Band Program Nearing 100th Year Anniversary

In 2027 the Menasha High School band program will celebrate its 100th anniversary of the band program in our school district.

The Menasha High School band program was founded in 1927. Since then, our band has played at Lambeau Field and Disney World, traveled to France, gained classes, an extracurricular band, and played at countless Menasha historical events.

Jackson Smith, Menasha High School Band Director, said when the band program was founded it was a curricular band program, meaning that it was part of the school curriculum and school day.  

“Other school band programs in our area existed at that time, but they wouldn't have been curricular, they would have been extracurricular,”  Smith said.   

The band program has certainly changed over the years.  It currently offers three band classes: Concert, Symphonic, and Marching Band, as well as an extracurricular group, Jazz Band. 

Students can find their niche in one of the classes, or maybe a few.

Besides the pep band, Jazz band is a favorite for Drumline Captain, percussionist, and senior Max Wilson. 

“For one, I get to play drumset, so that's already a win,” Wilson said.  “We also play the coolest music ever.”

Last trimester Wilson got the chance to play “Hot Chocolate” from Polar Express, which he had a lot of fun with.  Wilson said playing “Hot Chocolate”  took a lot of work, but said that is also the point of being in an extracurricular.

“Jazz band is one sort of extracurricular option for music students that is within the band program,” said Smith.

If you are a drumset player, a guitar player, or a bass player, and you're not in band class, you can still be part of the jazz group– as long as you read music on the page.

And, if you don’t play an instrument, the program offers other elective courses: Music Technology, and starting next year, Music and Film. 

“Music Technology is not a new thing to the department, but it is a cool course,” said Smith. 

Smith teaches that course and the course mostly focuses on modern music technology. 

“We spend about two thirds of the trimester looking at Digital Audio Workstations like you would have on a computer for doing recording work,” he said.  “And we spend about a third of the trimester doing a live audio workshop where we learn about setting up and mic’ing and rigging a PA system.”

Next year, Music and Film will be a new elective course offered, that anyone can take. Music and Film explores the music behind iconic movies.  Students will analyze about four to five films during the trimester. A two-cycle Music Theory course will also be offered. Music Theory 1 will be offered next year, and AP Music Theory 2 will be offered in the 2025-26 school year.

The Menasha High School music program has big plans for the future.  On deck is a plan to host a district music festival and commission a major piece of music to be played by students in the district at the festival fundraising event. 

Upcoming Dates to Support the Band:

February 3rd: WSMA State Honors Auditions - Evan Grade, Kaylee Lembke, Void Braun, Alex Gulash

February 10th: St. Norbert College Honor Band - Evan Grade, Alex Gulash, Max Vetter, Max Wilson

February 22nd: Winter Concert - Combined Concert Band, Symphonic Band, and Jazz Band

February 24th: Seymour High School District Solo & Ensemble

March 2nd: Neenah High School District Solo & Ensemble

March 9th: Shazz Fesitival- Select saxophone, brass, and rhythm players.

The band program has grown a lot in the past 97 years, and students and directors look forward to what’s to come.  To help support the program check out the above upcoming events.

by Void Braun

January 21, 2024

The Jay's News Nest