Signing off ---

I was tremendously excited and proud to have all three of my sons in the Henderson Marching Band last year - they worked hard, they had fun, they were proud of themselves, and they each grew personally. They were inspired to do their best.

Seemingly due to a long history of misunderstandings and general breakdown of communications, our school administration decided to make some radical changes, and the result is radically different.

It is my sincere hope that Henderson High School has a chance to see music excellence in the near future again. It will take a plan, or an awful lot of dumb luck.

For information about the Henderson Band programs, contact Mr. Quinn or Mr. Sokolowski.

Thanks to all the parents that care about music and their sons/daughters experiences, and the efforts they have made over the years. We know -

Musically yours,
Mr. L

News?

The Henderson Band Calendar (link to the right) has been updated with today's latest info --- August 30th football game, September 13 WCU/UD game, and info on the Collegiate Band Festival Septemeber 28

Please see Mr. Quinn for the details.

Mr. L

Updates!

There is practice on Wednesday at Henderson from 6:30-9pm, please bring commitment forms. If unable to be at practice, please be sure to email Mr. Quinn about participating in the fall marching band season.

Car Wash on Saturday (Aug 9), 9am-2pm. A sign up will be at Wednesday practice, if unable to be at practice and can help at the car wash please contact Mary Burgoyne (484-266-0191) and let her know (she is the parent volunteer for the day). We could use another parent volunteer to help that day as relief or back up for the Burgoyne’s, let her know if you are available to help out. Please spread the word about our final car wash for the summer so that we have some cars to wash!

Thank you, in advance, for your help and support of the Henderson Band Boosters and Marching Warriors program!

Band Camp

Dear Marching Warrior Potential Band Member Families:

I got a call today from a parent to ask about band camp. It is listed on the website calendar but not specifically spelled out in any of the participation information.

Band camp is a two week home camp commitment this year. It will run 8:30-4:30, M-F starting August 11. (Timing for some sections may differ if additional staff needs to vary that.) Show night will be Thursday, August 21. (after a booster and band member dinner). There may be conflicts concerning that two week band camp commitment so when replying to Mr. Quinn about participation, indicate if there are any dates that your child is unavailable to be at camp or if there is other school sport commitments that week.

I generally try to bcc my information to band boosters and did not do so for my last email (program participation packet). The responses not to participate are getting sent Reply All while program participation is being sent to Mr. Quinn directly. I would like to suggest that if you want to indicate that your child is not participating, send that to my email. (letting me know that information will be helpful so that we can adjust our mailing list accordingly).

Program participation and questions about participation should be sent to Mr. Quinn at gquinn@wcasd.net. The commitment form is attached again for your review and submission as well.

Thank you,

Carolyn Best

bestmomof3@comcast.net

Get Your Red Hot (Docs)!

The three documents comprising the Program Participation Packet that was passed out July 30 are now available at the Marching Warriors Web site. Click here to go directly to the News Page and download the documents or download the documents right here at the blog.

• Introduction from Mr. Quinn
• Welcome from the Marching Band Boosters
• Marching Warriors Commitment Form

Week Four of the Marching Warriors 2008 Season

Practices:

Wednesday evening practices will continue through Aug 6 from 6:30-9pm, meet in the Henderson Band Room. Snack provided.

DCI Summer Music Games Event: ONE TICKET REMAINING!!!!!

On Thursday, July 31, 2008, 7:30 p.m. at West Chester University’s Farrell Stadium, Youth Education in the Arts presents Music in Motion! This is an evening of intense, choreographed musical excellence! The drum corps competing are Jersey Surf, Crossmen, Glassmen, Blue Knights, Carolina Crown, Blue Devils, The Cadets The Henderson band boosters has a block of tickets and one ticket is available at $20 (a savings of $7), if interested contact Carolyn Best. (Tickets can also be purchased at the stadium if you decide to come and need more than one ticket.)

Band Camp:

Band Camp will be two full weeks long, held Monday through Friday beginning Monday, August 11. Camp is being held at Henderson with most instrumentation meeting from 8:30-4:30 – percussion and guard schedules may have morning and also evening practices (potentially 6:30-9:30pm) due to staffing availability.

Questions about band camp scheduling conflicts/accommodations (due to sports or vacations) should be discussed with Mr. Quinn. HE KNOW HAS AN EMAIL ADDRESS WHICH IS GQUINN@WCASD.NET . (note the first initial is a G which is from his first name, however, he is known by his middle name which is Chris).

A special note to all campers, this year the school is paying for tshirts and shorts to all the students that sign up to attend band camp and join the Henderson Marching Warriors. Chris connected with Kelly Sports and they will be ordered as soon as the commitment forms are received. Also, we will be having a pool night (band campers social) the first week and a catered dinner affair (probably more like a family picnic) the second Thursday (August 21) which will be followed by a band performance.

Program Introduction Package:

A Marching Warriors introductory packet will be distributed next week and includes a program description (letter from the band director), a commitment form for participation in the Marching Warriors fall season along with descriptive information from the band booster membership and a marching band schedule. Commitment forms will need to be returned by August 6 if students want to participate in this year’s season which includes the band camp that begins August 11.

If you are unable to attend or stop by to pick up the information, we will send it via email and regular mail if email address not available.

Equipment Inventory:

Continues on! Uniforms have been inventoried, now we need to put them together (swags and buttons attached). Help with that on Wednesday would be great! A parent or student that would like to create and input the uniform information on an Excel document would be very helpful as well. Contact Carolyn Best if you can assist with that.

Please continue to encourage students to come out to rehearsals on Wednesday evenings and be a part of the Marching Warriors experience!

Week three updates

PERCUSSION COACH JOINS STAFF!

The new percussion captain head is Charlie Dolar. Mr. Dolar has been a percussion instructor for over twenty years. He is currently on staff with the Phoenix Drum and Bugle Corps and will be touring with them from this coming Wednesday until DCI finals.

Practices:

Wednesday evening practices will continue through the summer from 6:30-9pm, meet in the Henderson Band Room. Snack provided.

Car Wash Success:

The car wash that took place this past Saturday was well attended by students and those that had dirty cars as well! Band boosters raised $442 that day. Thanks to all the students and parents that worked together to make the day a success. MARK YOUR CALENDARS: Next car wash will be Saturday, August 9 from 9-2.

DCI Summer Music Games Event:

On Thursday, July 31, 2008, 7:30 p.m. at West Chester University’s Farrell Stadium, Youth Education in the Arts presents Music in Motion! Jon Lacy, senior trombone, will be competing as part of the Jersey Surf along with two others from WCASD (Eric Smith - Henderson student/Rustin graduate and Brad Schoener - Rustin student.) A newly formed local mini corp., Crossmen Extreme, will be performing as well and a part of this corp. includes Henderson band students Jane Best, Sean Hughes, Grant Struble and Jon Szelak! The Henderson band boosters has a block of tickets and recently two have become available at $20 each (a savings of $7 per ticket), if interested contact Carolyn Best.

Band Camp:

Band Camp will be two full weeks long, held Monday through Friday beginning Monday, August 11. Camp is being held at Henderson with most instrumentation meeting from 8:00-4:30 – percussion and guard schedules may have morning and also evening practices (potentially 6:30-9:30pm) due to staffing availability.

Questions about band camp scheduling conflicts/accommodations (due to sports or vacations) should be discussed with Mr. Quinn.

Welcome Package:

A Marching Warriors welcome packet is being developed and will include a commitment letter for participation in the Marching Warriors fall season along with descriptive information from the band director and band booster membership information. These packets will be distributed July 30 and commitment sheets will need to be returned by August 6 if students want to participate in this year’s season which includes the band camp that begins August 11.

Equipment Inventory:

Color guard equipment, flags and costumes are being photographed, cataloged and packed in bins thanks to the help of Mary Burgoyne and Donna Cristiano. There are a lot of flags in various spaces which is now being nicely organized and ready to share with our new color guard coach when she gets on board! We do have more hanging space for uniforms now too!!! I NEED YOUR HELP WITH UNIFORM INVENTORY: if someone(s) could volunteer to stay Wednesday evening and help me to continue with uniform inventory and movement of the jackets and pants, etc that would be of great assistance. I can count and list and hang up things but rearranging all that we have is hard for me in my current status of “stay off your ankle for three weeks” advice from my doctor. See me in the back room Wednesday evening if you have some time to do that!

Please continue to encourage students to come out to rehearsals on Wednesday evenings and be a part of the Marching Warriors experience!

Rolling along

Tonight a dozen students (and parents) met the new band director - Chris Quinn. Nice guy, tough spot -- he has an optimistic attitude, and looking forward to moving forward with practices, band camp, getting a couple of supporting staff, music, etc.

As you might have heard, he's starting marching band practices Wednesday's 6:30 to 9pm at Henderson, through the summer (that's drumline, pit, wind players, and guard).

Have a great 4th of July weekend!
Mr. L

PS - We're having another CarWash Saturday July 12, 9am to 2pm, up at the Lukoil, by Boot Rd and Rt 100.

Henderson Bands - back on track!

Chris Quinn has been offered the position of band director/marching band director for Henderson. He is ready to get started and knows that there is so much to do for season prep that will need our immediate attention. First and foremost, he wants to meet the students as well as parents. This initial meeting is scheduled for Wednesday, July 2 from 6:30-9pm in the band room.

Want to know more about his background? Read on -- and come to the meeting on Wednesday.

My name is Chris Quinn and I am the new band director at Henderson High School. I would like to take this opportunity to introduce myself and help you to get to know my background and philosophy. In the coming weeks, I hope to meet and speak with each of you personally. I know that working together, we can have a successful marching band season.

I was born and raised in Coatesville. My mother teaches American History and Economics at Coatesville Area Senior High School and my father owns Jerry Quinn Classic Trains & Toys, a train shop in Caln Township. I graduated from CASH as valedictorian in 1996. In school, I was active in the marching band where I was the drum major for two years, Meistersingers where I was president and honor soloist, drama, swimming, tennis, and a lot more clubs than I can remember! I began my college experience at the University of Delaware and completed my undergraduate degree at West Chester University where I majored in trombone and voice. I also have my master’s degree from Neumann College. During my undergraduate, I was in the marching band, concert band, concert choir, and formed a pop a cappella choir of my own. Two of my first jobs out of college were directing the Delcastle High School Marching Band and being the assistant director of the Council Rock High School band.

For the past seven years, I have been band director at North Brandywine Middle School in Coatesville. Over the years, I have also taught choir and general music at North. During my first three years in Coatesville, I was assistant director of the high school band. In that capacity, I worked with the director on all aspects of the program, including a leadership training program which I developed and implemented. I also assisted with both indoor guard and indoor drum line.

Outside of school, I am a member of the Brandywine Singers, a choir in West Chester. I enjoy traveling and performing, and have had the pleasure to do so on several tours through Europe and the US, performing in places like Notre Dame Cathedral in Paris. Recently, I have gotten very involved in running. This year I have done a number of local 5Ks, the Caesar Rodney Half-Marathon, and the Broad Street Run. This summer I am busy teaching music lessons in PA and making donuts at my sister’s bakery, Kohler’s Bakery in Avalon, NJ, where my family has a home. Sweating in the bakery is a great job because it prepares me for band camp!

My philosophy about marching band, and teaching music in general, is simple. My goal is to help students reach their full potential as musicians and as people. I became a band director because of my marching band experience in high school. It taught me life lessons that I carry with me today. Yes, students in band learn notes and rhythms, but they also learn about leadership, responsibility, dedication, perseverance, and the level of work "excellence" requires. These are lessons which benefit all students, regardless of their chosen path in life. Being in a band is one of the greatest experiences a person can have. You may be "on a team" but you are "IN the band." There is no second-string. Every person is valued and respected, and all involved become a family. Our goal is to nurture the students' love of music and to help your children become the best musicians, and more importantly best people, they can be.

Thank you very much for your support of your child's participation in the music program. I look forward to meeting you soon!

Hope you're having a musical summer!
Catch you soon -
Mr. L

Wow --- change is in the air. After another great marching warriors and indoor guard year, we are in the midst of chaos.

I am hopeful that the administration is able to act quickly and smartly enough to hire a director (and staff) that can create an engaging and reasonable quality program this coming Fall. There were many good comments made at the Band Booster meeting the other day with Dr. Bertrando - many of which showed our resignation to the fact that the school has acted, and while we are still emotional about it, we are willing to try to help provide a good program.

The next important step is for the Henderson school and district to find a desirable Marching Band director applicant and offer them the position.

I have heard that 'they' (at least D. Bertrando and Mr. Whitehead) have already done some job applicant screening ----

We'll keep you posted -

Mr. L

Saturday Night with our Henderson Guard

Go Guard! Another great weekend of weather and competition -

My Blogger-Picasa link appears to broken, so here's a link to more pics.

Mr. L

Springtime in West Chester

Congratulations to our Henderson Color Guard - you're doing great!

As Springtime approaches, there are several musical dates to keep in mind -

• Henderson Jazz band will be playing at the East High School Jazz festival - April 5
• Battle of the Bands at Henderson - April 11
• Henderson hosting Invitational! - April 19
• Championship Guard competition in Wildwood, NJ - May 2-4 weekend

  • (Did you know Jersey Surf is playing Sunday?!)
    

• Marching Band Banquet - May 9, at West Chester Country Club

Also, Mrs. Yunkin has set up several car wash dates for us -
- Lukoil Gas Station in Exton, at Rt 100 and Boot Rd -

• April 27 about 10am -3 pm - primarily for Guard fundraising, but all welcome
• May 10 probably 9am - 2pm
• June 14
• July 12
• August 9

Lastly, "A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the Forum" was GREAT! Good job! If you missed it, you better catch the musical next year ----

Mr. L