About our Program

The West Middle School Music Program has a history of excellence. Since 2016 the concert bands have earned Excellent and Superior ratings at festivals, and the band was invited to perform at the Colorado Music Educator Association Clinic/Conference in 2014 and 2018. 

At West students can choose from a variety of elective classes in all grades. Each student has two periods of electives each day, and band is a year-long class at every grade level. With 45 minutes of learning each day and all year long, students are able to cover a significant amount of content in each grade, and we are proud of the work our Wildcats complete each year!

Because band classes progress from grade to grade, students should participate in band in sixth grade to join seventh grade band. While joining in an upper grade is possible, students would need to make up a year of instruction with a private teacher or as an individual practicer on their own. If you're considering band as a sixth grader, you should join! If you're considering joining band as a seventh or eighth grader, please reach out to Mr. Holcombe to learn about what the best options are!

In addition to concert bands, West has an audition-based jazz band that meets once a week after school. This group is a "traditional instrumentation" big band, meaning it includes trumpets, trombones, alto, tenor, and baritone saxes, and a rhythm section of piano, guitar, vibes, bass, and drum set. Everyone in jazz band must also be in concert band except the piano, guitar, and bass players. Students can also participate in the musical, small ensemble performances, honor bands, and more.

The West Middle School band program is a great place to learn about team-work, goal setting, cooperation, perseverance, intrinsic motivation, self-directed learning, and most importantly...making music with one another!

Mr. Holcombe's Schedule