Can you believe that it is just over a year until the UVHS Wind Band Italy Tour in July 2019? And it is exactly 13 days until the UVHS Swing Band sets off for Paris!

To help with advance planning this is a reminder that instalments for the 2019 Italy Tour (to spread the £600 total cost) are due as below. By the end of term, the requested total contribution to date will be £270.

05/01/2018 £50

30/04/2018 £110

20/07/2018 £110 –  DUE WITHIN THE NEXT 3 WEEKS

31/10/2018 £110

31/01/2019 £110

30/04/2019 £110

Many thanks indeed for your contributions to date without which we would not be able to organise events like this.

Here are the letters given out last week.

This one is for all the students performing at the Summer Concert on Tuesday 10th July (all groups are playing except for Swing Band):

Summer Concert letter

This one is for all members of the Swing Band (especially those going on tour):

Swing Band letter

As I seem to made concert and meeting dates that all clash with World Cup games featuring England, the time of the pre-tour Parents’ Meeting has been brought forward to 6pm (it should be over by 6.45 at the latest – kick-off is at 7pm!).

Also, it may be wise to hope that England come second in their group – if they make the semi-final it will not then clash with the Summer Concert on July 10th.

Great performance today from the band – I’m very proud of each and every one of the students performing today, especially given the clash with the England game!

Also, thanks to Dan Miller for taking some photos – the link is here:

https://goo.gl/R6M8dm

Roll on Paris!!!!!

Great morning yesterday with Paul Archibald – all the students involved played out of their socks!

See some photos and a video here:

https://www.uvhs.uk/news/?pid=6&nid=1&storyid=1323

Tonight’s gig is still on – we are under a gazebo, but hopefully the rain will have stopped.

A reminder that the uniform is Swing Band shirt and whatever else you want. However, if it is not too warm please bring another layer – if you have a sixth-form hoodie, please use that! I’ll bring a couple of spares (if anyone else has a spare please bring it) as it will look good if we’re all in them.

I’ll be there with the van at 7 – probably parked at the health centre.

Having just found out that Year 12s are out all day on Thursday, I would like to call a FULL Brass Ensemble rehearsal for Thursday after school 4.00-4.45pm.  The masterclass will then be on Friday from 10-12, with the ensemble playing from 11-12.

Brass Ensemble will then be playing for Lower School Prizegiving on Wed 20th.  Arrive at 5.30pm, playing from 5.45-6.30pm.   OLD Wind Band uniform please (as not everyone will have the new one yet).

There will be a short student and parents’ meeting for the Swing Band tour to Paris on Thursday 28th June from 6.30-7.00pm.  ALL students going on the tour must be represented by a ‘responsible adult’.

Every student must also bring their EHIC (European Health Insurance Card) card to the meeting for us to take in (if it is needed in between the meeting and the tour then just let me know).  If you do not have a valid EHIC card then apply online now via the government site (it’s free) and it should come in time.

Please could all the Year 11s and 13s try their best to get in to their respective lunchtime and after school rehearsals from next week (if not this week)?   The Summer Concert is on 10th July and almost every ensemble is involved, but I need everyone in rehearsals for the 3 weeks prior to that.

This Friday (15th June) we are very fortunate to have the internationally renowned trumpeter and teacher Paul Archibald coming into school for a couple of hours.  the first hour will be a masterclass with 3 of our sixth-formers (10am-11am), but the second hour will be with the brass ensemble as a whole – therefore, I need all the members of the brass ensemble at the rehearsal on Thursday lunchtime as well as the masterclass from 10-12 on Friday  –  Jack and Harrison are to come along after their GCSE physics exam.

A reminder that if any  Year 13s or 11s in the Wind Band need one of the new shirts for the Summer Concert but do not want to keep it afterwards, the Friends will pay for it provided that you return it after the concert.

However, you MUST email Mr B. as soon as possible with your desired shirt size at rbu@uvhs.uk