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What a wild-weather Friday! Nevertheless, we hope you all enjoyed a fabulous HOMECOMING celebration after the weather cleared up on Saturday!
Get ready for the final stretch of “Band-tober” events to round out this extremely busy Marching Statesmen month! Please read carefully for lots of new information below!
| | THE 2026 MARCHING STATESMEN SEASON! | Make sure to check the Marshall Band website (www.marshallband.org)
for the most up-to-date calendar! | | |
THIS WEEK’S SCHEDULE
Tuesday, October 20
- 3:30 PM – 5:45 PM: After-school Marching Statesmen Rehearsal
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7:00 PM: VIRTUAL BPO Meeting! (ZOOM invitation will be sent out via My Music Office portal on Tuesday. Tip: If you do not know what that is, please send your email address to president@marshallband.org TONIGHT so that you can be added to the recipient list.)
- 6:45 PM – 8:15 PM: Field Hockey game concessions volunteers needed
Wednesday, October 21
- 6:00 PM – 9:00 PM: Evening Marching Statesmen Rehearsal
- 5:30 PM – 7:30 PM & 7:15 PM – 9:15 PM: Flag Football concessions volunteers needed!
Thursday, October 22
- 3:30 PM – 5:45 PM: After-school Marching Statesmen Rehearsal
Friday, October 23
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7:00 PM: Varsity Home Football Game (v. Wakefield)–8th Grade Band Night!
(Don't forget to wash and return performance tops for those who checked them out last Friday!)
Saturday, October 24
- VMBC South County HS Marching Competition
| | HOME FOOTBALL GAME / 8th GRADE BAND NIGHT SIGN-UP! | | Our next Varsity Home Football game is this Friday, October 23 v. Wakefield HS. This is also 8th Grade Band Night (see details below), and we still need LOTS of volunteers for this night. | We will need some additional volunteers for this game to staff our hospitality welcome table in front of Door 13 between 5:20 PM and 6:00 PM to welcome 8th graders and families, as well as a few volunteers to assist with the pizza celebration setup and cleanup and Q&A session after halftime, in addition to our usual volunteer football game needs. THANK YOU in advance for signing up to help! | | 8TH GRADE BAND NIGHT EVENT! | | |
The Marching Statesmen will be hosting current 8th-grade band and spin club students at our home football game this Friday, October 23rd.
Following the halftime show, Marching Statesmen will accompany 8th grade students and their families to the cafeteria for a student pizza celebration and 8th-grade parent info meeting! (High school students and middle school students will receive free pizza provided by the BPO, with dismissal at approximately 9:00 PM.)
Parents: If you'd like to help with this part of the night, please be sure to add your name to the volunteer slots on the 8th Grade Band Night Football Game Volunteer Sign-Up Genius! Thank you!
| | PERFORMANCE TOP WASHING INSTRUCTIONS | | |
Thank you for taking good care of your uniform! For those of you who checked out your uniform performance top on Friday, here is how to clean it while keeping it looking sharp and colorful:
- Find a clean sink (with a drain stopper), bucket, or large bowl. Put a tablespoon of liquid laundry detergent, liquid dish soap, or liquid hand soap into the container and fill up with lukewarm water.
- Turn your top inside-out and place it in the soapy water. Swish it around gently a few times and make sure it is completely wet.
- Leave it to sit for 5-10 minutes.
- Drain the water out and then rinse the top under clean water until there are no more soap bubbles.
- Take a clean towel and lay it out flat. Gently squeeze out excess water from the top (NO TWISTING OR WRINGING!) and lay it flat on the towel. Roll the towel up into a cylinder. Gently press along the length of the rolled up towel to squeeze out the remaining water.
- If you have space, lay out the top on a flat surface (drying rack, top of washing machine, countertop) to dry. If not, drape it over a towel rack or hanger to dry.
- BRING IT BACK TO SCHOOL TO WEAR FOR THE REST OF THE SEASON ;)
Students are responsible for the care and return of their performance tops, and they must be ready to be worn again at our next game THIS Friday!
Any questions, please email Laura Hogan at lauramhogan@hotmail.com. Thank you!
| | SOUTH COUNTY HIGH SCHOOL MARCHING COMPETITION THIS SATURDAY, OCTOBER 24! | | Please sign up below to help out with volunteer tasks as the Marching Statesmen compete at the VMBC SOUTH COUNTY HS MARCHING COMPETITION on Saturday, October 24 at South County HS (8501 Silverbrook Rd. Lorton, VA 22079). | The current event schedule lists 5:00 PM performance time for Marching Statesmen, with awards presentation at 5:30 PM! (See website for full schedule: VMBC South County Marching Competition Performance Line-Up.) Mr. Vesilind will send out complete schedule for competition day in the early part of this week. | | NON-VARSITY FOOTBALL CONCESSIONS SHIFTS! | | Next and final Freshman / JV Football games at home are Thursday, October 29! Sign up if you can help! Thank you! | | The GCM Varsity Field Hockey team has made it to the playoffs! Next game is Tuesday, October 20 and we need TWO volunteers (can be students who want service hours!) from 6:45-8:15 PM to sign up to help out with concessions: | | The final Girls Varsity Flag Football night hosted at Marshall HS is on Wednesday, October 21 and we still need volunteers for each concessions shift (5:30–7:30 PM and 7:15–9:15 PM). Please sign up below if you can help! | | CONCERT BAND UNIFORM INFORMATION | | |
Reminder to place your CONCERT BAND UNIFORM orders by MIDNIGHT on WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 21!
If you are new to Marshall Band this year or you need to order a replacement part of uniform that you have outgrown or misplaced, please visit our group store (marshallhsbandfall2026.itemorder.com) ASAP to order and pay for your concert uniform. If you already have a uniform from last year, you will only order individual replacement items as needed (e.g., need new pants because they are too short now). The band does not handle any money or place orders. Items ordered through the group store by midnight on Wednesday, October 21, will be sent to GCM in the group shipment (free shipping!). If you miss this date, you will need to have your order shipped directly to your home and pay all shipping costs.
Sizing and choices: Cousin's has a very helpful measuring guide for families to measure at home before ordering (link is on our group site). Please use the measuring guide, as it will minimize the need for returns. Our choices are: tuxedo (male fit), tuxedo (female fit), and dress. These are the only choices available through our group store. Anyone can order whatever outfit they prefer. Pants and dresses arrive unhemmed — families are responsible for their own hemming to the appropriate length.
Returns/Exchanges: The shipment should arrive at GCM by Friday October 30. I am planning to give each student their ordered items on November 4-5, during band class and/or at the end of the school day to bring home. You will have until Thursday November 12 to email me about anything that needs to be exchanged and what is needed. Someone will be available as needed on Friday November 13 in the band hall for your student to bring back any items to be exchanged. Cousin's offers us only one free return group shipment. The exchanged items will be available to be distributed back to your students on December 3-4 (i.e., right after Thanksgiving).
If you have any questions as you navigate our group store, please reach out to our volunteer GCM Concert Band Uniform Coordinator, Susan Ganter at sganter129@gmail.com or you can contact directly to Cousin’s Attire directly by phone at 1-800-881-5343.
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The Marching Statesmen Band & Colorguard will march in the Vienna Halloween Parade on Wednesday, October 28. Students meet at GCM at designated time (determined by Mr. Vesilind) and will board school buses to the parade staging site. They will be wearing their full traditional Marching Statesmen uniform with shakos and plumes for the parade.
We need a few helpers on the night of the parade, so please sign up below if you are able to assist.
| Parade begins at 7:00 PM and takes place along Maple Avenue between Branch Rd. and Center St. (Spectator details can be found at: www.viennava.gov/Town-Departments/Parks-and-Recreation/Concerts-and-Events/Halloween-Parade) We recommend that spectators bundle up for warmth and arrive early to snag viewing positions along the route–as the spots fill up fast! | | FRIENDS & FAMILY NIGHT TREAT GRAMS | | Celebrate your Marching Statesmen member by sending a TREAT-GRAM to them at Friends and Family Night on November 4, 2026. Choose either a Cake-Pop, Brownie, or Rice Krispy Treat (each $5), along with a special message. All Treat-Grams will be delivered to students immediately following the performance! | |
Purchasing Treat-Grams is a great way for long-distance grandparents, aunts, uncles, cousins, and friends to send special recognition to a performer! Please share the pre-order link with your family and friends! A limited number of Treat-Grams will also be available for purchase at concessions the night of the event, but they may sell out quickly, so please pre-order by October 30 to avoid disappointment!
(If you are interested in offering your baking skills to assist in preparing the homemade treat grams, please email Amy Ites at amy.m.ites@gmail.com.)
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Despite the eventual weather-related cancellation of the band’s participation in last Friday night’s game, we would like to express our thanks to the following volunteers who signed up to assist with props, pit, stand setup, and all other duties during the Homecoming football game: Trish Vanstory, Chris Krouse, Debby Lehman, Justin Storch, Francesca Ng, Hankyul Kim, Karen Growney, Teresa Pipia, Kerry Fraatz, Zach Fraatz, Amy Ites, Cheryl Clopper, Ron Wu, Andrea Keller, Liz Book, Katie Dulaney, Minji Bryan, Melinda Batman, and Darren Clague!
We’d particularly like to thank the uniforms volunteers who came and waited with us and then helped hand out the tops for washing (Emily Caron, Deena Parker, and Liz Sherer) as well as the concessions crew (Peter Thompson, David Ackerman, Kevin Glasscock, Michelle Thompson, Donna Dugan, Denise Taranov, Jill Nissan, Susan Ganter, Jamie Ganter, Kevin Jacobs, Deb Sutton, Veronica Bong, Nicole Camara, Cooky Bysura, Nina Roehl, and Jayson Roehl) who hunkered down during the storm through delays and continued selling concessions to the dwindling crowd until we sold all the Chick-Fil-A!
Woo-hoo for amazing band parents and your fabulous flexibility! We appreciate all our volunteers! 🩵❤️🩵
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Please be on the lookout in the coming weeks for the following Sign-Ups:
- FRIENDS & FAMILY SHOWCASE at GCM (11/4)
- VARSITY HOME FOOTBALL GAME (Senior Recognition Night) v. Herndon (11/6)
- VMBC CHAMPIONSHIPS (11/7)
- FALL BANQUET FOOD CONTRIBUTION & DECORATING (11/10)
| | The Success of our Marching Statesmen season is made possible by our many parent volunteers! We ask that ALL parents commit to signing up for at least 8 shifts/tasks during marching band season to support our band program. | | MARCHING BAND PHOTOS AND VIDEOS | | |
To view photos and video of the current Marching Statesmen season, please visit the website at www.marshallband.org/media.html.
Have any more photos taken from the Marching Band Season? Upload them to our shared Google Drive! Help us in capturing all the fun, excitement, and memories from the marching band season!
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Tuesday, October 27
- 3:30 PM – 5:45 PM: After-school Marching Statesmen Rehearsal
Wednesday, October 28
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6:00 PM – 9:00 PM: Vienna Halloween Parade!
(Exact reporting time TBA by Mr. Vesilind next week)
Thursday, October 29
- 3:30 PM – 5:45 PM: After-school Marching Statesmen Rehearsal
- 4:00 PM – 9:00 PM: LEDO PIZZA Restaurant Night Band Fundraiser!
Friday, October 30
- Two-Hour Early Release Day
Monday, November 2
- NO SCHOOL: Student Holiday / Planning Day
Tuesday, November 3
- NO SCHOOL: Student Holiday / Teacher Workday
Wednesday, November 4
- Evening (Exact Time TBD): Marching Statesmen Friends & Family Performance at GCM (All are welcome! This is a full-dress performance at GCM stadium, open to friends and family and superfans! Show will be performed and videotaped 2-3 times for state assessment before spectators will be invited onto the field to take photos with performers.)
Thursday, November 5
- 3:30 PM – 5:45 PM: After-school Marching Statesmen Rehearsal
Friday, November 6
- 7:00 PM: Last HOME Varsity Football Game of the season! (SENIOR Recognition Night)
Saturday, November 7
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All Day: VMBC Championship Marching Competition at Woodson HS
(Marching Statesmen competition performance time is 9:00 AM with potential for performance in FINALS round in evening. Details on logistics of this day to follow...)
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