Marching Band

Welcome Home Lancers!

The Londonderry High School Music Department has arrived back in Londonderry after a successful 6 day trip to Orlando.

Students, staff, and chaperones left on Sunday, April 21, traveling by bus to Logan Airport, then flying JetBlue to Orlando.  All flights arrived on time.  Participants were then bussed to Disney’s Hollywood Studio.  It was a wet and rainy day, but that didn’t dampen the enthusiasm!  Tower of Terror, Rock ‘n’ Roller Coaster, and many other attactions kept the Lancers busy for the day.

Monday was a Marching Band performance day at Disney’s Magic Kingdom.  Students had most of the day to go on rides and enjoy the park.  The Marching Band and Color Guard were the Pre-Parade for the Main Street Electrical Parade that evening.  The band marched down Main Street USA toward Cinderella’s Castle, then over toward Frontier Land.  They looked great and performed well under the lights.

Tuesday was a sunny and warm performance day for the Jazz Ensemble, Chorus and Orchestra in Downtwon Disney.  Students had time for shopping and and lunch before and between performances.  Each group performed extremely well and were well received by the enthusiastic crowd.

After the perfomances, students traveled to EPCOT for the rest of the day.  FASTPASS was quickly obtained for Soarin’ and Test Track.  The lines in the park were very reasonable, and many students went on rides several times.

Wednesday dawned bright and sunny again for the Marching Band performance day in Universal Studios.  Breakfast was a delicious buffet at the Hard Rock Cafe.  Students had park to park passes for both Universal Studios and Islands of Adventure.  The parks are right next to each other, a 3 minute walk from one to the other.  It was a warm day for a parade, but the students did great!  The crowds along the parade route had high praise for our students.

Thursday was a free day for the students, again at Universal Studios and Islands of Adventure.  Water and sunscreen were the order of the day.  We ended the day at Cirque du Soleil in Downtown Disney and a pasta dinner back at the hotel.

Friday was our travel day.  Flight B was out first, well before sunrise, then Flight A.  Flight C was delayed in Orlando, and then was followed closely by Flight D.

Special thanks to all the staff, chaperones, and medical who worked on this trip.  This trip could not have happened without them.

… And you had a good time!

Report time: April 14, 11:30am

The Londonderry High School Marching Band and Color Guard have been invited to participate in the Patriots Day Parade in Lexington, MA, on Sunday, April 14.  The 2.5 mile long parade steps off at 2:00pm.

The Battle of Lexington is commemorated every April.  The highlight is a historical reenactment of the battle that pays tribute to those patriots who first fell on Lexington Green on the morning of April 19, 1775.

The parade is part of a year long 300th Anniversary of Lexington’s incorporation as a Town in 1713.  The parade route begins in East Lexington on Massachusetts Avenue, proceeds through downtown Lexington and ends on Worthen Road by the town pool.

The Londonderry High School Marching Band and Color Guard were greeted home Tuesday evening by lots of parents and honking horns upon our arrival at 7:15 at LHS.  The buses were quickly unloaded and students and parents met with lots of hugs and “welcome home” wishes.

The trip was terrific.  All the students and chaperones did a great job and it was a joy to represent the State of New Hampshire in the 57th Presidential Inaugural Parade.

Look for pictures and video on our Multimedia link above.  Also check out the blog on www.londonderrynh.net.

… And you had a good time!

 DC Trip Report Time:  Saturday, 1/19 – 7:00am

Thursday’s after school practice is ON.  All Marching Band and Color Guard students going to DC should plan to attend.  T-shirts will be distributed at the end of practice.

Report time on Saturday is 7:00am.  Upon departure (7:30 AM), six-coaches and an equipment truck will be escorted down Mammoth Road.  When the convoy reaches Mack’s Apples, there will be a large American flag hanging over the road courtesy of LFD Truck-1, to salute and honor the Band and Colorguard as they head to Washington, DC. The escort will be provided by the LPD and also include a US Marine Corps Humvee.

Families, friends, and supporters are all asked to go to Mack’s Apples prior to 7:30 and bring an American flag to wave and cheer as the Marching Lancers makes its way down Mammoth Road.  This will be a send-off for all to remember.

Finally, thanks to EVERYONE for ALL the extra time, energy, and expenses put forth to make this event become a reality.

Report time:  Sunday, 1/6 – 4:30pm

Upcoming Events and Inaugural Practices

Marching Band practice for the Inaugural Parade is on Sunday, January 6th from 4:30-7:30 at LHS.

Here are the rest of the January events, including Inguaral Practice Schedule:

Thursday – January 10 – Band/Guard PRACTICE – 6:00 – 8:00 pm

Sunday – January 13 – Band/Guard PRACTICE – 4:30 – 7:30 pm

Wednesday – January 16 – Band & Jazz WINTER CONCERT – 7:00 pm

Thursday – January 17 – Band/Guard PRACTICE – 2:30 – 4:00 pm *** afternoon practice***

Saturday – January 19 – Depart for Washington, DC

We have an exciting month ahead.  Stay tuned for follow-ups.

Report Time is 11:15am. As of 9:15am a review of the forecast shows only a 10% chance of rain at parade time. Please report as scheduled.

The Marching Lancer Band and Colorguard will participate in the Manchester St. Patrick’s Parade this Sunday, March 25th.  The parade, which starts at noon, follows a one mile course down Manchester’s Elm St, from Salmon St (near the Amoskeag Bridge) to Auburn (just south of the Verizon Wireless Arena.)

This is a great opportunity to see the Marching Lancers recreate their repetoire from last week’s St Patrick’s Day Parade on New York City’s 5th Avenue.

As in previous years, the Manchester Parade will include a non-perishable food collection to benefit the New Horizon’s Food Pantry.  You are encouraged to bring along a non-perishable item for donation at the following locations:

• Elm St & Brook St (Pappy’s Pizza)
• Elm St & Bridge St (east side)
• Elm St & Merrimack St (near the reviewing stand)

“Birdland” was originally introduced on the 1977 Weather Report album “Heavy Weather.”  The song, a three Grammy Award winner and jazz standard, was a tribute to Charlie “Bird” Parker and the Birdland jazz club in NYC.  Composed by jazz fusion pioneer Joe Zawinul, the composition has been featured in hit albums by Buddy Rich, Quincy Jones, the Maynard Ferguson Big Band, and the Manhattan Transfer.

“It Don’t Mean a Thing if it Ain’t Got that Sing, Sing, Sing” is a compilation piece merging Duke Ellington’s 1931 chart “It Don’t Mean a Thing (if it Ain’t Got that Swing)” with Louis Prima’s 1936 “Sing, Sing, Sing.” Demonstrating its jazz standard status, “It Don’t Mean a Thing”, with lyrics by Irving Mills, has been recorded by a lengthy list of jazz greats including Thelonious Monk, Ella Fitzgerald, Nina Simone, Tony Bennett and was even recorded by Alvin and the Chipmunks.   Today “Sing, Sing, Sing” is most associated with Benny Goodman’s 1938 Carnegie Hall concert, which featured Gene Krupa on drums, Harry James on trumpet, and Benny Goodman on clarinet, and Jess Stacy on piano.  More recently ‘Sing, Sing, Sing’ was featured in the soundtrack to the 2011 video game ‘L.A. Noire”

Malaguena – was originally the sixth movement of Suite Andalucia by Cuban composer and pianist Ernesto Lecuona.  Written around 1927, the piece evokes various Spanish sounds and themes.  Malaguena has been featured in various forms popular music including Stan Kenton’s jazz orchestra, guitarist Roy Clark, a rock version by Bill Haley & the Comets, and even thrash metal band Tourniquet

Family and friends will have a chance to preview the 2011 Field Show during the public rehearsal on the final day of Band Camp, on Thursday, August 18th at 3pm at LHS.