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BAND REHEARSALS
Regular band rehearsals are required for the course. Excusable absences must be reported by an excuse form signed by a parent and received within 2 days of the absence in order to be excused. Students must be present at both the warm-up and dismissal to receive full credit for the rehearsal. Those who arrive late or leave early will receive half credit unless an excuse form from a parent is received within 2 days of the partially missed rehearsal.
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FOOTBALL GAMES
Reporting time for football games is 4:30 pm. Uniform inspection will be at 5:00 pm. The buses will depart for the game at 5:15 pm. The football games typically end between 9:15 and 9:30 pm after which the band will return to LHS.
In the event that a Thursday night rehearsal is canceled due to the weather, students will report to Cawley Stadium for a 4:00 pm rehearsal prior to the game, home or away. Students will get a pre-game dinner break at home games or the band will stop to eat at a fast-food establishment on the way to an away game.
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WINTER PERCUSSION ENSEMBLE
All percussionists are encouraged to participate, but this is not mandatory for the course. The percussion ensemble will perform at the spring showcase for the Fine Arts Academy
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BAND PARENT MEETINGS
Parents of band members are encouraged to get involved. Please join us in the band office 029A for one of our regular meetings. For more information, visit the Band Parents Page.
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BAND COMMITTEE MEETINGS
Only Band Committee members need attend. The Band Committee is made up of student leaders in the band who perform vital functions that keep the band running and organized.
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MOVIE NIGHTS
A few times a year we will hold a social event called MOVIE NIGHT. The band room is transformed into a movie theater with large screen and sound system. The band votes in advance as to which films we will watch in a double feature. Everyone brings snacks and drinks to share. Everyone brings pillows and blankets for the floor. Parent volunteers help make sure everyone has a safe, good time. The first feature film begins at 6pm, the second feature begins following a 15 minute intermission.
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ALL STATE CONCERT, SYMPHONY HALL
Certain student volunteers will be selected in advance to be on the stage crew for the Massachusetts All-State Concert Festival at Boston’s Symphony Hall. In the evening after the concert, we will need students and parents to assist with the unloading of equipment that was used at the concert. At approximately 6pm, we will meet at the Band Room to unload the truck. Any students who assist will be eligible to waive up to 500 practice minutes for the third quarter.
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DISTRICT MUSIC FESTIVALS
The Massachusetts Senior and Junior Northeastern District Music Festivals are hosted at Lowell High School. Auditions are held to pick the best students from all of the schools in Essex and Middlesex counties for an elite choir, band, orchestra and jazz ensemble. The top students in each of the four senior districts are given an opportunity to audition for the All-State Festival. Each year the choral parents and band parents each run concessions at one of the two festivals. Every year they trade which festival they will run. At both festivals, the band students volunteer in force to move equipment, set up the stage and rehearsal areas, assist the festival managers, and to assist the parent group feeding the students. Band students can earn practice minute waivers for volunteering at the festivals.
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WINTER and SPRING CONCERTS
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BAND AWARDS BANQUET
12:00pm “Social Hour”
12:30pm Buffet Luncheon is served
1:00pm Band Video Premier
1:30 pm Awards Presented
The awards banquet is for all band members, friends and family. Anyone can attend. The banquet will be held in the Lowell High School cafeteria. Buffet Luncheon tickets are $5 per person. Because it is a buffet luncheon, we need a fairly accurate count in advance to order food. Bring your whole family, but please make a reservation in advance.
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SULLIVAN CONCERT and MONDAY NIGHT BAND CONCERTS
The Jazz Band will be performing at a special concert at the Sullivan School. All of the City’s jazz bands and small groups will be performing.
The Jazz Band will also perform at the Spring Monday Night Band Concert at Lowell High School
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NATIONAL HONOR SOCIETY INDUCTION AND LHS HONOR NIGHT
The band plays a procession for these events. Reporting time is 6:30pm, Concert Black and White is to be worn. The band will play a processional march at 7pm, wait for the colors to be presented and national anthem sung, then will file out and pack up by 7:15pm
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MEMORIAL DAY WEEKEND
Performing at Memorial Day obervances and other civic events is the obligation of every band member. By committing to be “in the band” we understand that some performances, including Thanksgiving Day and Memorial Day weekend are “part of the job.” We can not accept excuses for these special community events.
On Memorial Day (Observed) Monday, we perform in two parades. The Andover Parade steps off at 9:30 am and the Tewksbury Parade steps off at 2pm. Both parade routes go through the town centers. After the Andover parade, the band will eat a provided lunch. When we are finished, we move on to Tewksbury.
Report LHS at 7:45am
Inspection at 8:15am
Depart LHS at 8:30am
Return to LHS following Tewksbury Parade, approximately 2:30pm
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LHS GRADUATION
As we say goodbye to the seniors, the band honors them by playing a processional and recessional march. There will be one afterschool rehearsal for graduation, so that middle school musicians can practice with us. The rehearsal is after school on the Tuesday one day before and is mandatory.
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BAND STEP-UP DAY
This is an important day for the future of the band. We welcome grade 8 band members to step-up to the LHS Band, play next season’s marching band show music, and have a party at Canobie Lake Park. Veteran High School Band members must use fundraised money or their own money to buy their park tickets. The rookie recruits get their tickets bought by the band fund.
11:30am Welcome Session (Parents and Students)
12:00pm Introduction
12:30 - 3:00 Rehearsals
3:00 Cookout
4:15 Depart for Canobie
9:30 Meet group in park
9:40 Load buses and depart
10:10 Arrive back at LHS
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FIREFIGHTERS SUNDAY
This is the last performance of the year for the band. We parade from the High Street Fire Station to the Central Fire Station on Moody Street, behind JFK Plaza. The parade route includes Andover, Central and Merrimack Streets, passing City Hall at the Ladd and Whitney Monument.
7:30am report to LHS
8:00am bus to High Street
8:30am step off, play national anthem at central fire station, dismissal, walk back to LHS
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