From
the Podium
Welcome all new students and parents to the Freedom family. I hope everyone is having a relaxing and enjoyable summer. Band rehearsals are underway and enthusiasm is high. This year's halftime show is comprised of “The Music of Joseph Curiale,” a modern American composer. Those who wish to learn more about him and his music can visit his website: www.josephcuriale.com. We will be performing pieces titled “Call of the Mountain,” “Adelina de Maya,” and “Joy.” The music is exciting, energetic, and challenging. Our pre-game show will include “March Grandioso” and “Stars and Stripes Forever,” followed by the national anthem, FHS alma mater, and fight song. We will do “Pate Medley,” “March Grandioso,” and “Stars and Stripes” for parade.
We welcome our new assistant band and orchestra director, Mrs. Cristin Eick to Freedom. She was previously the band director at BECA. I know she will be a tremendous asset to the Freedom instrumental music program and the music staff in the BASD. Please take time to get to know her. You can also read more about her on page 3 of this newsletter.
Orchestra will not start rehearsing until school starts, but we welcome those new students to the program as well. Please make sure you check the fall marching schedule for all football games, parades, and outside performances. All performances are mandatory and require a note in the form of a written letter or email from a parent if a student has to miss a performance. Remember, band and orchestra are classes and performances are a part of your grade.
Please submit your forms to us ASAP: August 8th is the deadline for band members to turn in the following forms:
Uniform Agreement and Code of Conduct, Student Account Agreement, Student Information Form, Medical Form, Parent Volunteer, and Logo Clothing Form. All of the forms with the exception of the Logo Clothing form (which is in this newsletter) were included in the last newsletter. If you have misplaced them, you can download them from our website. It helps us tremendously if you don't wait until the due date to turn them in.We are excited to get the year started with fresh faces on staff and in the
student body. With everyone's help, this year will be full of excitement and great memories. See you all at the band's preview performance on
August 22.
Mike Moran
Fine and Practical Arts Dept. Chair Person
Band and Orchestra Director
Freedom High School
We have added some samples of music to our site.
Click here to listen to the samples.
Band and Orchestra Rehearsal Schedules
Important Schedule Information
Freedom High School is now on a 6 day cycle. Because of this fact, the band
and orchestra schedule will not follow previous year's procedure dealing
with holidays and school closings. If there is a snow day or holiday, the
next day back will be the next day in the number system. For example, The
first week of school ended with Day 5. We have off on Monday September 1, so
when the students return Tuesday September 2, it will be Day 6. What this
also means is the September calendar sent in the September newsletter is
completely wrong. Please be aware of that.
Important To Note: Band is always Day 1,3, and 5 and Orchestra is always Day 2,4,and 6.
Rehearsals start at 7:00am for bothINTRODUCING OUR NEW ASSISTANT DIRECTOR...
MRS. CRISTIN EICK
The Freedom High School Band Program would like to
introduce Cristin Eick as the new assistant band director.
A lifelong resident of the
As an undergraduate of
For the
past seven years, Cristin has been the band director and music department
chair at Bethlehem Catholic High School where she directed the marching
band, concert band, jazz band, and was involved with the musical as pit
orchestra director and musical director.
Cristin is married to her college sweetheart Tim, who is also a band
director at
Hello to all returning band families! I would like to be sure and have all
of the upperclassmen looking sharp for the band picture which will be taken
on Friday August 8th. Please have your student try on their uniform and
bring in any pieces in that need to be exchanged on July 31st. Please be
sure that any items you're returning have been dry cleaned.
If you have any questions or concerns you can give either myself or Chris
Rice a call.
Thanks very much. We're looking forward to an exciting year!
Kelli Webb
Christine Rice
Upcoming Events
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Fundraiser Dates
| Ongoing | QSP Grocery Cards |
Band History
The doors to Freedom High School opened in September 1967, and with that, the doors to the world were opened to Freedom students. Ronald H. Demkee was the original director of instrumental music at Freedom and conductor of the Patriot Band and Orchestra from 1967 until his retirement in 1997. The first year band had a membership of 90. In 1970, band members made their first major national appearance (3 years after the school opened) as they marched down the streets of Miami, Florida in the King Orange Jamboree Parade, in front of a national television audience.
Today, under the direction and leadership of Michael Moran, the Freedom Patriot Band remains one of the finest high school bands in the nation.
