Clovis East Marching Band
Before we get started, let's address some"myths and legends" about the program...
The CEHS Band Practices too much and I don't have enough time...
- The CEHS Band follows the same standards and guidelines as all activities on campus, including all sports, fine arts organizations, and clubs. Marching Band is all after school, and you'll never be asked to rehearse before school with our organizations during the fall.
- The CEHS Band is consists of many of the best students on campus. The organization provides regular time and attention for students to maintain great academic standing, and the advantage of being in this program is that you have students that have experience in all parts of the academic portions of our school. The passing rate during marching season (busiest time of year) is 96%. We have student to student tutorials, pride time, and band study days.
- WRONG! Just like anything, marching band will be new, but we go VERY slow in the beginning to make sure all freshman are on the same page as the other students. It's a long process, but the staff and student leaders are excellent teachers. On average, about 98% of the students prefer marching band over concert season. We vary the experience to the students' ability level. You'll be great!
- WRONG! We do 5 competitions on Saturdays from Mid October thru the beginning of Thanksgiving Break. While we do have rehearsals on select Saturdays in August and September, the time commitment is only in the morning, and students are able to still spend time with family and friends. All students in marching band are required to attend Friday night football games during the fall, but other than those responsibilities, that is it!
- WRONG! Band works with every single activity on campus besides Varsity Football, Varsity Volleyball, Water Polo, and JROTC. So contact Mr. Mellone and your counselor so we can work with your schedule and get you into the classes you want. Everything is possible!
NOW, LET'S LEARN WHAT THIS ORGANIZATION IS REALLY ALL ABOUT.
Marching Band is one of the most exciting performing experiences in our program! Marching Band is an after-school commitment that entails preparing a competition field show for the Western Band Association, as well as performing at all school football games. Marching Band is for all percussion, wind, and colorguard students. Marching band takes place only in the fall semester and ends at the beginning of Thanksgiving Break. Students are enrolled in Band PE and receive a full year of PE credit for their participation in marching band. After the end of the marching band season, their Band PE class becomes and extension of their regular band ensemble class.
BENEFITS OF BEING IN MARCHING BAND
- Physical Health - the marching band is a physical activity that allows every student to express themselves and get physically fit. It's done in an appropriate way for all shapes, ability levels, and sizes.
- Mental Health - Marching band is a positive, and uplifting challenging activity. It allows students to feel part of something bigger than themselves and contribute to a team. It brings friends, relationships with teachers, and motivation to work hard!
- Academic Success - The CEHS Band Directors have high expectations for academic success for our students and we allow all of our students to have regular opportunities to go to tutorials, pride time, and occasionally allow class time during the marching season for students to check in with other teachers or work on homework. All students must be eligible to participate and we regularly get to a 96% passing or above.
- Social Health - Students develop relationships, meet the students they can recognize in their core classes, and are regularly put in positions where they have to communicate and advocate for themselves. These skills are a focus of our organization and necessary for students at this age.
MARCHING BAND CALENDAR AND TIMELINE
Spring Training
We will be starting our mandatory marching band spring training rehearsals on the following dates. These practices will be key to starting the training needed for our students to be successful during the season. We will introduce and review our marching and movement technique. We will also begin looking over our musical warm-ups and key pep tunes used throughout the fall semester. Students should have with them loose athletic clothing, athletic shoes with excellent support, their 1-gallon water jug, and a hat/head covering.
-Wed, May 4, 3:00-4:30pm
-Wed, May 11, 3:00-4:30pm
-Wed, May 18, 3:00-4:30pm
-Wed, May 25, 3:00-4:30pm
Summer Band
Please mark your calendars our Summer Band sessions. These camps are crucial to the development of our music production, marching technique, and social bonding of the students. These camps help unite the band as a team and set forth the bonds and attitude for the entire fall season.
Summer Band Camp #1 (Last week of school)
May 31-June 2, 3:30-5:30pm
Summer Band Camp #2
June 27-June 30, 4:00-8:00pm
Summer Band Camp #3
July 25- August 5, 8:00-3:00pm
No Rehearsal Saturday or Sunday
Students will have a 1-hour lunch break (11:00-12:00pm)
After-school Rehearsals
Once the school year begins, we will have the following after school rehearsals each week. These rehearsals are graded and attendance will be taken as it is part of the band curriculum.
Tuesday, 5:00-8:30pm
Wednesday, 3:00-4:00pm
Thursday, 5:00-8:30pm
Saturday Rehearsals
We will have Saturday rehearsals on the following dates. These rehearsals are imperative as they allow us to focus on a large amount of our show and make large strides in the development of our show. All Saturday rehearsals are 8:00-1:00pm. This time frame avoids the heat of the fall months while still allowing our students to have most of their Saturdays to spend time with family and friends.
Saturday, August 20
Saturday, August 27
Saturday, September 10
Saturday, September 17
Saturday, October 1
Reminder that ALL rehearsals are mandatory and will count towards your student’s grade for band.Possible conflicts are to be communicated with Mr. Mellone prior to the event. Attendance conflict forms will also be made available on our website.
Football Games- As asked by our school and community, All CUSD High School marching bands will perform at all home games, games against another CUSD school, and possible any other local away games. Here is our tentative football game schedule or this fall. Exact times will be determined as we get closer to each event.
2022 FOOTBALL SCHEDULE TBA
(Additional Games may be added for post-season playoff matches)
Band Competitions- While this is only a tentative schedule, we are looking at the following weekends for all of our competitions. We will typically rehearse in the morning at Clovis East before transporting over to the competition site in the afternoon and evening. Competitions are an ALL-DAY event often having a morning call time and a dismissal time of 11:00pm or later. We will provide both lunch and dinner for these events, as well as one snack.
**THE DATES AND LOCATIONS ARE SUBJECT TO CHANGE**
FALL 2022 MARCHING BAND CONTEST SCHEDULE TBA
We will be starting our mandatory marching band spring training rehearsals on the following dates. These practices will be key to starting the training needed for our students to be successful during the season. We will introduce and review our marching and movement technique. We will also begin looking over our musical warm-ups and key pep tunes used throughout the fall semester. Students should have with them loose athletic clothing, athletic shoes with excellent support, their 1-gallon water jug, and a hat/head covering.
-Wed, May 4, 3:00-4:30pm
-Wed, May 11, 3:00-4:30pm
-Wed, May 18, 3:00-4:30pm
-Wed, May 25, 3:00-4:30pm
Summer Band
Please mark your calendars our Summer Band sessions. These camps are crucial to the development of our music production, marching technique, and social bonding of the students. These camps help unite the band as a team and set forth the bonds and attitude for the entire fall season.
Summer Band Camp #1 (Last week of school)
May 31-June 2, 3:30-5:30pm
Summer Band Camp #2
June 27-June 30, 4:00-8:00pm
Summer Band Camp #3
July 25- August 5, 8:00-3:00pm
No Rehearsal Saturday or Sunday
Students will have a 1-hour lunch break (11:00-12:00pm)
After-school Rehearsals
Once the school year begins, we will have the following after school rehearsals each week. These rehearsals are graded and attendance will be taken as it is part of the band curriculum.
Tuesday, 5:00-8:30pm
Wednesday, 3:00-4:00pm
Thursday, 5:00-8:30pm
Saturday Rehearsals
We will have Saturday rehearsals on the following dates. These rehearsals are imperative as they allow us to focus on a large amount of our show and make large strides in the development of our show. All Saturday rehearsals are 8:00-1:00pm. This time frame avoids the heat of the fall months while still allowing our students to have most of their Saturdays to spend time with family and friends.
Saturday, August 20
Saturday, August 27
Saturday, September 10
Saturday, September 17
Saturday, October 1
Reminder that ALL rehearsals are mandatory and will count towards your student’s grade for band.Possible conflicts are to be communicated with Mr. Mellone prior to the event. Attendance conflict forms will also be made available on our website.
Football Games- As asked by our school and community, All CUSD High School marching bands will perform at all home games, games against another CUSD school, and possible any other local away games. Here is our tentative football game schedule or this fall. Exact times will be determined as we get closer to each event.
2022 FOOTBALL SCHEDULE TBA
(Additional Games may be added for post-season playoff matches)
Band Competitions- While this is only a tentative schedule, we are looking at the following weekends for all of our competitions. We will typically rehearse in the morning at Clovis East before transporting over to the competition site in the afternoon and evening. Competitions are an ALL-DAY event often having a morning call time and a dismissal time of 11:00pm or later. We will provide both lunch and dinner for these events, as well as one snack.
**THE DATES AND LOCATIONS ARE SUBJECT TO CHANGE**
FALL 2022 MARCHING BAND CONTEST SCHEDULE TBA
MARCHING BAND INFORMATION - FAQ's
Who is a part of the marching band?
- Everyone is a part of the program and can participate fully! Everyone automatically gets a spot on the field, participates at every football game and every competition. Only a very small number of students do not participate in marching band.
- Percussion and colorguard students are required to do marching band, while woodwind and brass students are STRONGLY encouraged. These students typically progress on their instruments much farther and faster than those students who do not do marching band. Marching band is a large component of our band curriculum on the state and district level.
- All double reed students get to pick what instrument they want play during marching season We ask that you reach out to us for advice and talk to your lesson teacher for their opinion. We tend to encourage those student to play saxophone or clarinet as those instruments are the easiest transfer for those students and where most of our double reed students participate.
- All student receive PE credit for participate in marching band. As long as you are enrolled in marching band (Band PE), you do no have to take a regular PE class. This is a dual enrollment course with a student's regular Fine Arts Band Class. Both classes are back-to-back and will be a student's 6th and 7th period class. Colorguard students will be enrolled in 7th period Colorguard (aka Wind Symphony) and an 8th period Band PE class.
- There is a financial contribution asked of each family for students associated with band. These contributions cover the cost of travel, food for large events, extra staff members and clinicians, as well as your uniform parts and enhancements. The band does have payment plans and fundraising opportunities we can offer you. No child should choose to not be a part of marching band because of finances, we ALWAYS find a way to help families and make it work.