AFM Newsletter
Copies of the AFM Newsletter mailings just in case you've misplaced yours.

December 6, 2006

In This Issue:
:: Winter Guard News
:: Uniform Return
:: Request for Volunteers: Uniform Check-in Day – January 13th

Jon Grantham

Let me begin by sharing my deepest thanks to all of the band families for the most generous gifts on Friday evening. I appreciate the generosity with which you suppport this fantastic program each and every day. It is your wonderful students that are my energy and life blood. The gift of cash will come in very handy with my upcoming holiday travels back home to Michigan, the quilt has already kept me warm for an afternoon nap in my office and the iPod has provided musical entertainment as of this weekend! It is a true joy to work here at Amador Valley High School.

Upcoming concert information:
All concert bands and Jazz B students are required to attend and perform in the winter concert on Tuesday December 19. Report time information will be shared with the students next week and through this newsletter as well. The concert begins at 7:00 p.m. with the theater doors opening at 6:45. There is no charge and all are welcome to attend. It will be a great program and I hope our fine students will play to a full house. Cheering on our kids is not just for marching band! If you thought they sounded good moving around the field, wait until you hear them sitting down.

Concert dress reminders:
Symphonic Band- Ladies are to wear all black dress clothing. Skirts must be knee length or longer. Pants must be dress pants (no jeans or cords). No tank tops or t-shirts. Black dress shoes and black hosiery. No sandals allowed. Gentlemen are to wear a white long-sleeve collared dress shirt with a black neck tie, black dress pants, black dress shoes and black socks. Failure to follow these guidelines will result in a deduction of points and the student may not be allowed to perform at the concert.

Wind Symphony-
Ladies are to wear all black dress clothing. Skirts must be knee length or longer. Pants must be dress pants (no jeans or cords). No tank tops or t-shirts. Black dress shoes and black hosiery. No sandals allowed. Gentlemen NEW! are to wear a black long-sleeve collared dress shirt with a black neck tie, black dress pants, black dress shoes and black socks. Failure to follow these guidelines will result in a deduction of points and the student may not be allowed to perform at the concert.

Wind Ensemble-
Ladies are to wear concert dresses, pearl necklace, black closed toed dress shoes and black hosiery. Gentlemen are to wear tuxes with black socks and black dress shoes. Failure to follow these guidelines will result in a deduction of points and the student may not be allowed to perform at the concert.
Winter Guard News
Mari Terhune

Hello Guard Parents!

Here is a brief recap of Monday night's meeting:
Unless otherwise announced, all practices will be held at Amador. In order to aid with show design and proper technique, all guard students are asked to wear black to practice. Please try your best to make sure the clothes are not baggy and that ankles and arms can be seen. Footless tights under capris work best. Jason and the instructors are very excited that we will most likely be competing in the Open division this year. The Open division places a lot of emphasis on design, so it's critical our instructors be able to see the show design as it unfolds. Having the students wear black goes a long way in achieving this goal.

It looks like Winterguard fees will be approximately $749 per student. This fee includes $75 which will be applied to Dayton. Jason is currently working with a WGI travel partner to ensure we get the best fees possible for the Dayton trip. More info regarding Dayton fees will be announced as it becomes available. The dates for the Dayton trip are April 11-14 (which coincides with Spring Break!). All other competition dates are on the Amador calendar. Currently, there are no plans to add additional competitions to the schedule.

Ginelle Dowdy & Chris Smith will be heading up the Amador Winterguard show on February 3. This is a very important part of the color guard competition circuit and generates $$ for both the AFM general and Winterguard accounts. In addition to misc. volunteers, they are looking for 1 or 2 people to "shadow" them this year and learn how to put the show together. They'll provide all the training and information!! Next year, they will "shadow" the 1 or 2 people and help them coordinate the show. If interested, please contact them at rgdowdy@sbcglobal.net or mcjksmith@comcast.net .

In order to present a clean and uniform look, all guard members are asked to wear their black guard jackets to/from all competitions. I will be placing another jacket/bag order on Friday, December 8th. Jackets are $30, bags $14 These prices include tax and embroidery of your student's first initial, last name. Please call 484-9837 or email me at mterhune@pleasanton.k12.ca.us if you wish to order either a bag or jacket. Don't forget to include the size you need!
Request for Volunteers: Uniform Check-in Day – January 13th
Kimberly Ansell

Volunteers are needed to help check-in Marching Band uniforms. Uniforms are to be returned by the students to the lobby of the band room between the weeks of December 4 and December 22, 2006. I am looking for a team of between 6 and 8 volunteers on Saturday, January 13, 2007 from 9 am to 2 pm to check-in the uniforms on the Master Check-in sheet, check for uniform quality and finally separate by sizes on uniform carts – to get ready for distribution next August.

Should be an easy and fun day!

Please contact Kimberly Ansell, Uniform Coordinator 2006-2007 at KimberlyAnsell@Comcast.net or 484-2847 if you are available to help.

Uniform Return
Kimberly Ansell
don't forget logo

The Marching season is drawing to a close and it's time to return the uniforms to the band room. On December 4, 2006, several carts will be placed in the lobby of the music department for students to drop off their “CLEANED” uniforms. These carts will remain in the lobby until Friday, December 22, 2006. A committee will be checking in, inspecting, and sorting the uniforms in preparation for next fall.

Thank you so much for your cooperation. The marching students have shown great responsibility and care for these uniforms this year! Your help and cooperation has been greatly appreciated!
Please follow the instructions below very carefully for the return of all of the components of the marching band uniform. If you should have any questions regarding care and maintenance of the uniform, please feel free to contact me at 484-2847 or by email at KimberlyAnsell@Comcast.net.

Please follow these instructions carefully!

1. Shoes: Keep these at home until our uniform fitting day in the fall.
2. Gauntlets and gloves: Return the gauntlets only in the labeled large zip loc bag with your uniform. Gloves can be thrown away. If the gauntlets are dirty, they can be wiped off with a damp cloth and air dried.
3. Carefully take the hem out of the pants. It should be as easy as pulling one thread and the rest should fall out. For some pants that were hand hemmed, you may need to use scissors to take out the hem. Please pull out all remaining loose threads so the pants will be ready for hemming next fall.

Washing instructions:

The jacket and pants can be machine washed and dried on a GENTLE cycle. PLEASE follow the instructions carefully:

1. Take the sequins drop off the jacket before washing!!!! The sequins drop can not be washed. Gently unsnap the sequins drop from the jacket. Put the sequins drop aside. DO NOT WASH THE SEQUIN DROP.
2. Turn the jacket inside out securing the Velcro to wash and dry. Make sure the Velcro is not exposed. This will prevent the Velcro from pulling and picking the material during the cleaning process.
3. Wash the jacket and pants on a Gentle cycle with a NON-chlorine detergent.
4. Dry the pants and jacket on a permanent press or cool cycle.
5. Once the jacket has been washed and dried; snap the sequins drop back onto the jacket.
6. If you take the pants out of the dryer immediately after the cycle is completed they should be wrinkle free and ready to go.
7. If the pants have wrinkles or the hem line is still visible, please touch them up with an iron, very carefully, using a cool setting. This will prepare the pants for the pinning and hemming process next marching season.
8. Once the jacket and pants have been cleaned, hang the pants on a sturdy hanger and the jacket on the wooden pants hanger with the locking bar. This requires two separate hangers. Be sure the wings on the jacket are folded up and the jacket is closed.
9. Put the jacket, pants, and the Ziploc bag containing gauntlets all back into the garment bag. This is the only way we have to identify the uniforms.
10. Finally, please make note of any damage to the uniform, missing buttons, worn areas, etc. and attach the note to the uniform. This will allow us to make any repairs during our off-season.

Amador Friends of Music
email: slethier@pacbell.net
web: http://www.amadorband.org

Updated: December 6, 2006