Vanden Berg Notes: May 2025

Wednesday, May 14, 2025

End of the Season info!

Dear band and orchestra students and parents,

It was such a joy making music with you in these concerts and parades! Here are some end of the year details.

1. Please turn in all concert and marching uniforms and accessories (except marching shoes). There are racks and tables in the hall by the locker room. Please have them all turned in before the end of the day on Friday. There will be a late fee assessed to all who don't have uniforms by Friday. (We will take care of cleaning, you just need to turn it in.)

2. HCHS band members will be wearing maroon HC band t-shirts, jeans, and our white dinkles for the Memorial Day Parade. I have ordered new t-shirts and will provide the t-shirts to students.

3. The HCS bands will be marching as a combined 6th grade - 11th grade supergroup for Memorial Day (graduated seniors will not be participating). It is an important act of service we can do for our community to help make the Memorial Day parade a success and to remember those who lost their lives in the service of our country. Here is the information for the Memorial Day Parade.

4. In order to successfully march together on Memorial Day the HCHS and HCMS bands will meet together for a one time practice on Wednesday, May 21 at 7:45 a.m.

5. Check out the pictures from the orchestra concert!

6. Do you have a school owned instrument? Please check in with Mr. Vanden Berg about whether you would like to keep this at home to practice this summer or if you are planning to turn it in. Seniors, if you have anything that is owned by HC (mutes, music, instruments, uniform parts) please return them by Friday.

7. Sign up for summer lessons here! Summer is a great time to improve your musical skills! There are so many details and instrument specific things that we can cover in summer lessons that are tricky to get to in a full band or orchestra setting. We can also help you prepare for solo and ensemble festival or scholarship auditions or learn a new instrument!

8. Here is information on the Holland American Legion Band Concerts. This band is a community band that welcomes students to play in its summer concerts. You are invited (I direct this group)! This group will probably be a best fit for upperclassmen. Anyone is welcome to attend the concerts as an audience member in Kollen Park on Tuesdays at 7:30 p.m. starting on June 10.

Thank you!

Mr. VB

P.S. Here is a quick reminder from a previous post.

I wanted to pass along some advanced scheduling information for 2026. We are planning a Florida trip for our concert band, concert orchestra symphonic band, and symphonic orchestra. We will hang out in the parks, perform on the theme park concert stage, and take part in a fun workshop.

We are planning on departing Holland on Wednesday, April 1, 2026 and wrapping up our trip with a worship service on Sunday, April 5, 2026. Our return trip will arrive back in Holland on Monday, April 6, 2026. Some families travel to Florida and have their children stay with them at the end of the trip rather than ride the charter bus back to Holland, MI. We have lots more info to come and the trip is fun. It isn't required, but thought it might be nice to pencil in the date on your calendars.

Two additional notes for the 2026 Florida trip:
-Holland Christian's official spring break begins on Friday, April 3. Students will be excused for the 1st and 2nd of April.
-Since this is also Holy Week we will be observing Good Friday with a time of worship Friday evening as a band and orchestra and also celebrating Easter with an Orlando congregation. Families are welcome to join us. If parents would like to pick up their children before church on Sunday and attend another church that is also a possibility.

Scott Vanden Berg | Director of Instrumental Music
Holland Christian High School
950 Ottawa Ave, Holland, MI 49423
school: 616.820.2805 cell: 616.212.8867

blog: http://vandenbergnotes.blogspot.com

facebook: https://www.facebook.com/musichchs/

"Equipping Minds and Nurturing Hearts to Transform the World for Jesus Christ"

Thursday, May 1, 2025

Concerts and Parades!

Hello band and orchestra students and parents,

We are looking forward to the coming weeks and celebrating our end of the year activities and concerts. Please take note of this important information and plan ahead.

1. Parades are next week for our wonderful HCHS marching band. Here is your Tulip Time Parade information.

2. Here are our upcoming events:

-Thursday/Saturday, May 8 and 10 at 2 p.m., HCHS symphonic band and concert band marching together in Tulip Time Parades

-Monday, May 12 at 7:30 p.m. (7 p.m. call time), HCS 4-12 Orchestra Spring Concert at the Jack H. Miller Center for the Musical Arts

-Tuesday, May 13 at 7:30 p.m. (7 p.m. call time), HCHS symphonic band, concert band, jazz orchestra concert at Jack H. Miller Center for the Musical Arts

-Monday, May 26 at 9:30 a.m., HCHS symphonic band and concert band marching together in Memorial Day Parade

3. We are planning on rehearsals at the Jack H. Miller Center for the Musical Arts on May 12 and 13. Here are the details.

Monday, May 12

8:00 a.m. all symphonic orchestra members drive to or are dropped off at the Jack H. Miller Center for the Musical Arts.

9:00 a.m. concert orchestra takes a bus to the Jack H. Miller Center for the Musical Arts.

9:45 a.m. both orchestras return to HCHS on bus (unless they drove themselves to the Jack)

11:35 a.m. concert orchestra takes the bus to Jack H. Miller Center for the Musical Arts.

12:40 p.m. concert orchestra returns to HCHS

Tuesday, May 13

8:00 a.m. all symphonic band members drive to or are dropped off at the Jack H. Miller Center for the Musical Arts.

9:00 a.m. concert band takes a bus to the Jack H. Miller Center for the Musical Arts.

9:45 a.m. symphonic band returns to HCHS via bus (unless they drove themselves to the Jack)

10:40 a.m. concert band returns to HCHS

4. Sign up for summer lessons here! Summer is a great time to improve your musical skills! There are so many details and instrument specific things that we can cover in summer lessons that are tricky to get to in a full band or orchestra setting. We can also help you prepare for solo and ensemble festival or scholarship auditions or learn a new instrument!

5. Invite your friends and family!

Holland Christian Spring All Orchestra Concert - You are invited to join the Holland Christian School Orchestras in the Jack H. Miller Center for the Musical Arts on Monday, May 12, at 7:30pm. See the wonderful progression from 4th grade to high school orchestras, a beautiful picture of education at Holland Christian!

Holland Christian Spring Band Concert - Join the Holland Christian High School Bands as they present their Spring Concert on Tuesday, May 13, at 7:30pm at the Jack H. Miller Center for the Musical Arts. Enjoy concert band, symphonic band, jazz music, the Holland Christian drumline, and a tribute to our seniors.