Happy New Year!

​Greetings Irish Guard families...Happy New Year! I'm certainly enjoying this California winter weather. We've got a lot coming up in the next few months so keep reading below. 

NCPA Show
Our next big fundraiser is coming up THIS SATURDAY and we are still in need of adult and student volunteers for set up, ticketing, the snack bar, and judge runners. Please click the link below to join the fun this Saturday! Thank you to everyone that has been working hard to plan this event!
https://signup.com/client/invitation2/secure/2179954/false#/invitation

Winter Percussion/Guard Competition Dates
Both Winter Percussion and Guard have been busy putting their shows together and they are looking and sounding GREAT! Please come support these students at any of their upcoming shows:
Percussion:
Feb. 10 - DHS NCPA Show - 4:00PM - it's their debut performance!
Feb. 24 - Cesar Chavez High School
Mar. 10 - Independence High School
April 7 - CCGC Championships (tentative) 

Guard:
Feb. 10 - WGI Regionals at Bakersfield
Mar 3 - Oak Grove 
Mar 10 - Lynnbrook HS
Mar 17 - Union City 

Music Boosters
Our next band booster meeting is Monday, February 12 at 7pm. Please join us to stay informed of all the band, orchestra, and choir updates!  This amazing music program couldn't happen without YOU! We are so lucky to have so many dedicated and talented parents supporting the band. If you have had visions of increasing your involvement and making your child's music program even better, we are in need of wonderful parents on the Executive Board for all positions. Nominations will be made at the March meeting and voted on in April. Thank you to all the board members that have made my first year in Dublin a success. You all have been GREAT!

NYC Trip
We are getting so close to our Carnegie Hall performance. Patti Luba has done a huge amount of work to help organize all the details. You should have heard from her if you have a remaining balance. If you have any questions regarding NYC, please don't hesitate to send one of us an email. There will be a meeting for ALL parents and students on Wednesday, March 7 at 7pm to review our final details and preparations. Please mark your calendars! In order to prepare our best performance, rehearsals for the NY trip will be from 6-8pm in the band room. These rehearsals are mandatory since it is the only time this combination of students will practice together for the most prestigious concert hall in the country!
February 21
February 28
March 7
March 14
March 21

Jazz Ensemble
Congrats to the Jazz Ensemble for a great first festival at Folsom. I'm ready to hear their growth at the Campana Jazz Festival (Amador Valley High School) THIS WEEKEND! Performance times are as follows:
Big Band - 8:25am
Combo A - 9:45am
Combo B - 10:45am
All jazz students need to arrive at DHS at 7:00am to load. We need parent drivers! Thank you. 

All student interested in auditioning for Jazz Ensemble next year will need to prepare the following things:
1. 2 Major scales in a swing style
2. The Melody of a Jazz Standard (I can help students find one)
3. Improvisation on a Bb Blues
4. Sightreading
Audition Dates will be in the Band Room: Feb 21/22 3:30-5 & Feb. 24 - 9-12
There will be a workshop for any interested students on Feb. 14 from 3:30-5 in the band room 

Music Dates this semester
The next two months are going to EXCITING with so many rehearsals and performances coming up so please see below for dates on the calendar. 
February 8 - Future Freshman night - Jazz Performs - student arrive by 5:15pm
February 10 - Campana Jazz Festiva, NCPA Show @ DHS, WGI in Bakersfield
February 14 - Jazz Audition Workshop - 3:30-5
February 21 - Jazz Auditions 3:30-5, NYC Rehearsal 6-8
February 22 - Jazz Auditions 3:30-5
February 24 - Jazz Auditions 9-12
March 1 - District Band Concert - DHS Sports Complex
March 7 - NYC Rehearsal 6-9
March 8 - District Jazz and Strings Concert - DHS Center for Performing Arts
March 14 - NYC Rehearsal 6-8
March 15 - Jazz Concert with Las Placitas Community Concert
March 17 - St. Patrick's Day Parade
March 19 - Spring Band Concert 
March 20 - NYC Carnegie Hall Dress Rehearsal (tentative) DHS Center for Performing Arts
March 24-28 - NYC Trip
April 20,21,2226,27,28 - DHS Musical - Urinetown
April 30 - Final Concert
May 31 - Graduation 

Thank you everyone! Please let me know if you have questions. I hope to see you at the West Dublin Chipotle tonight for our Music Boosters Dine Out!!!! I'm one of those people that order the same thing every time! :) (veggie bowl, white rice, black beans, no veggies, corn, sour cream, guac, lettuce, pico, and hot salsa.....in case you wanted to know.)

Have a GREAT week! 

All the best,
Melissa Williams