*Mother Teresa’s Feast Day

With Mr. Shane Verges as Valle Catholic Schools Director of Bands, enrollment in the Valle Catholic Schools Band program has climbed to levels not seen in recent years. In his fourth year at Valle, he has grown the high school band from 9 members last year to 19 members this year, consisting of 14 freshmen, 2 sophomores, 1 junior, and 2 seniors. The grade school bands have grown as well with 10 8th graders, 29 7th graders, and 24 6th graders. Rounding out the instrumental music program are 32 5th graders learning the recorder this year.

Sporting their signature Valle blue marching band uniforms, the high school band will march in three parades this year: Valle Homecoming Parade, Ste. Genevieve Homecoming Parade, and the Ste. Genevieve Christmas parade. The eighth grade band will join the high school band for the Christmas parade. The Valle band will also play at all Valle Warrior Football home games, cheering on the home team with the Valle fight song and an array of other spirited tunes. But the music doesn’t stop at the end of football and parade seasons. The grade school and high school bands will don more formal attire to perform in the Christmas and Spring Band concerts. Guided by the leadership of Mr. Verges, the bands learn a variety of forms of concert music, and delight audience members young and old.
The Valle Bands are also active in the Ste. Genevieve community. At Rural Heritage Day each October, band members and their parents work together with Jon and Dana Fallert to stir up some delicious kettle corn to raise funds for the band program. The band also works with the Ste. Genevieve McDonald’s to hold a Valle Band Night. One of the highlights of the year is when the band hosts the Valle Junior High Band Festival each March. Hundreds of band students from more than 15 schools throughout the region spend a full day at Valle performing as solos and ensembles in front of esteemed judges. The band raises funds operating a busy concession stand.

After the end of each school year, some of the band’s talented high school students are selected to participate in the Ste. Genevieve Municipal Band’s summer concerts.
Over the past 5-10 years, the Valle Band Boosters have raised funds to purchase a number of used instruments so that band members have a variety of instruments from which to choose. Thankfully, a number of instruments have been donated by members of the community. The band is still seeking additional donated instruments. If instruments are in need of repair, the Valle Band Boosters can provide the funds to fix them. If you would like to contribute to the continued growth of the Valle Band program by donating an instrument, please contact Mr. Shane Verges at the high school at 573-883-7496. If desired, High School Principal Mr. Paul Hinman can appraise the instrument for a tax deduction. All instruments are greatly appreciated.

1st row: Patrick McDowell, Brennden Pfaff, Hailey Thomas-Kreitler, Anna Hendrixson,
2nd row: Alexia Van Elzen, Gage Heil, Eva Oberle, Cora Ann Friedman, Rachel Valle, Nicole Valle, Madison Otte, Mary Roth,
3rd row: Tommy Otte, Kyle Steiger, Clare McDowell, Daniel Kuenzel, Caleb Hoog, Job Zerwig and Joshua Hoog

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