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Listed
below are some helpful links to the
music department:
Marching
Sir Bills, Winter Guard & Winter Percussion Theater
Check
out Mr. Dan Jones' Band and Guard web site:
johnstownmusicweb
Winter Guard
The
Greater Johnstown School District Winter Guards traveled
to Cicero-North Syracuse Jr.
High School on March 29 for the final competition of the
regular season in the Mid-York Color Guard Circuit. The
Cicero-North Syracuse Northstars Winter Guards hosted
over 30 color guards at the competition from across the
region.
Competing in the Novice Class (three years experience or
less) Johnstown’s Gold Dust elementary winter guard
placed first over West Genesee Jr., Reflections Novice,
and East Syracuse-Minoa Novice. This marks a third
straight victory for Gold Dust with their show “Color
Them Wonderful,” which is set to Edwin McCain’s acoustic
version of “I’ll Be.”
Later that day, Johnstown’s Amethyst junior varsity
guard placed first from a field of nine other guards in
the Scholastic Regional A Class (SRA). With a score of
80.9, the 30-member Johnstown team ended their regular
season undefeated. Their performance of “He Lives in
You,” from the Broadway Musical “The Lion King,” brought
a terrific crowd reaction Saturday night.
Rounding out the evening, Johnstown’s Amethyst Gold
varsity guard placed first in the Scholastic Open class,
with a score of 82.5 over the CNS Northstars’ 78.5.
Their show titled “Wires and Lights in a Box” portrays
the powers of television media over the independent
thoughts of its viewers.
Following a fundraising exhibition on April 2 in the
Warren Street Elementary School gym, all three guards
traveled to the Mid-York Color Guard Circuit’s 2008
Championship Color Guard Competition on April 5 and 6 at
Shenendehowa
High School. Johnstown’s winter guards (Gold Dust
Elementary Guard, Amethyst Junior Guard and Amethyst
Gold Senior Guard) competed in their respective classes
before a packed gym of supportive spectators.
On Saturday, April 5, Gold Dust placed first in the
Novice class, earning the gold medal and a chance to
perform in exhibition that evening as the new champion.
On that same day, Amethyst placed first in the
Scholastic regional A class, also earning the gold medal
and an exhibition performance on April 6. Returning to
Shenendehowa on Sunday, Amethyst Gold placed first in
the Scholastic Open class, earning the gold medal and
stretching its championship title to encompass a fourth
straight year.
Currently ranked first in New York State and
twenty-first in the country, the Amethyst Gold Senior
Guard will be competing in the Winter Guard
International (WGI) World Championships in Dayton, Ohio
April 10 –12.
The Greater Johnstown School District is very proud of
the efforts and achievements of its Winter Guard
members!
More information can be found at
www.mycgc.org
or by calling the
Johnstown High School band office at 762-4661 x416.
Winter Guards -
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. These are the scores for both
groups:
Junior guard Senior
guard
1/12
First Place 60.0 First Place 53.0
1/19 First Place 61.5 First Place 55.7
1/26 First Place 64.6 First Place 62.1
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.
The varsity guard will travel to South Brunswick, NJ to
compete in the WGI Power Regional the weekend of March 14.
The next area
competition for all three groups will take place on March 29
at Cicero-North Syracuse Junior High, with championships
on the following weekend at Shenendehowa High
School; Gold Dust and Amethyst will perform on April 5 and
Amethyst Gold will perform on April 6.
More information can be found at
www.johnstownmusicweb.com.
JHS Drama
Club Preparing for Fall Production
Anyone in attendance last fall at the JHS Drama Club’s
production of Play On! by Rick Abbot was treated
to a clever comedy, expertly executed by a talented
cast, under the direction of Mr. James Morton. Under Mr.
Morton’s direction again this fall, the JHS Drama Club
will present another Rick Abbot play, titled Sing
On!. With the same character list as the first
play, Abbot twists the plot to present the small, and
now financially struggling, theater company in their
production of a musical. In an effort to earn a large
grant, the company chooses to produce a new musical
under a less than expert, yet familiar, playwright,
played by senior Christine Hunt.
Sing on!
is the sequel to Play On!, however one needs not
to have seen last year’s show to understand and
appreciate this sometimes irreverent play. Those
familiar with the characters and plot of Play On!
will chuckle at the continued antics and lack of
professionalism in the cast, as well as the unfortunate
events in the plot. Standing easily on it’s own,
everyone is encouraged to catch the performance of
Sing On!.
A talented cast of 10 students, including seniors Kyle
Brownell, Chris Lavigne, Kayla Pollak, Jennifer Stella,
Claire Tennis and Wendy Vair, will present this comedy.
Rounding out the cast are underclassmen Brittney Oathout,
Austin Claderwood, Hannah Fettinger and Josh
Schermerhorn. Audiences are sure to enjoy this
sidesplitting musical within a play.
The show will be presented at 7 p.m. on Thursday,
November 8; Friday, November 9; and Saturday,
November 10.
Tickets are $5.00 and can be purchased in advance by
calling 762-4661 x420. Tickets will also be available
at the door.
Johnstown Marching “Sir Bills” Earn Local and
Out-of-State Honors
The Johnstown High School Marching Band recently
traveled to Salem, Virginia for the Central Virginia
Regional Band Competition. Performing its competitive
show titled “Mountain
of Dragons,” the band placed first in the 2A division
with a score of 77.2, ahead of King George High School’s
second place score of 73.7. JHS also won four
special caption awards: best color guard, best
percussion, best music and best effect.
Sponsored by the United States Scholastic Band
Association (USSBA), the competition was held at Salem
Stadium in
Salem,
Virginia and was part of a five day trip. The first
stop on the band’s itinerary included performing at the
Inner Harbor in Baltimore, Maryland on Thursday, October
4. This was followed by an enjoyable day in the City of
Richmond on Friday and then rehearsal under the very
warm
Virginia
sun on Saturday, prior to the competition. Sunday’s
activities included spending time at King’s Dominion
Theme Park and a luncheon cruise in Philadelphia, with
everyone returning to Johnstown on Monday.
Competing in the New York State Field Band Conference (NYSFBC)
since early September, the band consistently placed
second in local competition, right behind the Mohonasen
High School Marching Band, until October 13. On that
Saturday, JHS placed first in a competition at Mohonasen
High School by earning a total of 79.7 points to
Mohonasen’s 78.85.
The marching season will come to a close following the
New York State Championships on October 28 at the
Syracuse University Carrier Dome. For more information
please visit any of the following websites:
www.yea.org,
www.nysfbc.org or
www.johnstownmusicweb.com.
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.
Novice Class
1st Central Square
2nd Johnstown Gold Dust
3rd Shenendehowa
4th ES-M
5th Mt. Markham
6th Fonda-Fultonville
7th Cortland 8th Saranac Lake
Our JV guard, Amethyst, competing in the Scholastic
Regional A class, placed second out of 10 groups and
also earned the silver medal.
Scholastic Regional A Class
1st Laurens 93.0
2nd Johnstown Amethyst 90.5
3rd Vestal 89.6
4th Westmoreland 85.2
5th Mexico 79.6
6th A-P-W 78.3
7th Oswego 76.6
8th West Canada Valley 73.3
9th Susquehanna Valley 70.810th Saranac Lake 65.3
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.
Scholastic Regional A Class
1st Johnstown Amethyst Gold 87.9
2nd West Genesee 85.8
3rd Phoenix 85.3
4th East Syracuse-Minoa
5th Baldwinsville 79.9
JHS Chamber Choir Performs at
MIOSM Concert
 The
Johnstown High School Chamber Choir, under the direction
of JHS Vocal Music Teacher Joshua Stamp, performed in
the South Concourse of the Nelson R. Rockefeller Emprise
State Plaza on Tuesday, March 6. The performance was
presented as part of the Music In Our Schools Month
festivities organized by NYSSMA, the New York State
School Music Association. Before their performance, the
choir toured the Capitol building, including visits to
both the Senate and Assembly Chambers.
The choir presented a 45-minute program, including works
by noted choral composers such as Thomas Tallis, Thomas
Morley, Z. Randall Stroope, Stephen Hatfield, Steve
Zegree, Mark Hayes, and Daniel Gawthrope. During the
performance, the choir was greeted by NYS Assemblyman
Marc W. Butler and a representative from the office of
Senator Hugh T. Farley. The choir was also presented
with a plaque commemorating their performance.
The Johnstown High School Chamber Choir is comprised of
14 students in grades 10-12. Membership is by audition,
and students learn musicianship skills such as
sight-reading and music literacy while performing a
diverse program of music of advanced difficulty.
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.
More information can be found at www.mycgc.org or by
calling the director, Mr. Daniel Jones, at the 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. The group will
perform at their home competition in the JHS gym on
Saturday, February 17, beginning at 5 p.m. (Photo:
Winter Guard members pose for a group shot before the
WGI prelims competition.)
JHS Chamber Choir Presents Holiday
Concerts at Community Venues
The
JHS Chamber Choir, directed by JHS Vocal Music Teacher
Joshua Stamp, presented their Holiday Concert for the
community in two "run-out concerts." On Sun, December 3,
the choir performed as part of the Glove Theater’s
Annual Holiday Concert. On Dec 5, the choir traveled to
the Lexington Center in Gloversville to perform for
participants in the Day-Hab program there.
This year’s Holiday Concert program is composed of
pieces celebrating the holidays from diverse places and
eras. The concert opens with the 14th and 15th century
English works "Pastyme with Good Company" by King Henry
VIII of England and "Sound Forth the Trumpet in Zion" by
Thomas Morley. The program also features works from
France, with the Alice Parker arrangement of "Bring A
Torch, Jeanette, Isabella," the Ukrainian folk song
"Carol of the Bells" with words by Peter Wilhousky, and
the 16th century Spanish carol "Riu, Riu, Chiu." The
program ends with more familiar tunes from the American
tradition, including "Carol of the Drum" by famous
composer and music educator Katherine K. Davis and "Do
You Hear What I Hear" composed by Noel Regney and Gloria
Shayne.
The Johnstown High School Chamber Choir is comprised of
14 students in Gr 10-12. Membership is by audition, and
students learn musicianship skills such as sight-reading
and music literacy while performing a diverse program of
music of advanced difficulty.
JHS Marching
Band Wins Top Honors, Takes in Historical Sites
 On
Saturday, Oct 7, the JHS marching band competed in the
United
States Scholastic Band Association (USSBA) Delaware Valley
Regional held at Washington Township HS in Sewell, NJ. In
division II A, the band earned 1st place with a score of
80.6 and won all 5 special caption awards: Best Percussion,
Best Color Guard, Best Music, Best Visual and Best Effect.
In 2nd place was the Kennet HS marching band with a score of
75.7 and in 3rd place was the band from Salesianum HS with a
score of 75.05.
The band also took in several tourist and historical sights.
In New York City, the group attended the off-Broadway
African percussion show :"Drumstruck," and visited
Rockefeller Center, St. Patrick's Cathedral and Times
Square. On Sunday in Washington D.C., the band visited the
US Capitol Building, the Washington Monument, the memorials
for Thomas Jefferson, Abraham Lincoln, World War II, the
Korean War, and the Vietnam Wall. The members toured the
Museum of Natural History and the National Air and Space
Museum. On Sunday night the band enjoyed a DJ Dinner Dance
cruise up and down the Potomac River.
In Philadelphia, the band visited the Liberty Bell,
Independence Hall, place of the signing of the Declaration
of Independence and the US Constitution, as well as home of
the first US Supreme Court. (Above photo: Congratulations
await Band Director Dan Jones and marching band members as
they return from their big win this past weekend in the
USSBA Delaware Valley Regional competition.)
Greater
Johnstown School District Named Top 100 Communities for
Music Education
The
Greater Johnstown School District was recognized on the
2006 list of the "Best 100 Communities for Music
Education in America," according to the American Music
Conference. The 2006 list included school districts from
31 states. Thousands of teachers, administrators, school
board members, parents and community leaders,
representing communities in all 50 states, participated
in the Web-based survey conducted by Perseus Development
Corp.
(Read more at the American Music Conference Web site)
The Greater Johnstown School District Music Department is comprised of seven dedicated music educators and hundreds of devoted music students. Located in Johnstown, New York at the foothills of the Adirondacks, the music department continues a long history of excellence in music education. The
American Music Conference (AMC) has honored the Greater Johnstown School District for its commitment to music education by naming it one of the
"Best 100 Communities for Music Education in America" for the past four years. Curricular and co-curricular ensembles have won awards and honors around the state, region and nation. Selected ensembles have traveled across the country and overseas. Music teachers frequently attend and present clinics and conferences, and open their classrooms to guest composers, musicians, dancers and other artists.
The music department serves four elementary buildings (Glebe Street Elementary School, Jansen Avenue Elementary School, Pleasant Avenue Elementary School and Warren Street Elementary School), Knox Junior High School, and Johnstown High School. Students from Wheelerville Central School District feed into the
Greater Johnstown School District after the eighth grade. Lake Pleasant Central School District students have the option to attend Johnstown High School for grades 10-12. We welcome these students to our school and department.
The music department is active in NYSSMA (New York State School Music Association), MENC (Music Educators National Conference) and FCMEA (Fulton County Music Educators Association). Students attend all-county, area all-state and all-state festivals. Students participate in the NYSSMA solo and small ensemble evaluation festivals as selected ensembles attend the NYSSMA Major Organization festivals.
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