Band

Concert band is designed for all 9th grade band students and any students as a natural progression from their middle school band experience. This class is a concert ensemble that provides students with the skills and concepts needed to progress them towards proficiency with their instruments and prepare them for the musical demands of the remaining years in the band program. The students focus on musical, theoretical and technical development culminating in performances. 

Marching Band combines music, coordinated movement, athleticism and elements of dance into an energetic field show.  The Marching Band performs at home football games, festivals and parades.  The season begins in late summer with band camp and concludes in early November.  A parade through Chapel Hill and Carrboro finishes the semester responsibilities.  There are clinics available in the spring to help students learn new instruments and refine skills.  Marching Band rehearses after school two and sometimes three days each week once school starts and the hours are determined and specified by the director.   Students may opt to receive course credit for marching band, or participate in marching band without receiving course credit.  

Jazz Ensemble is a select group of serious musicians specializing in the true American art form:  jazz.  In this class, students develop mastery of jazz music through a rigorous curriculum of study, rehearsal and performance of the different styles and aspects of jazz and improvisation.  Instrumentation is determined by the director based on ensemble needs. Additional requirements must be made for those selected to the Honors Jazz Ensemble (grades 10-12 only).

Symphonic Band is a concert ensemble in which students are challenged to further develop and improve their master of musicality and technique.  These students have challenging and rigorous demands placed on them as individual musicians.  Symphonic Band plays music with a high level of demand and performs several concerts throughout the year. Students may enroll in Symphonic Band at the intermediate level. Honors credit at the proficient and advanced levels is an option with the director’s consent. Additional requirements must be met at these higher levels.

This course is designed for percussion students. Students are challenged to further develop and improve their techniques on all percussion instruments, as well as their musicality. Students in this class have the opportunity to play and perform in a variety of percussive ensembles throughout the year and may be assigned to perform the percussion parts in Concert Band and Symphonic Band concerts.