The MHS Jazz Band will be in performance tonight at the Santa Rosa County Fair from 5:30 - 6pm.  Come on out and show your support for this wonderful group! We will be playing Come Out Swingin, St. Thomas, Smooth, and Skyfall.  Parking is $2 and gate entry is $1.  See ya'll there!

Congratulations to both the Black Gold Percussion Ensemble and the Milton High School Indoor Colorguard for medaling at the 2014 GCGPC Circuit Championships this past weekend.  Both groups competed against regional high school and independent groups and performed outstandingly! We are very proud of all of these student performers as well as the dedicated staff that teach them.  Thank you Mr John Whiddon, Mrs. Dawn Bremke, Mr. Vince Dofita, and Mr. Andre Barbari for your constant guidance and dedication to the teaching of these arts to the future generations of America! 

After a fun-filled trip to the Bahamas and Universal Studios, the Mighty Black & Gold has finally made it back home.  We actually got back early Saturday morning but some of us are just now waking up from the exhausting trip!  The school as well as the community of Milton was well represented during the week.  In fact we were the shining stars of the ship even with the two other student groups on board.  We want to think the students first and foremost for representing Milton well and having fun in the process.  Also thank you to all of the parent chaperons that traveled with us! Without your help we could not have pulled off a trip like this! Thank you, thank you, thank you!! 

The school year is almost over and it is hard to believe we are already preparing for next year.  There are still many events to come over the next two months.  The biggest of all is the Spring concert Showcase on Friday, April 25th at 6:30pm in the MHS auditorium.  All groups are working hard to make this concert the best yet! The Band Banquet is just around the corner as well.  Please get all fair share fees paid ASAP so this can also be a successful night for our students! 

Keep an eye on our Calendar of events for all upcoming events and rehearsal for the rest of the year! 

Dear Trip Participants,

     We have a VERY IMPORTANT UPDATE to setting up onboard accounts.  We discovered this morning that Royal Caribbean no longer accepts Visa Gift Cards to set-up onboard accounts.  According to Straight A Tours (our travel agency), they have recently changed the rules.   Passengers must have either a credit card in their own name or cash in order to set-up their onboard account.   See the e-mail below: 

Gray, I'm so sorry about the confusion for the gift cards, they seem to have changed the rules on us. The only way to set up their Sail and Sign account is to use cash or a card with their name on it. I will make sure that this is updated in all of my literature so that no one else has the same issue.

--
Jenny Powell
Cruise Specialist

Straight A Tours - Festivals at Sea
6881 Kingspointe Pkwy, Suite 18
Orlando, FL 32819 

Please prepare accordingly before we leave on Sunday night.  Again, we apologize for the inconvenience that this may cause.  I’m glad that we were able to discover this change before we left…otherwise, what a nightmare that would have been!  LOL! 

THERE WAS SOME GOOD NEWS THAT WE ALSO DISCOVERED SINCE OUR MEETING LAST NIGHT.  If you would like to pay for the Soft Drink Plan by credit card in advance, you may do so at the Royal Caribbean website.   If you pay in advance, the card may be in the parent’s name.  Follow these steps to make that happen: 

Go to Royal Caribbean’s website
Click on “Before You Board” tab and then “Online Check-In”
Enter Check-In Information
Click the “Pre-Cruise Planner” tab
Scroll down to “Non-Alcoholic Beverage Plans” and click button
The Soft Drink plan is the “Royal Refreshment Package”
Follow directions from there.
Prices are $18 for students (+15% gratuity) and $26 for adults (+15% gratuity) 

Let us know if you have any questions.  Thanks!

The Cruise is just around the corner and it's time to finish up any last minute details.  First and foremost, if you have not yet checked-in, DO SO IMMEDIATELY!! You will not be able to go on this trip if you do not check-in! All information about the cruise has been posted to our website.  Simply go to the About tab and click Band Cruise Trip Info or click here for instant access. 

It's that time of year again folks! Time for the Florida Bandmasters Association Music Performance Assessment (MPA).  This is our FCAT for band performance.  It will take place at Ft. Walton Beach High School.  Everyone is welcome to come out and support our students for these FREE concerts.  Varsity Band will perform at 1:35pm on Friday, March 7th. Concert Band will perform at 2pm and Symphonic Band will perform at 7pm on Saturday, March 8th.  Below is the full Itinerary for this week.  

Monday, March 3
3:45-6:00 pm      -              Concert Band Rehearsal

Tuesday, March 4
3:45-6:30 pm      -              Symphonic Band Rehearsal

Wednesday, March 5
3:45-5:00 pm      -              Jazz Band Rehearsal

Thursday, March 6
3:45-5:00 pm      -              Varsity Band Rehearsal

Friday, March 7 (Varsity Band)
10:45 am              -              Meet at bandroom / Load Bus
11:00 am              -              Depart for Ft. Walton Beach HS
12:30 pm              -              Arrive @ Ft. Walton Beach HS
1:10 pm                -              Warm-Up
1:35 pm                -              FBA DISTRICT 1 CONCERT MPA PERFORMANCE
2:00 pm                -              Sightreading
2:45 pm                -              Depart for Santa Rosa Mall Food Court (Late Lunch)
3:45 pm                -              Depart for Milton
5:00 pm                -              Arrive back @ Milton HS / Unload

Saturday, March 8 (Concert Band)
10:30 am              -              Concert Band meets for final run-through
11:15 am              -              Load truck & buses
11:30 am              -              Depart for Ft. Walton Beach HS (in uniform bottoms)
12:45 pm              -              Arrive at Ft. Walton Beach HS
1:30 pm                -              Warm-Up
2:00 pm                -              FBA DISTRICT 1 CONCERT MPA PERFORMANCE
2:30 pm                -              Sightreading
3:00 pm                -              Load Truck
3:15 pm                -              Depart for Milton HS
4:30 pm                -              Arrive back at Milton HS

Saturday, March 8 (Symphonic Band)
3:45 pm                -              Symphonic Band meets for final run-through
4:30 pm                -              Load truck & buses
4:45 pm                -              Depart for Ft. Walton Beach HS (in uniform bottoms)
6:00 pm                -              Arrive at Ft. Walton Beach HS
6:30 pm                -              Warm-Up
7:00 pm                -              FBA DISTRICT 1 CONCERT MPA PERFORMANCE

7:30 pm                -              Sightreading

8:00 pm                -              Load truck

8:30 pm                -              Depart for Milton HS

9:45 pm                -              Arrive back @ Milton HS / Unload

The MHS Band will be in performance on Tuesday, February 25th at 6:30pm in the Milton High Auditorium.  This is a completely FREE concert. Everyone is invited to hear these three wonderful groups!.  The Varsity band will be performing first, immediately followed by the Concert band, then concluding with the Symphonic band. Each band will play three pieces.  Mr. Neal McLeod from Gulf Breeze High School and Mr. Joe Hooten, retired band director from Tate High School, will adjudicate each band and give immediate feedback at the end of each performance.  Please come one out and support these students' hard work this years! 

The MHS Band was well represented at this year's solo and ensemble MPA. Our students earned 5 superior ratings and 2 excellent ratings. Very proud of:

Courtney Martin - Superior
Caleb Barlow - Superior
Joseph Herring - Superior
Lauren Schofield - Superior
Seth Barlow - Superior
Tiffany Broome - Excellent x's 2
Wesley Patterson - Excellent