Band & Orchestra

Concert band is a for-credit 9th and 10th grade elective satisfying a requirement for Visual, Performing and Applied Arts. Concert Band engages in a wide variety of musical styles including jazz, popular, classical, and music from all over the world. Through the study of this diverse range of music students will engage in the fundamentals of creating beautiful sound, reading the musical language, and creating the beautiful art of sound. The concert band performs at four main concerts throughout the year and has many opportunities for further exploration.

Symphonic band is an 11th and 12th grade elective that satisfies the requirement for visual, performing and applied arts. Membership in the Symphonic Band is open to students who qualify by audition or selection, particularly those in 9th and 10th grades. The Symphonic Band studies advanced techniques and a wide variety of musical styles. This group performs at several concerts.

Concert Orchestra is a for-credit elective class for 9th and 10th grades that satisfies the requirement for visual, performing and applied arts. Membership is made up of students who play stringed instruments. The orchestra studies string techniques and a wide variety of musical styles including folk, jazz, popular, classical, and music from all over the world. Through the study of this diverse range of music students will engage in the fundamentals of creating beautiful sound, reading the musical language, and creating the beautiful art of sound. The orchestra performs at four main concerts throughout the year and has many opportunities for further exploration.

Symphonic Orchestra is an 11th and 12th grade elective that satisfies the requirement for visual, performing and applied arts. Membership in the Symphonic Orchestra is open to students who qualify by audition or selection, particularly those in 9th and 10th grades. The Symphonic Orchestra studies advanced techniques and a wide variety of musical styles. This group performs at several concerts.

A non-auditioned jazz ensemble. Rehearsals are on Tuesday mornings at 7:15 am. This group is also made up of saxes, trumpets, trombones, piano, bass, drums, guitar, and auxiliary percussion. Students must be concurrently registered in band and/or orchestra.

An audition-only jazz ensemble made up of saxophones, trumpets, trombones, piano, bass, drum set, guitar, and auxiliary percussion. Auditions are held in the spring for the following school year. Students must be concurrently registered in band and/or orchestra, with occasional exceptions made for guitar and piano players. Rehearsals are on Tuesday and Thursday mornings from 7:15 am to 7:55 am. This is a for-credit class.

This small jazz ensemble is made up of 6 to 10 of our best and most dedicated jazz musicians. This group is chosen from the jazz orchestra and helps develop a mastery of improvisation skills. This group plays at special events and weddings.

Pep band is made up of members from both the concert band and the symphonic band who play at some home football and basketball games. We play at about 3 football and 4 basketball games a year. Students must be concurrently registered in band and/or orchestra. All band members are encouraged to join us–we have lots of fun!

Marching Band is made up of all the concert band and symphonic band members, and practices from after Spring Break up to Tulip Time, which is typically the second week of May, from 7:15 am to 7:55 am.

The Performing Drumline ensemble is made up of percussionists from the concert band and the symphonic band. These musicians also perform as a percussion ensemble.

Below is a recording of our HCHS drumline recorded in the isolation of COVID virtual learning, when our regular Tulip Time parades were cancelled for the first time in their 90+ year history. We have included it because it is the only professional recording of the group that we currently have!

Chamber Orchestra is a small string ensemble of 8 to 12 of the top string players from the larger orchestra. This group plays at special events and church services and meets on Wednesday mornings at 7:15 am.

All band and orchestra members should consider participating in the District Solo & Ensemble Festival, which happens in the beginning of February. Registration is in the beginning of December. Students perform in solos and/or ensembles for an adjudicator and are given a rating based on their performance. Those who receive a division one, or superior, rating qualify to perform at the State Solo & Ensemble Festival. The top players from that festival can be chosen to be part of the Michigan Youth Arts Festival.

Auditions for the All State Band & Orchestra happen in late October/early November and are at East Kentwood High School. The best band and orchestra musicians from around the state audition to be part of the All State Band and Orchestra, and only the top auditions are accepted to this group. It performs one time in January with two days of rehearsal. Those who make this group receive a high honor and have demonstrated many hours of hard work. Registration occurs in the beginning of October.