Tag Archives: band

Band students now required to get pre-participation physicals

HISD has long required its student athletes to obtain clearance from their healthcare providers before participating in extracurricular activities — and now, that same policy will apply to students in marching bands, too.

“Whether they’re wearing 20 pounds of padding or carrying around a 20-pound tuba, it’s important for students to have a physical examination before they start practicing or playing,” said Director of Athletics and University Interscholastic League band activities Marmion Dambrino. “At HISD, safety is our top priority, so we want to make sure all of our students have a clean bill of health before they get out onto the field, particularly in this heat.” Continue reading

The Key to Success: Doing What You Love

 Virginia Croft, 77, has been teaching band at Lovett ES for 35 years. Because of her impact on students over the years, Croft was featured in this week’s Houston Chronicle. One of her first-graders loves band so much that he was disappointed that he had to stay home on Labor Day, while another student, now in his 20s, held on to a note that Croft had sent him in elementary school. To find out what that note said and to learn more about Croft, read her profile in the Houston Chronicle.

Sharpstown High School Band Performs with the Houston Symphony

The Sharpstown High School Band will receive the rare honor today of performing with members of the Houston Symphony.
The performance takes place at 2p.m. at Sharpstown High School (7504 Bissonnet). The Sharpstown students will perform one of the musical arrangements from the Symphony’s rendition of Gustav Holst’s “The Planets – An HD Odyssey”.

“The Planets” is one of the Symphony’s most celebrated pieces. It tells the story of NASA’s exploration of the solar-system while high-definition images of the planets are shown on a screen behind the orchestra.

Today’s performance is part of an ongoing partnership between the Houston Symphony and HISD. The Symphony is donating a DVD copy of its performance to each of the district’s 279 schools. Teachers will also receive the educational companion disc, which will provide interactive-cross curriculum lesson plans for all grade levels.
“We’re very excited that our band has been chosen to perform with the Houston Symphony. This is a tremendous honor for Sharpstown High which speaks volumes about the hard work of our teachers and students,” said Principal, Rob Gasparello.

HISD Board of Education Trustee Greg Meyers and Houston Symphony General Manager Steven Brosvik are scheduled to speak at today’s event.
“The Houston Symphony and the Houston Independent School District have had a rich and deep partnership and we are pleased to continue to grow these opportunities,” Brosvik said. “As music is needed to provide a complete education for our children, we hope this resource will provide a synergy for learning across the curriculum.”

The Symphony’s generous donation is being made possible because of a gift from Marathon Oil.

Schools perform at Hattie Mae White for “Fine Arts Friday”

Watch a performance by the Marshall Middle School Band at a recent “Fine Arts Friday” event at the Hattie Mae White Educational Support Center:

Click image to view video. If unable to access YouTube, go to: http://houstonisdtx.swagit.com/play/03262012-512

You can watch a different school perform every Friday during lunchtime at the cafeteria located inside district headquarters at 4400 West 18th Street.

Click here for a schedule of upcoming performances.