Week of May 2
WSMA Festival Performances
Our WSMA festival performances are next week! Varsity Band and Wind Ensemble will travel on May 12, and Wildcat and Concert Bands will travel on May 13. We will take coach buses to Shattuck Auditorium at Carroll University in Waukesha to perform and conclude the day with a visit to the Great Wolf Lodge in Gurnee, Illinois. Some students are choosing to come back to Oshkosh following the performance on a separate bus. Please note: the early bus requires a separate permission slip from the packet that includes WSMA and Memorial Day.
If you or your student has not returned the permission slip or payment, please return those as soon as possible.
A page dedicated to these trips (with itineraries) can be found here.
We will not be wearing the standard West concert attire for the WSMA performances. Instead, students will “dress nice,” choosing from a collared polo shirt, collared button-down shirt, blouse, khaki pants, slacks, skirt, or dress, with “nice” shoes. These items can be any color. Students will not be permitted to perform if they’re wearing sweatpants, jeans, shorts, t-shirts, tennis shoes, etc. Students should arrive in the band room, dressed for the performance, by 7:30am on the day of their performance(s).
Take a look at the information below for dressing “nice.”
Spring Concerts
Our spring concerts are almost upon us! Wildcat Band and Wind Ensemble will perform on Monday, May 9th. Concert Band and Varsity Band will perform on Tuesday, May 10th. The students have been working hard and are excited to showcase what they have learned over the course of this year. You will certainly notice significant growth! Below is some pertinent information for the concert.
Call time is 7:00pm. Students should be at West in their concert attire with their instruments assembled at 7:00pm.
The auditorium seating area will open at 7:45pm. Please do not arrive earlier than 7:45 as the auditorium won’t be open until 15 minutes before the concert. Those who arrive early can wait in the lobby.
Concert time is 8:00pm. Each concert should be between 45 minutes and an hour.
Concert dress is as follows:
Men and students issued a tuxedo will wear their school-provided tuxedo jacket, pants, bow tie, and cummerbund. They must also provide their own clean, white button-down shirt with a collar. The shirt can be either long or short sleeve, as they will be covered by the jacket. Men should also wear long black socks and all-black shoes.
All other students should wear all black. This provides some options, but please be sure to choose something that is dressier and will go with the tuxedos. Options might include a black blouse, a black button-down shirt, a black skirt that extends below the knees, black pants, or a simple black dress. Shoes must be all-black, but socks are not required.
Students with financial difficulties should contact Mr. Singer or Mr. Wilson for assistance as soon as possible. We can help, but we need time to plan. Students who come to the concert without proper concert attire may not be able to perform.
Both concerts will be live-streamed on our YouTube channel. More information and links can be found here. (Programs will be updated at the end of the week.)
Tuxedo Collection Volunteer Needs
We are in need of 5 or 6 volunteers to help collect tuxedos for approximately 30 minutes following each of next week’s concerts. Please take a moment to visit our Volunteer Sign-Up page to contribute to your student’s success!
Music Department Awards Night
On Monday, May 23rd, we will host our annual Music Department Awards Night in the O-Room at 6:00pm. Students will be notified by May 11th if they should be in attendance to receive an award.
Students, if you have band letter points to submit, please do so here no later than 4:00pm on Wednesday, May 4th.
Memorial Day Procession
Each year, all four of our West Bands combine to perform in the Oshkosh Memorial Day Procession. We are excited to once again have the opportunity to perform for the community. This is a required performance for all students. Permission slips were due on Thursday, April 14, for full credit. Students who do not turn in the permission slip before the performance date will be ineligible to perform. The schedule is below:
6:30am students arrive and eat breakfast (provided); load equipment; students dress
7:15am group photo in main gym
7:45am depart West High School
8:00am arrive downtown
9:00am procession begins
10:00am approximate time procession is complete; load buses
10:45am depart downtown
11:00am arrive at West High School; unload equipment and change
11:45am students are dismissed
The uniform for the parade is as follows: All students will wear their marching uniform jacket, pants, and hat provided by the school. Students are responsible for providing long black socks and all-black shoes. Shoes that are not all-black will be made all-black. Expensive and/or fancy shoes are unnecessary! Find a pair of cheap all-black shoes that will last all four years at Walmart, Target, Goodwill, or your favorite local store. Students with financial difficulties should contact Mr. Singer or Mr. Wilson for assistance. (Students will not board the bus or be able to perform without the proper attire.)
Memorial Day Volunteers and Donations
Each year, we provide breakfast to all of our students to ensure that they are prepared for the early performance. The Memorial Day breakfast costs the band program approximately $500. We are in need of monetary donations to provide breakfast for all of our students prior to marching in the procession. If you are able to help, please sign up on this document. In addition to what’s listed there, we are in need of bottled water to supply to our students following the procession. Cases of bottled water can be dropped off in the band room or by doors 24 or 38.
We need assistance preparing for and cleaning up after the Memorial Day Procession. Please take a moment to visit our Volunteer Sign-Up page to contribute to your student’s success!
We need help with the following:
Breakfast Serving: 6:15-7:00am (6 positions)
These positions will help serve breakfast to students.
Uniform Distribution: 6:45-7:15am (8 positions)
These positions will assist students in finding uniforms and hats.
Pull Band Trailer: 7:15-10:30am (truck needed)
This position will pull our band trailer downtown so that students can unload their equipment.
Follow Vehicle: 7:30-10:00am
This position will follow the band down the parade route in the event that a student has a medical need. We will supply a first aid kit. No medical experience is necessary!
Uniform Collection: 10:30-11:30am (10 positions)
These positions will help us prepare the uniforms to be sent to the cleaners on Tuesday.
2022–2023 Concert and Parade Dates
October 27 — Fall Concert in the Alberta Kimball Auditorium (All Bands)
November 17 — Oshkosh Holiday Parade in Downtown Oshkosh (All Band Students)
November 22 — Appleton Holiday Parade in Downtown Appleton (All Band Students)
December 17 — All-District Band-o-Rama at Oshkosh North (All OASD Band Students)
February 7 — Winter Concert I in the Alberta Kimball Auditorium (Wildcat and Concert Bands)
February 9 — Winter Concert II in the Alberta Kimball Auditorium (Varsity Band and Wind Ensemble)
May 8 — Spring Concert I in the Alberta Kimball Auditorium (Wildcat Band and Wind Ensemble)
May 9 — Spring Concert II in the Alberta Kimball Auditorium (Concert and Varsity Bands)
May 11 — WSMA Contest at Carroll University (Bands TBA)
May 12 — WSMA Contest at Carroll University (Bands TBA)
May 26 — Graduation at the Oshkosh Arena (2022-2023 and 2023-2024 Wind Ensembles)
May 29 — Oshkosh Memorial Day Procession in Downtown Oshkosh (All Band Students)
Grading and Make-Up Procedures
Are you curious about how grades are determined? Click here for more information!
Do you have to miss a concert or parade performance? All students missing a concert or parade performance for any reason must make up the performance to earn the points.
View make-up procedures here. Please contact Mr. Singer or Mr. Wilson with questions.
Important Upcoming Dates
May 9 — Spring Concert I at 8pm (call time: 7pm) (Wildcat Band and Wind Ensemble)
May 10 — Spring Concert I at 8pm (call time: 7pm) (Concert and Varsity Bands)
May 12 — WSMA Contest Performance at Carroll University and Great Wolf Lodge Reward (Varsity Band and Wind Ensemble)
May 13 — WSMA Contest Performance at Carroll University and Great Wolf Lodge Reward (Wildcat and Concert Bands)
May 27 — Graduation at the Oshkosh Arena (Current and 2022-2023 Wind Ensembles)
May 30 — Memorial Day Procession at 9am (ALL Band Students; call time: 6:45am)
June 2 — End of Semester