Saturday, October 31, 2009

Carson - Nevada Day 2009

Today is Nevada Day 2009. The Cougar Band will be practicing at SSHS at 1pm, then traveling to Carson High, eating dinner (thanks boosters!), PERFORMING on the turf at 5:15pm, cheering during awards, then returning to SSHS by 8:00pm.

I am excited to watch the Cougars achieve success. There is a good vibe today ... an awesome performance is in the air.

Thursday, October 29, 2009

Cougars BEAT Lancers

That's right! The Cougar Band cheered on the Football Team to VICTORY over the Lancers on Thursday, October 29th.

It was also SENIOR Night for all band, cheer, and football players. Thanks seniors for all you have done.

As if that wasn't enough....the 8th grade band members from Shaw cheered and played with the Cougar Band. Thanks Ms. Lynner and Coyote band members.

Grand Sierra Resort

Members of the Cougar Band performed at the Grand Sierra Resort on Monday, October 26th. It was a fun time!

Thanks to all.

Sunday, October 25, 2009

Drum Majors - New Energy

Although the increase in CO2 will worry environmentalists, expect a greater output of heat, energy, converted O2, and sweat-on-the-brow from the Cougar Band drum majors Michelle, Steph, and Quinton. Saturday evening (after the car show) the drum majors had a special working meeting with Mr. Cowee and Mr. Dunlap. Work on conducting clarity/unity and projecting energy from the conducting podiums.

Go Drum Majors! Give it all you got. Get out of the box! We believe in you....Go Cougars!

Saturday, October 24, 2009

Car Show a HUGE Success!

Great weather, great people (about 600), great music, DJ, boosters, food, and lots of prizes were all the many parts of a very successful day for the Cougar Band. There are too many people to thank : Lynn, Deonna, Deb, Earl, Brigit, Angie, ....so many - and, of course, Gilbert, Craig, Sonny, Rich...the list goes on! Thanks to all!

All three Drum Majors, the many kids that hustled all day doing a thousand things including loading, setting up, cleaning up, selling, promoting, performing, etc.

Wow! A total success on many levels. The Spring Tour is now a major step toward reality. Next steps include presenting a draft of the budget and itinerary. These have been already developed; just a bit more work and a formal proposal can be made the SSHS Administration.

Thanks, everyone. Thank God.

:-)

Friday, October 23, 2009

Car Show - TOMORROW

I am so excited for the car show to be a huge success.

I spent three hours working on the Spring Tour....that is what the Car Show is all about: supporting the Cougar Band on a trip to that magical kingdom.

Thanks, God, for great weather tomorrow. May this event promote excellence in the future of the Cougar Band.

Saturday, October 17, 2009

Contest @ Galena a Success!

Tonight, Saturday, Oct. 17th, the Cougar Band presented a fabulous performance at Galena High. The band earned "caption awards" (first place) for Class AAA in General Effect, Visual Performance, Percussion, and Color Guard. The band received the following scores:
  • 30.5 - Effect Music & Visual
  • 12.95 - Music Individual & Ensemble
  • 14.05 - Visual Individual & Ensemble
  • 16.4 - Percussion
  • 15.5 - Auxiliary (Color Guard)
  • 73.45 - TOTAL
This total score - 73.45 - was the second highest score of the entire contest.
The percussion score was only "1-point" behind the McQueen percussion score and second highest of the show! Congrats to the students and percussion staff (Mr. Wilfon and Liz Cruz).
The Guard received the second highest score of the evening as well. Great job ladies and Laura Peltier; your hard work each zero period is really paying off.

I am proud and pleased with what we have accomplished together for the Cougar Band and SSHS. With planning and hard work, we will continue to hone the "Watches of the Night" into an entertaining musical and visual package that will score well at Carson, UNR, and Fairfield, CA.

Galena CONTEST Today

The Cougar Band has been preparing for weeks to present the entire field show "Watches of the Night" - today is the DAY!

I wish each band member "best wishes" in presenting this creative show to an enthusiastic audience at Galena High this evening at 6pm.

Thanks to all the many parents and staff that have made this possible.

Wednesday, October 14, 2009

More Cool for the Cougar Band

The locks for the band instrument lockers have arrived.

Also, the official "Band Shirt" for 2009-2010 will be ready for pick up on Friday this week.

Band Hats will be available by the week of the 29th.

Uniforms Have Arrived!

The 18 additional band uniforms have been delivered to the Cougar Band room!

These additional "purple" jackets, bibs, hats, plumes, etc. will help the band look better by providing additional fitting options for the many students with over sized (or tight-fitting) uniforms. The band "uniform moms" have done a fantastic job fitting all band students into uniforms. Now their hard work will have an even better result.

Thanks to Mr. Gregory for helping provide $5000 to the band for this much needed addition to the Cougar Band inventory.

Now the band can grow in total number of performers for the 2010 season without fear of running out of uniforms. :-)

Car Show - Update

The Car Show fundraiser "Charity Show and Shine" is fast approaching! This event on 10/24 could raiser thousands for the spring tour tentatively planned for May 2009. I am very excited by all the amazing donations by individuals, organizations, and sponsors. The prizes for raffles and silent auction are truly amazing.

I hope that hundreds of people attend this event, sponsoring the Cougar Band by purchasing food, entering cars, and getting involved in the raffle and silent auction.

Go Cougar Band!

Saturday, October 10, 2009

Show FINISHED!

Today - Saturday 10/10 - the Cougar Band finished learning the drill/music for the 2009 competition field show "Watches of the Night". Whew!

The band worked a hard 6-hours, with only a brief stop for lunch, to learn put the closer "Darkness Ends" on the field.

Great work staff, students, and boosters.

Wednesday, October 7, 2009

Performance Time - Confirmed!

I just received a confirmed CONTEST Performance Time for the Sat. 10/17 at Galena High.

  • 6:00pm

For a detailed schedule of the entire event, click here.

Closer is Coming on Strong!

The final selection "Darkness Ends" is the closer of the 2009 field show "Watches of the Night". The band worked very well at this past Monday evening practice learning many pages of drill. In class all band students have been developing the ability to play the music associated with these pages. As I have said many times, "This week is about the closer!"

Students and staff are very pleased with the drill Mr. Cowee provided the band. Thanks Greg Cowee!

Sunday, October 4, 2009

Percussion Have Cause to Celebrate

Cougar Pit and Battery percussion has every reason to celebrate after finishing 1st place in Class AAA and 2nd OVERALL - out of 18 bands in competition.

Congrats to instructors Liz Cruz (pit percussion) and Kevin Wilfon (battery).

Each member should proudly tell their stories of a successful day competing at McQueen High on Saturday, October 3rd.

I am proud of the accomplishments of all Cougar Band members; offering my special kudos to the pit and battery percussionists.

Saturday, October 3, 2009

Success at McQueen Contest

2nd Highest Percussion score of the day!
2nd place band in AAA and 7th overall out of 18 bands.
7th highest woodwind score of the day. Congrats to all!

Go Cougars

Blessing on Your Head

May God bless the efforts of the Cougar Band members, student leaders, staff, boosters, and parents.

The Cougar Band has worked hard to prepare an entertaining show that will score well in contest.

Breathe deep, sound good, look great!

Thursday, October 1, 2009

McQueen - Here We Come!

A lot was accomplished by the Cougar Band on a cold Thursday night at SSHS stadium. The tedious details of preparing each move for Saturday's contest performance at McQueen was the main goal of the rehearsal.

Tonight the Cougar Band utilized the new props created by dedicated band dads (Glen and Phil, et. al). The "numbers" are amazing - they look great.

Mr. Cowee, Mr. Dunlap (both home ill), and Mr. Wilfon were sorely missed. A big thank you to Greg Canfield, Laura Peltier, and Liz Cruz for making rehearsal a success.