Calendar of Events

March 18, 2008  All City Band Festival in Umstattd Hall

 

INSTRUMENTAL MUSIC DEPARTMENT 

McKinley High School offers numerous musical ensembles in which students may participate. In the fall, band students may participate in the Marching Band, which performs extensively throughout the football season. The Marching Band conducts rehearsals in early July, as well as during the fall, preparing band literature and routines to be performed at the football games. While participation in Marching Band is not mandatory for band students, it is strongly encouraged.

 

McKinley’s Instrumental Music Department also offers concert performing groups, which perform standard band literature as well as orchestral arrangements for band. The Concert Band is comprised mostly of freshmen, whereas the Symphonic Band members are typically sophomores and upperclassmen. Recent performances of the bands included such selections as The Carmen Suites (Bizet), Trumpet Concerto in E-flat (Haydn), Selections from Pirates of the Caribbean 2, and Pictures at an Exhibition (Moussorgsky).

 

The McKinley Jazz Ensembles #1 and #2, under the direction of Robert Newman, perform frequently throughout the school year at various events and venues. They perform at numerous jazz festivals and contests, as well as at McKinley basketball games performing pep band selections. The jazz ensembles also have the opportunity to take a band trip towards the end of the year.  Participation in the jazz bands is by audition only.

 

Band students may also participate in the McKinley Wind Ensemble, which performs at wind band contests during the school year. Students are selected for this group at the discretion of the band directors, and are typically students active in the Symphonic or Jazz Bands, with some exceptions. The Wind Ensemble performs challenging contest and festival literature which requires an elevated sense of musicianship and musical interpretation. Members must also have adequate sight-reading skills. During the 2006-2007 school year, students performed at the OMEA Large Group Contest at Lake High School and received excellent ratings, performing Class A literature.

 

In February, all band students are allowed to participate in the OMEA Solo & Ensemble competition. Students may perform in small wind ensembles such as brass and woodwind choirs, as well as in smaller quartets and trios. They may also choose to perform solos, working privately with an accompanist during band classes. Medals are distributed for those receiving Excellent and Superior ratings.