West Bloomfield High School - Music Department

Music Department

Currently headed by Chad Mielens and Karl Stein, the West Bloomfield High School Marching Band placed 4th at the MCBA state championship in Flight I in 2011. The WB Marching Band also placed 4th in Flight I in 2010, 3rd in Flight I in 2007, 2nd in Flight I in 2009, and 1st place in Flight I in 2008, the first time the band has received the state championship in the school's history. Nationally, the band was a Bands of America Grand National Semifinalist from 2008-2010 at the Bands of America Grand National Championships. The band was also a Regional finalist at the BOA Ypsilanti Regional in 2007. In 2009 and 2010, the band was named Class AAA Champion in BOA Pontiac Regionals. The band shares staff members with many drum corps including Carolina Crown and Phantom Regiment, as well as top WGI percussion groups such as Rhythm X and Eastside Fury. The West Bloomfield Bands also include the Symphonic Winds, Symphony Band, and Concert Band as well as a Jazz Band.

The WBHS Winter Drumline placed 2nd in Scholastic A at the MCGC state championship in 2007 and in 2008, 3rd in Scholastic A in 2009, and 1st in Scholastic Open in 2010, which marked the unit's first state title. They were the 2008 WGI Scholastic A Troy Regional Champions and the 2010 WGI Scholastic Open Troy Regional Champions. The WBHS Winter Guard placed 2nd in AA at the 2008 MCGC state championship, and 2nd in Michigan A at the 2006 MCGC State Championship. The Winter Guard placed 6th in Scholastic A in 2009, and was a WGI Ferndale Regional Finalist.

Headed by Linda Trotter, the West Bloomfield High School Orchestra program has 2 orchestras, the concert orchestra (members of this ensemble are primarily freshman and sophomore students)and the symphony orchestra (members of this ensemble are primarily junior and senior students). The orchestral program has won numerous awards at the Michigan Band and Orchestra Music Festivals. These orchestras have received first and second division ratings at both the district and state festivals. The Orchestra department has competed in music festivals outside the state where they received first place and best overall orchestra.

West Bloomfield High School's choral department is headed by Sheryl Hauk. There are four levels of choirs. Beginning freshman Chorale is all girls, Concert Choir A is for upper classmen and some freshmen by audition, Concert Choir B is for upperclassmen by audition and some freshmen, and the advanced vocal jazz choir Laker Express is 10 boys and 10 girls selected through intense auditions. In 2008, Laker Express competed at the Great Lakes Invitational and came in 5th place. It was their first competition. Both Concert Choirs and Chorale went to regional choral festival in 2008 and Concert Choir A and Chorale both received 1's. They went to state competition, where Concert Choir A received 1's. In 2009 the Girls Chorale received an Excellent at Districts, and continued on to states. The Chorale also received a high Excellent at states, where both achievements received medals.

Read more about this topic:  West Bloomfield High School

Famous quotes containing the words music and/or department:

    If music in general is an imitation of history, opera in particular is an imitation of human willfulness; it is rooted in the fact that we not only have feelings but insist upon having them at whatever cost to ourselves.... The quality common to all the great operatic roles, e.g., Don Giovanni, Norma, Lucia, Tristan, Isolde, Brünnhilde, is that each of them is a passionate and willful state of being. In real life they would all be bores, even Don Giovanni.
    —W.H. (Wystan Hugh)

    We all live in a house on fire, no fire department to call; no way out, just the upstairs window to look out of while the fire burns the house down with us trapped, locked in it.
    Tennessee Williams (1914–1983)