About

Francis Howell Central opened in 1997 and celebrated being open for 25 in 2022.  In that 25 year history the Spartan Band program has achieved numerous honors.  Here is a list of some of those accomplishments.

Concert Program - consistent Expemplary 1 rating at MSHSAA State Large Ensemble Festival 2009 - 2022.  In 2022, all three concert groups received the Exemplary 1 rating which marks the first time in the history of the school district that a program had done this.

In 2020, the Wind Ensemble was chosen to perform at MMEA at the Lake of Ozarks, marking the first time a high school concert group has ever been chosen to perform at MMEA.

The Concert program has had the distinct privilege to work with esteemed clinicians including: Richard Saucedo, Gary Brandes, Brian Silvey, Ken Thompson, Joe Parisi, Melissa Gustafson-Hinds

Jazz Program - consistently performs throughout the region at different jazz festivals and is consistently awarded with several outstanding soloist awards.  In 2014 and 2015 at the SCWest Jazz Festival both jazz groups earned Superior 1 ratings and top honors at the festival.

In 2016, the Jazz Ensemble was chosen to perform at MMEA at the Lake of the Ozarks, marking the first time any high school performing ensemble had ever performed from the Francis Howell School District.  

The Jazz program has welcomed clinicians from all over including: Keyon Herald, Jim Widner, Dave Dickey, Garrett Schmidt, Joel Vanderhyden, Joe Weber, Ken Kehner, Logan Miller, Stockton Helbing, Willie Murillo, Matt Wilson, Adam Larson

Spartan Regiment - consistently performs throughout the region at local, state and national competitions.  Some of the highlights from those competitions include:

2024 - BOA Memphis Regional Finalist

2021 - Metro East Marching Classic Champions in Division

2013 - Champion of Champions at Mizzou 1st place in 5A and Grand Champions

2013 - Contest of Champions at Lafayette 1st place in 3A

2014 - Rivercity Showcase at FZN 1st place in 6A

2014 - Francis Howell Marching Invitational 1st place in Blue Division and Grand Champions

2017 - Francis Howell Marching Invitational 1st place in Gold Division

2009 - Greater St Louis Marching Festival 2nd place in Silver Division

2013 - Greater St. Louis Marching Festival 2nd place in Class C and 2nd place in Finals

2009 - Gator Bowl Champions 

2024-2025

Regiment:

Memphis BOA Regional Finalists

(first time in the history of our school, 20+ years since its been done in FHSD)

top 3 in area competitions

2x Outstanding Percussion

2x Outstanding Guard

3x Outstanding Music

2x Outstanding Visual

2x Outstanding General Effect

2x Class champions

Metro 8 District Honor Band

FHC had 27 individual students make the group or alternate

FHC had 31 individual spots within the group or as alternate

FHC had the most individuals make the group of any high school

FHC had 60% of the auditions make the group or make alternate

FHC had nearly a third of all the students combined in the two honor bands or alternates!

All State Honors:

1 Alternate

3 Honorable Mentions

Concert Program:

We had all 3 of Concert Bands receive the State Gold Exemplary 1 rating

Only 1 of 9 programs in the state with this distinction.

Winterguard:

Silver Medalist in MCCGA Scholastic Regional A

Academics:

98 of 130 Regiment members were Academic All Conference (3.25 GPA or higher)

Regiment's average GPA for the season was 3.7

Solo/Small Ensemble:

27 events qualified for State with the Gold Exemplary 1 rating at Districts

State Solo/Small Ensemble:

16 events, 27 students received the Gold Medal Exemplary 1 rating

11 events received either Silver or Bronze Medal

Alumni - We have many students go onto to pursue a variety of careers at various schools around our nation including:

Eastman School of Music, Rochester, NY

Berklee College of Music, Boston, MA

Royal College of Music, England 

Princeton 

Stanford

Notre Dame

Northern Iowa

Emory University, Atlanta, GA

Locally:

University of Missouri Columbia

Universtiy of Missouri St. Louis

Universtiy of Missouri Kansas City

Missouri State

Truman State

Southeast Missouri State

Southern Illinois University, Edwardsville

Eastern Illinois University