Ensembles & Opportunities

Symphonic Band (C157 & C257) (5th Period: Winds, 8th Period: Percussion)

The Symphonic Band is the intermediate ensemble in the Palatine HS Band Program. All freshmen are automatically enrolled in this class. Students will be expected to refine musical skills through performance of intermediate literature in preparation for at least three band concerts. Symphonic Band members may also participate at band festivals at the discretion of the band directors. Symphonic Band members will complete periodic assessments through auditions and playing tests. Most members of the Symphonic Band are also members of the Marching Band and all students will participate in Pep Band performances. Entrance into Symphonic Band is based on audition scores and instrumentation.

Wind Symphony (C357& C457) (4th Period)

As the top ensemble of the PHS Band Program, students will be expected to be extremely proficient at their instruments and be able to perform advanced literature as members of the Wind Symphony. The Wind Symphony is composed of mostly juniors and seniors. Lessons are highly encouraged for students at this level. Students in this band should be scoring in the “high proficient” to “exceeds” categories for auditions. The ideal instrumentation for this band is between forty and fifty musicians, which will factor into student band placement after spring auditions.

The Wind Symphony performs at least three concerts throughout the year and may compete at band festivals or competitions at the discretion of the band directors. Wind Symphony members will complete periodic assessments through auditions and playing tests. Most members of the Wind Symphony are also members of the Marching Band and all students will participate in Pep Band performances. 

Marching Band

As the most visible ensemble to the community, marching band remains an integral part of the music program at PHS. Throughout the season, students will learn several disciplines associated with a marching band, including leadership, practice, musicianship, and marching techniques. This ensemble runs as a co-curricular ensemble, meaning that we will use class time during the school day to rehearse the music and other performance components. It is important that all marching members attend all of Marching Band Camp so that each student may positively contribute to the field show and represent their band and school with a high degree of musicianship. Summer music rehearsals are highly recommended (mandatory if the students are in town) as a way to prepare for Marching Band Camp.

Marching rehearsals, used to polish marching technique and review marching drill as a full band, are usually scheduled on Wednesday nights the week of a football game performance or festival. The PHS Marching Band performs for all home varsity football games and any playoff games. The ending times for football games listed on the calendar are an estimate; games may finish earlier or later than the time listed. The Marching Band alternates performing at PHS Graduation and the Palatine Memorial Day Parade every year. Marching Band members may also participate at band festivals at the discretion of the band directors.

Some members may need to switch instruments to participate in marching band. Oboe and bassoon players often switch to a secondary instrument, cymbals or bass drum, and bass clarinet players often switch to clarinet.  Some musicians switch to a very similar instrument, such as French horn to mellophone, baritone to marching baritone and tuba to sousaphone. Percussionists will audition to determine placement on bass drum, cymbals, snare drum or tenor drums. Students may only play a secondary instrument with instructor approval.

Students may have additional activities depending on their role in the program. Drumline members will have rehearsals outside of school time in the fall to prepare for their Royal Rally feature. Student leaders, chosen by the directors in the spring, are required to attend two section leader training sessions focusing on leadership and band camp preparation. In addition to the student leader training, drum majors are chosen in the spring through an interview process and are expected to attend a week-long camp in July at Eastern Illinois University.

Students that wish to be part of the Marching Band but cannot attend some or all of band camp will be listed as an “alternate”, which will participate in the Marching Band marching with modified and simplified drill once they are able to accurately perform their drill.

In the spring, all eighth grade through junior students continuing in band may apply for a Marching Band Waiver, which will excuse them from the extracurricular activities in the fall. Waiver students will perform at our Open House Performance in September and Marching Band Concert at the end of the marching season. In addition to practicing the marching band music during class, these students will receive alternative assignments throughout the marching band season.

Pep Band

The Pep Band serves an important function at PHS by increasing the fun and spirit at varsity girls and boys basketball games through its musical performance and vocal cheers.

All students are expected to participate in a minimum number (3-5) of basketball game performances during the year. Band students will be divided evenly into two ensembles – the Grey Band and Scarlet Band. Each of these bands will perform at two events individually and two events as a combined pep band. With limitations based on instrumentation, students will be allowed to sign-up for a band in the fall.

Pep Band follows the same structure as Marching Band, including the grading and attendance policy. The band will meet in the band room prior to any basketball game at call time. If a student cannot make an assigned basketball game, please see the “Attendance Policy” for more information.

All students must be prepared and adhere to the uniform policy each game. Each basketball game will have a theme of which members are encouraged to dress up for that specific theme. Students are expected to show enthusiasm and spirit at all performances!

Students will play the same instrument as they do in Marching Band; please refer to the third paragraph of the “Marching Band” section for common instrument switches. The ending times for basketball games listed on the calendar are estimated; games may finish earlier or later than the time listed.

Jazz Program

Beginner to advanced students interested in jazz can audition to play in one of our extracurricular jazz ensembles. These ensembles perform throughout the year, including traditional concerts and jazz festivals. The audition materials are as follows:

Saxophone/Trumpet/Trombone: jazz excerpt, improvisation, sight reading, and jazz scales

Percussion: jazz excerpt, improvisation, basic jazz patterns (bossa nova, shuffle, blues), auxiliary percussion ability, sight reading

Piano/Guitar: jazz excerpt, improvisation, sight reading, jazz scales, basic jazz voicings

Bass: jazz excerpt, bass line creation, sight reading, jazz scales

The Jazz Ensemble, although regarded as an extracurricular band, is the premier jazz band in our band program. Using energy and creativity, the Jazz Ensemble plays challenging pieces from jazz standards to more contemporary, advanced music in preparation for community performances and jazz festivals/competitions. Students must be enrolled in a PHS curricular band to participate in Jazz Ensemble (with the exception of guitar, piano, and bass).

The Jazz Lab Band is for musicians with both novice and intermediate experience with jazz. Students in the Jazz Lab band will perform a variety of styles such as swing, blues, Latin, and funk. This ensemble will work on developing the basic jazz skills. The Lab Band will also perform at festivals throughout the season at the discretion of the band directors.

The Jazz Combo is a small group of musicians playing jazz music that focuses on improvisation. Students are chosen by the directors to participate in this ensemble through their audition improvisation score and instrumentation.

Rehearsals will take place in the music department. If a student has attendance or discipline issues, he or she may be asked to leave the jazz program. More information on Jazz Band auditions and rehearsals will be given in late September or early October.

PHS Solo & Ensemble Festival

The PHS Solo and Ensemble Festival takes place annually during second semester at Palatine High School. This event gives our students the opportunity to experience their instrument in a different way other than what they do in large ensembles. Types of music played at this festival includes duets, trios, quartets, quintets, and solos with accompaniment. Information regarding this festival will be released at the end of first semester or early in second semester.

Palatine High School Orchestra Winds & Percussion

Orchestras traditionally include string, wind, and percussion instruments. When announced, students in Wind Symphony interested in playing with the Orchestras should let Mrs. Pham, Director of Orchestras, their intention to participate. The musicians should make sure they can attend all scheduled rehearsals and performances. Conflicts should be resolved when the schedule is passed out. For more information, please contact Mrs. Pham.

District 211 Honors Orchestra and Honor Band

District 211 invites a select number of high-performing musicians from all five high schools to participate in the Honors Orchestra (February) and Honor Band (March). Potential D211 Honors Orchestra students are invited to prepare an audition in the winter. Conflicts should be resolved when the music and schedule is passed out. For more information on Honors Orchestra, please contact Mrs. Pham.

ILMEA District and All-State Band

Select members of the band program may be eligible to audition in October for the ILMEA (Illinois Music Educators Association) District 7 Concert and Jazz Bands, which consists of high-achieving band students in the north and northwest suburbs. Students who qualify for this festival will be able to perform a concert with a guest conductor, meet other talented students interested in music and learn challenging new band repertoire.

Students interested in auditioning should obtain the packet of music before the school year ends, prepare audition music over the summer, perform audition material for the band directors in early fall, and then audition for the District 7 Festival in October if given permission by the directors. If the student is selected by the ILMEA audition adjudicators, they will be able to participate in the ILMEA District 7 Festival in November.  The student may also be chosen to participate in the ILMEA All-State Festival in Peoria in January based on their performance on the District 7 Audition.

Before auditioning, students should confirm that they can attend all audition and festival dates listed on the band calendar. All PHS band students are able to audition for ILMEA District 7; however, only juniors and seniors may be selected for All-State.

Band Education Internship (H453-5)

A special program that District 211 offers to students interested in becoming educators is the Education Internship. At Palatine High School, this program is run by the Family & Consumer Sciences Department. Similar to a “student teaching” experience, students work with a teacher to experience the ins and outs of being a teacher, from lesson planning to actual teaching experience. Band student intern experiences include leading technique classes, performing administrative duties, and conducting/rehearsing in front of a band.

Students who would like to be considered for the Band Education Internship during the next school year need to schedule an interview with the directors prior to the end of this school year. If a student is selected to be a band intern, written approval from the director must be provided to the internship program teacher. Band students participating in this internship are expected to have consistently high band grades, demonstrate a high level of musical proficiency and study music privately with a teacher.