Bands
Concert Band
Prerequisite: Middle School Experience in Wind Band, or Instructor’s consent
Suggested Course Preparation/Critical Skills: Concert Band is a continuation of the middle school wind band program. Enrolled students should have successfully participated in the wind band program at their middle school. Students should demonstrate proficient rehearsal and performance etiquette, and be able to sight-read and perform at a high school entry level.
Course Description: Students will rehearse and perform a variety of music from the wind band repertoire. Students will develop technical skills on their instrument as well as study music theory, music history, and rehearsal and performance techniques. May be repeated for credit.
Major Projects/Assignments: Concert Band performs outside of class throughout the school year. Participation in all performances is mandatory. Concert Band students are also part of the BHS Panther Band (Pep/Marching Band) which performs at various school and community events.
Approximate homework assigned daily: Students are expected to learn their individual parts on their own and demonstrate regular progress in rehearsals. The amount of outside of class practice time will vary with the individual student.
Wind Ensemble
Prerequisite: Instructor’s consent by audition
Suggested Course Preparation/Critical Skills: A wind ensemble is essentially a large chamber group with one player per part. Students in a wind ensemble must be able learn, rehearse, and perform in this chamber setting. Students should demonstrate mastery of rehearsal and performance etiquette, and be able to sight-read and perform at an advanced high school level.
Course Description: Students will rehearse and perform a variety of music from the wind band repertoire. Students will develop technical skills on their instrument as well as study music theory, music history, and rehearsal and performance techniques. May be repeated for credit.
Major Projects/Assignments: Wind Ensemble performs outside of class throughout the school year, including but not limited to CMEA (and/or comparable) Festivals. Participation in all performances is mandatory. Wind Ensemble students are also part of the BHS Panther Band (Pep/Marching Band) which performs at various school and community events.
Approximate homework assigned daily: Students are expected to learn their individual parts on their own and demonstrate regular progress in rehearsals. The amount of outside of class practice time will vary with the individual student.
Jazz Ensemble
Prerequisite: Instructor’s consent by audition
Suggested Course Preparation/Critical Skills: Students should demonstrate mastery of rehearsal and performance etiquette, and be able to sight-read and perform at an advanced high school level.
Course Description: Students will rehearse and perform a variety of music from the jazz band repertoire. Students will develop technical skills on their instrument as well as study improvisation, music theory, composition/arranging, jazz history, and rehearsal and performance techniques. May be repeated for credit.
Major Projects/Assignments: The Jazz Ensemble performs outside of class throughout the school year, including but not limited to CMEA (and/or comparable) Festivals. Participation in all performances is mandatory. Jazz Ensemble students are also part of the BHS Panther Band (Pep/Marching Band) which performs at various school and community events.
Marching Band
All students in jazz ensemble, concert band, and wind ensemble are automatically included in the Marching Band. We perform two halftime field shows at football games and march in several community parades every year.
Course Description: Marching Band is not a separate course. It is a joint activity that brings together all members of the different Band courses for performances.
For more information please contact Kyoko Yamamoto, BHS Music and Band Director, at kyamamoto@smuhsd.org