If These Steps Could Speak Last week, I attended Jazz on the Lawn, the last organized YHS Band event of the 2018-2019 school year. The day itself was reminiscent of marching band season: The weather was unpredictable. Would it rain? Would the show go on? The rain came but — unlike marching band season — it ended quickly. The sun came out, there was a slight breeze, and the weather was clear. Families brought chairs and blankets and set up on the steps and on the grass in the amphitheater to see and hear the show. From their blue ties to their black shoes (and black socks) and under Mr. Bersh’s expert instruc-tion, the ensemble rocked every song and every solo. And Leah Kane’s vocals added a special touch to the show. It was a fine ending to a very fine year of music. As I watched the show, I considered the many band events that take place at YHS, and especially the events that occur on those steps. Starting in the summer, band families gather on the steps for the Back to School BBQ. Then, students meet on the steps as they wait for buses to take them to Band Camp. During marching band season, the steps mark the starting point for the band to march out to the football games and to prepare for competitions. Fast forward to spring, after all the games, competitions and PRESIDENT CONTINUED ON PAGE 2

President’s note

Spring Trip, Indianapolis

The Yorktown Band Symphonic Band and Percussion Ensemble were once again invited to participate in the National Music for All Festival in Indianapolis, Ind. The long bus rides to and from the Midwest turned out not to be too grueling; the combination of fair weather, good drivers, great students, and an extraordinarily organized band director came to-gether for a successful experience, start to finish.

Chili Cook-off 3

Spring Trip, Philadelphia 4

Winterguard 5

Indoor Drumline 5

Summer music study 6

Jazz band 7

Band seniors 8

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Home of the Patriots

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PRESIDENT CONTINUED FROM PAGE 1

concerts, and there is Jazz on the Lawn. This final event of the year demonstrates all the lessons, and gifts, this band program offers our kids, and by extension, our families and ourselves. Mr. Bersh instills in the students musicianship, discipline, and joy in playing music and in playing music together. Year after year, he inspires the kids to play their best, for themselves and for the ensemble. Through this program, and sometimes on those very steps, our kids grow as students, musicians, and young adults. Sitting on the steps at Jazz on the Lawn, I realized that the YHS Band magic transforms us all. I am thankful for every member of the YHS Band family: Mr. Bersh and the guidance and example he pro-vides; the staff who spend hours instructing our students; our students, who pour their time and ener-gy into the different band programs; and all of our parent and guardian volunteers, whose support makes the Boosters organization the special and unique group it is. And our alumni, parents as well as students, who continue to support YHS Bands. Thank you everyone! Have a wonderful summer, and I hope to see you all on the steps soon! Kim Baxter Band Boosters President

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A stop on the way at the Ohio State University in Columbus for a clinic and a chance for students to grab

dinner on their own along High Street added to Mr. Bersh’s long list and legacy of taking full advantage of

the spring trips to expose his students to university life, campuses, and music programs. Combined with

the time spent at Butler University for performances and meals, the trip definitely provided a taste of next-

level possibilities.

The most rewarding aspect of the Music for All experience from my perspective was being with our

Yorktown students in an immersive experience with young musicians from around the country. The JW

Marriott was teeming with the best-dressed young people from early morning breakfasts to dinner and

gala for several thousand. The level of respect and appreciation for and by everyone involved – students,

clinicians, educators, directors, performers – was tangible, inspiring, and energizing. I could not have

been prouder to be associated with Yorktown Band throughout the festival: as audience members, clinic

students, performers, and peers, our students truly rose to every occasion with musicianship, maturity, and

kindness.

A shout-out to the chaperones on both the Indy and Philly trips for making the trips fun and special for

everyone.

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Chili cook-off Thirteen teams competed for top chili hon-ors at April’s 8th annual YHS Chili Cook-off . The award for Yorktown's Best Chili went to Tony Cuellar’s Mean Chili, while Best Presentation went to Abso-Chicken-Lutely, a dessert chili made by Allison Stocks, Fiffy Donahoe, Katie Nelson, and Lily Dinsmoor. The Spiciest Chili award went to Tailgate Chili, made by Alayna Bind-er and Delmy Palmer. The Best Smelling Chili award went to Timothy Gulyn who made Silly Chili. The Most Original Chili award went to Emrys Jones and Eleanor Grant who made Burleson was a Beet Chili. Finally, the 2019 People's Choice award went to Francis Freeman-Moore and Bridget Flynn, who made Voodoo Chili. Although not judged, Mr. Bersh's Rasta Rocket Chili was outstanding and very popular. Thank you to everyone who helped with the cook-off this year. Specifi-cally, Bill Wine for organizing the event, Julia Wine for designing the T-shirts, the Tri-M volunteers who helped with set-up and clean-up, and all the parents who volunteered their time. Thanks also to the students who made chili; it all tasted wonderful and received many compliments from the community. Of course, the cook-off would not be the same without the live music, so special thanks to the Jazz Band and the Outliers for some awesome tunes. Finally, thanks Mr. Bersh for his support and his enthusiasm for this event.

Open Volunteer Positions 2019-2020

Yorktown Band Boosters includes a number of parents whose seniors are graduating this year, and we are looking for new volunteers for various roles. Please consider getting involved! We would like to fill the following positions: Executive board positions: Vice President * Secretary Year-round positions: Arlington Public Schools Arts Advisory Committee Representative * Middle School Events Liaison * Photography (shadow for 2020-21) * Publicity * Supplies /Purchasing Seasonal events and activities: Band Camp Coordinator (shadow for 2020-21) * Pre-Camp Lunch Coordinator Partnering or shadowing is a great way to get involved, too. “Shadowing” means working with the current volunteers, whose kids will be graduating next year, with the intent of taking over the position the following year. If you are interested or have questions, please contact Volunteer Coordinator Cathy Celestino at cathy_celestino@hotmail.com or President Kim Baxter at ksgbaxter@aol.com.

Spring and summer dates to remember:

June 18: Spring Marching Band Mini Camp; Winds 3:30-5:30; Guard & Percussion 6-8

June 19: Spring Marching Band Mini Camp; Winds 3:30-5:30; Guard & Percussion 6-8

June 20: Spring Marching Band Mini Camp; Full Marching Band 5-7:30; Information Session for Parents (Main Gym), 7-7:30

August 3: Marching Band Pre-Camp; Student Leader-ship Only, 8:30-9:30, All Members, 9:30-5:30; Wel-come Back Barbecue, 5:30-7

August 4-9: Away camp at Mercersburg Academy

August 14: Marching Band performs in Centerfield Plaza at Nationals Park

Spring Trip, Philadelphia

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The YHS band's spring trip was a fun long weekend with beautiful weather and an opportunity to experience professional musicianship. Friday was a day filled with opportunities to learn and grow musically. The students arrived around noon and started with a clinic led by Matt Vaughn, co-principal trombone with the Philadelph-ia Orchestra. After a delicious catered lunch at MacAlister Hall with a gorgeous city view, the students saw a presentation describing the Westphal College of Media Arts & Design program at Drexel University. Afterward, they enjoyed a clinic led by assistant profes-sor and concert and pep band director Dr. Wesley J. Broadnax. The day finished with an impressive all Stravinsky program by the Pennsylvania Ballet. Saturday was an opportunity to experience the "greatest city in the universe" according to Mr. Bersh (a proud Philadelphia native). The students visited Constitution Center, the Liberty Bell and had lunch at the famous Reading Terminal Market. Then the groups split up and toured the city — one headed to the Art Museum and Rittenhouse Square; the other spent a leisurely afternoon visiting shops in Old City. The evening ended with a performance of Prokofiev's “Romeo & Juliet” by the Philadelphia Or-chestra while the experimental Philadelphia dance troupe, Junk, presented an aerial choreography show. On Sunday, the group enjoyed an informative tour of Independence Hall and an intimate, small-group tour of the new Museum of the American Revolution. A special thank-you to Danielle Werchowsky and Mr. Bersh for the many hours of behind-the-scenes organizing that helped make this trip a possibility; to the parent chaperones who accompanied the group; and to the band members themselves, who received several unsolicited compliments from the hotel and the clinicians.

Questions?

We’re online at Yorktownband.org

Or contact

YorktownBandArlington@gmail.com

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Winterguard

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In March, the Yorktown/Wakefield Winterguard concluded another successful season. This year's production, "Fauxléro," fea-tured 24 student performers: fif-teen from Wakefield and nine rep-resenting Yorktown, our largest ensemble to date. The season be-gan immediately after our last marching band competition. The students spent the next two months focusing on basics and fundamen-tals to build up their skill sets and performance vocabulary. We staged the show after winter break, and continued to fill in choreography during the ensuing weeks. The cast performed at four competitions and two exhibitions — including our own APS Indoor Showcase — and capped off the season with our lo-cal circuit championships at the end of March. The program provided a wonderful opportunity for the Colorguard students from the two schools to continue growing as performers and to build new friendships. They worked incredibly hard, rehearsing ten hours a week, not including their own individual practice time. Ultimately, their show was well-received and a testament to their immense efforts. A video of "Fauxléro" can be found here: http://www.yorktownband.org/WP/gallery/winterguard.

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Indoor Drumline

Yorktown Indoor Percussion capped off its 13th consecutive competitive season this past March with a trip to the Atlantic Indoor Association circuit championships, where the group earned 4th place overall, and the designation of Finalist. This year, the all Arlington ensemble included 34 students from across Arlington County including Yorktown, Washington-Lee, Wakefield High Schools as well as TJ Middle School. The group performed its program, “Stay,” for a crowd of family and friends at the annual Home Show. See it here: http://www.yorktownband.org/WP/gallery/indoor-percussion.

Summer music study

Interested in staying involved in music study over the summer? Mr. Bersh asked band students to discuss their favorite experiences in a wide variety of summer music pro-grams. Here’s what they had to say: Interlochen Arts Camp, Interlochen, Mich., www.camp.interlochen.org “The best part was playing in the wind symphony, learning chamber music, taking a music theory class, learning about other types of arts — all of it. It's intense, but also a lot of fun. You get to learn about other types of art forms, you get to meet other people who are super-dedicated to music, you get to work with some of the best musicians in the world.’ — Leelee Kopca National Jazz Workshop, George Mason University, Fairfax, Va., www.natonaljazzworkshop.org “I learned about jazz theory. The best part was playing in Mr. Niess’s big band. It’s a good learning experience.” — Ameya Sinha “While I was at the camp we worked with multiple Clintons, played high-level music and we had a concert at the end of every day. It’s a camp that’s somewhat involving and doesn't get boring.” — Nate LaPlace

National Jazz Workshop, Shenandoah University, Winchester, Va. “I went to improve my jazz skills. You get to play with professionals and you learn a lot about jazz.” — Jonathan Gulyn

Levine Music Camp, Arlington, Va., www.levinemusic.org “I was teaching kids music; the best part was affecting their lives in a positive way. It was so much fun, but you have to like kids and chaos. I got to see what the inside of a music class looked like and spend quality time with the kids.” — Megan Church “I was an apprentice (a.ka teen leader) for first- and second-graders as they went through the day. I had been going to the camp for about seven years. It's fun, musical and you'll make lifelong friendships.” — Abigail Fuller

“Abigail introduced me to it. I went to teach kids music; I was one of the flute teachers. I would rec-ommend it.” — Bebe LeMay Virginia Music Adventures, Annandale, Va., www.vamusicadventures.org “I went to learn and play jazz. It was fun and I got better.” — Anthony Guerrera Skadovsk Jazz Festival—Skadovsk, Ukraine “It was a competition with different towns in Ukraine; we got first place for small ensemble jazz group I got involved because we had close connections, and it was recommended. The best part was playing and learning the culture of jazz music in Ukraine, and the different style they played.” — Jantawan Kent

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2019-2020 jazz ensemble auditions Yorktown offers two jazz ensembles, the Big Band and the Jazz Combo. Entry to both groups is by audition only. The jazz ensembles perform at school and community events. Auditions are in early September. A sign-up sheet will be posted in the band room prior to the audition date. Audition music for 2019-2020 jazz band is posted online at: www.yorktownband.org/WP/ensembles/jazz-ensemble

The jazz band had a busy year, and picked up multiple accolades along the way. Among its achievements during the 2018-2019 season: In January, the ensemble won “Best Sax Section” at the Essentially Ellington Regional High School Jazz Band Festival. It won the same distinction at the George Mason University Jazz Festival in March, where Zach Levin also received the Solo Award. At the Chantilly Jazz Festival in May, both the Big Band and the Jazz Combo — which was also the third place winner — received Superior ratings. Additionally, three students received scholarship opportunities based on their competition performances.

Yorktown jazz

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Congratulations, band seniors!

Gabriel Barrett, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Urban Planning Coral Burke, Savannah College of Art and Design, Game Design

Megan Church, William & Mary, Neuroscience Tony Cuellar, Fordham University, English

Joe Dinsmoor, Virginia Commonwealth University, Computer Engineering Bridget Flynn, Virginia Tech, Natural Resources

Timothy Gulyn, Syracuse University, Music Education Andrew Johnson, James Madison University, Engineering and Physics

Scott Larsen, Virginia Tech, Engineering Elizabeth Lundy, William & Mary, Undecided

Andrew Meighan, Indiana University, Undecided, Jessie Oblon, George Mason University, Undecided

Will Price, Virginia Tech, Business Information Technology Nathan Snyder, University of Virginia, Biomedical Engineering, Linguistics

Katie Sokol, William & Mary, Undecided Harry Stevens, University of Chicago, Economics

Emily Stewart, Duquesne University, Forensic Science Chuck Watson, James Madison University, Cinema Nicole Waugh, Marymount University, Neuroscience

Julia Wine, William & Mary, Biology Eli Zehe, University of Denver, Geography

Have a great summer — see you at band camp!

Coming soon to a football field near you: Yorktown High School’s 2019 production, “Art of Structure,” an exploration of the underlying con-nections between the natural, me-chanical, mathematical and digital.