From the Directors Desk

A Snapshot of the 2008-2009 Year-

(you’ll need a wide angle lense!)

We have some exciting things planned for the high school program this year. 

The Long Orange Line is off and running at its usual breakneck speed. The theme for the show is “Starry Nights”. We are moving from A class to open status this year in USSBA. Almost all of our USSBA competitions are in large venues. The show is designed by Mr. Robert Gupta, returning staff members are Mr. Capriotti, Mr. Lou Randazzo, Mr. Alan Price, and Miss Lisa Clarke. 2008 marks the 25^th anniversary of the Long Orange Line’s participation in the WABC/Boscov’s Thanksgiving Day Parade as honor band! I am also very pleased that the Long Orange Line is returning and performing at the Pulaski Day Parade in Philadelphia. Due to the Parade Commission last minute changing of the date it caused us to regrettably cancel last year.

The Music Educators National Conference (MENC) is the premier Music Teachers conference in the United States. All of our students are familiar with the Pennsylvania Music Educators Association (PMEA) District 11 festivals. MENC is the parent organization of PMEA. The Pennsbury Symphonic Winds and the Pennsbury Concert Jazz Band were nominated by PMEA to perform at the MENC national convention in March of 2009 in Providence Rhode Island.  We will not know of acceptance until November.

PCJB has been invited to perform at the Virginia Beach Music Festival in May of 2009. We are currently in the process of solidifying soloists for next year and they appear to be a Tower of Power experience for our students. PCJB will begin auditions in early September.

The Pennsbury Symphonic Winds and Pennsbury Concert Band will be performing at the Kimmel Center again this year.

It would be criminal for me not to mention the appreciation I have for the Boosters gift contribution to the program this past spring. We are using this gift to implement a “smartmusic lab” at the high school in addition to augmenting the ensembles with some much needed equipment! Please watch for more to come on both these initiatives in upcoming issues. I hope to have the lab setup and running in late September and for viewing at the October Booster meeting.

Please do not forget our Marching Band Officer pinning ceremony scheduled at 6:00pm on August 29^th, 2008. Parents of Officer’s are to meet at “the gate” and will be escorted onto the field to observe the ceremony as well as take pictures!