newsletter
october 4, 2026

Weekly Newsletter - october 4, 2026

Sent 10/4/2026, 4:40 PM.

Welcome to Band-tober.  Buckle up - it's going to be a very busy month, but a very fun one.

Very excited to finally see the show put on the field!  And the kids did great yesterday.  Proud of all the work they've been putting into this season so far.  A special thanks to Alexis Fisher and Shelby and Addison Cruver for handling the transporation paperwork for this event, and a HUGE thanks to all the parents that drove and showed up to cheer on our Eagles, and all the volunteers that came to feed, chaperone, hydrate, and haul equipment.  We can't do any of this without you.

Let's get into this week...

What's in this newsletter?

Here's what I have for you all this week:

• All-State Registrations - All-State (concert and jazz) registrations are open - register by 10/13

• Panera Restaurant Night - this coming Saturday - see the Restaurant Nights page for the details.

• Senior Pictures - check in with Mrs. Cruver to get your senior pictures

• Volunteer Opportunities - plenty coming up - stay tuned.

• And a word from Mr. Sayre - always make time to read through this section

This week in band...

Monday 10/5

• 3:45 PM - 4:45 PM - Woodwind/Brass Sectionals

Tuesday 10/6

• 4:00 PM - 6:00 PM - Tuesday Afternoon Rehearsal

• 6:30 PM - Fall Jazz Concert, Eldorado PAC (Report Time: 5:30 PM)

Wednesday 10/7

• 4:00 PM - 6:00 PM - Color Guard Class

Thursday 10/8

• 4:00 PM - 6:00 PM - Percussion Class

Friday 10/9

• FALL BREAK - NO SCHOOL

Saturday 10/10

• 4:00 PM - 8:00 PM - Panera Restaurant Night - See the Restaurant Nights page for details

Now on to the details...

All-State Registrations

All-State registrations for both concert and jazz are now open.  The cost is $22 per audition for concert all-state, and $24 per audition for jazz all-state.  You can register using the link below.  Registration closes on 10/13.  More details below in Mr. Sayre's section.

All-State Registration Link: https://2026-2027-all-state-registrations.cheddarup.com 

Panera Restaurant Night

This Saturday night, 10/10, from 4PM - 8PM, we have a restaurant night event with Panera.  Taking place at the 6600 Menaul location, the band will get a benefit of 25% of the sales.  See the Restaurant Nights page for the flyer, including a promo code that can be used at online checkout.

Senior Pictures

If your senior had pictures taken in their uniforms, they are ready!  Send an email to Addison at addisoncruver@gmail.com with your child's name and she'll send you the copies.

Volunteer Opportunities

Currently available signups:

• Nothing Available - Stay tuned, plenty of opportunities to come

Remember, if you want to volunteer at any time this year, please get your background clearance started now so you are ready to go.  It's easy - all the details are on the How To Volunteer page.

Go Eagles!

JD

a word from Mr. Sayre...

Hello Eagles!

Great work on a successful run of the entire show yesterday at the Los Lunas Invitational. Congratulations on earning an overall Superior rating and Best Percussion for a large school! We have sections of the show that still need to be cleaned and polished, but overall, we were very pleased with your performance.

Big shout out to the parents and volunteers that helped get our band students there with all their equipment, and fed/hydrated our band.  This community really knows how to come together to support our students.  Big shout out to Shelby Cruver, Addison Cruver, and Alexis Fisher for helping manage all the paper work and organizing a smooth transition. 

We are now two weeks away from the Zia Marching Band Fiesta. That means we need every band member present and on time for rehearsals. Our progress depends on getting the most out of the limited time we have together over the next two weeks.

Remember that Wednesday this week is PSAT testing, and next weekend is a four-day weekend. That leaves us with just three important rehearsal days this week and four next week. We are not attending the game on Friday so that everyone can get some much-earned rest. We ask that all students make the most of this week and next week with the precious rehearsal time we do have together.

FEEDBACK FROM THE LOS LUNAS INVITATIONAL

The judges were impressed with your musicality and loved the concept of the show. The area where the band needs to make the most improvement is visual and physical precision in our marching and choreography.

The visual judge's rubric showed that we:

• "Occasionally" demonstrated precision/definition - 6 out of 10

• "Frequently" demonstrated uniformity - 7 out of 10

• "Mostly" demonstrated uniform technique - 8 out of 10

The Color Guard judge reported:

• "Occasionally" demonstrated showmanship - 6 out of 10

• "Frequently" demonstrated individual technique - 7 out of 10

• "Frequently" demonstrated ensemble precision - 7 out of 10

• "Mostly" on show design design - 8 out of 10

The design score will continue to improve as we make adjustments to the show. The best way we can make adjustments is if the color guard students know their choreography exactly as it should be performed. 

WHERE WE NEED TO FOCUS AS A WHOLE BAND

Everyone needs to be here for rehearsal. We need to use every second of rehearsal effectively.

Every individual needs to focus on getting their marching exactly in time and their choreography exactly correct. Step offs and stops need to be crisp and clean from all members. Parents and guardians, you can help by encouraging students to get their work exactly right and not settle for "close enough."

Band - “close enough” is what holds back true progress over the next two weeks.

You can do this!

I acknowledge that the FIRST time we played and marched through the entire show was Tuesday. However, when we step onto the field at Zia, the audience and judges won't know that. They will expect great things from this band.

Let's aim for exactly right.

THIS WEEK AT A GLANCE

• Monday: A Day
  Percussion and Equipment Crew need to be at the field at 7:00 AM to unload all equipment.

• Tuesday: B Day
  Full Band Rehearsal, 4:00–6:00 PM
  Jazz Concert, 6:30 PM
  Jazz students will be dismissed early for the concert. Everyone else will stay and work with Mr. Snowden cleaning the show.

• Wednesday: PSAT Testing
  Color Guard Class WILL meet at 4:00 PM.

• Thursday: A Day, Percussion Class 4:00 PM.

• Friday: No School - Fall Break

• Monday is also no school for Indigenous Peoples' Day.

JAZZ CONCERT - TUESDAY, OCTOBER 6

Call time for Jazz students is 5:30 PM. Jazz students will be dismissed from Full Band at 5:00 PM.

You need to wear your jazz uniform. Please plan on eating quickly between marching band rehearsal and call time.

ALL-STATE AUDITIONS

We need to have students registered for All-State by October 13. Here is the registration link.

I want to clear up some questions about the fees associated with All-State. The New Mexico Music Educators Association is a uniquely run organization, and the required fees for participation are not always presented in the clearest way. I apologize for how convoluted the process can be, and I hope the information below helps.

Remember that Eldorado had the MOST students selected for All-State among the schools in the state. It is a point of pride that we have so many students reach this top musical honor, and we strongly encourage you to audition. You will be required to prepare the concert audition material either way, so you might as well do something with it!

Audition Fees:

• Concert Audition: $22

• Jazz Audition: $24

If accepted into All-State:

• Concert All-State Participation Fee: $20

• Jazz All-State Participation Fee: $27

• Music Fee: $15 (required for every student)

Jazz All-State students will also have an additional transportation/hotel expense of approximately $150–$200 for the trip to Portales, New Mexico.

DISTRICT 7 HONOR BAND SELECTEES

Eldorado had 15 students selected for the District 7 Honor Band! This event will be hosted here at EHS on November 13, 14, and 15.

Congratulations to:

Rowan Evans, Ella Moss, Eden Phillips, Macyn Steeves, Zachary Dencklau, Connor Van Note, CJ Amaral, Julia Krzyzanowski, Daria Abbott, Anna Cook, Shiloh Gonzales, Noah Jones, Jennika Lozada, Mark Pujalla-Portilla, and Caleb Sais.

Students will need to record a chair placement audition by November 2. Find Mr. Sayre for more details about the audition. Every student must submit a chair audition.

BAND ACTIVITY CLASS FEE

The Band Activity Class fee is now due. This is a separate fee paid to the school activity account and is used for curriculum and school-specific needs.

The fee is $50 per student.

Please pay using the following link:

Band Activity Class Fee Payment

Let's finish this show strong! We need all of you at rehearsal, ready to work, and committed to getting this show exactly right.

Go Eagles!

Mr. Sayre