Dear Gahr Band & Color Guard Families,

We have a big week ahead with several exciting events and opportunities to support the program!

The Gahr Area Concert is this Wednesday, May 6th at 6:30PM in the Gahr HS Gym. This is a fantastic event that brings together our Concert Band and Wind Ensemble with Ross MS, Haskell MS, Tetzlaff MS, and over 100 elementary band students. We have some really fun music planned and you won’t want to miss it!

This is also your last chance to purchase raffle tickets for one of FOUR incredible gift baskets! Prizes include a Family Four-Pack of tickets to Disneyland, a cute Disney Loungefly backpack, a Family Four-Pack to Raging Waters, Topgolf and Regal Cinemas experiences, $100 restaurant gift cards, and more! We’ll also have snacks, drinks, and merchandise available at the concert. All proceeds benefit the music program and help us meet our end-of-year budget goals. Don’t miss your chance to win some incredible prizes!

PARENTS: This is one of our biggest fundraisers of the year and we could really use your help! If you’re able to assist with the concert (especially Color Guard parents), please click here to sign up to volunteer.

STUDENTS: Our last two rehearsals for the Area Concert are Monday and Tuesday from 3:30-6:00PM, and attendance is required to perform. Please continue practicing your music and make sure your all-black concert attire is ready. On Wednesday, we will have a run-through in the gym from 3:30-4:30PM, and the call time is 6:00PM in the Band Room.

We also have several other events happening this week:

Drumline Clinics start this Thursday, May 7th from 3:30–6:00PM! These are open to all current percussionists and incoming freshmen interested in battery or front ensemble.
Color Guard Workshops continue this Tuesday, May 5th from 4:00-6:00PM! We had a great turn out at our first two workshops and can continue adding more new students – so bring a friend!
Jazz I and II will be performing at the RCC Jazz Festival this Saturday, May 9th! We have a final rehearsal and run-through this Friday from 3:30-5:30PM.

Lastly, please don’t forget to turn in your RSVP and payment for the End-of-Year Awards Banquet, which will take place on Tuesday, May 19th at the Cerritos Center for the Performing Arts! Tickets are $50/person and include dinner, awards, senior recognitions, student leadership presentations, and the big reveal of the 2026 Field Show! All students and family members attending need a ticket. RSVP and payment are due by Friday, May 15th.

🎟️ GIFT BASKET RAFFLE THIS WEDNESDAY!

OUR GIFT BASKET RAFFLE IS THIS WEDNESDAY, MAY 6TH!! IF YOU HAVEN’T BOUGHT RAFFLE TICKETS YET, MAKE SURE YOU GET THEM FOR YOUR CHANCE TO WIN.

We have FOUR incredible gift baskets up for grabs – featuring amazing prizes, including a Family Four-Pack of tickets to Disneyland, a Family Four-Pack to Raging Waters, Topgolf and Regal Cinemas experiences, $100 restaurant gift cards, and more! Check out what’s inside each gift basket below.

🎟️ Raffle Ticket Prices 🎟️
$1 for 1 ticket
$5 for 6 tickets
$10 for 15 tickets
$20 for 40 tickets (best value)

How to Enter:

Send money with your student to purchase tickets and place them into the drawings of your choice.
Check out the baskets in-person and buy tickets directly from Mr. Loney.
Be sure to write your name and phone number on every ticket.
All tickets go into the basket drawing(s) of your choice (do not keep any of the tickets).

Prefer to pay online? 🎟️
No problem! Purchase tickets online with a credit card and we’ll fill them out for you!

https://tinyurl.com/gahr-basket-raffle

The raffle drawing will take place this Wednesday, May 6th at 6:30PM at the Area Concert in the gym. Winners will be announced throughout the concert. You do NOT need to be present to win as long as your name and phone number are written on the ticket. Good luck, and thank you for supporting the Gahr Instrumental Music Program!

🎷 RCC JAZZ FESTIVAL THIS SATURDAY 5/9

Jazz I and II will be performing at the RCC Jazz Festival this Saturday, May 9th! This is our last festival of the season, and we need 100% on time attendance at all our remaining rehearsals.

The festival is located at the Coil School for the Arts. Admission is free and the festival is open to the public. Please note that the site is downtown (not on the RCC campus).

Important Notes:

Hydrate and eat a big meal before you arrive at Gahr. Please show up already dressed in jazz attire.
If you are in the Cerritos College Honor Band, you will need to carpool immediately after the morning rehearsal to get to Gahr ASAP. We have an extremely tight turnaround before Jazz II performs. Make sure you show up to the honor band rehearsal already wearing your jazz attire. We will try to arrange to have food for you at Gahr that you could eat on the bus.
After performing in the Concert Hall, both bands will have sight-reading and a clinic, which families and friends are welcome to observe.
After we perform, we will be walking to nearby restaurants to eat. Bring money for food.

RCC JAZZ FESTIVAL ITINERARY

12:00PM Call time at Gahr HS / Load bus ASAP
12:20PM Depart for RCC Henry W. Coil Sr. and Alice Edna Coil School for the Arts
3890 University Ave, Riverside, CA 92501
1:20PM Arrive / Unload ASAP
1:45PM Jazz II Warm Up
2:15PM Jazz II Performance
2:45PM Jazz II Clinic / Sight-reading
3:30PM Diego Rivera Clinic in Room CSA 250
4:00PM Jazz I Warm Up
4:30PM Jazz I Performance
5:00PM Jazz I Clinic / Sight-reading
5:30PM Walk to Dinner – Groups of 4 or more (bring money)
6:30PM Watch remaining HS Heavy bands
8:30PM RCC Jazz Orchestra with Diego Rivera
9:15PM Evening Awards
9:45PM Load buses ASAP
10:00PM Depart for Gahr HS
10:45PM Arrive and unload ASAP
11:00PM Approximate dismissal time

DRUMLINE WORKSHOPS START THURSDAY!

Our first drumline workshop of the 2026-27 season is this Thursday from 3:30-6:00PM in the Gahr HS Band Room! No experience is needed – we’ll teach you everything you need to know.

Whether you’re interested in battery or front ensemble, this is the perfect time to jump in and get started. Meet new friends, try something new, and be part of an award-winning program.

See you this Thursday!!

COLOR GUARD WORKSHOPS CONTINUE TUESDAY!

We had a HUGE turnout at our first two workshops, and we’re excited to keep it going this week! It’s not too late to join and bring a friend!!

Come learn how to spin a flag, dance, perform, and build confidence in a fun, high-energy, and supportive environment. No experience needed – our staff will teach you everything you need to know.

This is the perfect time to get started and become part of an award-winning program.

Join us this Tuesday 5/5 from 4:00-6:00PM and bring a friend! We can’t wait to see you there!!

🌴 ORLANDO PERFORMANCE TRIP – DEADLINE EXTENDED!

Our 2027 Orlando performance trip is shaping up to be something REALLY special! We already have 100+ students registered, and we would love to have even more be part of this incredible experience.

✈️ WHO CAN GO?

This trip is open to all band and color guard students for the 2026–27 school year, including incoming freshmen (current 8th graders). We understand that some students are still waitlisted for Gahr, or may just need more time to decide on the trip. We will make sure that any student who wants to go will still have the opportunity to sign up.

✨ WHY THIS TRIP IS SPECIAL

This is a once-in-a-lifetime high school experience.

Our full marching band will perform and march down Main Street at Walt Disney World — an incredible opportunity that very few programs get to experience. Students will also participate in a Disney Imagination Campus Workshop, working with Disney professionals in a behind-the-scenes learning experience.

Trip Highlights:

3 days at Walt Disney World
2 days at Universal Studios + Epic Universe
Airfare, hotels, meals, and transportation included
Travel with Gahr staff, a professional tour manager, and hotel security

📋 Click here to download the full trip itinerary.

You do NOT need to make a large upfront payment. Start with a deposit as little as $150 when you register. You can set up monthly recurring payments to spread out the remaining balance. Please note that the sooner you sign up, the lower your monthly payments will be.

If you received a cancellation notice due to missed payments – don't worry. Just make a quick call to the tour company and they can reinstate your account and spread out any past-due balance over the remaining payments.

For questions, contact Dee Dee Varney at dvarney15@gmail.com or (562) 413-3068. She is incredibly helpful with payment plans and questions.

⚠️ IMPORTANT DETAILS

We typically only take a trip like this once every four years. If you're on the fence, especially incoming freshmen, this is the time to go. You don't want to look back and wish you had been a part of it.
Students must sign up for a quad room (4 students per room). This is for safety purposes and also helps keep the trip more affordable for everyone.
This is a student-only trip. Parents are welcome to make their own travel plans if they would like to attend or be nearby, but registration through the tour company is for students only.

This is going to be an unforgettable experience filled with music, performances, and lifelong memories.

We hope your student can be part of it!!!

STUDENT LEADERSHIP APPLICATIONS DUE NEXT WEEK

Are you ready to step up and help lead the next chapter of the Gahr Marching Gladiators and the entire Gahr Instrumental Music Program?

We are looking for motivated, hardworking, and passionate students who are ready to build on last year’s success. Leadership is more than a title – it’s an opportunity to serve, grow, and lead by example.

👉 Click here to download the Leadership Application

✅ APPLICATION DEADLINE: Monday, May 11, 2026
Please be prompt, professional, and represent your best self.

🗣️ INTERVIEWS: Thursday, May 14, 2026

Whether or not you are selected for a leadership role this time, going through the application process is a valuable experience that will help you grow. We encourage you to apply!

🔥 Take a leap. Challenge yourself. Be part of something bigger.
We’re gearing up for an incredible year, and we can’t wait to see what you bring to the table.

If you have any questions, please don’t hesitate to reach out to Mr. Loney or Ms. Johnson.

ALL OUTSTANDING DONATIONS PAST DUE

This is an important reminder that all donations are past due for Indoor Percussion, Winter Guard, and Marching Band. At this time, we are currently negative $4,000 from Indoor Percussion and negative $3,000 from Winter Guard.

These donations are critical for the program. Without them, we are unable to pay our instructional staff and purchase end-of-year awards for our students. Please note that students who are not current on outstanding donations will not be eligible to attend the end-of-year awards banquet.

We accept cash, checks made payable to “Gahr Band Boosters,” or credit card payment.

If you have any questions, please contact Mrs. Varney at dvarney15@gmail.com. Thank you.

CONGRATULATIONS 2026-27 BOOSTER EXECUTIVE BOARD!

Thank you to everyone who came to our final Booster Parent Meeting last Wednesday. We are excited to introduce our newly elected 2026–27 Executive Booster Board:

We would also like to thank our 2025–26 outgoing Board, Chairs, and Representatives for their dedication and hard work this past year! Your support has made a lasting impact on our students and program.

THIS WEEK:

MONDAY 5/4
✨ HAPPY STAR WARS DAY! MAY THE FOURTH BE WITH YOU
7:17AM Jazz I & II attendance / 7:20AM downbeat
3:30-6:00PM Combined Band rehearsal

TUESDAY 5/5
Happy Cinco de Mayo!
7:17AM Jazz I & II attendance / 7:20AM downbeat
3:30-6:00PM Final Combined Band rehearsal/run-through
4:00-6:00PM COLOR GUARD WORKSHOPS! Bring a friend!

WEDNESDAY 5/6
LAST DAY TO PURCHASE RAFFLE TICKETS!
7:30AM Band Room open to practice – JAZZ I & II SECTIONALS

🎶 GAHR AREA CONCERT IN GYM!
Set up during periods 2, 3, 4, 6
3:30-4:30PM ALL STUDENTS – FULL RUN-THROUGH IN GYM
Do homework, change to all black concert attire, eat dinner.
6:00PM CALL TIME IN THE BAND ROOM – ALL BLACK CONCERT ATTIRE

6:30PM Gahr Area Concert starts!
PARENT HELP NEEDED!! PLEASE SIGN UP TO VOLUNTEER HERE
8:15PM Approximate end time / Clean up ASAP – EVERYONE HELPS

THURSDAY 5/7
NO JAZZ BAND
3:30-6:00PM DRUMLINE WORKSHOPS! No experience required.

FRIDAY 5/8
7:17AM Jazz I & II attendance / 7:20AM downbeat
3:30-5:30 Jazz Band final RCC rehearsal/run-through

SATURDAY 5/9
8:00AM-3:00PM Cerritos College Honor Band rehearsal

RCC JAZZ FESTIVAL!
12:00PM CALL TIME AT GAHR HS WEARING JAZZ ATTIRE.
Please hydrate and eat a big meal before you arrive. Bring money for dinner.

SUNDAY 5/10
Mother’s Day! Thank you to all our wonderful band & color guard moms!!!