[Dhsbb-jazz] Monterey Next Generation Festival

[Peter Matlock]

Dear Jazz Band Parents,
   
  It appears the prior listserve message may not have been received by everyone, and even if so there are still some square-one questions regarding the Monterey Next Generation Festival.  
   
  Yes--the DHS Jazz Band was selected in a national competition as one of twelve High School Jazz Bands to participate in the Monterey Next Generation Jazz Festival.  This is a superb honor and a tribute to Mr. Lange and the students for their hard work and achievement.  
   
  The NGF Festival is April 3 - 6, 2008 and is held at the Portola Hotel in Monterey.  The NGF website is:
   
  http://www.montereyjazzfestival.org/NGF/
   
  We will play on Saturday, April 5.  I have not seen the performance schedule so don't yet know the time.  
   
  Schedule:
   
  A more detailed schedule is in preparation, but the current status is:
   
  Friday, April 4: leave DHS, most likely right after school.  Transportation will be by private automobile.  This is a terrific Festival that you may want to attend, in which case you can drive your student.  Nancy Hatamiya has kindly offered to coordinate carpools for those whose student will need a ride.  
   
  In the past there has been an evening concert on Friday evening, which is worth attending.  However, I have NO details at this time.  Stay tuned!  
   
  Note that we will be dealing with Friday rush hour traffic on the drive to Monterey, so factor in extra time to get there.  Googlemaps says the distance is 175 miles and will take three hours through the Bay Area (but not on a Friday afternoon!).  The alternate route is down I-5 and over Pacheco Pass: about 200 miles and three and one-half hours according to Google (Friday traffic on this route may or may not be as bad).
   
  Saturday, April 5: We play...sometime.  Again--stay tuned.  The current plan is to return Saturday night, which could be late.
   
  For those who want to stay through Sunday, the music continues through the weekend.  I believe there are also auditions for music scholarships on Sunday morning--but this needs to be confirmed.
   
  Lodging:
   
  We have reserved rooms for the students at the Portola Hotel for Friday night only.  We obtained a special rate of $144 (pre-tax) for the students and there will be up to four students per room.  Mr. Lange has kindly offered to subsidize the hotel fee with funds from the music account, so the final amount for each student will be advantageous (Thank you Mr. Lange!).
   
  Since the Festival is at the Portola, this will be convenient and a great experience for the students.  Plus, it's a nice place:
   
  http://www.portolahotel.com/
   
  Non-chaperone parents should investigate their own hotels.  Expedia is useful, among others.  Hotels will fill up quickly, so don't wait!
   
  Chaperones:
   
  Although there will be many parents in Monterey for this weekend, we need several chaperones who will be officially responsible for the students and who will stay Friday night at the Portola Hotel.  
   
  Technically, we need one female and two male chaperones.  At this point point we have four women and one, possibly two men who have volunteered to be chaperones.  These chaperones will take four of the six hotel rooms we reserved at the Portola Hotel for chaperones.  If there are one or two more men who would like to chaperone please let me know.
   
  The chaperone rooms at the Portola Hotel are $199 per night (pre-tax).
   
  More details later.  
   
  Best regards,
  Peter
   
   
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