WEEKLY NEWSLETTER

September 14 - September 18, 2026

First Half Time Performance!

Schedule this Week

Monday: Sectionals 2:30-3:30 pm

Tuesday: Drum Club 3:45-5:00 pm (Optional)

Thursday: Night Rehearsal 5:30 - 9:00 pm; Habit Burger Fundraiser

Friday: 5:15 pm Football Game! CALL SHEET

All members are responsible for purchasing their own under uniform to wear at competitions and football games (starting 9/18).  Read this under uniform guidelines document for more information. Be sure to purchase these items before the 9/18 football game.

On the Calendar

September 19: Super Saturday at Mira Mesa High School!

September 25: Sapphire Sound Movie Night (Optional) 

October 2: Friday Night Rehearsal

October 3: First Competition!

THURSDAYS: Be sure to mark your calendars for Thursday evening rehearsals during our marching season (up to Thanksgiving). 

SAVE THE DATE: Saturday, November 7, 2026 is our 34th Annual Mira Mesa Invitational Field Tournament! We ask all Band and Color Guard family members and friends to volunteer that day to help make the event a success. 

The Fall marching season concludes on Saturday, November 21st. Please make sure you keep all of the Saturdays open on our Google Calendar, including November 21st. 

The Google Calendar on our website has all updated information for parents, families, and students. Bookmark our website as one of your favorites. Click here for the BAND WEBSITE. 

Current Fundraisers

Our Popcorn and Gift Wrap online fundraisers start this week Tuesday 9/7/26 and end Friday 10/9/26.  All orders will be shipped directly to customers.  

Funds raised from individual store links will go toward student FTCs.

To participate, students should register asap and share out their online store links to family/friends via text, email, and social media. 

Popcorn Registration Link (Group ID: 127606)

Gift Wrap Registration Link (Organization ID: 31943)

For questions, please contact fundraising@mmimb.org.

THIS WEEK: Habit Burger Restaurant fundraiser on Thursday, September 17 (See Attached)

Color Guard

All members are responsible for purchasing their own hair, makeup, undergarments & accessories to wear with the costumes.  Jazz shoes & tights are ordered through the boosters but all other products we ask that you get on your own.  

Please see the link below and purchase by Wednesday, September 23rd.  If you have any questions email Sarah.

LINK

Volunteer Opportunities

Football Games:

The Sapphire Sound attends and supports the school at every home football game. We are looking for parent support to make sure the students are set up for success. If you are available on a Friday night and interested in helping the band, sign up below!

Click Here to Sign Up

Musubi Monday!

On Mondays during the school year, students have the opportunity to purchase spam musubi at lunch. It takes a volunteer crew of parents and alumni parents each week to make sure there is enough to sell. It only takes about an hour of your time to help out. We are SO GRATEFUL to Kris Tokunaga for heading up this committee each week. The first Monday we will begin, is August 17th. If you are able to volunteer, please email Kris at: kristok4@gmail.com

Super Saturday - SCSBOA & CBDA Workshop

Super Saturday Sign-Up process

What is it: Super Saturday is an optional event held all over the state on Saturday, Sept. 19 to help our musicians prepare for the All State and All Southern Honor Group auditions. Previously, the only Southern CA option was Woodbridge HS in Irvine, but this year both Winds/Percussion and Strings will have an event much closer to home! HS students will work for 3 hours on Sat. morning with a music professional on their instrument in a masterclass setting with the other participants, on the excerpts, audition prep in general and other special issues that pertain to their instrument. If you have middle school musicians, they have a similar opportunity in the afternoon (same sign-up process)

How to sign up: (again, this is optional, if you have been preparing your honor group excerpts) If you haven't started, but are interested, get going, the first due date is Oct. 15. Just know that many interested students have been working on these since they were released last spring. The masterclass would still be a valuable way to spend the morning if you are not as experienced or not super prepared with the audition excerpts, but you will probably get more out of it if you have been doing the work already.

• go to the CBDA (winds and percussion) or CODA (strings) audition sign up portal 

• enter your student information. Use a NON-SCHOOL email address-our district blocks emails from outside sources. If you have signed up for auditions before, it should remember you in the system if you use the same email account.  Once you get to the sign up screen, click the blue SUPER SATURDAY button

• use MY school email address when it asks for your teacher information. I am a member of both organizations (blockie@sandi.net)

• if you are new to the system, you will need to fill out the student profile info (just basic contact info) before it takes you to the registration page

• choose your location and submit payment through the shopping cart

• If you need any help with any part of the process, we can do it here at school and I can help you.

For more information about these programs, I encourage you to check out their respective websites

CODA All State Orchestras

CBDA All State Bands and Jazz

SCSBOA All Southern CA Band/Jazz/Orchestra

If you have any questions, I am happy to answer them, or help track down the answers if I don't immediately know. 

Good luck and happy preparations for those who are interested in these extended opportunities!

In the Director's Corner 

What a fantastic week, Sapphire Sound! Our Pancake Breakfast was a huge success, and I am incredibly proud of everyone who helped make it happen. We raised much more than we did last year, and the section gift baskets were a huge part of that success! It was awesome to see everyone working together, getting creative, and supporting the program. Thank you to all of our students, families, and volunteers for making it such a memorable event!

Now, we get to put all of our hard work on the field! This Friday is our first halftime performance of the season, and I am so excited for everyone to have the opportunity to perform for our school and community. Be sure to bring your under-uniform on Friday and come ready to represent Sapphire Sound with pride!

We have been building so much momentum throughout these first few weeks, and this is just the beginning. Keep bringing your focus, energy, and enthusiasm to rehearsal as we continue taking the next steps toward an incredible season. Great job this week, Sapphire Sound! Let’s have a great first halftime performance!

All In, Always. 

Musically Yours,

Mr. Lockie

“Band is not just music - it's family, it's discipline, it's pride.”