From the President

Well...here we are again!! Longhorn Football Season is upon us!! We are already preparing for Band Day weekend on September 7-8, 2012.  If you have not already put this date on your calendar, please do so. We need you to be there this year!! We will be playing New Mexico on September 8, 2012 at 7PM. PLEASE READ this entire edition of The Blast as it contains everything you need to know about our fun filled weekend with the Alumni Band. The current schedule is included and remember to check the website regularly for updates. You can also sign-up for our Twitter and Facebook updates to get the latest news about our Band Day weekend.

We are returning to rehearsal in the Band Hall this year.  Following the rehearsal, socializing time has been arranged at Double Dave’s, the Posse and The Crown and Anchor. This year’s officers are hard at work putting together a great weekend for our members. Here are a few other things for you to check out and consider for Band Day weekend:

• This year we are returning to the Band Hall Lobby for Registration and Check-In.
• We will have our business meeting and playing rehearsal in the Band Hall.
• If you are interested in the show theme for this year, keep reading!
• See inside for information about guest tickets and a seating chart. This year, you can buy guest tickets through registration. The guest seats will be in the section next to us.
• Also see inside for how you can join us for the game and halftime even if you are not able to make the Saturday rehearsal or are unable to march at halftime.
• Keep reading for information on uniform, instrument check-out, parking and anything else you can think of!!

Finally, do not forget to follow us on Twitter, friend us on Facebook, and generally keep up with LHAB through our social networking groups. For more information, check out www.lhab.org/groups. 

Please make plans now to come to Band Day weekend September 7-8, 2012 for the Texas vs. New Mexico game. We need you to attend so that we can break all attendance records this year! Start contacting your friends from your section and making arrangements to meet them on Friday night, September 7, 2012 at the business meeting and playing rehearsal. 

We can’t wait to see you on September 7-8 for a fantastic reunion weekend.

Hook ‘Em!
Karen Hanson
LHAB President ’11-‘12

A Message from Mr. D.

Greetings Again Alum Banders!!!!

Well once again I attended a spectacular Commencement here at UT! and look forward to welcoming graduating LHBers to OUR Alumni Band!!!!

It seems that even though the football team has "slowed" their National Championship contending the LHB keeps attracting and performing at the highest of levels as always!

As I note this will be my 57th year as Longhorn and Alum Bander and once again I look forward to seeing and greeting and even perhaps "Conducting" you all once again this Fall!

As you are all aware the conference is changing once again!!!  Damn!  I always liked the old battles with those Southwest Conference foes!    Except Ark of course!!! And now that the Aggies especially! have "walked" into the SEC lion’s den we will have to learn new lyrics to songs of different schools!

Nevertheless if you have the time! and I hope you do! and the funds?? which the economy dictates, I urge you to once again book Alum Band weekend so that I can shake your hand and thank all of you again for making this such a band life for all of us!!!! but especially ME!!!!!

AMORE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

and Hook Em!   Horns!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

D

From the LHB

Dear LHAB Members          

            The past 10 years have simply flown by for me and, as always, I am extremely proud to be a part of an organization that means so much to so many people.  This sense of pride does not stop with the current iteration of the Longhorn Band, but extends to the thousands of alumni who have paved the way for our current and future members.

            I would like to express my sincere thanks to all of you who continue to support the endeavors of LHAB by participating in pep band performances around our state, contributing to our scholarship fund and/or by venturing to campus each fall to take part in our annual Alumni Band Day. 

            While LHB and LHAB are entities unto themselves and serve as icons for our great university, it is you - the individual - who make these groups what they are.  It is extremely important to me that you know how much I value your individual contributions for the good of the order.  In large organizations such as LHAB and LHB It is easy to think that individual efforts go unnoticed or are somehow insignificant.  Nothing could be further from the truth – we need you and your involvement to maintain the excellence of the past and propel us to an even brighter future.

            I sincerely hope your plans allow for a return visit to the 40 acres on the weekend of September 8, 2012 for Alumni Band Day, but if not, I hope you can find another way to contribute to the efforts of LHAB in the coming year.

THANK YOU and Hook ‘Em,

Robert Carnochan, D.M.A.

Director, Longhorn Band

Schedule

LHAB Alumni Weekend Schedule

The game time has been set for 7PM and you will find the latest tentative schedule below. Please keep checking the LHAB web site, www.lhab.org for updated information. 

Friday Night

5:00 - 7:00 pm          Registration Check-in

6:00 - 6:45 pm          Music and Instrument Check-out
7:00 - 8:00 pm          Rehearsal and Annual Business Meeting in the Band Hall

8:00 - ???                 Friday Night Social Activities
(Scholarship presentation has been moved to Saturday during the beginning of the joint bands rehearsal)

Saturday

10:00 - 10:45 am      Registration (water, juice, snacks) at Denius Field

10:00 - 10:45 am      Section Leader Meeting (Bubble)

11:00 am - 1:30 pm   LHAB Playing and Marching Rehearsal (Bubble)

1:30 - 1:45 pm         Transition from Bubble to lower Denius Field

1:45 - 2:15 pm         Special Presentations

                                    (scholarships, donor recognitions, and Invitation to 2015 London Parade)

2:15 - 2:45 pm         Combined Rehearsal with LHB (Denius Field)

2:45 - 3:00 pm         LHAB field entrance run-throughs (Denius)

3:00 - 4:00 pm         LHB Rehearsal in Bubble

3:00 - 4:15 pm         LHAB BBQ Meal at the Band Hall

4:15 pm                  LHB BBQ Meal at Band Hall

4:30 - 5:30 pm         Pick up Vests (must be in uniform)

5:50 pm                   Call-to, LHAB step-off for march-down to DKR-TMS

6:30 pm                   LHB Line-up and Step-off

7:00 pm                   Kickoff - BTHOONM!

Check-In

If you have registered online, checking-in on Friday evening will be a breeze.

Please note that check-in will be in the Lobby of the Band Hall this year

5:00-7:00 P.M., Friday, September 7th.

The check-in area will be set up as you enter, listed by last name. Sign and pick up your packet with all the information you’ll need for Alumni Band weekend, including information on meals purchased, instrument rental, and vest checkout. We’ll help solve any registration problems at a designated area, so if you have questions, just ask. Please pick up your own check-in packet. Anyone picking up your packet for you will be required to sign for your packet and will be responsible for getting it to you.

The business meeting and playing rehearsal will last about an hour, from 7:00-8:00 p.m. At this important meeting we elect new officers and share very important information about the next day’s schedule and show- and of course, play music!

For socializing, food, and beverages following the playing rehearsal, we have made arrangement to gather at several nearby establishments.

Friday Night Social Activities

Fun and Frivolity to Follow Friday’s Rehearsal.

The LHAB Officers are working with nearby establishments including

Double Dave’s Pizzaworks + Posse East + Crown & Anchor Pub

to arrange food and drink specials after LHAB’s rehearsal on Friday night (September 7, 2012).  Check-in and rehearsal will be located in the music building this year.  We hope you will join us off-site after rehearsal to enjoy the evening and catch-up with your friends and band mates.  More information will be presented online (lhab.org) in the coming weeks and at the Friday night business meeting and rehearsal.

Hook ‘em

Tadd Lanham (LHAB Treasurer)

LHAB 2012 Scholarship Donations

Step Off and Step Up!

This is a good time to be planning your 2012 tax-deductible donation amount to the LHAB Charitable Fund.  The LHAB's annual scholarship awards to deserving current LHB students has grown to over $40,000 per year - - an amount that has a huge impact on the overall financial aid picture for LHB students.  We receive many donations from LHABers in a year, most of which come in as part of the Band Day registration process.

If you are one of those who contribute annually on the Band Day registration form with a minimum $100 donation, bravo for you and keep it up!  Not only do your annual contributions play a BIG role in increasing our fund corpus (now over $800K!), they also are accumulating towards a major donor award for you!  (See details at www.lhab.org/scholars/scholars.cfm)

If you give annually to the LHAB Charitable Fund at a level below $100, you are still a hero to the LHB and us, but your donations are not accumulating towards a donor award for you.  If you are one of those in this category, and you think you could start giving annually at the $100 level, this would be a great year to start doing just that.  Think about it - - 3,000 members giving $100 a year is a whopping $300K per year!  We would easily cross $1 million in our Fund balance this year alone!

If your overall annual giving level to all charities is $1,000 or higher, you should really look into contributing to the LHAB Charitable Fund at the Maestro ($1K), Burnt Orange ($5K), Script Texas ($10K), Grandioso ($25K) or perhaps even the named-scholarship level ($30K).  At the Maestro Level and above, you receive a numbered award and your name appears in perpetuity in the annual LHAB Band Day Program.  How cool is that!

We and the Longhorn Band members greatly appreciate any and all donations, so choose your giving level, step off and step up!

Hook ‘em!

Mike Haecker

President - Board of Trustees

LHAB Charitable Fund

Clarinet, ’67-‘73

Instruments

It’s time to dust off those horns again! Anticipating another great turnout, here is the general info on instruments. First, please make sure you REGISTER EARLY to reserve an instrument if you need one. If you wait until Friday night, we cannot guarantee you your correct instrument. Reminder: we do not have woodwinds to check out, so please bring your own. Also, if you can borrow an instrument from a friend, family member, or local school, PLEASE DO! We are looking into getting more mellos and percussion but please anticipate us being in short supply!

This year on the registration section of the website, we will have a specific number of instruments available on first come, first served basis. Instruments will be handed out between 5:00 p.m. and 6:45 p.m. at the loading dock behind the band hall (look for the U-Haul truck) on Friday, September 7th. Please show up early because those who do will be given priority when selecting their instrument. If by chance you still have an instrument from last year, please contact me so I can update our inventory. If you absolutely cannot come Friday night for checkout and you cannot have someone else pick up your instrument for you, please contact me.

I look forward to seeing everyone again this year! And please, BRING YOUR OWN INSTRUMENT IF POSSIBLE!!! TUBA!s and mellos, if you are checking out an instrument, don't forget to bring your mouthpiece!

Hook ‘Em!
AJ Landeros
LHAB Vice President Equipment
Trumpet, ‘05-‘11

If you have any questions, send an e-mail to ajlanderos@me.com

The LHAB Uniform

Remember to bring the following to wear with your

burnt orange vest at halftime.

BLACK SHOES - COMPLETELY BLACK - No white or colored trim, shoestrings, or soles.
BLACK SOCKS - COMPLETELY BLACK - Not dark gray or navy.
BLACK PANTS - WEST TEXAS CRUDE BLACK - No faded, dark gray or navy.
BEWARE: cotton pants (denim, Dockers, etc.) are seldom truly BLACK! After one or two washings they fade fast. Pants must be LONG, no shorts or capris pants.
WHITE shirt or blouse - WHITE, not ivory or off-white. Either long or short sleeves are OK but your shirt must have a collar.
NOTE: Hats & caps may be worn in the stands only - not during halftime!

YOU WILL NOT BE ISSUED A VEST UNLESS YOU ARE IN UNIFORM!