ROBERTSDALE, Alabama --- It’s a busy time for the Robertsdale High School band as they simultaneously finish up the spring concert season and prepare for the upcoming fall season.

“I want to express my thanks to associate band director David Jordan,” said RHS Band Director Robin Isherwood. “Under his leadership, we have been able to resurrect the jazz band, brass ensembles and woodwind ensembles. I also want to thank middle school band director Ashley Tyler for the hard work she has put in to make the Robertsdale band a success.”

The RHS band will host its spring concert at 7 p.m. Saturday, May 4 in the school’s gymnasium. The Band Boosters will also be hosting a spaghetti dinner beginning at 6 p.m. in the cafeteria.

A former chef from Gambino’s Restaurant in Fairhope will be preparing the meal, which will also include salad, garlic bread and a drink at a cost of $8.

The Robertsdale High School Golden Bear Marching band began its season in July with fall season running from July to November.

The 2011 Marching Band consisted of 143 members, including majorettes and color guard, Isherwood said, performing their Blues Brothers Review at halftime during football season and marching band competitions.

The Marching Band also performed for annual Christmas parades in Loxley, Silverhill and Robertsdale, finishing with the band’s annual Christmas concert at Honeybee Park following the Robertsdale Christmas Parade.

From there the band splits off into wind ensembles and concert band, reducing to about 120 members. In January, the band begins winter competitions for percussion, concert band, wind ensemble and winter guard, while also beginning band tech classes for upcoming middle school students and high school students who want to learn an instrument, Isherwood said.

From there the band enters spring indoor concert season, which includes 97 wind, plus 14 percussion members.

The band is finishing up a successful spring season in May, Isherwood said, which included:

• Music performance assessment by the Alabama Band Master’s Association. RHS wind ensemble band received superior ratings while the concert band received overall excellent ratings and was the only band in its classification to receive superior ratings in the sight reading category.

• The winter guard and indoor drum line attended nine competitions from January through March on the Gulf Coast Color Guard and Percussion circuit.

• The indoor drum line took first place at the World Guard International Regional Competition held in Hattiesberg, Miss. They also placed sixth out of 25 teams in the finals competition.

• For the first time RHS sent a winter guard team to the World Guard International’s International Worlds Competition in Dayton, Ohio.

• Brass ensemble and saxophone ensembles performed at various events throughout the area including the H & R Block office grand opening, and the Robertsdale Healthcare Center beauty pageant.

• Dixieland band performed at Silverhill School’s Mardi Gras event.

• Small ensemble performed at the Rosinton School St. Patrick’s Day program.

• Two students, George Williams and Pierson Gilreath, received All-State Band honors from the Alabama Band Masters Association. Williams performed at the All-State Solo Festival.

• Numerous students from RHS have also been invited to perform with the Baldwin Pops Band.

There will also be a solo and ensemble concert on Saturday, May 5, Isherwood said with 85 students signed up to perform solo or ensemble pieces.

The band will also hold rookie camp May 14-19 for eighth graders and new band students, Isherwood said. There will also be an ensemble concert for jazz band, brass choir, sax quintet and percussion ensemble May 15 at 7 p.m. at the school.

The Booster Club will also be electing officers at its meeting May 15 and the band will perform during the RHS spring football game on May 25, Isherwood said.

Students have also begun practice for the next fall show, which will feature the music of Journey.

For ticket information for Friday’s spring concert, call Robertsdale High School at 251-947-4154 or contact Isherwood at risherwood@bcbe.org.