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Whether or not you realize it, by enrolling in Band, you have made more than 450 friends.
You’ve invited into your life decades-long relationships, unimaginable performance opportunities, lessons in responsibility, cooperation and artistry, once-in-a-lifetime travel opportunities, and a glimpse into humankind’s greatest asset: music. As a high school band student, I experienced firsthand the overwhelming power that music has over one’s sense of security, belonging, self-esteem, character and personality. My greatest memories, best friends, and most influential teachers were all in music. Music has had such a profound effect on me, that I made the best decision I have ever made — to dedicate my life to teaching music. And since coming to Dublin High School, I have seen the life changing power of music touch student after student, providing them with a safe place to learn, grow and become model human beings. Whether you are a veteran of the DHS Bands or are entering this world for just the first time, know that you will always be welcome, loved, and pushed to be your best self in this incredible laboratory of friendship and professionalism. Sincerely, 
Elliot Polot
Director of Bands Dublin High School |
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What is Band and how does it work?
Band is a curricular and extra-curricular activity. Wind and percussion instrumentalists — everyone except Colorguard members — enroll in one of the three band classes and meet during class each school day and are taught by Mr. Polot, the band director.
Band has two components: concert and marching. Both are required. Concert music (think tuxedo/dress/stage) is taught in class. Marching music (think marching uniform/football field) is taught both in class and after school.
The DHS marching band is called the Irish Guard Marching Band and Colorguard, or simply, Irish Guard. Marching season lasts from the beginning of the school year until Thanksgiving.
There is a required band camp at the end of July at DHS. Once school starts, there are after-school rehearsals Wednesdays 6-9pm and Saturdays 10am-5pm in Gael Stadium at DHS. Percussionists and Colorguard members have additional rehearsals every Monday from 6-9pm.
All days of camp are 9AM-5PM at DHS. See the Band Camp tab for dates.
All students who miss all or some of band camp, will be considered alternates in the first movement of the field show, and will not be written into the drill or music.
The Irish Guard attends every home football game, performs in parades, and competes in several field show competitions all around Northern California from October-November. Competitions are an all-day, all-hands-on-deck experience.
In addition to Mr. Polot, the marching band and colorguard are taught by a staff that is hired by Mr. Polot and paid for by the Music Boosters – a non-profit organization made up of band, orchestra, and choir families who support the DHS Music Program. All families are encouraged to volunteer with the Music Boosters and attend their monthly meetings.
After marching season ends, much of the time commitment goes away. But the rigor continues with concerts and festivals.
Band costs money. Visit the Participant Contributions section to learn more.
Band has two components: concert and marching. Both are required. Concert music (think tuxedo/dress/stage) is taught in class. Marching music (think marching uniform/football field) is taught both in class and after school.
The DHS marching band is called the Irish Guard Marching Band and Colorguard, or simply, Irish Guard. Marching season lasts from the beginning of the school year until Thanksgiving.
There is a required band camp at the end of July at DHS. Once school starts, there are after-school rehearsals Wednesdays 6-9pm and Saturdays 10am-5pm in Gael Stadium at DHS. Percussionists and Colorguard members have additional rehearsals every Monday from 6-9pm.
All days of camp are 9AM-5PM at DHS. See the Band Camp tab for dates.
All students who miss all or some of band camp, will be considered alternates in the first movement of the field show, and will not be written into the drill or music.
The Irish Guard attends every home football game, performs in parades, and competes in several field show competitions all around Northern California from October-November. Competitions are an all-day, all-hands-on-deck experience.
In addition to Mr. Polot, the marching band and colorguard are taught by a staff that is hired by Mr. Polot and paid for by the Music Boosters – a non-profit organization made up of band, orchestra, and choir families who support the DHS Music Program. All families are encouraged to volunteer with the Music Boosters and attend their monthly meetings.
After marching season ends, much of the time commitment goes away. But the rigor continues with concerts and festivals.
Band costs money. Visit the Participant Contributions section to learn more.
Annual Events – A Typical Year In Band
Band Camp
See Band Camp.
Field Show Competitions
There are typically about five all-day events from Oct-Nov at which the Irish Guard performs their field show for a panel of judges and receives a score and ranking among the other marching bands. These events, always on Saturdays, are the culmination of all the hard work the students have put forth since the beginning of band camp. Some local competitions require students to carpool, while others that are farther away are traveled to by bus. There’s a lot of planning and volunteer assistance required to transport 150+ kids and $100,000+ worth of equipment and uniforms around the state of California! Parents/guardians, see the Music Boosters section to discover how you can help get involved. For a full listing of field show competitions, see the calendar.
A typical “show day” lasts from about 8am to midnight. It involves a morning rehearsal at DHS, time to eat a self-provided lunch, then changing into uniform, loading the equipment truck, transporting by car or bus to the show site, eating a Grub Club-provided dinner, warming up, performing (~8pm), changing out of uniform, watching the award ceremony, transporting back to DHS, putting away the equipment, and finally returning home.
There are two circuits of field show competitions: NCBA and WBA. Both circuits evaluate the band on different components of their performance, such as how they looked vs. how they sounded.
The Northern California Band Association (NCBA) provides judging for band competitions in Northern/Central California and Northern Nevada. These competitions include field competitions, band reviews, concert band, jazz band, winter guards, percussion, and solo drum major competitions. NCBA competitions tend to be more local and are judged mainly by retired band directors. NCBA offers an award called “sweepstakes” which goes to the highest overall scoring band, regardless of their classification (size).
The Western Band Association (WBA) has the following mission statement: The Western Band Association exists to ensure a high quality, educationally sound performing experience in full support of the total band program. WBA hosts only field show competitions, but they tend to be more competitive and have very high quality judges.
Both circuits divide the competing bands into classifications based on the number of members in the band. The Irish Guard is 5A (WBA) or 6A (NCBA) – the largest classification for each circuit – with 150+ members. (While this is not always true, generally, the bigger a band is, the better.)
The competition ends with a ~90-minute award ceremony at which the results are announced. For an in-depth view of a typical show day, see “sample itineraries” in the Band Handbook.
Concerts
Much like in middle school band, concerts are a way of showcasing the concert music learned in the classroom. Concerts include the Fall Jazz Ensemble/Orchestra Concert, The Winter Concert, and the Final Concert in May. There may be more depending on availability of the auditorium. For a full listing, see the calendar.
Concert Band/Jazz Festivals
A Band Festival (or simply “Festival”) is an event where high school concert and jazz bands perform music and sight reading for a panel of judges and receive a rating. Often, they are not competitions with other bands, but rather opportunities to be adjudicated. They are typically hosted by NCBA or CMEA (the California Music Education Association). The concert bands (Wind Ensemble and Symphonic Band) and Jazz Ensemble participate in several festivals throughout the year. Examples include the Folsom and Campana Jazz Festivals, as well as CMEA B&O East at Amador Valley HS. For a full listing, see the calendar.
St. Patrick’s Day Parade
Every March on the Saturday before St. Patrick’s Day, the Irish Guard participates in the Dublin Lions Club’s enormous St. Patrick’s Day parade in downtown Dublin. The time commitment is from about 7am-noon.
Final Concert
The final concert, held in the DHS Sports Complex is a magnificent culminating event that encompasses all of the ensembles in Band as well as Orchestra. This includes Colorguard, Winter Percussion, Symphonic Band, Wind Ensemble, Jazz Ensemble and Orchestra.
Band Banquet
Held in the DHS Student Union in May, the Band Banquet is an evening for ALL Band students and their families to celebrate the achievements of the year as well as the Band careers of the graduating seniors.
Frequently Asked Questions
Does "Band" include Colorguard? Sometimes! If you're not sure whether a "Band" event or message pertains to Colorguard, it's always better to ask!
Colorguard is part of Band in the sense that Colorguard is part of the Irish Guard Marching Band & Colorguard, which is one of the DHS Bands. Mr. Polot (Director of Bands) hires the Colorguard Director (also known as the Colorguard Caption Head). However, Colorguard is different in that it is strictly an extracurricular activity. That means unlike instrumentalists, Colorguard members do not take a Band class with Mr. Polot. Instrumentalists and Colorguard members are encouraged to connect on and off the field because they are all members of the DHS Bands.
I heard Band is a big time commitment. Is this true? There are after-school marching band rehearsals Wednesdays 6-9pm and Saturdays 10am-5pm from the first week of school through Thanksgiving. Percussionists and Colorguard members have additional rehearsals every Monday from 6-9pm. Despite these after school commitments, Band students tend to be among the best at DHS. In 2020, more than 80% of the DHS Band seniors were Presidential Gold and Silver award recipients. Many band students maintain 4.0+ GPAs, exceptional standardized test scores, and attend excellent four year universities. Participation in Band is valued highly by admissions officers.
What if I can't attend Band Camp? The first thing you should do is check if there's ANY way for you to rearrange your plans so that you can attend Band Camp. There is no way to learn everything missed at Band Camp – the introductions, the group learning, the traditions – etc. If you cannot attend Band Camp, please alert Mr. Polot as far in advance as possible either in the registration Google form or via email. The most responsible students who cannot attend Band Camp alert Mr. Polot months or even a full year in advance. After school begins, it is the student's responsibility to learn what was missed by meeting with their section leader and/or Drum Majors.
What do we do/learn at Band Camp? You will learn the names and faces of the other members of the band, setting you up to feel comfortable and safe at Dublin High School! You will learn the procedures of the band program. You will learn how to march, how to read coordinate sheets, various musical warm ups, and will ultimately learn the first third of the field show.
Can non-leaders come to the Leadership or New Member camp? While all members of the band are highly valued, the first four days of camp are reserved for members with specific roles (leadership and new) to work in a private, smaller environment. Non-leaders may visit the leadership and new member camp during lunch only, but may not attend rehearsals, meetings, etc.
What if I don't own an instrument? If you do not own an instrument, please indicate which instrument(s) you need in the DHS Music registration form. A school-owned instrument will be provided to you on the first day of camp, although sometimes there are not enough school instruments for everyone to get their top choice. To ensure that you have your preferred instrument, it's highly recommended that you buy an instrument (always consult Mr. Polot before buying an instrument) or rent one from a music store like Jams Music.
How much does Band Camp cost? As a member of the Irish Guard, Band Camp is included in your participant contribution. To see your amount, see Participant Contributions.
Do I get a P.E. Exemption for Band? Freshmen must take P.E. class. Sophomores, Juniors, and Seniors will get a P.E. Exemption if they participate in the full Irish Guard Marching Band & Colorguard season, missing no more than 3 rehearsals. This being said, the reason you join Band should be because you enjoy Band, not just to get a P.E. Exemption. If the reason you join Band is simply to get a P.E. Exemption, you will be unhappy to find that all the rehearsals and time spent practicing take more time and effort than P.E. class. But if you love Band and are willing to put in the effort, you will be rewarded with an unforgettable experience full of music and friendship, plus a P.E. Exemption!
Colorguard is part of Band in the sense that Colorguard is part of the Irish Guard Marching Band & Colorguard, which is one of the DHS Bands. Mr. Polot (Director of Bands) hires the Colorguard Director (also known as the Colorguard Caption Head). However, Colorguard is different in that it is strictly an extracurricular activity. That means unlike instrumentalists, Colorguard members do not take a Band class with Mr. Polot. Instrumentalists and Colorguard members are encouraged to connect on and off the field because they are all members of the DHS Bands.
I heard Band is a big time commitment. Is this true? There are after-school marching band rehearsals Wednesdays 6-9pm and Saturdays 10am-5pm from the first week of school through Thanksgiving. Percussionists and Colorguard members have additional rehearsals every Monday from 6-9pm. Despite these after school commitments, Band students tend to be among the best at DHS. In 2020, more than 80% of the DHS Band seniors were Presidential Gold and Silver award recipients. Many band students maintain 4.0+ GPAs, exceptional standardized test scores, and attend excellent four year universities. Participation in Band is valued highly by admissions officers.
What if I can't attend Band Camp? The first thing you should do is check if there's ANY way for you to rearrange your plans so that you can attend Band Camp. There is no way to learn everything missed at Band Camp – the introductions, the group learning, the traditions – etc. If you cannot attend Band Camp, please alert Mr. Polot as far in advance as possible either in the registration Google form or via email. The most responsible students who cannot attend Band Camp alert Mr. Polot months or even a full year in advance. After school begins, it is the student's responsibility to learn what was missed by meeting with their section leader and/or Drum Majors.
What do we do/learn at Band Camp? You will learn the names and faces of the other members of the band, setting you up to feel comfortable and safe at Dublin High School! You will learn the procedures of the band program. You will learn how to march, how to read coordinate sheets, various musical warm ups, and will ultimately learn the first third of the field show.
Can non-leaders come to the Leadership or New Member camp? While all members of the band are highly valued, the first four days of camp are reserved for members with specific roles (leadership and new) to work in a private, smaller environment. Non-leaders may visit the leadership and new member camp during lunch only, but may not attend rehearsals, meetings, etc.
What if I don't own an instrument? If you do not own an instrument, please indicate which instrument(s) you need in the DHS Music registration form. A school-owned instrument will be provided to you on the first day of camp, although sometimes there are not enough school instruments for everyone to get their top choice. To ensure that you have your preferred instrument, it's highly recommended that you buy an instrument (always consult Mr. Polot before buying an instrument) or rent one from a music store like Jams Music.
How much does Band Camp cost? As a member of the Irish Guard, Band Camp is included in your participant contribution. To see your amount, see Participant Contributions.
Do I get a P.E. Exemption for Band? Freshmen must take P.E. class. Sophomores, Juniors, and Seniors will get a P.E. Exemption if they participate in the full Irish Guard Marching Band & Colorguard season, missing no more than 3 rehearsals. This being said, the reason you join Band should be because you enjoy Band, not just to get a P.E. Exemption. If the reason you join Band is simply to get a P.E. Exemption, you will be unhappy to find that all the rehearsals and time spent practicing take more time and effort than P.E. class. But if you love Band and are willing to put in the effort, you will be rewarded with an unforgettable experience full of music and friendship, plus a P.E. Exemption!
