Band Camp Day 2 (Superhero Day)

Hey Everyone,

I'm Maddie Snyder and Im the sousaphone section leader in the Marching Mustangs. If one word could sum up todays events, Im pretty sure "long" would do just fine. Im always suprised how school and band camp always make the hours in the day grow longer. I guess it comes out of all the hard work we do, because today we actually learned about 9 pages of drill or so. Maybe even more. Nothings ever clear after a day of band camp, anyone can attest to that. But we had a fun packed day of basics in the morning along with drill learning. And the marching mustangs sure stayed on top of their game. We started to learn the drill to the second peice in our show "production". We had fun attempting to tribal dance while marching to our next set. But even after this day of band camp i do have a confession, even i am coming home tonight with sunburn. And beleive me when i tell you i am not alone. There was surely no shortage of beet red arms, shoulders, and legs. i think some of us have to learn that there needs to be a re-application of sunblock after 4 hours in the sun. But you learn something new everyday. But we have been having great weather, dont get me wrong. Being a senior, this is probably one of the best band camp weathers i have had so far. But its still only day two. And we still have plenty more to go. Until next time :)

Monday August 15

Hello students, parents, family friends and fans of DGS Mustangs Music! My name is Josiah Williams, and I am proud to be Drum Major of the 2011 Marching Mustangs. Today was the first full day of our camp, a full day being 13 hours from 8 A.M. to 9 P.M.. It was also Superhero day, wherein the members are encouraged to dress as their favorite hero. There were marching Batmen and Supermen and women, as well as the Flash, Green Lantern, and Spiderman. As serious and intense as marching band is in nature, it's wonderful to have the spirit day as a tradition. Another tradition we do as a band is end our music rehearsal at 9 o'clock with the warm-up chorale from Jupiter. If you are not familiar with Gustav Holst's Jupiter, I highly suggest you check it out. The chorale is simply beautiful, and the sound of the band, overwhelming. Moments like that as well as crazy running members and capes and masks remind us what this activity is all about: enjoyment. We work hard so that we can look back and enjoy. Hopefully through this blog you guys can vicariously enjoy, without having to work as hard as the Marching Mustangs. Thank you for reading, until tomorrow night!

Ladies and Gentleman, Please Start Your Engines...

Day one of DGS Marching Mustangs Band Camp 2011 is upon us and I assume that many other members of the band have been scrambling around with their parents trying to find the bug-spray, sweatshirt and other marching band necessities. That's just me? Okay...
Anyways I don't think that the band could be more blessed with the weather this week (apart from a little bit of rain) for two reasons. First, overcast means no sun and no sun means NO SUNBURN which is always a plus when we're going to be outside for thirteen hours each day. As the week goes on and the sun does come out the leadership team is making it a point to remind their section and members of the band in general to apply and reapply sunscreen this year. The second reason this weather is perfect is the cool temperatures allow for members to focus completely and not have to think about the heat.
All in all, I am very excited for this week because the level of passion and discipline in the band this year is unparallelled to any year before. That fact alone will allow us a whole be the best band we can be to get ready for the season.
-Marissa Jama
Clarinet Section Leader

Band Camp Begins–Look for Student Updates

The 2011 Marching Mustangs Season officially gets under way with the opening of this year’s Band Camp Sunday, August 14th.   This week, the band will devote over 74 hours to learning the drill and music for this year’s show, RIVER VISIONS.

Several students have volunteered to share their impressions of Band Camp and the upcoming season.  Check back throughout the week for the latest from our Marching Mustangs at Band Camp 2011.

2011 Marching Mustang Band Camp Aug. 14-19

 

Band Camp begins on Sunday, August 14th, and runs through Friday, August 19th.

 

Band Camp will take place at Lakeview Junior High, 701 Plainfield Rd in Downers Grove.
Download the Band Camp Schedule & Instructions here.

All information and reference materials will be posted here for your convenience. Check back throughout the week for any updates.  And please plan to join your student for the Family Picnic and Show Preview on Friday evening, August 19th.

Special Old Uniform Fitting–Saturday Aug. 13th

A Special Fitting Session for Old Uniforms has been scheduled for this Saturday, August 13th.

In order to fit our old uniforms for use in inclement weather, or with a muddy field at an away competition, we are requesting that all wind and percussion Marching Mustang members be fitted according to the schedule below.  Color Guard members do not need to attend this fitting.

Please Note: This is a CORRECTED DATE compared to the handout distributed to students at this week’s practice.

Seniors	10:00am – 11:15am
Juniors	11:15am – 12:30pm
Sophomores	12:30pm – 1:45pm
Freshmen	1:45pm – 4:00pm

Parents with questions about the uniforms and fittings should contact our uniform co-chair, Mary Coley, by phone at (630) 567-3418 or email at exec-uniforms@mustangbandboosters.com.

2nd Annual DGS Band Boosters Golf Outing and Dinner

Come Golf with your Friends -- including Band Alumni!
Download the Golf Outing Reservation Form here.

The 2^nd Annual DGS Band Booster Golf Outing will be held on Sunday, July 31, 2011 at Twin Lakes Golf Course (9 Holes) in Westmont. The first group is scheduled to tee off at 12:00 pm (Noon). 

Reservation Deadline is July 17, 2011.

Later that afternoon, after that great golf game, the Boosters are hosting a buffet dinner with a cash bar at Gatto’s Restaurant on Main Street in Downers Grove starting at 5:00 p.m.

Participating in the golf portion of this event is available to everyone, including DGS alumni, so we encourage you to invite your family and friends to join us for a day of fun and friendship. If you don’t have a foursome we will be more than happy to arrange one for you. Participation in dinner is for those 21 years old and above.

COSTS:

• Golf only: $20.00 per person – includes 9 holes of golf and 2 soft drink beverages of your choice.
• Dinner only: $20.00 per person – includes a buffet style dinner (with cash bar). NOTE: Dinner is an Adults Only event. Persons under 21 will not be allowed to participate.
• Dinner & Golf together: $40.00 per person.

Sponsorships:  Sponsor a hole for $100 per hole. Only 9 available – so get your preferred hole early!
Raffle:  Any and all donations for the raffle are also welcome.

Download the Golf Outing Reservation Form here.

Refunds will be given in the event of cancellation due to weather of the golf portion only -- Dinner will be held regardless of weather

For questions or for more information about donations or sponsorships, please contact our event coordinators, Wally Olewinski and Cathy Jama, at:
gen-specialevents@mustangbandboosters.com 

THANK YOU – LOOKING FORWARD TO SEEING YOU FOR A GREAT DAY!!

2011 Show Shirt Design Contest Announced–Entries Due By Tuesday, June 21st

Each year the band t-shirt or “Show Shirt” has a student created design on the front.  All students are invited to submit their design for this year’s show, “River Visions”.

                Design Specifications
Text:             2011 Marching Mustangs - River Visions 
Size:               Print your electronic design on an 11” by 8½” sheet (horizontal or landscape) 
Medium:     If you use pencil, colored pencils, or markers, etc. please scan your design and submit it as a jpeg or pdf file 
Colors:          Up to 5 colors can work including black and/or white

Submissions can be sent to Mr. Roselieb – croselieb@csd99.org
or Mrs. Jama – cathyjama@comcast.net

Please submit your completed show shirt design by e-mail by
Tuesday, June 21, 2011

Show Shirt Design Contest Flyer

Seniors: All Student Account Refund Requests Due by May 15th

Important Links:
Updated Student Account Balances 
Student Account Refund Request Form 
More Info from the Boosters Website
email the VP-Student Accounts

Student Account Balances have been updated through May 6th, including earnings from this year’s Plant Sale and April Market Day.  You may check your Student Account Balance here.

As a reminder, May 15th is the deadline for graduating seniors to request reimbursement from their Student Account.  Seniors may also request that any balance in their account be transferred to the account of a younger sibling in next year’s band programs.

Student Account funds may be used for any band-related fees (fundraising expectations, fees, lessons, equipment, music camps, trips, etc.)  To obtain reimbursement, simply submit a completed Student Account Refund Request Form.  Completed forms may be dropped off in the Band Room Mailbox in the Communication Center, or sent by email to the VP of Student Accounts at Exec-StudentAccts@MustangBandBoosters.com

For additional information on Student Accounts (what they are, how they accrue, etc.) please visit the Student Accounts Page of our Band Booster website.

April Issue of FANFARE Newsletter Posted

A new issue of the Fanfare Newsletter has just been released. Fanfare is published about 6 times per year and includes a variety of important, interesting information for DGS’ Band Families.

Click the following to: go directly to the April Issue of Fanfare.

To browse prior issues of Fanfare dating back to 2003: go to the Fanfare Newsletter Page

For further information about the Fanfare Newsletter, or if you have ideas for an article in a future issue, please email Kathy Gabric.

Marching Band Scholarships Available–Deadline April 15th

The following was sent via email by Cathy Jama, Band Booster President

For those of you who have made the decision to join the DGS Marching Mustangs, I would like to offer you the opportunity to apply for a Marching Band scholarship from the Mustang Band Boosters. 

Applications are now being accepted through April 15, 2011 for the Marching Band scholarship which has a value of up to $200 that is applied towards your Marching Band fee.  The application may be found on the DGS website at:  http://www.csd99.k12.il.us/south/.  Search for Fine Arts under the Academics tab at the top of the page and when you get to the Fine Arts page, click on the Band Blackboard tab on the right-hand side.  (Or click here to go directly to the Band Blackboard page.)  The scholarship application and information is found on the Band page under the scholarship tab.

However, in order to be eligible for a scholarship, a student must have fulfilled a minimum of three (3) volunteer opportunities, i.e. "Service Credits" as indicated below.   Such Service Credits must be completed prior to the final payment deadline date of June 10, 2011.  The Service Credits are tracked by the Vice President of Membership with input provided by the various Directors and/or fundraiser chairperson. 

Upcoming opportunities to earn Service Credits are Market Day, Plant Sale or Band Director and/or other volunteer opportunity assistance, to name just a few.   Even though you are still at your respective schools, you are considered a Marching Mustang and may participate in these fundraising events to obtain your Service Credits.

If interested, please send the completed application to:

Craig Roselieb
Downers Grove South High School
1436 Norfolk Street
Downers Grove, IL  60516

If you have any questions, please feel free to contact me.

Regards,

Cathy Jama
Band Booster President

Spring Plant Sale in Full Bloom–Orders Due April 8th

Spring is coming, and so is our Annual Plant Sale

This year’s Annual Plant Sale has officially begun! Order Forms, Sales Information, and full Plant Descriptions with pictures are now available on the Band Boosters website at http://www.mustangbandboosters.com/plants.

The sale is open to all students in the Band, Choir and Orchestra Programs. This is an important fundraiser for the Band Boosters and a great way to build the balance in your Student Account. For all students, 50% of the profit is credited directly to the seller’s Student Account and the other 50% goes to the Mustang Band Boosters’ General Fund.

This year orders are due on Friday April 8th, giving you time to sell through Spring Break and Easter. Plants will be available for pick-up at DGS on Saturday April 30th, the week before Mother’s Day. Take advantage of any warm weather before then by selling to your relatives, friends, neighbors, teachers, co-workers, etc. Remember to mention that we will hold all checks until April 8th, so it’s OK to get your order in early. It also helps to offer to deliver the plants to the people who buy them from you.

Once again we’re offering your favorite annual flower flats, geraniums, wave petunias and more! In addition to the most popular selections, we’ve added some new colors and combinations, and are also offering bell peppers and several tomatoes for the very first time!

If you have any questions, please feel free to call us at the number listed below, or email us at Gen-Plants@MustangBandBoosters.com

Bill & Charlene Kubik
Plant Sale Co-chairs
(630) 985-2860

Reminder: Butter Braids Orders Due March 8th

The Butter Braids Fundraiser is nearing an end.  Orders are due by Tuesday, March 8th, and samples will again be available at the Concert on March 3rd.  For more information and order forms, please click here to see the full article.

Buona Beef Benefits DGS Bands Monday Feb. 21st

Present the attached flyer when you place your order – download the flyer here.

Hello Band Families and Friends!
Kick the snow off your shoes and join the party for a Buona winter restaurant fundraiser on Monday, February 21, 2011. The eat’n starts at 10:30 AM and lasts till the close of business at 10:30 PM at the Buona restaurant located at 7417 Cass Avenue in Darien. This is a day off from school for our students, so it is the perfect opportunity to enjoy a tasty meal with family and friends. The Downers Grove South High School Bands will receive 15% to 25% of our sales, so the more people who come to Buona on February 21st, the more money Buona donates to our bands.

Present the attached flyer when you place your order – download the flyer here.

We all have to eat, so why not bring your appetite to Buona in Darien and help the bands at DGS. Your support, and your talents, contribute to such a fine music program at our school. Thank you for your continuous support. See you there!
Sincerely,
Debbie Spiewak
Restaurant Fundraiser Coordinator

February 2011 Issue of Fanfare Newsletter Posted

Posted by DGSMBB at 9:38 PM

A new issue of the Fanfare Newsletter has just been released.  Fanfare is published about 6 times per year and includes a variety of important, interesting information for DGS’ Band Families.

Click the following to: go directly to the February Issue of Fanfare.

To browse prior issues of Fanfare to 2003: go to the Fanfare Newsletter Page

For further information about the Fanfare Newsletter, or if you have ideas for an article in a future issue, please email Kathy Gabric.

Butter Braids are Back! Orders Due March 8th

Now is your chance to stock up on those mini logs of deliciousness that magically grow in size overnight and allow you to wake up and enjoy a yummy treat! Great for dessert as well.

They come in a variety of flavors: Apple, Cherry, Cinnamon, Cream Cheese, Raspberry, and introducing Almond Crème.

Click here to Download the Order Form.

The cost for each Butter Braid is $11.00, of which $2.00 goes directly to your student’s account. Samples will be available for tasting at each of the upcoming band concerts, February 10th and March 3rd.

Orders are due by March 8th and must be prepaid – make checks payable to “Mustang Band Boosters”. Delivery will be Saturday, March 19th from 10 to 11 a.m. in the DGS Cafeteria. Remember, the dough is perishable and needs to be placed into your freezer within 3 hours of delivery.

Butter Braids are a great treat to have on hand, and will last 3-4 months in your freezer. Now is your chance to stock up, enjoy, as well as contribute to our band program.  THANK YOU FOR YOUR SUPPORT!!!!

For more information, please contact Nadine Bahaveolos, our Butter Braid Chairperson.

email: Gen-Butterbraids@mustangbandboosters.com
Home: (630)985-0980
Cell: (708)205-2240

Click here to Download the Butter Braids Order Form.

Marching Mustangs Recruitment Meeting–Tuesday Feb 8th @ 7:00pm in Auditorium

The 2011 Marching Mustangs will hold their Recruitment & Kickoff Meeting Tuesday, February 8, 2011 at 7:00 pm in the Auditorium.  This meeting is for all prospective members of the 2011-2012 Marching Mustangs, including incoming freshmen.

Topics to be covered include:

• Meet the Staff & Student Leaders
• Learn the schedule for the fall season including trips and band camp
• Review the procedures for Marching Band Contract
• Complete the paperwork and begin your membership
• Meet the student leadership selected for this coming season
• Hear about the 2011 Competition Show
• Mark your calendars for the “Get Acquainted Night” – Tuesday, February 22, 2011 from 6 – 8 pm @ DGS Band Room

Band Concert Dinners Now Available

NOTE: Dinner for the March 3rd Concert has been cancelled due to low interest.

Dinners will be available for students and/or families on the upcoming Band Concert dates:

Thursday, February 10 (Concert Band/Wind Ensemble)Thursday, March 3 (Symphonic Band/Wind Symphony)
5 – 6:30 p.m.

Would you like to avoid cooking dinner before a band concert? Or, if your band member is staying after school the day of the concert, would you like to avoid running dinner over?

If so, have we got a deal for you!

For just $5 per person, your band member and/or your family can enjoy a delicious Italian Beef Dinner from Doggie Diner in Woodridge!! Dinner will include:

• Italian Beef Sandwich
• Pasta (side)*
• Salad
• Lemonade

*For vegetarian dinners, a larger serving of pasta will be served

In addition, chips will be available for $.50 each.

So we can plan how much to order, please complete the attached Order Form and send with your payment to DGS by Monday, February 7 for the CB/WE dinner or by Monday, February 28 for the SB/WS dinner – either in the Band Boosters mailbox, or mail to : Mustang Band Boosters, c/o Craig Roselieb, Downers Grove South High School, 1436 Norfolk, Downers Grove, IL 60616

Questions: email Lynn Filla-Clark at lynnfclark-001@hotmail.com

Download the Order Form here

December 2010 Issue of Fanfare Newsletter Posted

A new issue of the Fanfare Newsletter has just been released.  Fanfare is published about 6 times per year and includes a variety of important, interesting information for DGS’ Band Families.

Click the following to: go directly to the December Issue of Fanfare

To browse prior issues of Fanfare to 2003: go to the Fanfare Newsletter Page

For further information about the Fanfare Newsletter, or if you have ideas for an article in a future issue, please email Kathy Gabric.

“Beyond The Storm” DVD Set Available Soon

Coming Soon -- a DVD Set capturing the entire 2010 Marching Mustangs season.

(Note: Further details and a link to an order form will be posted here as soon as the Final Cost is announced.)

The “Beyond The Storm” DVD Set will include:

Band Camp Family Night

Senior Night at the Football Opener

Cross Town Classic

Homecoming

Lake Park Lancer Joust

Morton Invitational

Prospect Knight of Champions

Music Bowl

University of Illinois Marching Band Championship

Special Turf Practice

ISU State Championship

Banquet Fall Show DVD (the one viewed at the Banquet)

Performances by the U of I Marching Illini and the ISU Big Red Marching Machine

CD of Photographs to download and print for your scrapbooks

And a Surprise Bonus Feature

This DVD Set is heartwarmingly being made and it truly captures this remarkable season.

Cost is yet to be determined (it will be no more than $15.00). If you have questions or would like to place an order, please send an email to Nancy Segredo at gen-video@mustangbandboosters.com

This post will be updated with a link to an order form as soon as the final cost is announced.