McNeil High School Band

If you are an incoming freshman into the McNeil Band program you probably have lots of questions pertaining to our activity and its requirements. To help answer some of those questions or alleviate some of your fears click on the side bar item New Member FAQS.
Also check the link in the side bar to our “Charms” site that includes a calendar of upcoming dates. Don’t miss the Spring Marching Rehearsals (more info below).

Colorguard members participate in Fall Marching Band Season AND in Winterguard Season, which looks like this (new Encore Performance video)...



CLICK HERE FOR AUDITION INFORMATION.

Trip to DCI Southwestern Championship
Saturday, 19 July 2008
Leave noonish, return midnightish

For the fourth year now the McNeil Band will take a charter bus to San Antonio for a day of drum corps. We will leave in time to catch the last hour of rehearsal of The Cavaliers and then we will head to The Alamodome and watch the top twelve corps in all of Drum Corps International at the DCI Southwestern Championship.

There are a limited number of spots available as we can only fit so many people on a bus. The cost is $45 and that will pay for your seat on the charter bus and your ticket to the show. We will also stop somewhere in San Antonio to grab some food so you will need extra cash for that.

Turn in your payment to Mr. Dimiceli. Please make checks payable to McNeil Band Boosters. Hurry before the bus fills up! Incoming Freshmen are welcome on the trip!

The McNeil Jazz Band along with Musicale, Grupo Lunes, and the Deerpark Jazz Band will be giving a joint concert on Thursday, May 15. This concert will be held in the McNeil cafetorium and will begin at 7:00 pm.

Come one come all, for the food, fun, and baby pictures!

Friday, May 23rd
6 pm – 11:30 pm
St. Philip’s Methodist Church
Catering by Rudy’s BBQ!
Dancing!

Tickets:
$15 per student or family member…
$10 per graduating senior!

The following students have lettered in band this year and are eligible to purchase a letter jacket. Ms. Lantz will be in the band hall Monday morning to fit these students for their jackets. You jacket will get ordered when your payment is received. Click here for the information sheet.

• Jimbo Brand
  
• Katelyn Boyles
  
• Stephanie Davila
  
• Kelsey Duff
  
• Michelle Easter
  
• David Eickbusch
  
• Raphael Erie
  
• Sarah Featherston
  
• Emily Garcia
  
• Laura George
  
• Michael Hestand
  
• Spencer James
  
• Elyssa Korban
  
• Ashlynn McCormack
  
• Stephanie Nguyen
  
• Zachary Parker
  
• Jon Retter
  
• David Vaden
  
• Nelson Wu
  

On Thursday, May 22, will be held the drum major auditions, rank leader auditions and the student elections for drum major and band officerts. If you are not in attendance for the drum major auditions, you will not be able to vote for drum major or band officers.

All students interested in auditioning or running for office will need to fill out the required forms.

Please check the Charms calendar for scheduled events such as this. Please contact a band director with any questions.

These rehearsals are intended to refresh our upperclassmen with their marching fundamentals and to also introduce our incoming freshmen to what marching band is all about. We will also be handing out the music to next years contest show along with some of our marching band traditional songs.

We will have our first spring marching rehearsals on Tuesday and Wednesday, May 13 and 14. Each member of the band is required to attend only one of these reheasals each of the two weeks. The next week’s rehearsal will be on May 20 and 21. The practices are from 4:30 pm to 6:00 pm.

Incoming 9th graders from Cedar Valley and Deerpark will be picked up after school by an RRISD school bus and brought to McNeil. Parents will need to pick up their children at the conclusion of these rehearsals.

Please check the Charms calendar for scheduled events such as this. Please contact a band director with any questions.

For the first time in the history of McNeil High School (at least as we understand it) all three of our bands have received sweepstakes ratings (Superior ratings on stage and in sightreading)! We’re all really excited to have accomplished this and the students performed brilliantly. The entire program received a sweepstakes rating for having also received Superior ratings on our marching show in the fall.

Congratulations, McNeil Band!

Next year our own Leanne O’Donnell (freshman flute) will be traveling from coast to coast representing the McNeil Band. Leanne has recently auditioned and made two all-star marching bands. She will be a member of the Macy’s Great American Marching Band that will perform on Thanksgiving Day in that famous New York parade. This was the same band that Lindsay Chandler (senior flute/drum major) performed with last Thanksgiving.

Then, Leanne will be ringing in the new year by marching in the Tournament of Roses Parade in Pasadena, California. She will be a member of the 300 piece Bands of America Honor band that represents students from all 50 states.

Congratulations Leanne on your accomplishments. These will be fantastic experiences.