SVHS BANDS DICTIONARY
50/50 Raffle Fundraiser:
During each home football game, we sell raffle tickets for $1 a piece for the first half of the game. Volunteers will walk the stands selling these tickets on the home and away side of the field. At half time, the money is counted and half the money goes to the winner and half goes to the band.
All-County Honor Band:
During the county band clinic in February, students rehearse for one and a half days with high school students from all over Union County and perform a concert on Saturday afternoon. Students get to work with a guest conductor and experience band from a new perspective. Participants are chosen by Mr. Reynolds to participate in this. Selection is based upon interest and availability, chair placement in class, and properly demonstrated rehearsal technique and etiquette.
All-District Honor Band:
Students may choose to audition for All-DIstrict Band in January. Any band student who is enrolled in at least one semester of band each year is eligible to audition. There is a permission slip and $10 fee required. Auditions consist of a required solo, scales, and a sight reading excerpt the day of the audition. If selected, students will participate in the all district clinic, which is on the last Friday and Saturday of January. This has traditionally been at Stuart Cramer High School in Gastonia, NC.
Band Banquet:
Typically held in the school cafeteria on the last Friday evening before spring exams. ALL students who have participated in any band/guard activity throughout the school year AND their families are encouraged to come for desserts, awards and a celebration of the senior class. You don’t want to miss the senior slide-show!
Band Council:
A student led club that meets once a week throughout the school year and works on events and ideas to help the band. Any band member can run for an office or at-large spot. Mr. Reynolds is the staff sponsor.
Band Parent:
You!! Also sometimes known as band boosters, these individuals are often instrumental (no pun intended) to keeping a high school band on its feet. Please plan on volunteering at least once, but we think you will love it and be back for more. We really do need your help! Having a front row seat to seeing your child in their last years of school having a blast with their friends and doing what they love…priceless! Questions? Please ask!
Bank for Band Fundraiser:
The first fundraiser of the school year. Students in band class ask friends and family to support the band by donating monetarily.
Battery:
Another term for the marching drumline. It consists of bass, snare, and tenor drums (quads).
Bibbers:
The pants, or overalls, part of the marching band uniform.
Booster Board/Band Board:
A group of volunteers who oversee the Sun Valley High School Band Association. The SVHS Band Association is a 501c3 organization. Positions on the booster board include President(s), Vice President(s), Treasurer, and Secretary. Officers are elected through acclamation and approved by the General Membership at the April meeting and installed at the May meeting. Each officer shall hold office for one year and be eligible to hold the same office the following year. The Officers and the Band Director prepare an itemized annual budget which is presented for approval at the May meeting.
Booster Meeting:
Monthly meeting that typically occurs the second Monday of the month in the band room. General Meeting begins at 7pm. The Board and committee chairs present reports and updates on events going on. You can find out how to volunteer or be an active part of the band at these meetings. You can also find out about current and future events. All parents of Band members and Color Guard and other persons interested in the objectives of the Band Boosters may become an active member. Voting rights are reserved to members whose children are involved in and meet the academic requirements of the Band and Color Guard program at SVHS and whose fees are current.
Cadence:
A drum cadence is a work played exclusively by the percussion section of the marching band in order to provide a beat for members to march to.
Captain/Section Leader:
Appointed by the band directors to be in charge of his/her section of the band. Auditions for this leadership role takes place in April or May. Mr Reynolds and Mrs Day appoint the Captains. Captains are held to a higher standard and are expected to be an example to their peers.
Caption awards:
Various awards a marching band can receive at competitions. These may include Music, Marching, General Effect, Drum Major, Colorguard, and Percussion.
Car Wash Fundraiser:
These are held a few times in the fall and in the spring. Car washes are advertised as free, donations are appreciated. Parent Volunteers help set up and oversee while student volunteers wash and dry cars and hold signs or spin flags by the road. These are currently held at SECU State Employees Credit Union – across Wesley Chapel Rd from the school.
Chaperones:
Volunteer parents who ride on the bus to the event with the kids and accompany them to their designated areas; a lot of fun – a good way to meet other parents, get in to the event free, be indirectly involved in your kid’s life, and watch the work, determination and heart of the marching band. Chaperones must be approved through the UCPS volunteer application site. Please contact the band director or booster board for more information.
Charms: A web-based software program that we use to communicate with those in the marching band. It is very important that you keep your information up to date, and you know the dates on the calendar. This is where students and parents sign up to volunteer in different roles.
www.CharmsOffice.com School Code is SVBANDS Student passwords are typically set to the student’s UCPS ID number, or a student’s home phone number. Upon first logging in students are usually prompted to change the password. However, the website and school code will allow anyone to view the public calendar and sign up to volunteer for events.
Color Guard/Auxiliary:
This term applies to the performers who showcase the band during marching performances adding a visual interpretation to the music through the use of props, most often flags, rifles and sabres. Their uniform is different, but the Color Guard unit is a regular section of the marching band.
Committee:
A group of parent volunteers assigned to a certain task by the booster board. Committees may include Volunteers, Color Guard Liason, Hospitality, Pit Crew/Equipment, Uniforms, Fundraising, etc.
Concert Band:
First and second block classes are our concert and symphonic bands. A minimum of two concerts are held each year, one in December and one in May. Additional performances for school and community events may be scheduled. Each class may also prepare and perform at the annual MPA (Music Performance Assessment). All black dress attire is needed for these performances. The sections in these bands are arranged by ‘chairs’ – Determined by playing tests one can be ‘first chair’ ‘second chair’ etc.
Contests/Competitions: Saturday events in October (but can sometimes occur in late September or early November) involving a number of marching bands performing and competing in a particular high school’s stadium. Bands generally compete against other bands in their “class” – a distinction which is made based on the number of band members. Parents and family members are encouraged to attend and watch the performances. Look for other’s wearing Sun Valley colors and form a cheering block. You’ll see bands ranging in size from a few dozen to more than 200. Awards are given and judge’s feedback is shared with the director so that improvements can be made to the show throughout the season.
County Preview (Marching Band):
Held at Marvin Ridge High School in mid-September. The Union County Marching Band Preview is an opportunity to see the live performances for each of the Union County High School marching bands. All eleven of our area schools will present the show that they will be performing in local, regional and, in some cases, national competitions. There will be mock adjudicators on hand to watch and critique each show and provide feedback to each school without the pressure of a true competition. It is a great opportunity to support Union County High Schools, to promote the arts in our community, and to see some great marching band entertainment. Each show is truly unique and we have some very talented students in our county.
Directors/Staff:
Mr. Reynolds is the band director and Mrs. Day is the assistant band director. Sections may also have staff instructors, such as Percussion and Color Guard. Additional instructors are often hired for marching band to assist our brass and woodwind students and assist with marching and visual performance instruction. These instructors collaborate with the band directors and provide specialized instruction to our students.
Drill:
Refers to the placement of the marching band member on the football field. Each performer uses ‘X’ and ‘Y’ coordinates to find their position on the field. Might hear “we are setting drill today.”
Drill Sheet / Coordinate Sheet:
A piece of paper held inside a clear pencil pouch hung around neck, that has an individual’s drill spots for the marching band show. There are typically 30-50 different “dots” a performer must know during a full marching band show.
Drum Major/Field Commander:
Highest ranking marching band leadership member that is in charge of all students on the marching band field. The drum major conducts the marching show and other music played at football games. The drum major is chosen through an audition in May.
Fundraising:
The majority of our programs are funded by our many fundraising events throughout the year. It is vital that the students and parents are involved in fundraising.
Gauntlets:
The part of the marching uniform that covers the wrist area.
Hot Weather Uniform:
Consists of current year’s show shirt, khaki shorts (at least fingertip length), socks and tennis shoes. This uniform is worn in the Matthew’s Alive Parade and the first few performances of the season.
Jazz Band:
Jazz band is an extracurricular ensemble. The jazz ensemble will usually begin rehearsals in late October/Early November.. The standard instrumentation of the Jazz Ensemble includes Alto, Tenor and Baritone Saxophones, Trombones, Trumpets, Bass Guitar, Rhythm Guitar, Piano and Percussion. Although this is standard instrumentation, additional instruments may be involved at the discretion of the director. If an overwhelming interest arises for a particular section or instrument, auditions will be held to fill the appropriate position. Members of the ensemble are selected based upon their interest, attendance, and performance level in concert band. The Jazz Ensemble typically performs at both the December and May concerts. Additional performance opportunities will be scheduled when possible. This may include community and district events.
Marching Band Camp:
Band Camp is held each year during the summer in the weeks leading up to the start of school. Band camp is usually 9 days for all members, with percussion and colorguard rehearsing an additional 3 days before everyone else begins. During band camp students will begin learning their field show. Mornings are spent setting drill on the practice field and afternoons are spent working on music inside. The sections spend time getting to know one another and building comradery. Sun screen, sun glasses, hat, working instrument, a water jug and a positive attitude are needed. Band camp is required for all marching band students. The exact schedule is usually presented in December, once the new school calendar has been approved.
Marching Season:
Kicking off in August with the Marching Band Camp, Marching Season typically ends after the Indian Trail Christmas parade in December, or the last post-season varsity football game (whichever occurs latest).
Mattress Fundraiser:
Sounds crazy, but it’s a big money maker! Custom Fundraising Solutions comes to our school on a Saturday in November and sets up a complete name-brand mattress showroom. For every mattress sold, we keep a portion. Encourage your family, friends, co-workers and neighbors to buy through this event.
Movement:
Each song of the marching band show is called a movement.
MPA:
Acronym for Music Performance Assessment. The 1st block and 2nd block concert band classes participate in this each year at Mooresville High School during a designated school day in March or April. During the assessment process, bands perform three prepared pieces and play one piece they have never seen before, a process called sight reading. Four judges, called adjudicators, evaluate the student musicians and the band director as they perform and sight read, then assign a score based on how accurately and musically the students perform. The scores are then compiled and each band is assigned an overall rating of Superior, Excellent, Good, Fair, or Poor. More importantly, the rating sheet from each adjudicator is filled with helpful comments and feedback that band directors use as a resource to guide students to greater musical achievement throughout the remainder of the year.
Parade Walker:
Parents and volunteers who walk with the marching band during a parade. You assist in any way they might need, carry water and wave to the crowd.
Parent Preview:
The evening of the last day of band camp. The band invites the parents to watch them perform the amount of show that was completed during camp.
Pep Tunes:
The music that the marching band plays in the stands during the football games.
Pit Crew:
Parents and volunteers who help load, transport, unload, assemble, and carry the large instruments, drum major stand, pit carts, props and other equipment for the band’s performance. They also drive the equipment truck, ATV trailer and ATV. Awards for “Best Pit Crew” are given at some competitions!
Pit/Front Ensemble:
Those students who play the stationary percussion instruments on the front sideline of the field. These instruments are pulled onto the field on carts by an ATV.
Plume:
The feather on top of the marching band hat.
Props:
Additional items used in the marching show to help convey the show theme. This often includes large stretched material frames with pictures relating to the marching band show that are built and rolled onto the field during performances. We need volunteers each time the marching band performs their show to assemble the props, carry them to the field, carry them back to the truck, disassemble them and load them on the equipment truck.
Rookie:
A first year marching band member.
Section:
Each instrument group or unit of the band. (i.e. Flutes, Trombones, Color Guard)
Sectional:
A rehearsal done with just the instruments from a particular section. Sectionals may sometimes be called by marching captains outside of the school day. Students are asked to attend these sectionals to help learn their music.
Senior Night:
The last home football game of the season. The seniors and their parents are recognized after the half-time performance. Pizza and cake celebration follows during the third quarter. The younger students in each section make surprise ‘senior posters’ to honor the senior/s in their section and hang them along the fence in the stadium for the game.
Shako:
Marching band hat worn at all performances. Sousaphone players wear berets.
Show Shirt:
Each student receives a T-shirt each year with the show name, year, and related artwork on it. These are worn underneath uniforms at every performance, as part of the “hot weather” uniform and at fundraising activities. Order forms go home during band camp to order extra t shirts and hoodies.
Spaghetti Dinner Fundraiser:
Typically in February or March, the annual spaghetti dinner takes place on a Friday evening in the cafeteria. Parent volunteers cook and serve spaghetti, sauce, garlic bread and salad (most food is donated). Students help carry plates and take tickets. Students pre-sell tickets to this, or customers can pay at the door. Eat in or take out available. Jazz Band for your entertainment and Color Guard Bake Sale for your sweet tooth!
Spartan Sound:
The name of the collective group of SVHS’s marching band, pit, color guard.
Spartan Sound Section Fundraiser Competition:
This fundraiser is done by marching band members during the beginning of the season. Sections should come up with unique ideas and work as a section. This is not an individual competition. No less than 2 members may participate at one time. For example, if you go to a neighborhood to go door to door, you must go as a group. Winning section gets bragging rights AND a prize (such as throwing water balloons at Mr. Reynolds, etc)
Spirit Night Fundraiser:
An evening at a local restaurant where a percentage of sales is given back to our organization. We typically have one a month.
Sponsors:
Local businesses are contacted during the summer to ask for a partnership with the band for the upcoming school year. Different levels of sponsorship are available to “buy”, which gets us money and the business some advertising in various different ways. We appreciate our local sponsors and ask you to support them as they have us.
Uniform Mom:
This volunteer mom is responsible for all things uniform! She and her team measure each marching band member and assign them a uniform for the season. She gathers other volunteers to wash the uniforms at the end of the season. At the beginning of the season we need volunteers to iron the uniforms.
Vet:
A marching band member with 1+ years of marching band experience.
VIC Card Re-Link/Together in Education (TIE) Harris Teeter:
This program is run by Harris Teeter. By linking your VIC Card to the band (#5634), the band earns a percentage of items purchased by those linked throughout the year. A volunteer logs all of these in to the website and Harris Teeter keeps track and mails us checks! Easy money! The VIC Card must be relinked in August each year.
Visual:
During a marching band performance, an added movement done by the entire band to create a more interesting and aesthetic show.
Volunteers:
No experience is necessary; we will train! All volunteers must be a UCPS Approved Volunteer. Don’t be intimidated or shy – WE NEED YOU! You can volunteer anytime by letting a board member know or signing up on CHARMS.
Winds:
Any instrument that uses air to produce a sound. All Brass and Woodwind instruments are ‘winds.’ Do not confuse this term with “woodwinds.”
Winter Guard:
An extension of the Color Guard activity, students participate in choreographed indoor performances/competitions that take place January-March. Prerecorded music is used for these performances. Auditions are typically in November.
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