More information can be found at www.mycgc.org or by calling the Johnstown High School band office at 762-4661 x416.

Winter Guard - Earlier in the Season
The senior winter guard, Amethyst Gold, premiered their 2008 show “Lights in a Box” at Phoenix High School on January 12 in the Mid-York Color Guard Circuit (http://www.mycgc.org/).  The 24-member group has entered the Scholastic Open (SO) division this year, a step up from the Scholastic A class they have competed in for the past several years.  The group will be facing new experiences this season, rising to the demands of a more challenging routine and a more experienced field of competitors across the country.  The senior guard performs their show to the ever-poignant words of journalist Edward R. Murrow from the 2005 motion picture Good Night and Good Luck, with dialogue from the 1976 motion picture Network set over music of Peter Gabriel. The design explores the powers of television; can this instrument teach, illuminate and inspire, or is it just a collection of wires and lights in a box? The 18 young women and six young men perform around stages holding television sets which bind the students in machine-like choreography and then release them as if they were electrons traveling across the TV screen floor mat.  Amethyst Gold will compete in Salem, Massachusetts, Trumbull, Connecticut, and South Brunswick, New Jersey as they prepare for World Championships in Dayton, Ohio.

The junior guard, Amethyst, competing in the Scholastic Regional A (SRA) class also premiered their show “He Lives in You” at Phoenix High School on January 12.  Based on music from the Broadway musical “The Lion King,” the 30-member group is dressed in contemporary costumes designed in the style of traditional African dress and perform on a beautiful set featuring a waterfall painted on to the props and floor mat by Christine VanValkenburgh.  The show features several of the members on live percussion instruments, marimbas, djembe drums and other accessories, performing along with the soundtrack.  Always a crowd favorite, this group will be appearing at many Mid-York Color Guard contests throughout the season.

In their third year of competition, the elementary winter guard, Gold Dust, is comprised of 30 students grades 4-6 representing each of the 4 elementary schools in the GJSD.  With oversized crayons on a white floor mat, the students perform to "I’ll Be" by Edwin McCain and debuted at the Artistry in Motion held at Johnstown High School on February 16. 

On January 19 the varsity and junior varsity guards traveled to Cicero-North Syracuse Junior High School, returning to Phoenix High School on January 26.

During the weekend of March 8, all three groups took part in a competition hosted by Laurens Winter Guard at Oneonta High School. Gold Dust cadet guard placed first in Novice against Unatego and Reflections JV. Amethyst junior guard placed first in Scholastic Regional A against Westmoreland, Sherburne-Earlville and Binghamton. Amethyst gold varsity guard placed second in Scholastic Open to Laurens High School.

Check Out Gold Dust's Championship Performance

Under the direction of JHS and Warren Street instrumental music teacher, Dan Jones, Johnstown's elementary winter guard, Gold Dust, competed in the Mid-York Color Guard Circuit Championship held at Cicero-North Syracuse Junior High School.  The guard brought home second place in the Novice Class and earned a silver medal.  To view their performance, click here.

Winter Guards Rock the Championships
Performing beautifully this past weekend at the Mid-York Color Guard Circuit Championships, the Johnstown Winter Guards made their presence known, and brought great pride to the Johnstown School District. Championships were held at the Cicero-North Syracuse Junior High School on Saturday and Sunday, March 30 and April 1. The elementary and junior varsity color guards competed on Saturday and the varsity color guard returned to CNS on Sunday to compete.

Gold Dust, (grades 4-6), competing in the Novice class, placed second out of 8 groups, earning the silver medal. Our JV guard, Amethyst, competing in the Scholastic Regional A class, placed second out of 10 groups and also earned the silver medal. The varsity guard, Amethyst Gold, competing in the Scholastic A-1 class, placed first out of 5 groups earning the gold medal. This marks the third consecutive year that the varsity winter guard has won championships.

Elementary and JV Winter Guards Take First Place

On February 24, two of the three winterguards traveled to Baldwinsville High School, just northwest of Syracuse, for a Mid-York Color Guard Circuit (MYCGC) competition. The elementary winter guard, "Gold Dust," was traveling for the first time this season after their debut at the competition held in Johnstown High School the week earlier. "Amethyst," the JV winter guard, comprised of students in grades 7-12 also traveled to compete.

This year "Gold Dust" performs to the hit single by Daniel Powter, "Bad Day." The group is comprised of 30 children in grades 4-6, representing each elementary school in the Johnstown School District. With the finest performance of their choreographed show yet, the group placed first in the novice division, improving their score from the judges by 10 points. Soloists in the group include Elizabeth Van den Burgh, Aubrey Stegal, Kayla Gagliardo and Carissa O'Brien. The student members are dressed as Marcel Marceau-like clowns, supporting the song's theme by transitioning from sad to happy by the end of the routine. This is the second year that Gold Dust has been competing.

"Amethyst," the JV group, is comprised of 14 members grades 7-12 and has been competing for 8 years. Having been rehearsing since November, the group made its debut in early January. With advanced choreography demands placed on the student members, the group performs this year to the live recording of Emmylou Harris' "Deeper Well." Dressed in original costumes designed by Chad Duggan the group attacks the high energy music with strong movement, saber, rifle and flag skills. In a class of 4 other groups that night (Liverpool JV, Oswego Varsity, Susquehanna Valley, and Altmar-Parish-Williamson), the Johnstown squad placed 1st.
Both groups will be attending competitions in Oneonta and Syracuse before competing in championships on March 31 at Cicero-North Syracuse Junior High School.
Photo: Amethyst, the JV winter guard.  

JHS Winter Guard Makes Its Mark At WGI Regional Competition

The Johnstown High School Winter Guard placed third in a Winter Guard International (WGI) Regional competition held Saturday, February 10, in Salem, Massachusetts. Competing with a dozen groups in their division, the Johnstown group tied for 2nd place in prelims and ended up placing 3rd in finals. The top 5 scores were as follows: Newtown (CT) 79.0, Bethel (CT) 76.4, Johnstown (74.2), Shelton (CT) 72.2, Phoenix (NY) 72.1 and Ramsey (NJ) 72.0. More information can be found on www.wgi.org. The 16 members of the Winter Guard are in Grades 9-12 with one member from Grade 8. (Photo: Winter Guard members pose for a group shot before the WGI prelims competition.)