Alumni Performance

Emily performed as an alumni for the first time!

We had students from the Class of 2000 to Class of 2015.

At the last KHA Band Awards & Concert, we had a total of 20 alumni and former students come back to perform for the very first time. A few of whom have not taken out their instruments to play since their 8th grade Band Concert. (My daughter would be one of them!)

It was one of the best highlights of all our years at KHA.

They performed with the current KHA band of 24 students (in white polos).

The alumni are wearing shirts from their current schools either high school or college.

They performed outstandingly! KHA's band director, Tony Bolivar, was so proud of his current and former students!

The Highlights of "Star Wars Saga"

"Best Day of My Life"

"It Is Well"

Sadly since the Middle School will be temporarily suspended, there no longer will be a KHA Advanced Band but I hope that the Alumni will be invited to come play annually! It'll be the only opportunity for Emily to have to take out her clarinet and play!

Band Lasts

Since Emily is in her last year at KHA (after 11 long years), she has had many 'lasts'.

This is her last year in band. She is the only 8th grader and only clarinetist in the Advanced Band.

Performing in the Christmas Musical

At The Fremont HUB Shopping Center

This year ACSI Honor Band Performance was at Ripon Christian School in Ripon (that's near Modesto if you didn't know.. I didn't). Twelve Christian schools were represented and 174 students performed four new and unfamiliar songs they had to learn in 7 hours for an evening concert performance that same day.

Honor band

 Emily was again one of the first string clarinets seated right in front of the conductor.

She had to learn four classical pieces:
"Go Galop" Henry Fillmore
"Precious Lord, Take My Hand"
"Peer Gynt Suite #1" by Edward Grieg
"Mountain of the Sun" by Rob Grice

Below is a clip from "Mountain of the Sun"

Below is a clip from "Peer Gynt Suite #1"

Very bittersweet... an accumulation of 5 years in band at KHA.

An extra BONUS was we got to reconnect with long time friends from FCC who moved out to Ripon five years ago.

The Lan Family: Phil, Stevie, Bobbie, and Jonnie (not pictured Logan, son #2)

Play It Again

The school year is ending and the Band Awards are here!

It's an accumulation of all the hard work these kids go through .. practice three times a week at 7:25am for the whole school year.. at least it's that early for the Advance band.

Emily with Band Director, Mr Tony Bolivar

This is Emily's fourth year playing the clarinet, the only clarinetist in the Advance Band and the only 7th grader in band.

Concert & Advance bands combined

This was my second year in being a Band Mom along with the incredible Norma Ibaceta.

Blown Away!

I get emotionally charged up when I hear great music. This time I got to be amazed by the musical talent of children.

This past Friday some of KHA's Advance Band went up to Vacaville (a 2-1/2 hr drive in the rain and traffic for some) to perform with many other Christian schools for the ACSI Honor Band Festival Concert. Students were nominated and chosen by their school's band directors to perform at this auspicious event. They skip their regular classes (it was a school day) to participate in this event.

The challenge was that the students were to learn 4-5 unfamiliar songs in one day, many who receive their music the day of the performance. They practice and rehearse from 9am-5pm and it culminates with an evening concert.

Emmanuel (trumpet), Christopher (baritone sax), Bryan (alto sax), Elena (flute) Courtney (tenor sax), Isabelle (flute), Benita (alto sax) and Emily (clarinet) with our band director the awesome Tony Bolivar

This year a total of 183 students participated from 15 Christian schools in the area.
Four different bands perform: Festival String Band, Festival Band, Honor String Band and Honor Band.

Last year Emily performed for the Festival Band. I blogged about it here: Big Band

This year she got to perform in the Honor Band.

The 2014 Honor Band. Can you find Emily?

What an honor and privilege to perform with this huge orchestra!

They played four songs:
"Fanfare and Triumph" by James Swearingen

"The Lightening Spirit" by Roland Barrett

"Nettleton" based on the Early American Hymn Tune

"Flight of the Thunderbird" by Richard L. Saucedo

She was right in front with another band director (who was supposedly replacing a missing student).

Emily next to a band director, not an old looking student

I was also impressed with the Honor String Band. Check out these HUGE Bass Cellos (or Double Bass).

What kind of case does these go in? And how do you transport them?!?

They make the regular cellos look like violins and the violins look like miniature toys.

I am always blown away by the talent these junior high students have in pursuing this beautiful art form. Yet another experience I am living vicariously through my beautiful and talented daughter!

Big Finale and the Big 250

 The Band Awards & Concert celebrated all who had been a part of the Band this year.

The entire KHA Band: Beginning, Intermediate & Advance Bands

All of these students went to practice three times a week, every week, throughout the school year. (Advance Band had practice at 7:30am!) The culmination of their hard work was displayed at this Concert which showcased all that they had learned and practiced.

Advance Band performing

Along with performing, each musician was individually honored by our Music and Band Director, Tony Bolivar.

Emily receiving her certificate and trophy.

Emily and Shawna, the only two sixth graders, in Band!

I was even acknowledged by receiving a trophy of my own as a Band Mom! It was such an honor!

This is the FIRST trophy I have ever received in my whole entire life! Thank you Tony!

This is also my 250th post! It's been almost two years since I started this blog!

Thank you Thank you Thank you for you faithful readers and commenters. I would just be writing to myself without you all!

To celebrate, I'm giving an iTunes gift card to the first person who can tell me the titles and composers of the following three songs that Emily and the Advanced Band played that evening:

Here they are:

Band Song #1:

Band Song #2:

Band Song #3:

Email (not Comment) me your answers. Check back on my post in the comments to see if you got them right! (Note: Those who attended this event are not eligible to participate!) All three must be correct in order to be eligible for the prize! I'll post the winner in my comments. Good Luck!

AND HAPPY MOTHER'S DAY to all you Moms out there!!

Big Band

The KHA Advanced Band had the great opportunity to perform at the ACSI Honor Band Festival in Vacaville. NorCal Christian Schools are invited to play as one huge ensemble band. The students start at 9am to learn and practice 4-5 brand new songs that they would have to play that same evening. After six long hours of rehearsals, the fruit of their labor was so so sweet!!

I was in awe of how amazing the bands performed and they sounded incredible. Since some Christian schools bands are small this gives the kids the opportunity to be part of an ensemble the size of a symphony.

Emily and Shawna were part of the Festival Band which consisted of around 50 6th grade students.

They played four songs:
- The Blue Danube Waltz
- Faith of our Fathers
- Gollum's Song from the Lord of the Rings
- Laredo Mexican Folk Song (a short clip below)

Emily on clarinet

...and Shawna on flute.

The Honor Band which consisted of over 200 7/8th graders played five songs:
- Mission Impossible Theme
- Kaleisoscope
- The Water is Wide
- Meeting at Tryon Palace
- March of The Lost Battalion

In addition to the Festival and Honor Bands, the evening concert also featured The Festival String Band and Honor String Band.

Our KHA Advanced Band with band director Tony Bolivar: Irfaan (trumpet), Michael (bass clarinet), Ryan (principle clarinet), Courtney (tenor sax), Amanda (clarinet), Shawna (flute) and Emily (clarinet).

It was incredible performance and I can't wait for Emily to be a part of Honor band next year!

Holiday Performance

The KHA Bands had the great opportunity to play for the public.

My friend Helen and I doing sign-holding duty.

They played at our local shopping center. This is our second year playing at the HUB. I was more organized this time and requested a banner and had school business cards ready to pass out to anyone that inquired about our school.

Intermediate and Advance Bands

The Advance Band clarinetists

Courtney, Emily & Shawna

Here is our full band including Beginning, Intermediate and Advance.

Everyone played beautifully!

Back To The Manger

This year KHA's Christmas Musical was called "Back to the Manger". This was the first year that I had no clue on what the musical was about. Usually at this time I would be subbing  and would have had a chance to view a rehearsal or at least listen to the CD of the songs. But nope... I rarely even heard it played at home.

I was so pleasantly surprised! The musical was incredible, as it is every year, but this time around the theme of it was very musically trendy featuring music from the 70's, 80's, 90's and today. It had a lot of choreography also which is not really a big focus for the kids to do usually. They did a fantastic job.

Can you spot Hannah and Marissa?

This year Grades 1-5 had to sing at both performances. Standing for an hour and singing and doing the motions to nine songs is a lot for one evening but for two nights in a row? Yes these kids (and parents) were dedicated!

Before the musical though the KHA Bands always perform. It's their first official performance of the year. Since Emily is in Middle School she is no longer part of the Choir (grades 1-5). Many of her friends were part of the Drama team but she was happy to be just part of the Band. Advanced Band too I might add.

This year Advanced Band has shrunk significantly. There are only four 8th graders, two 7th and two 6th.

Thankfully Intermediate Band joined them as they played.

Hannah's 3rd grade class was part of the Choir. Here are some of her friends pre-show.

She really enjoyed singing! She said she might try out for a drama or solo part next year!

The girls with our "Family" Teacher, Mrs. Choy, who taught all of these girls... she even had a double dose of Hannah!

Emily with the school's Music Director and Band Teacher, the extremely talented Mr. B. Did you know he can play sax and the keyboard at the same time?

Band Club

The KHA Band performs twice a year in the school's musicals: once at Christmas and once in the Spring. The Band is comprised of two separate bands: the Concert Band (which has the Beginning band members (4th graders) and Intermediate band members (5th/6th graders)) and the Advanced Band (6th/7th/8th graders).

Emily is part of the Intermediate band along with her classmates, Caryn (on clarinet) and Shawna (on flute). Nine of her classmates who were in band last year did not want to be a part of band this year. Yes, it was a huge loss. So I am very proud and appreciative that Caryn, Shawna and Emily kept at it and did not quit.

The Beginning Band has nine 4th graders that are all gung-ho to be in band. And they play really well!

During the Christmas Musical, the Concert Band played two songs while the Advanced band played three songs.

Caryn and Emily, the clarinetists

Over the weekend, both bands had the great opportunity to play at our local mall. They got to wear for the first time their official KHA Band polos in the freezing cold. The sun was not out that day for some reason. The kids were allowed to wear white long sleeve shirts underneath their polos. Emily didn't have one so she ended up wearing one of my long sleeve thermal shirts. Let's say it was very big for her but it kept her somewhat warm.

The Concert Band with Band Teacher Mr. B

We had a good turn out... probably because the majority of the audience were parents and family members!

Emily, Caryn and Shawna

Grandpa and Grandma were one of the first to come and watch! Thank you for coming Yeh Yeh and Mah Mah!