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Weekly News

* Notes distributed Thursday night need to be returned, signed.  Notes regarding a vote for BOA were sent home Thursday night.  Please return your sheet to Mr. Chester or Mr. Shepherd as soon as possible.

* Action pictures from competition.  If you missed the competition, or would like to have a nice picture of your band member, pictures can be purchased from Black Burn Images (www.blackburnimages.com). Click "Columbia Invitation Marching Competition" and look for "Hillwood."  (Pictures were not available at the time of writing this email.  Check the website later to see the pictures.)

* Friday night away game against McGavock.  It is McGavock's Homecoming.  It is unlikely that we will be able to perform before the game. The directors are deciding what the best possible solution for that evening will be.

* Saturday competition at Overton.  Look for information in the weekly update for this event.

* Booster meeting coming up.  The next booster meeting will be Tuesday, October & at 6:30 PM in the rehearsal hall.  Information for the fruit sale will be distributed at this time.

From Mr. Chester and Mr. Shepherd:

The Hillwood High School Band does it again....

The Hillwood High School Band - Rating - Superior!

Results from last Saturday's (09-27-08) double header are in.  The first part of the day was the annual Middle Tennessee School Band and Orchestra Association's (MTSBOA) Marching Festival at Columbia High School.  Among the 23 bands who attended Saturday's festival only nine bands from across Middle Tennessee received superior ratings.  In addition, of the 23 bands in attendance, six were metro bands with only three ranked superior.  They were:

McGavock High School - I - Superior
John Overton High School - I -Superior
Hillwood High School - I - Superior
 
Antioch High School - II - Excellent
Hunters Lane High School - III - Good
Hillsboro High School - DNA - (did not attend)

Later that evening the band performed at the Columbia Invitational Marching Contest.  The results were as follows:

White Class: (7 bands)
First Place Field Commander - Hillwood High School First Place Color Guard - Hillwood High School Second Place Percussion - Hillwood High School Third Place Band - Hillwood High School
 
Small Division (White and Silver Class combined 13 bands) First Place Overall Field Commander - Hillwood High School Second Place Overall Color Guard - Hillwood High School

Field Commander Challenge Trophy: Hillwood High School (1st time that Hillwood has ever won a challenge trophy caption at this contest)

Guest Commentator:  Jody Gregory

Hello Band Parents.  Wow - what a busy weekend!

First of all, I'd like to thank the parents who were in the band room Thursday evening - painting the props for marching show.  We able to use two of the six background props and two of the four echelons (stairs) for the competitions in Columbia.  Each prop used added to the vision of the show.

Second, the color guard received their new uniforms and flags this past week.  What a visual impact this had to the show!  The uniforms and flags really complemented the music and marching.  Thanks to Catherine Kennedy, our guard instructor, for designing the uniforms.  Great job!

Your children are really working hard on their show, and parents are working hard behind the scenes as well.  It takes a lot of help to get all the musical instruments, staging equipment, uniforms, props, and water loaded onto the trailer, rental truck, bus, and parent cars to attend a show.  When the band arrives, all these items must be unloaded for use by the band, pit crew, and props crew.  Then it all gets packed back up again to go back to Hillwood, and then it gets unloaded and put away until the next performance.  Thanks to all parents who participated in this process last weekend!

I know a couple of our parent helpers from this past weekend will not be able to assist at this weekend's competition.  What a great way to get plugged in by volunteering.  Yes, some of the time you will be working hard.  But we also had some great camaraderie with the parents and kids.  We set up tents and chairs and tailgated between competitions.  With this weekend's competition being in Nashville, it would be a great time to get involved and see your children perform.  Let one of our officers know if you will be able to help out.  I look forward to working with you this weekend.

One of the best parts of this past weekend was the appreciation your children showed to the parent volunteers.  Each band member personally walked up and thanked each parent there for their assistance at the competitions.  Many, many hugs were given away as well.  All the parents were touched by this gesture.

Keep encouraging your children to work hard.  That work is paying off with many awards for the band.  Ask your child about the results from Columbia.  That's all for now.  --Jody

September Calendar:

Sep 29 (Mon)

- Color Guard Rehearsal 2:30 - 4:00

Sep 30 (Tue)

- Rehearsal 5:00 PM - 8:30 PM

Oct 1 (Wed)

- Rehearsal 3:00 PM - 5:00 PM (Percussion and Woodwinds)

Oct 2 (Thu)

- Rehearsal 5:00 PM - 8:30 PM

Oct 3 (Fri)

- Football at McGavock

Oct 4 (Sat)

- COMPETITION: TRI at Overton

October Calendar:

Oct 6 (Mon)

- Color Guard Rehearsal 2:30 - 4:00

Oct 7 (Tue)

- Rehearsal 5:00 PM - 8:30 PM

- Band Booster meeting - 6:30 PM

Oct 8 (Wed)

- Rehearsal 3:00 PM - 5:00 PM (Percussion and Brass)

Oct 9 (Thu)

- Home Football vs. Hunters Lane (Homecoming)

Oct 10 (Fri)

- Teacher Planning Day (students do not report)

- Special Rehearsal 5:30 PM - 9:00 PM

Oct 11 (Sat)

- COMPETITION: Mid-TN Small Band at Forrest

Oct 13 (Mon)

- Parent/Teacher Conference Day (students do not report)

- Color Guard Rehearsal 2:30 - 4:00

Oct 14 (Tues)

- Rehearsal 5:00 PM - 8:30 PM

Oct 15 (Wed)

- Rehearsal 3:00 PM - 5:00 PM (Percussion and Woodwinds)

- Next Payment Due ($125 or $75 for the second student)

Oct 16 (Thu)

- Rehearsal 5:00 PM - 8:30 PM

Oct 17 (Fri)

- Football at Glencliffe

Oct 18 (Sat)

- COMPETITION: MCI at McGavock

Oct 20 (Mon)

- Color Guard Rehearsal 2:30 - 4:00

Oct 21 (Tue)

- Rehearsal 5:00 PM - 8:30 PM

Oct 22 (Wed)

- Rehearsal 3:00 PM - 5:00 PM (Percussion and Brass)

Oct 23 (Thu)

- Rehearsal 5:00 PM - 8:30 PM

Oct 24 (Fri)

- Football at Antioch

Oct 25 (Sat)

- COMPETITION: COC at MTSU