January 25, 2026 Band Notes

On-Campus Dinner Break: 4:30-5:30pm
Preview Performance: Doors will open at 8:30pm and the run through will start at 8:45pm. All CWG Families are invited to attend our preview before our first competition of the season.

Sunday, February 1

CWG MEPA Northmont - Itinerary

Future planned events can be found on the updated band calendar: Mason Band Calendar.

Parent To Do Checklist For This Week

Eat at City Barbeque this Wednesday, January 28.
Vote for Mr. Jackson for the Barry Manilow Music Teacher Award!

NEW INFORMATION

MHS Recital Night Signup and Information

Mason Bands Recital Night is coming up in April! This event is a Solo and Ensemble style event where students can either perform a solo on their instrument with a pianist, or perform in a small ensemble of students. Recital Night is required for Wind Symphony members as part of their honor credit criteria. Participation is strongly encouraged for all other band members, as it is a great way to improve individual musical skills.

All recital night information can be found in this INFORMATIONAL SHEET.
Registration form here: RECITAL NIGHT REGISTRATION FORM.

REGISTRATION IS DUE MONDAY, FEBRUARY 13

Recital Night Performance Dates:
Woodwinds: Monday, April 13, 2026
Brass and Percussion: Tuesday, April 14, 2026

February 11th Small Ensemble Concert Information
Concert Band Silver and Green

Students should report to the band room wearing their concert uniforms. Concert Attire Information - CLICK HERE.

Families who wish to view the performance can park in the back music lot, and enter through the Small Commons Door. See map above for parking and entry instructions. This performance is in the MHS Small Commons, not the auditorium, since this concert features small chamber ensembles instead of the full ensemble.

CONCERT SILVER ITINERARY

5:50 Arrive at the C13 Music Door
6:00 Warm-Up in the band room
6:20 Move to the Small Commons
6:30 Small Ensemble Concert Begins

CONCERT GREEN ITINERARY

6:50 Arrive at the C13 Music Door
7:00 Warm-Up in the band room
7:20 Move to the Small Commons
7:30 Small Ensemble Concert Begins

Vote for Mr. Jackson!

Congratulations to Mr. Jackson, who has been nominated for the Manilow Music Teacher Award! This award honors exceptional educators who bring music to life for their students.

The top vote-getter wins $10,000—$5,000 in cash and $5,000 in Manilow Bucks for new instruments!

Please vote daily and help spread the word!

Vote here: https://on.barrymanilow.com/trk/mmpcincinnatioh

Voting ends February 12 at 11:59 p.m. ET

Good luck Mr. Jackson, and thank you for all that you do!

REMINDERS

Winter Guard Sign-Ups

Registration is live for all Mason Winter Guard teams! There are groups available for students in grades 5-11. Click the appropriate link for more information and to sign up.

Sign-ups for grade 7 are due by Wednesday, January 28.
Sign-ups for grades 5-6 are due by Wednesday, January 28.

What is Winter Guard?

Learn Cool Skills: Master the art of flag spinning and modern dance.
No Experience Needed: We will teach you everything! Whether you’re a total beginner or a pro at gymnastics and dance, there is a spot for you.
No Auditions: Everyone gets to participate!

For any questions, email Mrs. Sleppy at sleppye@masonohioschools.com.

February Booster Meeting - Save the Date

Our next general booster meeting will be on Tuesday, February 24, at 7pm in the MHS Band Room.

Topics will include:

Music for All Cincinnati Regional Concert Band Festival (CRCBF) on Saturday, March 7
Upcoming Marching Band Season, including the 2025 Commitment Form
Upcoming Board Elections

Prospective Member Meeting - Help Spread the Word!

Please help us spread the word to any prospective students who may be interested in joining Marching Band that there will be a 2026 New Member Meeting on Tuesday, January 27th at 7pm in the MHS Band Room. All rising freshmen, prospective new members, and parents are encouraged to attend.

Jazz Band

Jazz Band Information: CLICK HERE

The link above has all the information about Jazz Band for this year!

MHS Winter Percussion Information

Winter Percussion has begun! See info document below for the schedule, signup form and all details. All of these dates are also on the band calendar.

2026 WINTER PERCUSSION INFO DOCUMENT

Email Mr. Cato with any questions: mhspercussion@masonohioschools.com

Peer Mentoring Band Program

One of our band seniors, Koby Carson, is starting a peer mentoring program for band students. He will be matching up students who’d like help from an older student who plays their instrument.

CLICK HERE to watch a video with more information

CLICK HERE to sign up as a mentor or to get help from a mentor.

City Barbeque Dine & Donate

Our January Dine & Donate will be at the City Barbecue in West Chester THIS Wednesday, January 28, from open to close (10:30am-8pm). This flyer must be shown at time of order (either on a phone or printed), or use the code GIVE for online ordering.

The band will receive 20% of sales.

City Barbeque is located at 7706 Voice of America Centre Dr, in West Chester.

Marching Band 2026 - Initial Dates

It's hard to believe we are already looking toward next season! We've had a few inquiries about 2026 Summer Dates for marching band rehearsals. These are now all on the Mason Bands website calendar. We also have our 5 varsity home football games, MSBA Mason Invitational, and MSBA Championships on the calendar as well. Everything else is currently a work in progress!

FYI: INITIAL 2026 MARCHING BAND DATES

For families who like to plan ahead, below are all summer dates for the 2026 Marching Band season. These dates should be avoided when scheduling vacations or other summer activities.

Mini Camp: May 26, 27, 28, 29
Percussion & Color Guard Camp: June 22, 23, 24, 25, 26
Band Camp Week 1: July 20, 21, 22, 23, 24
Band Camp Week 2: July 27, 28, 29, 30, 31
Band Camp Week 3: Aug 3, 4, 5, 6, 7
Home Football Games: Sep 4, 18, 25; Oct 9, 23
MSBA Mason Invitational: Oct 10
MSBA 5A Championships: Nov 7
BOA Grand Nationals: Nov 12-14 (returning Nov 15)

We will be sharing much more information soon, but wanted to get these first dates on your calendars!

Competitive Winter Guard Information

CWG Parent Prop Help: When the team enters for a performance, we typically have parent volunteers helping with props so the team can focus on setting the tarp and their equipment - and this season is no different! If you are interested in helping out, please send Mrs. Sleppy an email with your competition availability. Thanks in advance for your help!
Snack Donations: Let's get the team some snacks!! If you are able, please sign up to donate snacks for show days. The goal is to have all snacks in by February 10th, with fruit being the exception collected on specific competition days.
CWG Competition Season Info Doc: The competition season is upon us! Check out the CWG Competition Season Info Doc for a list of all of our competitions, their event websites, and an estimate for what the days will look like. Although the circuits have not published drafts of our competitions yet, we are confident these estimates should help your planning over the next several weeks. Let us know if you have any questions.
Fees: PaySchools is live! Review the CWG Fees Overview for important deadlines and information on your two ways to pay.
- Fee 1 PAST DUE: $400.00 | via PaySchools or check
- Fee 2 PAST DUE: $600.00 | via PaySchools or check
- Fee 3 Due Feb 15, 2026: $600.00 | via PaySchools or check
Previous Forms:
- CWG Season Lookbook
  - Safety Rule for CWG Season: Glasses should not be worn during rehearsal run throughs or performances. Our choreography includes high level body under tosses and fast equipment exchanges, which create a high risk of glasses being hit, broken, or causing injury. Please use contacts or secure alternatives to help keep everyone safe. If you have any questions or need help coming up with a solution, let us know! We are happy to work with you.
- CWG Handbook
- CWG Absence Agreement Form
- CWG Conduct Agreement Form
- Final Forms Info Doc (two corresponding forms)
- WGI Performer Release Form (Minor)
- WGI Performer Release Form (18+)
- CWG Consumables Document

Season Calendar: CWG Season Calendar

Pep Band Information

We are excited to get our Pep Band season started! Pep band is a great way to play some fun music with your friends, while supporting our school and community.

CLICK HERE FOR SCHEDULE, BAND LISTS, AND MORE INFO!

This year, each member of Concert Winds, Symphonic Band, and Wind Symphony will again be responsible for three basketball games as part of their grade for the Spring Semester.

For all students in Concert White, Silver and Green pep band is not required but students are welcome and encouraged to attend if they want to visit with their friends and perform to support our school and community!