Saturday, Oct. 27

We have been discussing these events in class all week, but below are details for this Saturday's events. BOTH EVENTS ARE MANDATORY FOR MARCHING BAND MEMBERS. 

Halloween Parade

Call time: 1:00 pm 

Parade start time: 2:00 pm 

Attire: Halloween costume (family-friendly) or black pants/black shoes/orange & black top

Other: We will be bussing to Minooka Elementary School. The parade travels from MES south on Wabena, ending at MCHS. Students should have "Thriller" in their flip folders if it is not memorized.

Playoff Football Game

Call time: In section warmups by 5:15 pm 

Game start time: 6:00 pm 

Attire: We will NOT be in full uniform. Please wear jeans or black pants and as much orange and black as possible - Drillmasters recommended

Other: We will be performing our usual parade song, full pregame, pep tunes in the stands, and an altered/abbreviated halftime performance consisting of "Thriller" and the school song. We will NOT be performing any portion of our field show. 

In the event that our team advances from this Saturday's game, next week's game will very likely be AWAY. We do send a pep band to away games, but attendance is optional. 

Please contact us with any questions and GO INDIANS!

U of I - Sat, Oct. 20

We are very excited for U of I this Saturday! Visit the IMBC Spectator Information Page for information from the contest organizers. Our schedule for the day is below.

Also, if you would like to purchase a DVD/digital copy of our performance (as well as all 6A bands), the form is available for download HERE. These forms are typically available in the merchandise/concessions area at Memorial Stadium as well. 

Schedule for Saturday, 10/20: 

10:00 am - 2:00 pm - Rehearsal 

2:00 pm - Meal break / load trailer

3:00 pm - Depart MCHS

5:00 pm - Arrive at U of I (Memorial Stadium - 1402 S. 1st St., Champaign)

5:15-6:45 pm - Eat (concessions or bring food), watch 5A bands
7:00 pm - Report to busses, change into uniform
7:30 pm - Warm-up
8:45 pm - Marching Indians Performance! 
9:00 pm - Marching Illini Performance
9:15 pm - Awards
9:30 pm - Professional group photo outside the stadium
9:45 pm - Change/load trailer/busses (parent sign-out at this time)
10:30 pm - Leave U of I
12:30 am - Arrive at MCHS

Reminders: 

• Dress for the weather, keeping in mind the amount of time we will be outside
• Layers worn under the uniform must be tight-fitting!
• Bring water and a snack to rehearsal, as well as for the bus ride if you so desire. There will not be an opportunity to purchase food following our performance.
• Any student being signed out at U of I must have the Parent Release Form filled out in advance!

Please let us know if you have any questions, and GO INDIANS!

Lincoln-Way West - Oct. 13

Below is our schedule for this Saturday's competition at Lincoln-Way West. If you are planning on attending, please follow this link for Lincoln-Way Marching Invitational Spectator Info.

1:00-5:00 pm - Rehearsal
5:00 pm - Load trailer / Dinner Break
6:00 pm - Depart MCHS
6:45 pm - Arrive at Lincoln-Way West, unload, change
7:45 pm - Warm-up
8:45 pm - Marching Indians Performance!
9:00 pm - Change/unload
10:0 pm - Awards
10:15 pm - Load busses/attendance (parent sign-out at this time)
11:00 pm - Arrive at MCHS

Please remember to fill out a parent release form (linked on the left) if you are planning on signing your student out!

Go Indians!

Indoor Percussion Audition Interest

If you are interested in auditioning for Indoor Percussion 2018-19, please fill out the form below!

Indoor Percussion Audition Interest Form

Questions may be directed to percussion instructor Nick Martiniak.

"Africa" recording

Hey band! If you'd like to use the recording "Africa" for reference or playing along over the weekend, here it is:

"Africa" - arr. Ralph Ford

We will be playing this for Band Night, the Homecoming Assembly, and very likely the Homecoming Parade. It does not need to be memorized but it DOES need to be GOOD!

Happy Practicing!

Corn Fest & Homecoming Weekend

Below is our schedule for the Grundy County Corn Festival Parade this Sunday, Sept. 30th. Please eat lunch and drink water before you arrive!

The parade travels from south to north on Liberty St. in downtown Morris. Our band is Unit #50. If you are picking up your student, you must fill out this Parent Release Form (please note - this form is for Activities - it is different than the athletic release form linked from the MCHS homepage!). Form must be completed before Sunday. Pickup will happen at Goold Park (across the street from Morris HS) immediately following our band’s portion of the parade.

12:30 pm - Arrive atschool, change into uniform

12:50 pm - On busses for attendance

2:00 pm - Parade begins

3:20 pm (approx) - Load busses (parent sign-out at busses at this time)

4:00 pm (approx) - Return to MCHS, change out of uniform

Looking ahead to next week…

Monday, Oct. 1 - No evening rehearsal

Wednesday, Oct. 3 - School Day

Students will be released from their 1A class at 8:45 am to attend Band Night rehearsal with the junior highs. (Freshman/sophomore students will be released from class at 8:30 am and will bus over to Central.) Rehearsal will end by 11:00 am and students will be able to attend their regular 3A and 4A classes. (Freshman/sophomore students with 3A and/or 4A at South will be bussed back at this time.)

Wednesday, Oct. 3 - Evening (Band Night)

6:15 pm - Call time (change into full uniform)

7:00 pm - Band Night begins!

8:00 pm - approximate end time

Friday, Oct. 5 - School Day

Wear your orange band t-shirt and athletic shoes to school! Students will be released immediately following 3A and should report to the band room. They will miss all of 4A for rehearsal/assembly prep. We will be performing the first movement of our field show and playing as a pep band at the Friday afternoon Homecoming Assembly in the stadium!

Friday, Oct. 5 - Afternoon/Evening

3:45 pm - Report time for Homecoming Parade (orange band t-shirt and athletic shoes)

4:00 pm - Homecoming Parade performance (parade starts and ends at MCHS)

5:00 pm - Approximate parade end time

6:00 pm - Call time for Homecoming football game

7:00 pm - Normal pregame/halftime performance at football game

Staff will be present and the band room will be open for students who are staying between school and the parade and/or the parade and football game.

We are excited for the busy weeks ahead! Please let us know if you have any questions.

Morton Competition!

Below is the schedule for our competition at Morton High School (350 N. Illinois Ave, Morton IL) on Saturday, September 15th. Please eat a good meal before coming to rehearsal!

11:00 am Rehearsal

2:00 pm Food (snack/lunch break), load equipment

3:00 pm Report to busses for attendance

3:15 pm Depart MCHS

5:15 pm Arrive at Morton High School - unload, bathrooms, dress

6:15 pm Depart for warm-ups

7:15 pm Marching Indians Performance!

7:30 pm Change, load equipment

8:00 pm Return to stadium to eat dinner at concessions and watch other bands

9:00 pm Awards Ceremony

9:15 pm Report to busses, attendance

9:45 pm Depart for MCHS

11:45 pm Arrive at MCHS

Other Info:

• Tickets are $7 for adults and $5 for students/senior citizens (children 5 and under are free)
• It has been advised that all traffic avoid downtown Morton due to road closures for the Morton Pumpkin Festival
• Concessions are available
• Morton Marching Invitational t-shirts are available for purchase for $15

Please email Mr. Adelmann or Ms. Wych with any questions!

Percussion Lessons

To schedule a percussion lesson, open both the Google Form and the Spreadsheet. The spreadsheet is to make sure you are not requesting a time that someone else has already chosen. Once you know your desired time is free, fill out the Form appropriately. Bookmark these pages for future use! 

Lesson Request Spreadsheet

Lesson Request Form

Email Nick (nmartiniak@mchs.net) with any questions!

CHANGE - Memorial Day Parade

Due to anticipated temperatures tomorrow, attire for Memorial Day will be orange band t-shirts, shorts, and athletic shoes.

Call time remains 8:30 am, and we will be finished by noon.

Please drink lots of water tonight and tomorrow morning!

Show Material!

As promised, here are links to YouTube videos of the source material for our 2018 field show, "Hymns to the Earth". The visual concept will be a "night-to-day" idea, moving from darkness/black and white to a sunrise in full color. We are very excited to begin working with this show, and will make parts available via Google Drive as soon as we receive them from our arranger.

Mvt. 1 - "Ghost Dances" by Roland Barrett (specifically 2:50-4:50)

Mvt. 2 - "There Will Be Rest" by Frank Ticheli 

Mvt. 3 - "Hymn to the Sun with the Beat of Mother Earth" by Satoshi Tagisawa

Band Director Announcement!

We are pleased to announce the appointment of Mr. Kyle Adelmann as the newest member of our MCHS music staff! Beginning this fall, Mr. Adelmann will be involved with all four curricular bands (primary director of Wind Symphony and Symphonic Band) as well as teaching Percussion I/II and Music Technology & Keyboarding. He will also serve as lead director for the Marching Indians.

Mr. Adelmann has spent the last eight years of his career at LaSalle-Peru High School, where he teaches Symphonic Band, Percussion Ensemble, AP Music Theory, marching band, and jazz band. In his time at LaSalle-Peru, the band program has over doubled in size, and seen great success both in the concert hall (including performances at the Illinois Music Education Conference and at the Krannert Center for the Performing Arts in Urbana, IL) and on the marching band field. Mr. Adelmann earned his Bachelor of Science Degree in Music Education from the University of Illinois at Urbana Champaign, followed by a Masters in Music Education and Conducting from Northern Illinois University. Mr. Adelmann brings to Minooka a wealth of experience in the marching arts - he spent five years as a member of the Cavaliers Drum & Bugle Corps, has served as Visual Caption Head at Champaign Central High School, Lincoln-Way East High School, Wheaton Warrenville South High School, and Lincoln-Way North High School, has served on the brass staff for the Cavaliers, and has adjudicated marching band contests throughout the state of Illinois.

We are excited to have Mr. Adelmann on board and look forward to all he will bring to the bands and music classes at MCHS!

Midwest Music Festival Schedule

Below is the Wind Symphony/Wind Ensemble schedule for the Midwest Music Festival on Saturday, Feb. 24th.

7:15 am Call time - change into concert attire

8:00 am Depart MCHS

8:45 am Arrive at Lemont High School

9:25 am Wind Symphony Warm-Up

9:55 am Wind Ensemble Warm-Up

10:00 am Wind Symphony Performance

10:30 am Wind Ensemble Performance

10:30 am Wind Symphony pictures

11:00 am Wind Ensemble pictures

11:30 am Depart Lemont High School

12:15 pm Arrive at MCHS


Family, friends, etc are welcome to attend! The contest is at Lemont High School  (800 Porter St., Lemont). Ticket prices are $4 for students and $7 for adults - this admits you to the full day of performances. If you will be signing your student out at the contest, please fill out the Release Form linked to the left (same one used for marching band season).

Both Wind Symphony and Wind Ensemble will also be having dress rehearsals on the evening Friday, Feb. 23rd.

Wind Symphony - 6:00 - 7:30 pm
Wind Ensemble - 7:45 - 9:15 pm

Please contact Mr. Anderson or Ms. Wych with any questions!