School band


A school band is a group of student musicians who rehearse and perform instrumental music together. A concert band is usually under the direction of one or more conductors. A school band consists of woodwind instruments, brass instruments and percussion instruments, although upper level bands may also have string basses or bass guitar.
School bands in the United Kingdom are generally similar to those in the US although pure brass bands are more commonplace in schools than in the US. Some countries usually prefer certain special types of bands, usually drums, over conventional ones. The school band movement in Japan is unusually strong, organized around an enormous competition system administered by the All-Japan Band Association. Many international observers of Japanese school bands consider them to be the most impressive in the world, particularly among very young students, and Japan is also home to one of the world's leading professional concert bands, the Tokyo Kosei Wind Orchestra.

Elementary and middle school bands

Although some children learn an instrument prior to entering middle school, students in music education programs within the United States and Canada generally start daily band classes in the 6th or 7th Grade. Many band programs begin as early as 4th or 5th grade. The students usually make up a band based on their grades, which may then be broken up into sectionals to provide better instrument-specific instruction. It is sometimes required for beginner students to play a recorder for a year before learning another instrument, so that basics, such as scales, embouchure, etc. can be taught easily. Other requirements may include learning a piano or guitar to understand basic music theory, notation, etc.
A "beginning" band, consisting of the youngest students in the school, usually gives two or three concerts a year, and may participate in a local/state contest. These bands are given easy music to learn, often with many duplicate parts and simple rhythms. Students sometimes may be required to memorize the 12 major scales.
Depending upon the size of the school, there may be one to three "higher level" bands after the beginning band. These bands are usually divided similarly to high school bands. Some schools require students to audition and be placed in a band according to their ability on their instrument. Others will assign students based on their performance as seen in class. Yet others will simply sort the students according to their age or grade level. Most of these decisions are decided by the conductor. These higher level bands will occasionally play in high school games and pep rallies to augment the local high school band, although in small schools they always come to these events. Beginning bands are usually used on the spot of an elective.
Instruments typically in beginning bands:
  • Woodwind:
  • * Flutes
  • * Clarinets
  • * Alto and tenor saxophones
  • Brass:
  • * Tubas
  • * Trombones
  • * Trumpets
  • * French horns
  • * Baritones or euphoniums
  • Percussion:
  • * Drums, including bass and snare
  • * Timpani
  • * Glockenspiel and/or xylophone
  • * Cymbals
  • * Tambourine
  • * Tubular Bells

    High school bands

High school bands typically challenge students musically more than those in middle school. Music is much more difficult with more complex passages, intricate rhythms and more involved phrasing. Selections also vary in style. A well-rounded band is expected to be able to play a wide variety of music, ranging from serious 'program music' to lighter 'pop-style' music. For many high school students, school bands are the main form of music education available to them in school. Marches were the first major contributions to the wind band repertoire. There are many pieces other than marches written for wind band at present, but there are some historical standards that should be included into the repertoire of advanced ensembles. Some of the most notable of these pieces are Holst's First Suite in E-flat and Second Suite in F, and Grainger's Children's March and Lincolnshire Posy among others.
Below is a list of the instrumentation in a typical concert band at the high school level. The number of instruments in each section varies, but listed below are usually the average number of members. Middle school/junior high bands are usually around the upper values for each instrument. Instrumentation in beginner bands is usually much larger than this. College and professional bands generally have smaller numbers of players. These numbers may vary widely, based on the instrument and the people playing them. Some bands have a set number of performers per section while other bands have open unlimited participation.
Woodwind
Brass
  • 8–10 B♭ trumpets
  • 4–6 horns in F
  • 3–9 trombones
  • 1–4 baritone horns or euphoniums
  • 1–4 tubas
Strings
Percussion
In most bands, strings are not used. If they are, the band is generally considered an orchestra.
The first high school band in the United States was the Boston Farm and Trade School Band, founded in 1856.
The oldest high school band in America is The Christian Brothers Band founded in 1872.

College bands

In higher education institutions, numerous colleges and universities offer band programs as formal courses, often integrated within a broader musical curriculum. These courses provide students with a structured and educational platform to develop their musical talents, fostering a deeper understanding of musical theory, technique, and ensemble performance.
These college bands distinguish themselves from their high school counterparts by their larger size and elevated musical proficiency. The expanded membership and diverse skill levels within these collegiate bands contribute to a richer and more complex musical experience. Students enrolled in these programs typically demonstrate a higher level of musical aptitude and dedication, as the collegiate setting allows for a more specialized and advanced exploration of musical concepts.

Other school bands

There are many other school band opportunities for students. Most of these fall under the jurisdiction of the director that teaches the daily band classes, whether or not the smaller groups meet daily or during school hours.
Image:TTUband.jpg|thumb|left|Goin' Band from Raiderland, a college marching band in the United States

Marching band

Many schools, especially high schools in the United States, have a marching band. A school marching band may contain from 11 to over 500 students. Marching bands typically practice during the late summer and early fall and most often attend their school's football games, playing music in the stands, and marching a show during halftime. A marching show is an intricate, choreographed performance that includes playing and marching at the same time. The visual aspect consists of coordinated movements by each member of the band to create elaborate shapes and formations on the field, which are known as drill patterns. Most bands will also have a color guard to add dimension and needed flair to the visuals. "Through the masterfully exciting incorporation of dance, flag, rifle, and sabre, the Color Guard literally “brings to life” the music you hear. When it all comes together it can tell quite a story... like a Broadway Musical.". A show is usually between 6 and 10 minutes long, but many competitions place restrictions on length. Bands often compete in marching band competitions throughout the marching season. Competitions vary in intensity. Some areas have many smaller, local competitions hosted by individual schools. Others host a regional competition. Others, such as Bands of America competitions are nationally known and take place in professional arenas.
In addition to their show, marching bands often march parades. Often this is limited to their city or town's municipal parades, but some bands travel to participate in well known parades, such as the Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade or the Tournament of Roses Parade on New Years Day.

Concert band

Concert bands, also known as symphonic bands, wind ensembles, and wind bands are some of the most common school bands in the U.S. and around the world. They consist of wind instruments like woodwinds and brass as well as a percussion ensemble. Concert band is "often the first opportunity for formal musical training that American children encounter." It is most commonly a class on the students daily school schedule and provides an environment, under the direction of an appointed band director, that fosters teamwork, cooperation, and enhances the cognitive abilities needed to play an instrument and read music. Instead of competing in competitions like marching band, they get to showcase their musical skill during concerts which are special performances typically held at a concert hall. Many schools will have up to two concert bands, such as, a symphonic for intermediate players and a wind ensemble for the more advanced musicians.

Jazz band

Many schools have jazz programs in addition to their concert program. Different schools have different time slots for their jazz band. Some meet as an actual class during the school day, while others may choose to practice after school or before school two or three times a week. Meeting as a class during school can often cause schedule conflicts with students' academic classes. Many times jazz band may rehearse during the study hall, free period, or part of the lunch period. Typical instrumentation for jazz ensembles will include trumpets, trombones, alto, tenor and baritone saxophones, a drum set, guitar, bass guitar, piano, clarinet and often, a vibraphone or marimba. Many areas have jazz festivals, but the popularity of these widely vary from different regions of the country. Jazz bands are most often used as an ambassador ensemble for the band program as a whole. In addition, jazz education is seen as growing in popularity as a specialty area within school music departments.