Congratulations Italy High School Band

Congratulations to the band for making school history on Saturday. After receiving straight 1st division ratings at the UIL Region Marching contest on Wednesday, the band advanced to the UIL Area Marching contest on Saturday. Competing directly against 16 bands in prelims, the band finished in 5th place, the highest prelims finish in school history.

Italy High School Band receives accolades at Whitney Invitational

Image: Drum Majors Antonia Salazar and Isaac Garcia and Colorguard Captain Sarah Burrow.

On Saturday, October 14, the Italy High School Band competed in the Lake Whitney Invitational Marching Contest at Whitney High School. The contest featured bands from 19 different schools from Class 1A, 2A, and 3A in size. At the end of the preliminary round, Italy High School received caption awards for Best Colorguard, 2nd Place in Class, and 1st Division Overall. The band advanced to the finals round, and after their performance finished in 5th place.

Italy Junior High Band Wraps Up Year With a Flurry of Activity

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While many extracurricular organizations are accustomed to winding down towards the end of the school year, that clearly wasn’t the case with the Italy Gladiator Band, particularly the junior high band members. Here are the activities that the 6th, 7th and 8th grade band members participated in during the last 3 weeks of the school year:

Spaghetti Dinner and Christmas Concert — Thursday, December 15th

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On Thursday, December 15, the Italy Band Department will perform their 2016 Christmas Concert. The concert will begin at 7:30 pm in the Dome at the high school and will feature all band students from grades 6-12 performing holiday favorites. The Italy Gladiator Band Booster Club will also be serving a Spaghetti Dinner and hosting an auction prior to the concert to help raise funds for the band.

Gladiator Regiment Band receives another 1st Division Superior rating

Image: Pictured: Drum Majors Vanessa Cantu and Rachel Huskins

Following an outstanding performance at the Lake Whitney Marching Invitational that included qualifying for a performance in the finals round, the Italy High School Gladiator Regiment Marching Band competed on Wednesday in the UIL Region 8 Marching Contest and received a 1st Division Superior rating. This caps off a very successful 2016 competitive season for the Gladiator Regiment.

Gladiator Regiment Marching Band’s summer sneak peek

Image: Band students stood while playing their first two songs.

Our new IHS Band Director, Mr. VanOmmeren, invited the band parents to come and see what the band has been working on all summer. Unfortunately, the weather forced us indoors, but it was great to hear the marching band’s halftime program for this year. The theme is music from Guardians of The Galaxy. After the performance, the band boosters hosted an ice cream social for all.

Italy HS welcomes new band director Jonathan VanOmmeren; Perez goes to Heritage

Image: The outgoing Italy High School band director, Jesus Perez, passes the conductor’s baton over to the incoming band director, Jonathan VanOmmeren, during a farewell/welcome event held to honor both men inside the school’s cafeteria.

During a meet and greet on Friday, Italy High School and the community welcomed its newest band director, Jonathan VanOmmeren, and his wife, Aimee, while enjoying cake and punch inside the school cafeteria. The event also gave band supporters a chance to say thanks and goodbye to former band director, Jesus Perez, who will start anew at Midlothian Heritage High School.

Gladiator Band drumline perform at Lincoln Day Dinner

Image: Elliott Worsham, Anthony Lusk, Brenya Williams and Hunter Hinz perform.

Selected members of the Italy, Texas Gladiator Band drumline, directed by Jesus Perez, performed at the annual Lincoln Day Dinner in Waxahachie recently before a crowd of approximately one hundred citizens. The event was sponsored by Ellis County Republican Women and attended by numerous elected officials, including Senator Brian Birdwell, Master of Ceremonies, and State Representative John Wray.

Gladiators Hit High Note at Region Band Concert

Image: The 2015-16 ATSSB Region 8 East Zone Middle School Band performs on Saturday, Jan. 16 at Groesbeck HS

There were nine Gladiators (counting directors Jesus Perez and David Graves) at this past Saturday’s 2015-16 ATSSB (Association of Texas Small School Bands) all-region band clinic and concert at Groesbeck High School. However, there were far more smiles and accolades, as the students performed a wide variety of band literature for an auditorium filled to capacity with proud band directors, parents, and appreciative community members.

Italy Gladiator Band earns state level accolades

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Congratulations are in order for both the Italy high school and middle school bands. Both earned recognition at the state level of the Outstanding Performance Series, a contest that is based on recorded selections of a band’s performance. The middle school placed 4th in state in the Class C (under 250 students in MS enrollment) category with their recording of “Shepherd’s Hey.” The high school placed 3rd with their rendition of “Foundry.”

Italy ISD bands earn accolades in OPS Competition

Congratulations to the Italy middle school and high school bands for their recent success in the Outstanding Performance Series (OPS) competition. Both groups submitted recordings that have advanced past the region and area levels and will be judged at the state level on July 23 at the Texas Bandmasters Association convention.

Gladiator Band leadership team shares the joy of music at Trinity Mission

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On Sunday the 17th, 11 Italy Gladiator regiment band members made their way to Trinity Mission Health center to give a little treat to the residents there. “You never know what a little music can do for somebody,” clarinet player Christy Murray said afterword. “These people love to see the talent in this young generation, and we want to exceed their expectations.”

Senior Night Set for Friday, November 7, 2014

Parents and community members— we know you’ll want to come out and support many of our seniors as we recognize their efforts throughout high school. Senior football players, cheerleaders, cross country participants, and band members will be recognized during this Friday night’s football game against Dallas Gateway. Recognition will take place on the football field at 7 p.m. before the game. We hope to see you there.

Italy Gladiator Regiment Band travels to New York City

Image: NYC Band Trip Collage
Top Left: IHS band students wait outside the American Museum of Natural History for their tickets go enter.
Top Right: Noeli Garcia and Madison Washington enjoying the sunshine outside of the 911 museum.
Bottom Left: Vanessa Cantu takes a closer look at the Statue of Liberty   from the Top of the Rock Observation Deck Located in midtown Manhattan at historic Rockefeller Center.
Bottom Right: Sarah Levy, Alexis Sampley and Vanessa Cantu wait outside of the 911 museum for the next stop in NYC.

Towards the end of the school year, 30 of the Italy Gladiator Regiment band members, accompanied by 9 chaperones travelled to New York City on what became a trip of firsts. For many of the students, this was their first time out of state, on an airplane, on a train, on the subway, on a rowboat, and/or on a skyscraper.

Italy Gladiator Regiment Band advances to state in OPS competition

Congratulations to the Italy Gladiator Regiment Band for advancing to state in the Outstanding Performance Series (OPS) competition for the first time in school history. The band’s march selection, “Omaha Beach,” was one of two marches that advanced from the June 2nd region 8 contest to the area round of competition. The area contest was held in Lubbock on June 17th. In the OPS competition, band submit recordings of individual songs so that is why you may see a school more than one entry. The overall rankings for 1A are as follows:

A Night With the Fort Worth Symphony

Image: L-R: (front row kneeling) Madison Washington (front row) Reagan Adams, Brenya Williams, Amber Hooker, ??, April Lusk, Alexis Sampley, Kirsten Viator (back row) Whitney Wolaver, Jesus Perez, Ryan Connor, Emily Stiles, Elliott Worsham, Kendrick Norwood

Members of the Italy High School varsity band enjoyed a night out on the town in Fort Worth as part of a summer band attendance incentive. Students that didn’t miss any summer band rehearsals were treated to see the Fort Worth Symphony Orchestra perform.

David Graves believes teaching is his calling

Image: David Graves loves his position as Assistant Band Director at Italy ISD.

David Graves was hired this year as Italy’s Assisstant Band Director when Erica Miller moved to the counselor’s office. In school, he gravitated to the band hall and the trombone. He was not a jock due to his size, so being in the band was a good fit for him and started his life long journey in music. He served in the Air Force for four years and played in the Air Force Band.

IHS Band Hosting Car Wash

Driving down the bi-ways and highways of Italy sure can make a car dirty! That’s ok, there is a great solution. On Saturday, in Waxahachie, the IHS Band will wash your car at Chicken Express from 9:30am-4:00pm. Come and let the band shine for you!