SARATOGA HIGH SCHOOL & REDWOOD MIDDLE SCHOOL upcoming events
WINTER MUSIC CONCERTS
Saratoga Music Dept. presents an exciting line up of events open to all staff, teachers, friends and families - perfect to get you in the holiday spirit!! Join us for band, orchestra, percussion, choir & jazz concerts. All concerts are free and begin at 7pm. Performances are at Saratoga High School. Seating is on first come, first served basis.
WINTER MUSIC performances
12/6 @ 6:30pm Saratoga Strings Midwest Clinic Preview Concert
The Midwest Clinic is an international conference that has been going on for nearly 80 years with 18-20k international attendees annually. This is a prestigious event and is known as the World Series of symphonic music.
Saratoga Strings has been invited to perform in Chicago in December and will be presenting a very special preview concert especially for our Falcon families on Wednesday, Dec 6 at 6:30pm at McAfee Auditorium. The program will feature exciting premiere pieces - stay tuned for details!! Concert is free and seating is on first come, first served basis.
The Midwest Clinic is an international conference that has been going on for nearly 80 years with 18-20k international attendees annually. This is a prestigious event and is known as the World Series of symphonic music.
Saratoga Strings has been invited to perform in Chicago in December and will be presenting a very special preview concert especially for our Falcon families on Wednesday, Dec 6 at 6:30pm at McAfee Auditorium. The program will feature exciting premiere pieces - stay tuned for details!! Concert is free and seating is on first come, first served basis.
CHOIR PERFORMANCE AT BLANEY PLAZA
Kick off the holidays with a one-of-a-kind Saratoga tradition and catch the SHS Chamber Choir performance with elementary students at the Annual Tree Lighting Ceremony! Enjoy the festivities the day after Thanksgiving on Friday, November 24 in downtown Saratoga. The Tree Lighting Ceremony is free to attend and begins at 5:30 pm in Blaney Plaza.
12/2 @ 11am Los Gatos Holiday Parade
Advanced Band students will be Marching in the Los Gatos Holiday Parade for the first time since 2019!! Come cheer 60+ Marching Band, Percussion and Color Guard Griffins dressed in the impeccable & regal Redwood Blue uniforms. Holiday parade is on Sunday 12/2, 11am in Los Gatos downtown. Perfect opportunity to show your school spirit!!
12/2 @ 11am Los Gatos Holiday Parade
Advanced Band students will be Marching in the Los Gatos Holiday Parade for the first time since 2019!! Come cheer 60+ Marching Band, Percussion and Color Guard Griffins dressed in the impeccable & regal Redwood Blue uniforms. Holiday parade is on Sunday 12/2, 11am in Los Gatos downtown. Perfect opportunity to show your school spirit!!
MARCHING BAND COMPETITION
October 28, 2023
Join us for marching band competition - Foothill Band Review at Foothill High School, Pleasanton on Saturday Oct 28, tentative performance time 9:30pm!! Dress in Falcon red, cheer loudly for Saratoga High Marching Band and catch the amazing new production - CALL OF THE UNKNOWN!!
Many thanks to the SHS Music Directors, Instructors, Staff and Alumni students for collaborating and bringing this incredible production and a shoutout to the leadership students!!
Next Competition: Folsom Fall Festival, Folsom HS, Nov 4, 2023 (Tentative performance time: 8:45pm)
Saratoga music boosters 2022-23 update
Saratoga Music Boosters (SMB) works with the Saratoga Union School District (SUSD) and Saratoga High School (SHS) to provide music programs and clinics for students in grades 5 through 12. Over the 2022-23 fiscal year, Saratoga Music Boosters supported music programs at each of the schools.
Saratoga High School
Music Programs at Saratoga High School include: Band, Jazz Band, Color Guard, Winter Guard, Winter Percussion, Orchestra, and Choir. Students in these music programs participated in several events and reached a level of accomplishment and recognition for which SMB is truly proud to be a booster for SHS’ music education:
Redwood Middle School
Saratoga Music Boosters is proud to report a slight uptick in music student enrollment at Redwood Middle School (RMS). RMS Music Programs include RMS Bands (Woodwind, Brass, Percussion), RMS Choir, RMS Orchestra, and Percussion Fundamentals (after-school).
All the RMS music programs have had events and performances held throughout the year with achievements to be proud of:
Argonaut, Foothill, and Saratoga Elementary School
5th grade is where the drive for music begins for SUSD students with the 5th Grade Beginning Instrumental Music Exploratory Program.
Music Programs at Saratoga High School include: Band, Jazz Band, Color Guard, Winter Guard, Winter Percussion, Orchestra, and Choir. Students in these music programs participated in several events and reached a level of accomplishment and recognition for which SMB is truly proud to be a booster for SHS’ music education:
- All of the strings, bands, choir students performed in their yearly and much loved SHS winter and end of year concerts. Finished with excellent results in the CMEA Festival. As well as participated in a two week Summer Central Europe Music Festival Tour traveling to Austria, Slovenia and Czech Republic.
- The Saratoga Foothill Club enjoyed a performance offered by the SHS Jazz Band and now they wish this to repeat. The Jazz band also participated in their SHS end of year concert.
- Marching band and color guard performed during football half-time at home games as well as competed in several events throughout the year.
- Winter guard and winter percussion also competed in several events and performed for their SHS senior night where winter percussion won first place in their division.
Redwood Middle School
Saratoga Music Boosters is proud to report a slight uptick in music student enrollment at Redwood Middle School (RMS). RMS Music Programs include RMS Bands (Woodwind, Brass, Percussion), RMS Choir, RMS Orchestra, and Percussion Fundamentals (after-school).
All the RMS music programs have had events and performances held throughout the year with achievements to be proud of:
- Performed in their Winter and Summer concerts
- Benefited from clinicians for sectional work throughout the year such as:
- Tracey Hurley (trumpet) and Tennessee O’Hanlon (clarinet)
- Having clinicians come does help to offer individual attention to those that need more help.
- Redwood sent 4 ensembles to participate in the CMEA festival hosted by SHS. This was the first festival experience for the majority of our students.
- Bass students attended the San Francisco 2023 Winter Bass Bash
- 9 RMS students qualified to participate in CASMEC All-state
- RMS came 4th in the ranking overall with the number of kids accepted to participate in all-state and one of the students managed to be concertmaster for one of the orchestras.
- A total of 188 students (band, orchestra & choir) traveled to Disney to attend workshops and hold performances
Argonaut, Foothill, and Saratoga Elementary School
5th grade is where the drive for music begins for SUSD students with the 5th Grade Beginning Instrumental Music Exploratory Program.
- For band, students learn either the euphonium/baritone, trumpet, clarinet, or flute. For string orchestra, students choose either the violin or viola
- Students start the year with instrument trials where they are fitted with one of their top two choices. When they receive their first instrument they are taught how to hold, care and assemble the instrument, as well as make their first sounds
- Half way through the year the students switch their instruments between band and orchestra
