GMHS Marching Band Weekly Announcements

Great Mills Marching Band Overview

The Great Mills High School Marching Band is an exciting extracurricular performing ensemble that combines music, movement, and school spirit. Students earn 0.5 elective Fine Arts credit for their participation, with all activities taking place outside the regular school day.

The program includes both instrumental musicians and the Color Guard performance unit. Members participate in evening and Saturday rehearsals from May through early November, preparing for a full season of performances.

Throughout the season, the Marching Band performs at all home varsity football games, local community parades, and 5–8 marching band competitions, providing students with memorable performance experiences and opportunities to represent their school.

Who Can Join?

High School Students

• Open to all Great Mills High School students.

• Enrollment in a band class is not required to participate.

Middle School Students

• Open to all 7th and 8th grade students in St. Mary's County Public Schools who plan to attend Great Mills High School.

Instrumental Musicians

• We welcome both experienced musicians and students interested in learning a new instrument.

Color Guard

• Open to all interested students.

• No prior experience is necessary—members are taught dance, flag, rifle, and saber techniques as part of the program.

Want to Learn More?

The Great Mills High School Marching Band is made up of several performance sections, each contributing a unique role to the overall production. Our program follows the structure used by many competitive high school marching bands, including those that participate in organizations such as USBands.

🎺 Brass

The Brass section provides the power and richness of the ensemble's sound. Instruments include:

• Trumpet

• Mellophone

• Baritone/Euphonium

• Tuba

🎶 Woodwinds

The Woodwind section adds melody, color, and musical expression to the performance. Instruments include:

• Flute/Piccolo

• Clarinet

• Bass Clarinet

• Alto Saxophone

• Tenor Saxophone

• Baritone Saxophone

🥁 Percussion

The Percussion section is divided into two performing groups:

Battery Percussion performs on the field while marching and includes:

• Snare Drum

• Tenor Drums (Quads)

• Bass Drums

Front Ensemble (Pit) performs from the front sideline and includes:

• Marimba

• Vibraphone

• Xylophone

• Synthesizer

• Auxiliary Percussion

🚩 Color Guard

The Color Guard is the visual performance unit of the marching band. Members perform choreographed routines using:

• Flags

• Rifles

• Sabers

• Dance and movement

One Team, One Performance

Although members rehearse in separate sections to develop specialized skills, every performer comes together to create a single coordinated production. Music, movement, and visual storytelling combine to produce the performances audiences see at football games, parades, and marching band competitions.

Whether a student joins as a musician or a member of the Color Guard, they become part of a supportive team that values commitment, leadership, and school pride while building lasting friendships and unforgettable experiences.