Congratulations to THS Students 2009-2010 Festivals

Congratulations to the following THS Music Students that were accepted to local, state and regional music festivals for the 2009-2010 school year.

Berkshire League Music Festival

Michelle Wallace - Bassoon
Jennifer Hart - Bass Clarinet
Kyle Hogan - Alto Sax
Rachel Rubino - Trumpet
Bethany Franklin - French Horn
Bill Cornish - Trombone
Jon Kulinski - Tuba
Myles Ross - Tuba


CT American School Band Directors Association Honor Band Festival

ASBDA Wind Ensemble
Bridget Bertoldi - Flute
Michelle Wallace - Bassoon
Rachel Rubino - Trumpet

ASBDA Symphonic Band
Rachel Pelchat - Flute
Jackie Okenquist -Clarinet
Kailey Stewart - Clarinet
Jennifer Hart - Bass Clarinet
Jasmine Bailey - Tenor Sax
Andrew Serven - Trumpet
Bethany Franklin - French Horn
Jon Kulinski - Tuba
Brittany Brown - Percussion

Connecticut Music Educators Association Northern Region Music Festival

Connecticut Music Educators Association Northern Region Chorus
Rachel Pelchat

Connecticut Music Educators Association Northern Region Orchestra
Maryssa Brogis - Viola
Danthanh Trinh - Viola
Dale Osterman - Cello
Rachel Rubino - Trumpet

Connecticut Music Educators Association Northern Region Concert Band
Bridget Bertoldi - Flute
Michelle Wallace - Bassoon
Chris DeLouis - Tenor Sax
Bethany Franklin - French Horn

Connecticut Music Educators Association Northern Region Flute Choir
Bridget Bertoldi
Rachel Pelchat

Connecticut Music Educators Association Northern Region Youth Band
Stephanie Bramble - Flute
Cory Dumond - Alto Sax
Jasmine Bailey - Tenor Sax
Andrew Serven - Trumpet
Bethany Franklin - French Horn
Bronte Escobar - Clarinet
Chris Shea - Clarinet
Pat Shea - Tuba
Michael Castle - Euphonium
CJ Ferriolo - Trombone
Jon Kulinski - Tuba

New England Music Festival
Bridget Bertoldi - Flute I - Band
Michelle Wallace - Bassoon I - Band
Rachel Rubino - Trumpet I Band
Maryssa Brogis - Viola - Orch
Rachel Pelchat - Soprano - Choir

Connecticut Music Educators Association All-State Music Festival
Bridget Bertoldi - Flute
Rachel Pelchat - Flute
Michelle Wallace - Bassoon
Rachel Rubino - Trumpet

My Freshman Year in the THS Band - 1st Concert!

Our last football game to perform at for this year was a couple of weeks ago and it was also Senior Night. It was cold, exciting, and a tad bit saddening seeing as it was the seniors last night performing for the THS marching band at our football games. I wish them good luck in the future and I hope they never forget all of us. As well, I will never forget any of them since they helped me feel more welcomed being in the THS band. But anyways, now snow is falling on the ground! And to me, that is welcoming December. Also our first concert of the year is coming up, our Winter Concert, this upcoming Wednesday and I am super excited to be performing. I already received my concert dress and have already tried it on and it looks very nice. I can't wait to see how everyone looks this Wednesday because I imagine everyone looking elegant and proper. I like the songs we're playing, and I think "The Blue and The Grey" would have to be my favorite song out of all to be performing for this concert. Everything sounds so nice, and I hope we're able to make those improvements in the song "Undertow" before the concert. I have faith in the band! And we're capable of doing an amazing job. Everything is going by so quickly. Before I know it, here comes the DC trip in July 2010. Gah! Yesterday was also Hug A Band Kid Day, and I never knew something like that existed.

My Freshman Year in the THS Band - Parades!

First thing to write about, the football games, half time show, and Tuesday Night Rehearsals. The football games are just so fun. We're pretty much louder than the cheerleaders when it comes to chanting and cheering in the stands and we all have a good time. It's pretty much one of the most fun things I do. You can dance to the music and get really pumped. It's such a thrill, I wish there were more football games or some other sports game we can play at because we just love being supportive and showing off our PRIDE, RESPECT, & TRADITION for our school. I really don't care if my friends or someone else makes fun of our uniform and our top hats and plumes. When I'm in uniform, I'm just the happiest girl. I'm proud to show that I represent and play in the Torrington High School Marching Band. Also, you stand out in crowds of people when you're in uniform at games and I love when people like my friends say that we did a great job and actually took the time to watch the half time show. The half time show gets me pumped too because all eyes are on the band when we get announced and start playing. The announcer says something like please welcome the Torrington High School Marching Band, what parades or events we're doing and that we're representing Connecticut in the July 4th 2010 parade in Washington D.C. in the summer. Drill isn't too bad. Rehearsals are fun and you can do so much in just an hour or so. For the first football game, we couldn't do the whole half time show because we weren't ready. If we could all cooperate a little better, we would look so good. I'm not saying we look and sound bad. We're good enough to perform in front of a crowd and for them to think we're doing well and we have mistakes here and there, but no one's perfect. Also, we only rehearse every Tuesday and I wish we had rehearsals Tuesday and Thursday or even everyday if that could happen. But now, we have the whole show down and we look pretty good. Just again, we have some work to do and it's sad how rehearsal is only a little over an hour now.
Second thing, parades. Sadly, we didn't march in the Bristol Mums Parade because the weather was just horrible and it was wet and raining outside, so there was no way we were going to march in that weather and risk getting sick and ruining our instruments and uniforms. But if we did march that parade, I know we would've done a great job. And for the Big E. Oh boy, was that a fun day. A lot of great times. Marching for the Big E is not bad at all. The route is easy and there's always people watching you with their cameras or are cheering for you. The bands there are really nice and they support us too. There was also an officer there who had done band and etc. and he was marching with us and Mr. S told us that he said that we were the best band he's seen. That's just great to hear, I love when we get compliments for what we're doing. It was a tad hot and everyone was all sweaty, but thank God we had time to go eat and go hang around after we marched. That was a really great day. The North Adams Parade is probably the most tiring parade, honestly. But you can deal with it, just push yourself a little and that's all. Nobody has ever drowned from their sweat. It's competition and that's understandable for it to be tiring. We played 4 times passed the judges without doing band horns down, but we still sounded good. We marched 2 miles playing and marching, and wow drumline must have been really tired. Most important things to focus on while we're marching: feet, posture, horn angles. Marching is honestly not hard, at all. As long as we tried our hardest, no one's going to be happier than Mr. S.
And last, but not least. Concert band. I do like the music. We still have a lot to work on and then our first concert is in December, but we still have a lot of time to practice and go over things. The music is definitely harder, but hey, that's high school for you. Practice makes perfect.

My Freshman Year in the THS Band! - 1st Football Game

Okay, so I haven't been writing blogs lately but band honestly always makes my day better and it's the best part of the day. We have a football game to perform at this Friday and I'm insanely excited and kind of nervous. I'm not totally nervous because I think I know what I'm suppose to be doing, so there won't be much problems. What I'm bummed about is that we don't have the drill down for the songs Midnight Special and Hey Pachuco for the half time show at the football game, so we're just going to stand and then scatter and then get into some form of an arch. We kind of did crappy today. I don't know how people feel about this Friday, I know with all the excitement or being nervous and etc. and then letting that energy out during our time, we can pull it off. I just know we will do good even though we don't have everything down. I've noticed that whenever we're marching or just playing I don't think about anything but marching. I tested myself tonight, and I just blocked everything out of my head and focused on what I was doing at the present time. Marching is like a stress reliever and worry blocker to me, and I'm so glad to be in the Torrington High School Marching Band. I know I've said that like a million times before, but it's the truth. I'm stoked for Friday, what else could I possibly say? OH, and we have a few parades coming up! I'm really nervous for those. I'm worried if I'm not in step or my flute angle is horrible or I'm not align with everyone. Pressure is put on you because you know there's going to be a lot of people watching you and everywhere we go, somebody has seen us for the first time. First impressions are deadly and everyone will be watching what we do. It's nerve wrecking. And I'm actually more nervous than excited for marching. Especially how I'm up front and towards the center of the front line and our shiny flutes will draw attention. I don't think we'll do horrible at all, I think we'll do great in my opinion. And like Mr. S said, if we don't win anything then that's our fault because we were too busy talking or not paying attention and we deserve it. Mr. S actually gives the best pep talks ever, in my opinion. Every time he talks, I just have to improve on what I'm doing and so does everyone else. I don't get how you cannot be proud of being a part of this band. If I could be in this band, the Torrington High School Marching Band, for the rest of my life and with the people in it now. I'd definitely do it.

My Freshman Year in Band - Band Camp August 21, 2009

Sigh, today was the ending of what I've been looking forward to all summer, Band Camp. Four straight days of seeing great, loving people and a wonderful band teacher. We did the usual today. Practice drill, music, and marching. But we did have a little party and a bunch of people brought good food and everyone just hung out and relaxed. And we finally know what song we're playing when we're marching which is "Stiletto" and it's such an awesome song. It brings lots of energy and it's positive song. But we have a lot of work to do on it, but that's okay because it's only the fourth day that most people got the music and I know we'll sound great. The drill for the half time show is memorized, all we need is a few tweaks and adjustments and that's what Tuesday Night Rehearsals is for! To practice drill, music, and marching some more. We watched some videos of other bands doing drill and marching, and we had our opinions. Since they were either good or bad, we want people to see us and we want them to give us a good impression of, "Wow, the Torrington High School Marching Band is really awesome!" So, we have a lot work to work on still. We still need to march in step and have good horn angles or else it just looks sloppy to people who watch us. Overall, I personally think marching is so fun. That's pretty much what I look forward to most of the time when I'm doing marching band. I noticed every blog entry I have written about band camp at least has something about being tired, which I am right now. And again, it's all worth it. Thank you everyone for good times at band camp. Here's to the future of the Torrington High School Marching Band 2009-2010. Let's go, band!

My Freshman Year in Band - Band Camp August 20, 2009

Today was such an exciting day at Band Camp. I started something new as Mr. S said! Haha, I got really pumped to just be in band, and the drill before the song "Midnight Special" I ran down the line to give people high fives. It just gives me a lot of energy and to see everyone being happy to be in band. I'm so proud to be joining the band this year. There is really awesome people and they're so nice and about everyone is committed. The flute section for this year are just the best people to be playing the same instrument with, we came up with this plan and it didn't really work out that well, but we showed the band that flutes aren't weak. I never knew marching had to be so exact. You have to stay align with everyone, have a good posture, make sure your instruments are in the right positions, and you really have to make sure you're marching right. You have to roll your feet and make sure you're stepping the same as everyone else. The way you march and horn positions are very noticeable to judges and band directors and if everything is out of place, it's shown as sloppy. Also, today while we were doing parade lapses we had to repeat At the Ready, Detail, and Attention about 3 times because we aren't suppose to move when we're at attention. Mr. S and probably the students want the people who are watching us to be like, "Man, the Torrington High School Marching Band is good!" As Mr. S says, everywhere we go at least one person has seen us for the first time and first impressions are deadly. Since that saying ever went in my head, I just have to make sure everything is turning out good and everyone is doing their job correctly. We represent the Torrington High School wherever we go, and that's a big job. Everyone keeps getting better and better everyday and I am so proud to be part of this band. I can't believe band camp is almost over, it's so much fun. But thank God that band is a class and there's also Tuesday Night Rehearsals. The Band Camp party is tomorrow and students are bringing things, so I'm making sweet cupcakes! I hope rain doesn't ruin the last day of Band Camp.

My Freshman Year in Band - Band Camp August 19,2009

My third blog entry:

A long day, but we did a lot in 8 hours! We learned half of the drill that we're going to be doing for the half time show during football season and we went over half time music and played it, and we also marched together and the drumline played the new, amazing cadence. It was very hot today when we were learning the drill, but everyone made it, and then it started getting cooler, so everything was fine. Good thing everyone memorizes what to do, we didn't have any trouble really with anything except for the half time music. But that's understandable because people haven't really touched their instruments all summer and we forget things. But that's alright. I'm pretty exhausted from today, but more practicing and learning tomorrow!