Eisenhower High School Marching Band
“The Pride Of New Berlin”

Staff:

Mr. Dale J. Bigus, Director
Christy Morgan, A.J. Stone, Guard Instructors
Michael Hernke, Percussion Instructor
Megan Duerlinger, Angela Wahl, Drum Majors
Kristy Gargulak, Drum Line Captain
Katie Bartels, Kate Knoll; Guard Captains

The “Pride Of New Berlin” is proud to present its 2009 field show “Earth, Sky, Sea” featuring the music of Richard Kirby. Ken Paris wrote the drill and visual design for the band and A.J. Stone did our color guard writing. Michael Hernke serves as percussion instructor and arranger for the band.

“The Pride of New Berlin” offers for your entertainment an amazing musical portrait, “Earth, Sea & Sky”. The student musicians you see before you have sought inspiration for their performance in highlighting things that we all share as citizens in this world. When we slow down our lives to appreciate the beautiful and majestic sights in our world it can be awe-inspiring. We marvel at the rising sun on a new day, framed in the bluest of skies, watching over the gentle lapping of waves at the shore’s edge. There is nothing on the planet better suited to make us smile, raise up our spirits, and unite communities in celebration, as music.

The 80 member Eisenhower High School “Pride Of New Berlin” Marching Band is thrilled to be continuing a tradition of excellence in band music that is now in its 40th year. “The Pride” has won numerous marching band competitions and placed with distinction in concert and jazz festivals for four decades. Recent trips have taken the band to Orlando, Washington D.C., Dallas, Boston, Louisville, Atlanta and New Orleans as well as appearances throughout Wisconsin and the Midwest. In April, 2010 the band will be traveling to perform in the Heritage Music Festival in Philadelphia. We are proud to be here with you today. “The Pride” would especially like to thank the parents of the Eisenhower Band Boosters for their incredible love and support.

The Eisenhower Bands are now selling Entertainment Books! The 2010 edition sells for $35 with $10 of that profit going to the students’ point accounts. The Entertainment 2010 edition boasts the potential of over $18,000 in everyday savings from vendors such as TGI Fridays, Subway, the Milwaukee Brewers, hotels, airlines and more! We will be conducting our sale until September 1st.

It is hard to believe that band camp is “off and running” again. Where did the summer go? Here is some information that will hopefully be helpful to you!

Mr. Bigus has asked for a check made out to IKE band boosters for $15. This is to cover the cost of the show shirt for each student and the gloves. The students traditionally wear this shirt for the first football game with khaki shorts since it is usually too hot for the wool uniforms. They are also usually worn under the uniform as well. The gloves should be washed (and possibly bleached) as often as necessary to keep them clean and white (the neck guard in the uniform can also be unsnapped, washed, and bleached as well).

Your child should have brought home a spirit wear order form. These are due back at school no later than Thursday, August 13th. I will be taking the orders to Chappel Sports on Friday the 14th. The hooded sweatshirt can have the student’s name on the back if they would like.

We have almost all students fitted for a uniform (thanks, Mr. Bigus, for your patience ~ we appreciate it!). Please keep in mind that these will not fit like “street clothes”. Due to student size and available sizes of uniforms, some may seem a bit baggy. This is normal. As the weather gets cooler, students will need to wear underarmour and/or sweats under the uniform to stay warm. Please read the Uniform Care Instructions (pdf doc) for more information.

Please have the uniform dry cleaned at Sparkle Cleaners on National, as often as is necessary. It should definitely by cleaned the week before the State competition. Also, remember that you may only HEM the pants. PLEASE DO NOT CUT THEM! If you need any help with this, please let me know and I’d be glad to help you.

With this being a trip year, we have many opportunities for fundraising available to help you. Be sure to turn in your pledge sheets for band camp. Also, look for entertainment books to be coming home soon. We will be having the citrus sale and, possibly, a few other as well. Thanks to the chair people who work so hard organizing these!

As many of you may remember, the competitions can be very exciting, fun, and full of great music! We are looking for people who would be willing to get to the competitions a bit early to put up a sign for our school. This helps our families to know where we are sitting. If you think that this is something you would be able to help with, or would like more information about, please let me know. Thanks!

In thinking ahead a bit, you may want to begin getting concert attire pulled together. Students won’t need this until after the marching season, but I just wanted to give you that reminder. Girls are, usually, to wear black pants or skirt (knee length or longer) and a white blouse or shirt. Guys wear black pants and a jacket. This can be borrowed from school, if we have enough, or can be purchased. Kohls, Penney’s, etc. usually carry relatively inexpensive jackets. The guys also need a white tux shirt with black bow tie. These can be found at Michael’s (believe it or not) or I’m sure a store like Men’s Wearhouse would have them. Again, this is not urgent, but something you may want to start thinking about. Unless you are like me, and are running around like crazy the day before the first concert ~ talk about raising the ole’ blood pressure!

The band camp party will be the last night of band camp, Friday August 14th. Students are asked to contribute a nominal fee to help pay for the subs, etc. More details will be coming home. This is a chaperoned booster activity. Thanks to our drum major, Megan, for doing this!

There will be a Band Booster meeting in September. I will let you know for sure which day it will be as soon as the date is confirmed by the office.

Have a great August, and I look forward to seeing you soon!

Sincerely,

Laura Love
Band Booster President

Streetlife with Warren Wiegratz, the Milwaukee Bucks’ House Band

Saturday March 14th from 12n until 3pm at the retail store on National Avenue, New Berlin. This is a FREE event, open to the public with an interactive, individual and full band live performance clinic, prize giveaways, and more. Doors open at 10:00 am.

More information is available at the website

From the New Berlin School District Website:

Dr. Paul Kreutzer, Superintendent of the School District of New Berlin, will holding a meeting regarding the District Vision for the Arts.

It will be held on Wednesday, January 28th at 7:00 pm at New Berlin West High School in the Performing Arts Center.

The purpose of the meeting is to lay groundwork for the future vision of our arts. This is intended to be a “think big” meeting where we will outline a process for establishing wide reaching excellence for our arts programs.

Anyone in the community who is interested in the arts — visual, written, performing, musical, etc — is invited to attend.