May 29, during the school day. Please make sure you read the audition information sheet before preparing the audition music!

CONCERT ATTIRE TURN-IN (5/14/2013 & 5/17/2013)
A reminder that all students in current grades 9 through 11 need to turn-in their tuxedo or dress on either Tuesday, May 14 or Thursday, May 16. Tuxedos and dresses should be dry-cleaned, and the student's name should be clearly labeled on the dry-cleaning bag. The garment rack will be found at the front of the High School Band Room. If you have questions, please contact Kim Wardlaw at [email protected].

WIND SYMPHONY - WKAR RECORDING SESSION (5/21/2013)
The Wind Symphony recording session for the WKAR television broadcast will take place on Tuesday, May 21. The tentative schedule has the Wind Symphony departing GLHS at 11:30 a.m. that day, and returning around 4:00 p.m. Mr. Blackmer is looking for a couple parent chaperones, and one parent who would be willing to assist with the equipment truck. If you can help out, please e-mail him at [email protected].

CONCERT PROGRAMS & SENIOR REFLECTIONS (5/24/2013)
All Concert Programs (or Concert Summaries) and Senior Reflections are due no later than 3:00 p.m. on Friday, May 24. Senior Reflections may be e-mailed to Mr. Blackmer at [email protected].


"CONCERT ON THE GRAND" (5/24/2013)
The twelfth annual "Concert on the Grand" is next Friday, May 24, beginning at 6:00 p.m. on the lawn of the Grand Ledge Opera House. The rain location is the High School Auditorium. The concert will feature the Grand Ledge Community Band, and all three Grand Ledge High School concert bands. The report time for all bands is 5:00 p.m. in the "summer uniform" (blue GLHS Bands polo and khaki shorts).

GRAND LEDGE MEMORIAL DAY PARADE (5/25/2013)
The Grand Ledge Memorial Day Parade is Saturday, May 25, beginning at 10:00 a.m. The Comet Marching Band report time to the High School Auditorium is 8:00 a.m. in the "summer uniform." The parade and cemetery ceremony conclude around 12:00 p.m.

BAND BANQUET (5/28/2013)
The Band Banquet is Tuesday, May 28, beginning at 6:00 p.m. in the new High School Cafeteria. Dress is "business casual," the cost is $2/person, and an RSVP is required this year! A Cugino's dinner will be provided, and everyone is asked to bring a dessert to pass.

HIGH SCHOOL COMMENCEMENT (5/31/2013)
The Commencement ceremony for the "Class of 2013" will be held at the Jack Breslin Center on Friday, May 31, beginning at 7:00 p.m. All three High School concert bands perform at Commencement, and the report time is 5:00 p.m. - seated and ready to perform. Dress is "business casual." Polo shirts, button down shirts (no tie), and nice dresses are acceptable. No jeans, shorts, sandals, tennis shoes, etc.! If you are in doubt of your attire, see Mr. Blackmer prior to your arrival that day. Grand Ledge Band students will be served dinner at approximately 6:00 p.m. that evening.

FRESHMAN MINI CAMP (6/1/2013 & 6/2/2013)
The 2013 Freshman (and new marcher) mini-camp is scheduled for Saturday, June 1 (12:00 p.m. - 5:00 p.m.) and Sunday, June 2 (2:00 p.m. - 5:00 p.m.). All incoming freshman and any new members of the Comet Marching Band are expected to be in attendance. More information to come!

Due to a scheduling conflict, the audition date for the 2013 Drumline has been change to Friday, May 10, beginning at 3:00 p.m., and concluding before 6:00 p.m. The Drumline audition clinic on Thursday, April 25, is still on as scheduled.

If you have any questions, please contact Natalie Sears.

Marching Band 2013 Registration Also, there is a new parent Marching Band information meeting next Monday, April 22, beginning at 7:00 p.m. in the High School Band Room, and all are welcome to attend!

SENIOR CONCERTO COMPETITION
The annual Senior Concerto Competition will be held on Tuesday, March 26, beginning at 3:00 p.m. in the High School Band Room. Interested seniors should see Mr. Blackmer ASAP to confirm that their chosen concerto has a wind band accompaniment available. Two concerto “winners” will be selected – one for the spring concert on May 8, and the other at the “Concert on the Grand” on May 24.

WIND SYMPHONY SHARED CONCERT WITH CLARKSTON HIGH SCHOOL
The Wind Symphony will be performing a shared concert with the Clarkston High School Symphonic Wind Ensemble on Wednesday, March 27, at Clarkston High School. The concert begins at 7:00 p.m., and it is free and open to the public. For those parents, friends, or family who will be traveling to Clarkston to hear the performance, the address for Clarkston High School is: 6093 Flemings Lake Road,
Clarkston, Michigan 48346. There will also be a limited number of available seats on the Grand Ledge Wind Symphony buses for those who would like to travel with the band. These will be available on a first-come basis. If you are interested in riding on the Wind Symphony charters to Clarkston, please e-mail Mr. Blackmer at [email protected].

BRASS PRIVATE LESSON PARENT COORDINATOR NEEDED
As you may be aware, we offer private lessons to band students, grades 6 through 12, at GLHS.  Kym Hess has served as coordinator for the brass private lessons for 3 years and is resigning from the position due to work and family obligations.  If you are interested in helping the band program by taking over the brass private lesson coordinator responsibilities, please contact Kym at [email protected] or (517) 290-7608. Kym is planning to transition out this spring and train the next person so that they are ready to go in August when lessons start up for the school year.

UPDATED FLORIDA TOUR INFORMATION
Up-to-date information on the Marching Band’s 2014 trip to Florida will be posted shortly.

MARCHING BAND REGISTRATION NIGHT
This year’s Marching Band Registration night is scheduled for Wednesday, May 1, beginning at 6:00 p.m. in the High School Band Room. There will also be an informational meeting for new high school band parents and students on Monday, April 22, beginning at 7:00 p.m. The registration packet will be available for download (or Band Room pick-up) shortly.

HIGH SCHOOL BAND WEBSITE
Please remember to bookmark the Grand Ledge High School website! The address is www.glhsbands.com, and there is a lot of information available on the site, including an all-inclusive district music calendar.

HIGH SCHOOL DISTRICT BAND FESTIVAL
On Thursday, February 28, and Friday, March 1, the Grand Ledge High School Bands performed at the Michigan School Band and Orchestra Association (MSBOA) District 8 Band and Orchestra festivals held at Okemos High School and Jackson High School (respectively). Each ensemble was assessed in their concert performance by a panel of three adjudicators, with an additional adjudicator who evaluated each band in sight reading.

The categories assessed included tone, intonation, rhythm, technique, and interpretation, and the bands were each given a rating, ranging from 1 to 5, with a 1 being the highest – a “Division One” rating. All three Grand Ledge High School bands received a “Division One” rating,

The Concert Band repertoire included: Allied Honor, by Karl King; Festivo, by Vaclav Nelhybel; and, Grand Ledge Overture, by John Moss, and they received 18 "A" grades and 2 "A-" grades. Incidentally, Grand Ledge Overture was commissioned by the Grand Ledge Bands in 2000 to recognize the career of retired Hayes Middle School band director, Ms. Eileen Houston.

The Symphony Band performed the march from English Folk Song Suite, by Ralph Vaughan Williams; Flashpoint, by John Moss; and Courtly Airs and Dances, by Ron Nelson. The Symphony Band received 18 "A" grades, 1 "A-" grade, and 1 “B+” grade from the panel. 

Finally, the Wind Symphony program included: Traveler, by David Maslanka; Symphony in B-flat, by Paul Hindemith; and Pas Redouble, by Camille Saint-Saens, and they received 15 "A+" grades, and 5 “A” grades. The Wind Symphony’s performance received high praise from their adjudicators. About the Wind Symphony’s performance, the retired Ann Arbor Pioneer Director of Bands, Mr. Robert Albritton, stated, “I’ve heard one of the best bands in the country. I think I can safely say that.”

In the event that our weather provides us with another snow day, or two-hour delay, on Thursday, February 28, here is the plan for Band Festival:

As most of you know, the District Band Festival taking place on Thursday, February 28, coincides with the first day of second trimester final exams. To avoid an "academic vs. academic" situation, there are several options available to the Band students.

A new "fact sheet," as well as two sample calendars for next September and October, can now be downloaded from the Marching Band page on the Band website.

Please be sure to read all of the information carefully. There have been changes to the rehearsal days since the original letter came out. After reading through all of the materials, if you have questions, please do not hesitate to e-mail Mr. Blackmer.

On Saturday, February 9, 2013, several thousand high school band and orchestra students from the mid-Michigan area performed at the Michigan School Band and Orchestra Association (MSBOA) District 8 Solo and Ensemble Festival. The festival took place at Haslett High School where 55 events from Grand Ledge High School performed. These students were evaluated by adjudicators in the areas of tone, intonation, rhythm, technique, and interpretation, and given a rating from 1 to 5 (with a 1 being a “superior” rating).

Grand Ledge High School soloists receiving a “First Division Rating” (Superior) included: David Allen (trumpet), Maddie Allen (bass clarinet), Ben Arking (horn), Jared Arking (snare drum), Adam Batz (tuba), Lillie Butkovich (trumpet), Noah Dudley (trombone), Nat Fellows (tuba), Caleb Ford (alto saxophone), Noah Ford (snare drum), Noah Ford (vibraphone), Daniel Gerhardt (marimba), Daniel Gerhardt (snare drum), Ryan Gerhardt (bassoon), Stephen Gute (trombone), Michelle Hart (flute), Ashley Hedlund (piccolo trumpet), Ashley Hedlund (trumpet), Steven Hogan (horn), Jacob Hoskins (trumpet), Rachel Krahulik (alto saxophone), Hannah Legal (clarinet), George Marshall (alto saxophone), Kayleigh Merz (alto saxophone), Carol Nesbitt (horn), Elizabeth Nesbitt (flute), Nicholas Osborn (oboe), Lizzie Rodeck (clarinet), Laura Schramm (flute), Jaren Scoggins (trombone), Jackson Sykes (tuba), Joshua Trentadue (marimba), Joshua Trentadue (piano), Jonah Weller (trombone), Matt Wilcox (euphonium), Carson Williams (horn), Tim Wright (horn), Andrew Zakerski (marimba), and Andrew Zakerski (snare drum).

Ensembles that received a “First Division Rating” (Superior) included: Adam Batz, Jaren Scoggins, and Jackson Sykes (trombone/tuba trio); Troy Anderson, Stephen Gute, and Jonah Weller (trombone trio); Maddie Allen, Kare Krupp, Hannah Legal, and David Weiss (clarinet quartet); Troy Anderson, Greg Brown, Noah Dudley, Nathan Goshka, Stephen Gute, and Jonah Weller (trombone sextet); David Allen, Troy Anderson, Greg Brown, Stephen Gute, Ashley Hedlund, Justin Hess, Jacob Hoskins, Carson Williams, and Tim Wright (chamber brass ensemble); Becca Albert, Ryan Gerhardt, Callan Miller, Lizzie Rodeck, and Tim Wright (woodwind quintet); and Phoebe Boutwell, Caleb Ford, Rachel Krahulik, George Marshall (saxophone quartet).

Soloists receiving a “Second Division Rating” (Good) included: Elizabeth Becker (flute), Rachel Gute (horn), Rachel Hogan (horn), Jessica Krawczyk (clarinet), Kara Krupp (clarinet), Zach Richardson (trumpet), and Diana Thompson (flute).

Soloists and ensembles receiving a “Third Division Rating” (Fair) included: Lissa Mueller-Hayes and Collin Wise (trumpet duet) and Doug Hardy (euphonium solo).

Soloists and ensembles that received a “First Division Rating” are eligible to perform at the State Solo & Ensemble Festival on Saturday, March 23, hosted at Okemos High School. The registration/fee deadline for State Solo & Ensemble has been extended to 3:00 p.m. on Thursday, February 14.