Hello Band Families & Students,

I am so proud of the Marauder Music Machine Marching Band’s performance at MSBOA Festival this past Tuesday earning a Division 2 rating. While it wasn’t the rating we hoped for, our students worked incredibly hard this season and have grown so much as musicians, marchers, and an ensemble. I’m excited to apply the judges’ feedback at next week’s practices and next season. Thank you to our Pit Crew, parent volunteers, and families and friends for your support this marching band season.

I look forward to our final performances of the season: our last football game next Friday, 10/23, and the Glow Show on 10/28. Thank you for supporting the Marauder Music Machine!

Upcoming Marching Band Schedule & Events

• Pep Away Game at Chippewa Valley HS, tomorrow 10/16: call time 6:15pm (Theme: Black Out)

• Monday, Oct 19: practice 6–8pm

• Wednesday, Oct 21: practice 6–8pm

• Friday, Oct 23: football game, call time 5:30pm

• Monday, Oct 26: practice 6–8pm

• Wednesday, Oct 28: Glow Show, call time 6pm at Warren Mott (Mott performs at 8:05pm)

Last Game Party 10/23

After our last game on Friday, October 23rd, we will hold a party from 9:30–10:30pm to celebrate our seniors. Please send your student with a dessert, snack, or drink to share with their section and the band. Items can be dropped off at the game call time (5:30pm). If you would like to volunteer with setup or teardown, please contact Susan Tempio or a band booster member.

Glow Show

This year, instead of glow sticks, I recommend battery-powered lights. Look for lights with at least 50 LEDs so they are bright enough to be seen from the field. The boosters will provide some glow sticks and a few light packs for students who can’t get their own. Students are welcome to combine multiple light packs, glow sticks, or light-up hats and glasses. I encourage them to have fun and go all out! We will be wearing our uniforms.

Similar to Band-O-Rama, students will meet at Mott to get dressed and then travel to Cousino.

Warren Mott schedule

• 5:45pm: Load trailer

• 6:00pm: Call time at Warren Mott to get dressed

• 6:30pm: Call time at Cousino (meet between the stadium and school; students are responsible for arranging their own rides)

• 6:35pm: Warm-up

• 6:50pm: Enter stadium to watch Romeo perform

• 7:50pm: Get into position

• 8:05pm: Warren Mott performs

• 8:35pm: Drum Off

• 9:00pm: Return to Mott and change out of uniforms

Event schedule

• 7:00pm: Event begins

• 7:20pm: Romeo

• 7:35pm: Armada

• 7:50pm: GPS

• 8:05pm: Warren Mott

• 8:20pm: Cousino

Pictures

Thank you to Karen Korba, James Coulson, and Robert Steudle for taking pictures and video this marching band season!

Photo folders from the season:

• Marching Band Pictures: https://drive.google.com/drive/folders/1zscACCPv81kvbpFlF2fAeGAcnXabVIKa?usp=sharing

• MSBOA Festival Performance Video:https://youtu.be/fvtk9XXjuo0?si=_-GwvS-ZYwzEsjNh

• Band-O-Rama: https://drive.google.com/drive/folders/1EP5LC3s7Fyg6WTtyNLME1q76ivn3jrNV?usp=sharing

• Panoramic picture from MSBOA, order here: https://inter-state.com/FlyerEntry/0740DD

Parent-Teacher Conferences

It was great to meet with some of you during Parent-Teacher Conferences. If you were unable to schedule a time but would still like to discuss your student’s progress in band, reply to this email and we’ll find a time to meet.

Concert Music (ALL BAND STUDENTS)

Fall Concert: Thursday, November 5th at 7pm

Our first concert is just around the corner! New this year, the Cadet Band and Concert Band will join Wind Ensemble and Marauder Big Band for our November concert. It will be held at the Warren Consolidated School of the Performing Arts at Sterling Heights High School, 12901 15 Mile Road, Sterling Heights, MI 48312.

Student call time is 6:15pm at the Performing Arts Center, in concert uniform. The concert starts at 7pm and should be around an hour. 

Concert Uniforms: Tux Shirt Form Due Tomorrow

We began fitting students for uniforms this week! If your student is a freshman or new to a Warren Mott band ensemble, please complete the attached tuxedo shirt order form (new = $25, used = $15) and turn it in tomorrow with cash, check (written to WMBC) or make the payment online. The band provides the tux jacket and dress pants. Families are responsible for black dress shoes and for purchasing a tux shirt from the band.

Thank you to the awesome parent volunteers who have been helping fit students this week! :)

Private Lessons

As we move into concert season, I strongly encourage students to take private lessons if they are able. Attached is a private lesson teacher info sheet, or you can contact McCourt’s Music: https://www.mccourtsmusic.com/topic/troy-instructors

As we did last year, a few private lesson teachers will come in during the school day. If you would like to sign your student up for in-school lessons, please reply to this email.

Craft Show: Saturday, November 14

Craft Show is coming up! If you’re new to it, Craft Show is an event run by the Band Boosters where more than 200 crafters set up booths within the Warren Mott Building to sell their work. It is one of our largest fundraisers, bringing in over $15,000 each year for the band program.

All students are required to work a volunteer shift, either Friday, November 13th for setup or Saturday, November 14th during the show. We also need parent volunteers to run concessions and the bake sale, greet crafters, work the ticket door, and more. A SignUpGenius will be coming out in the next few weeks. If you can’t sign up for a shift, please consider donating an item for the bake sale, where all proceeds go directly to the band or helping with packet stuffing.

From the Warren Mott Band Club:

📦 Packet Stuffing – October 29th

We will be stuffing packets at Kerby on October 29th.

• 6:15 PM: Arrive if you would like to eat beforehand. Please note that food is not covered by the craft show.

• 6:45 PM: Arrive if you are coming just to volunteer.

🪧 Sign Placement Volunteers Needed

We are still looking for volunteers to help place signs the weekend before the craft show. If you are available to help, we would greatly appreciate it! - Please contact Jennifer W. at wmbccraftshow@gmail.com

🧁 Bake Sale Donations

We are also accepting baked goods donations for our bake sale!

Donations can be dropped off at the school at either of the following times:

• Friday, November 13th, after 1:00 PM

• The morning of the craft show at 10:00 AM

Instrument Drive

We will also be holding an instrument drive at the craft show to expand our instrument inventory. A larger inventory means more school instruments for students and backup instruments when a student’s own instrument needs repair. I am especially looking for trumpets, saxophones, flutes, and clarinets. Please share the attached flyer with friends and family who may be willing to donate. Donations will be collected at the table near the craft show entrance from 10am to 4pm.

Fundraisers!

Wreath Fundraiser

Packets have been sent home with students, are attached here, and are posted on the band website under Fundraisers.

• Students earn $5 for every wreath sold

• Orders due: November 9

• Order pickup: November 30

• Contact: Lisa Olkowski, (586) 596-9799, lolkowski@wcskids.net

Poppin Popcorn Fundraiser

Orders due November 2. Family and friends order online.

Dear Parents,

We are excited to offer all band students a way to add to their student accounts through our Poppin Popcorn Fundraiser, running October 12 to November 2. The fundraiser is fully online. Fifty percent of profits go to student accounts and the general fund, and 80% of that amount goes directly to your child’s account.

The online store offers much more than popcorn: gourmet popcorn flavors, chocolates (great for gifting), sausages and cheeses, cookies, and seasonal items like wrapping paper.

Participating is easy and can be done from home. For example, $140 in sales brings a $70 profit, with $56 going directly to the student account. A $300 sale brings a $150 profit, with $120 credited to the student account.

Students should have received an email with a registration link. If not, register here: https://poppinpopcornonline.com/participant/register.php?g=WTCIGD

This fundraiser is a great way to help cover band camp expenses and more. Questions? Please contact Sara Grant at WMHSBandBoosters@wcskids.net.

Additional Band Opportunities

All-State: Good luck to our students participating in All-State next week! You should have received a separate email from me with your All-State time. Please reach out if you haven’t.

Lawrence Tech Drumline Day: Drumline members are invited to Lawrence Tech’s band day on Sunday, October 18. Not all of our drumline can attend, so we will not perform as a group. Students can join the sectional from 1–2pm, watch the other drumlines from 2–4:30pm, and see the Pistons drumline perform from 4:30–5pm. Students need to bring their drumline equipment home tomorrow for Sunday. The cost is $10, payable in advance online or at the door.























