Ensembles

The Symphonic Band is the upperclassman band open to all in grades 10-12. There is a high expectation for musicianship in our members.

We offer three main concerts a year with the other Spartan Band Ensembles as well as other events like adjudication at Festival in March.

Symphonic Band is the elite wind band at SHS now. Soon we hope to audition our premier Wind Ensemble for the most accomplished musicians at Stanwood High School. 

The Percussion Studio is a comprehensive percussion lab course experience. All percussionists in the program enroll in this course to study all major families of percussion instruments and various styles.

We perform in a variety of formats including our own large percussion ensemble, small ensembles, solo performances, and drum line as well as playing with the concert winds and athletic bands. We perform in the three main concerts a year with the other band programs as well as many other events with and/or without the wind bands. 

The SHS Jazz Band is an extension-curriculum co-enrolled auditioned group that is dedicated to refining performance skills in the jazz idiom. We perform in our own festivals apart from the wind bands and are the most requested public group. We perform as a big band and as jazz combos. 

This class focuses on...

• Solo improvisation over chord changes

• Reading/decoding chord changes

• Part independence

• Jazz as a part of popular music styles

Concert Band is our dedicated freshman ensemble. We focus on transitioning students into the fun and high-paced musical environment of the Spartan Band Program.

We offer three main concerts a year after starting with  with the other Spartan Band Ensembles as well as other events like adjudication at Festival in March.

Students proceed from Concert bBand to either Symphonic Band or Wind Ensemble at the end of the year based on their development and instrumentation needs.

All Band Students perform as the Spartan Marching Band in the Fall Football Season at game day performances.

The Spartan Marching Band is what the band program does in the fall season. We perform as an athletic band organization at home football games. All band students perform as part of our game day performances.  

 More information is on the specific SMB page (linked in the title above).

In basketball season, we create a different athletic band experience in the Spartan Pep Band. 

Select games are performances. Some games are required by the band courses and others are volunteer.

Playoff appearances are possible in both athletic band seaons and are really fun performance opportunities.