CSUF FESTIVAL & WGI MANHATTAN BEACH REGIONAL
We have an important and exciting week ahead as we continue building momentum for our upcoming performances. The Wind Ensemble will be performing this Friday, March 6th at the CSUF Festival of Winds. Winter Guard is competing this weekend at the WGI Manhattan Beach Regional. This Saturday, Indoor Percussion Front Ensemble will be rehearsing 9AM-1PM and Battery will be rehearsing from 12-3PM. Join us this Wednesday for our monthly Parent Booster Meeting at 6:30PM in the Band Room!
The 3rd Indoor Percussion Donation of $200 is due this Friday, March 6th. STUDENTS MUST BE UP TO DATE ON DONATIONS IN ORDER TO RECEIVE THEIR COSTUME. The 3rd Winter Guard Donation of $225 was due this past Friday. Please submit payment in cash, by check made payable to “Gahr Band Boosters,” or pay online through the web store. PARENTS: Please consider picking up something on our Drumline & Guard Wishlist the next time you’re at the store.
Please make sure you’re practicing and reviewing DAILY. Stay focused, trust the process, and continue to give your best effort every day. Read all the information below so you are fully prepared for the week ahead. PLEASE NOTE: This Thursday 3/5, we will have Concert Band rehearsal from 3:30-5:30PM and a final Wind Ensemble rehearsal/run-through from 5:30-7:30PM.
THIS WEEK’S HIGHLIGHTS:
Our Jazz Bands kicked off their festival season at the 24th annual Mayfair “Blue Dragon” Jazz Festival. Both Jazz I and Jazz II won 1st place in their divisions! Congratulations to Jonathan Garcia who received the prestigious John Aiken Outstanding Jazz Soloist Award! Jazz I will be receiving a special clinic with Dr. Betancourt this Thursday 3/5 during zero period. Thank you to all students, parents, and alumni who came to the festival to watch!
Congratulations to Indoor Percussion on earning 1st place in Scholastic Open at the SCPA Monrovia competition this past Saturday! Thank you to all of our amazing parent volunteers who have been working hard building props and helping with equipment, transportation, carpooling, and food. We have two important weeks of rehearsal as we work to finish learning the show and make improvements/changes going into the WGI Ontario Power Percussion Regional on Saturday, March 14th at Chino High School and Sunday, March 15th at the Toyota Arena.
Great improvement Winter Guard at Saturday’s rehearsal camp! Thank you for being flexible and for all your hard work. A huge thank you to the incredible parent volunteers who made lunch and dinner for the students. This is an important week as we gear up for this weekend’s WGI Manhattan Beach Regional – and we need 100% attendance. Please make sure you’re reviewing and practicing so we can perform at the highest level possible.
Congratulations to the Gahr musicians who participated in the Chapman University Honor Band this past Saturday! We are incredibly proud of your hard work and the way you represented our program. We’re also excited for an upcoming opportunity to perform at the Musco Center for the Arts at Chapman University on Friday, May 1st, in a special joint concert with Chapman.
FAN PLEDGE FUNDRAISER – WINNERS
Thank you again to everyone who participated in this year’s Fan Pledge Fundraiser and helped us reach our goal. Now, it’s time to recognize some outstanding achievements…
🏆 Top Section (Per Student Average): TUBAS!!
The tuba section led the entire program, raising an incredible approximately $500 per student – an amazing accomplishment! As a result, they’ve earned a FOOD PARTY of their choice. Great work!!
🏆 Top Individual Fundraiser: RAYNE CALALO!!
Rayne raised an impressive $1,065 in pledges, making her the top fundraiser in the entire program! She will be receiving a special dinner cooked from scratch by Mr. Loney :)
Let’s continue this momentum into our upcoming fundraisers!
MONTHLY PARENT BOOSTER MEETING THIS WEDNESDAY!
We invite all parents to join us for our monthly Booster Meeting this Wednesday at 6:30PM in the lounge room (next to the Band Room). Meetings are warm, welcoming, and a great way to stay connected. We have a number of upcoming fundraisers and performances and would love your help so we can continue to be successful. See you there!
WIND ENSEMBLE – CSUF FESTIVAL OF WINDS – THIS FRIDAY 3/6
The Wind Ensemble will be performing at the Festival of Winds at California State University, Fullerton this Friday. Students will be excused on Friday to come to the Band Room 4th period. This is a super important week to put everything together and we need 100% attendance in order to be successful. Please make sure you’re listening to recordings and practicing DAILY.
We have a few extra rehearsals to finish preparing our music:
Tue 3/3 – Wind Ensemble rehearsal 3:30-6:15PM
Wed 3/4 – Wind Ensemble “O Magnum Mysterium” 3:30-4:30PM
Thu 3/5 – Wind Ensemble final rehearsal/run-through 5:30-7:30PM
**Concert Band rehearsal will be from 3:30-5:30PM
CSUF FESTIVAL OF WINDS SCHEDULE FOR FRIDAY:
Arrive to school already dressed in ALL BLACK CONCERT ATTIRE. Make sure you eat a good breakfast, hydrate, and BRING MONEY FOR DINNER.
11:45AM Meet in Band Room – 4th Period – already wearing concert attire
12:00PM Load buses
12:15PM Depart for CSUF – 800 N State College Blvd, Fullerton, CA 92831
1:00PM Arrival / Check-in / Unload instruments/equipment in storage room
1:30PM Eat pizza lunch (provided)
2:15PM Get instruments/equipment and go to warm up
2:30PM Warm Up (Room 127)
3:00PM Wind Ensemble performance – MENG Concert Hall
3:30PM Clinic (Room 119)
4:00PM Put away instruments / equipment
4:30PM Watch San Marcos HS
5:45PM Watch the CSUF Wind Symphony Concert
7:15PM Get equipment from storage room
7:30PM Load equipment/buses
7:45PM Depart for In-N-Out – 825 W Chapman Ave, Placentia, CA 92870?
8:00PM Eat dinner at In-N-Out (bring money)
9:00PM Return to Gahr HS
9:30PM Unload / Dismissal
WINTER GUARD @ WGI MANHATTAN BEACH REGIONAL
📌 ITINERARY: https://tinyurl.com/wgi-manhattan-beach
📢 SHOW INFO: https://tinyurl.com/wgi-manhattan-beach-info
✅ VOLUNTEER: https://tinyurl.com/manhattan-beach-volunteer
🍪 SNACKS: https://tinyurl.com/guard-snacks
📍 ADDRESS: Mira Costa HS – 1401 Artesia Boulevard, Manhattan Beach, CA 90266
Our Winter Guard will be competing this weekend at the WGI Manhattan Beach Regional, held at Mira Costa High School on March 7th-8th.
This is one of the most competitive events of the season, featuring top groups from across the region and nation. It’s an incredible opportunity for our students to perform, grow, and watch some of the best Winter Guards in the country.
Our goal is to qualify for Finals on Sunday, so every rehearsal and performance this week is critical. Students will be carpooling to this regional, and we need a lot of parent help to get props on and off the floor for the competition.
Even if you do not have a student in the Winter Guard, we encourage all families, friends, and supporters to come out and cheer our team as they take the floor!!
LUNCHTIME LEADERSHIP CLASS BEGINS THIS WEEK!
We are excited to launch a new Lunchtime Leadership Class for students who want to grow as leaders within our program and beyond. This opportunity is open to all 9th, 10th, and 11th grade students and will focus on building important leadership skills they can apply to band, color guard, school, and life! This class is available for the low, low price of… FREE!
IMPORTANT: Participation in this class is required for any student planning to apply for a leadership position. However, you are absolutely welcome to attend even if you are unsure about applying. This is a great opportunity to learn, grow, and challenge yourself with no obligation.
We will meet once per week in the lounge room. You may bring your lunch and eat in the room during the class. At the conclusion of the 5-week series, leadership application packets will be made available for those who are interested. Again, you are not required to apply – this class is open to anyone who wants to develop their leadership skills.
Normally we will meet on Fridays, but this week we will be meeting Wednesday because of the CSUF Festival. We encourage all students to take advantage of this opportunity and invest in their growth as leaders!
DRUMLINE & GUARD SPRING SHOWCASE PROGRAM AD FUNDRAISER
Students – This is a great opportunity to raise money for your student account while supporting our Winter Guard & Indoor Percussion programs. We will be offering a program booklet for the ABCUSD Drumline & Color Guard Spring Showcase, and you can earn money by selling advertisements!
The ABCUSD Drumline & Color Guard Spring Showcase has grown into a major event, featuring performances from middle and high school programs across the district. This creates a great audience for local businesses to advertise, as well as an opportunity for families to purchase ads recognizing and celebrating their performers.
For the program, we offer two advertisement options, both in FULL COLOR:
$50 Half-Page Ad or Shoutout
$100 Full-Page Ad or Shoutout
Each ad sale directly supports our program, with 50% going to the participating student’s account and 50% supporting our Winter Guard and Indoor Percussion programs.
What you should do:
Reach out to family, friends, and local businesses
Ask for support through an ad purchase or student shoutout
Start now so you maximize how much you can earn
All ad designs should be submitted via email to darren.loney@abcusd.us.
The deadline to sell or purchase an ad is Friday, March 20th.
Take advantage of this opportunity and raise money for yourself and the program!
SEE’S CANDY SPRING FUNDRAISER KICK-OFF!
We are excited to kick off our 2026 See’s Candies Spring Fundraiser, running this Monday, March 2nd through Wednesday, March 18th! This is a great opportunity for students to raise money directly for their individual accounts while getting some yummy candy and treats to your family and friends.
All sales are completed online through a personalized student link, and orders are shipped directly to customers – making this one of the easiest fundraisers we offer. You won’t have to distribute anything. Just create a personal message that you can copy and paste to your family and friends – through text messages, email, and social media posts!
All band and color guard families will receive their individual links via the Yum-Raising system. The first few letters of your first name should appear in your personalized link.
Students can earn 15-50% profit depending on the items sold, with all proceeds going directly to their account. Be sure to check out the product list for full pricing and profit details!
If you have any questions, please contact Vickie Gonzales at gahrbandboosters25@gmail.com.
WINTER GUARD & INDOOR PERCUSSION T-SHIRTS
WINTER GUARD & INDOOR PERCUSSION SHOW SHIRTS ARE HERE! These exclusive shirts are just $20 each and are a great way to support our talented performers in style. They also make great gifts for family members and friends. SUPPLIES ARE LIMITED – GET THEM BEFORE THEY’RE GONE!
2027 ORLANDO TRIP – IMPORTANT INFORMATION
Thank you to everyone who attended last week’s Orlando Trip Parent Meeting! We had an incredible turnout and are very excited to offer this opportunity to our students. If you were unable to attend the parent meeting, please review the full information packet here.
The Orlando Trip is open to all current 8th, 9th, 10th, and 11th grade Band and Color Guard students and will take place during Spring Break from March 25-30, 2027.
This once-in-a-lifetime experience includes:
Round-trip airfare and hotel accommodations
Transportation throughout the trip
3 days at Walt Disney World
2 days at Universal Orlando (including Epic Universe)
Performance in the Walt Disney World Parade
A Disney Imagination Campus Workshop
Daily meals provided through dining cards
Professional tour manager and overnight security
Trip Cost: $3,175 per student (quad occupancy – two beds, four students per room)
Students can begin registering now to secure a spot and start monthly payments. To register:
Click “Login” at the top of the page
Enter Trip Code: gahr27
Select “Access Account” and create your account
Complete your reservation
DON’T WAIT! We strongly encourage families to register now to secure their student’s spot.
JAZZ BAND SEMESTER DONATION – PAST DUE
All Jazz I & Jazz II students should have turned in the $50 semester donation to help cover the cost of music, coaches, and jazz festivals. Please turn in cash, a check made payable to “Gahr Band Boosters,” or click here to pay online. Thank you!!
THIS WEEK:
MONDAY 3/2
SEE’S CANDY FUNDRAISER KICK-OFF!
7:17AM Jazz I & II – attendance
7:20AM Jazz I & II – downbeat
2:30-6:00PM Indoor Percussion – Battery only
5:30-8:30PM Indoor Percussion – Front Ensemble only
TUESDAY 3/3
7:17AM Jazz I & II – attendance
7:20AM Jazz I & II – downbeat
3:30-6:15PM Wind Ensemble Rehearsal
5:00-9:00PM Winter Guard Rehearsal
6:30PM Executive Board Meeting
WEDNESDAY 3/4
12:50-1:20PM Leadership Lunchtime Class!
3:30-4:30PM Wind Ensemble (O Magnum Mysterium)
3:30-5:00PM Clarinets with Beto (Concert Band Only)
6:00-9:00PM Indoor Percussion Rehearsal
6:30PM Monthly Parent Booster Meeting in lounge room
THURSDAY 3/5
7:17AM Jazz I & II – attendance
7:20AM Jazz I & II – downbeat (Jazz I clinic with Dr. Betancourt)
3:30-5:30PM Concert Band rehearsal
5:30-7:30PM Wind Ensemble Rehearsal
5:00-9:00PM Winter Guard Rehearsal
FRIDAY 3/6
INDOOR PERCUSSION DONATION OF $200 DUE
NO JAZZ BAND
4th Period – Wind Ensemble meet at Band Room
CSUF FESTIVAL OF WINDS
Take instruments and music home after school.
SATURDAY 3/7
WGI MANHATTAN BEACH REGIONAL PRELIMS @ MIRA COSTA HS
📌 ITINERARY: https://tinyurl.com/wgi-manhattan-beach
📢 SHOW INFO: https://tinyurl.com/wgi-manhattan-beach-info
✅ VOLUNTEER: https://tinyurl.com/manhattan-beach-volunteer
🍪 SNACKS: https://tinyurl.com/guard-snacks
📍 ADDRESS: Mira Costa High School 1401 Artesia Blvd., Manhattan Beach, CA 90266
9:00AM-1:00PM Indoor Percussion FRONT ENSEMBLE rehearsal
12:00-3:00PM Indoor Percussion BATTERY rehearsal
SUNDAY 3/8
DAYLIGHT SAVING TIME
WGI MANHATTAN BEACH REGIONAL FINALS @ MIRA COSTA HS
Sunday itinerary will be updated Saturday night after the finals schedule is announced.