Thank you to all who helped shuttle and chaperone Wind Ensemble members to their OMEA Performance down in Eugene. It was a very special performance that couldn’t have happened without several volunteers including Michelle Lee, Martin Heim, Kelli Keyser, Cate Wilcox, Liem Friel, Julianne Squires and Drew Rice.

The next FOCB board meeting will be Monday, February 3rd at 6:30 pm.

If you’re interested in getting involved with us and help support our band program, this meeting is the perfect opportunity to get plugged in! Someone will be at the back entrance gate on SE 28th just before 6:30 pm to let you in. Email info@clevelandbandspdx.com for more information.

The Cleveland Wind Ensemble performed a concert hour at the Oregon Music Educators State Conference on Saturday, January 18. They earned the opportunity to perform at this event through an audition process. We submitted a recording of our 2023-24 Wind Ensemble last June and were notified of acceptance in August.

The performance on Saturday went incredibly well. The rest of the weekend, I was told how wonderful the Cleveland Wind Ensemble sounded. It truly was an expressive and emotional performance that this ensemble shared with the educators in the audience.

This was not a contest, it was an opportunity to perform for a special audience. The Cleveland Band program is considered in high regard across the state. Many more in the state just witnessed why first hand. I could not be more proud of this wonderful group of young musicians.

Gary Riler
Director of Bands
Cleveland High School

Color Guard rehearsals will begin on January 21 after school for our Disney Trip.

These students know who they are, and are very excited to get started.

Their rehearsal dates and times are on the band calendar.

Green PEP Band play this Thursday, January 24, at the Girls Basketball game vs. Grant HS. Arrive in the Band Room by 6:00 pm and expect the game to go until 8:45 pm.

Please consider accompanying the Cleveland HS Wind Ensemble to Eugene, Oregon for the day on Saturday, January 18th. Two chaperones are needed to ride with Wind Ensemble to their 1:00pm performance in Eugene. A charter bus has been reserved for this trip. Chaperones will meet the band at Cleveland on January 18th at 8:00am and are expected to return to Portland around 5:30pm.

Thank you for giving your time to support the band!

Here is the sign up sheet.

I was notified on Monday that it is my responsibility to provide transportation to all of our All-State students from their rehearsal spaces to our concert performance at the Hult Center and then back to their rehearsals.

I am hopeful that 5-6 parents may be coming to Eugene to enjoy our concert on Saturday, January 18. If so, please contact me ASAP so we can develop a transportation plan for our All-State members.

I appreciate you all!!
Gary

We are excited to host our middle school feeders at our upcoming concert this Tuesday @ 7pm
Concert Band and Wind Ensemble will also be performing at this concert.

Wind Ensemble will be providing a preview concert of what they will be playing on Saturday at the OMEA State Music Educators Conference.

Included in the set is a piece that will be performed in honor of our beloved staff member that we lost this last fall – Casey Dyer.

Color Guard rehearsals will begin on January 21 after school for our Disney Trip.

These students know who they are, and are very excited to get started.

Their rehearsal dates and times are on the band calendar.

Our Wind Ensemble retreat later this month on January 28th is a non-school day. The entire ensemble is expected to attend, as we are paying a clinician to come work with us for an extended period of time. We will also have section coaches coming for the first hour. Our clinician is a retired band director from Pacific Lutheran University – Ed Powell. He is a fabulous musician and educator, and I am excited to have him share his expertise and passion with all of us.