Concert Band

The CCHS Concert Band is a large ensemble of eighty to ninety members that performs a minimum of six concerts per year. The traditional large concert band format—woodwinds, brass and percussion—is observed. The band rehearses four times per week as a regularly scheduled class during the school day and occasionally in the evenings, as necessary.

The Concert Band is an ability-based ensemble comprised of seniors, juniors, sophomores and some freshmen. Auditions are required for placement in this band. Students register for Concert Band when they sign up for classes, and receive both a grade and credit towards graduation. Incoming freshmen who feel that they may have the ability to perform at the advanced Concert Band level, may opt to undertake a rigorous audition in February of their eighth-grade year before they register for classes in March. If they pass the audition, they may register for Concert Band. Otherwise, all incoming freshmen are automatically placed in Repertory Band. Once a student earns placement in Concert Band, they may remain in Concert Band throughout the remainder of their high school years. However, once in Concert Band, the student must maintain the highest level of musical skills, responsibility, and proper attitude or they risk reassignment.

The Concert Band performs four regularly scheduled in-school concerts each year — one concert per quarter. The concerts are traditionally held in late October, mid-December, late March, and late May/early June. The Concert Band also performs at Concord- Carlisle's Graduation Ceremony in June, and at the Massachusetts Instrumental and Choral Conductors Association (MICCA) State Concert Festival in early April. Concerts that cannot be anticipated, or planned in advance, are built into the schedule as they present themselves. For example, the Concert Band has performed at the MICCA “Stars at Symphony” performances at Tanglewood, at the Massachusetts State House Tree Lighting Ceremony, and at the Massachusetts Music Educators Association (MMEA) All-State Conference.

Attendance at all performances and rehearsals is required in order to complete course expectations. Copies of the year's calendar and course expectations are distributed to each band member at the beginning of the school year. The calendar is also listed in the Calendar section of this web site. Be sure to check the calendar because attendance at concerts is mandatory.

The Concert Band performs some of the finest, most challenging literature available for high school bands. Practice is expected, and private lessons, while not required, are highly encouraged. Band rehearsals are for the sole purpose of practicing the music as a group, or learning how to play one's instrument in band, not for learning how to play one's instrument. Therefore, each student must possess an advanced level of proficiency on their instrument and must take an individual audition at least once per quarter to assess their progress on the assigned repertoire. Auditions are mandatory and constitute nearly fifty percent of a student’s quarterly grade. Quarterly evaluative auditions will also be used to determine a student’s seating in their section.

Much of the repertoire performed in recent years has rated a level five or six on the MICCA and NBA graded lists. These pieces have included “Aegean Festival Overture” by Makris, “A Night On Bald Mountain” by Moussorgsky, “Finale from Symphony No. 5” by Shostakovich, “Peterloo Overture” by Arnold, and “Variations on America” by Ives. The Concert Band has earned thirteen consecutive gold medal ratings at the annual MICCA State Concert Festival.

Concert Band members in good standing are eligible to audition for the MMEA Junior and Senior District and All-State ensembles, as well MENC Eastern and National organizations. Many have done so in the past and have distinguished themselves by earning high seats, often first chairs, in these ensembles.

In April of 1998 and again in 2004 the Concert Band undertook “trips of a lifetime” to Hokkaido, Japan. The Sister State relationship that Massachusetts shares with the island of Hokkaido, and the Sister City relationship Concord shares with the city of Nanae, were instrumental in the incredible successes of the journeys. The band played for, and with, students from Nanae and Sapporo, participated in home stays, and toured historical and cultural sites on the island.

We are very pleased to announce that the Concert Band has received permission to plan a return trip to Hokkaido in April of 2007. We fully expect that this trip will be every bit as culturally, educationally, and musically fulfilling as the 1998 and 2004 trips. Possible highlights include a return visit to Sapporo Shiroishi High School, and a reprise performance with one of the very finest high school concert bands in Japan, the Sapporo Shiroishi Symphonic Wind Ensemble, in one of the most beautiful concert venues in the world, Kitara Hall. We also plan to perform in Nanae. Be sure to keep checking the 'Hokkaido “07” section of this web site for the most up-to-date information on the trip.

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