Hickory Ridge High School opened in the fall of 2007. The school in located in Harrisburg, NC and is one of eight high schools in the Cabarrus County Schools system. The school opened without a senior class, and with an enrollment of about 1,000 students. Since then, the school has grown to over 1,800 students.

 

The band program has grown from 56 students during the inaugural year to a program of over 170 students. The comprehensive instrumental music program consists of Wind Symphony, Symphonic Band, Concert Band, two jazz ensembles, marching band, winterguard, percussion ensemble, low brass ensemble, musical pit orchestra, and several chamber groups. The Hickory Ridge Band program has been recognized by the NAMM Foundation as a national Merit Award recipient each year since 2019.

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The concert ensembles have consistently earned superior ratings in Grade IV-Masterworks music at the North Carolina Concert Band Music Performance Assessment (MPA) events. They have traveled throughout the United States, playing for festivals in New Orleans (LA), New York City (NY), Washington, D.C., Orlando (FL), and Asheville (NC).

 

In 2018, the Wind Symphony participated in a 10-day performance tour of Shaoxin, Jiaxin, Shanghai, and Beijing at the invitation of the US-China Cultural and Educational Foundation. In November 2022, the ensemble performed at the North Carolina Music Educators Association annual conference in Winston-Salem, NC. In 2023, the Wind Symphony was invited to participate in the NC School of the Arts Invitational concert band festival at the Stevens Center in Winston-Salem, and also performed a series of concerts in Vienna and Salzburg in Austria, and Prague in Czechia. In 2024, they were one of eight high school ensembles from across the southeast selected to participate in the Music for All Southeastern Regional Concert Band Festival at Georgia State University in Atlanta, GA.

 

The Blue Regiment marching band has won first place awards and numerous grand championships at local and regional events. They have received only superior ratings in North Carolina Marching Band MPA festivals. In addition, they have been frequent finalists at large regional marching events, including the Western Carolina University Tournament of Champions, where they received the NC Honor Roll of Champions for the highest placing North Carolina Band in finals. The ensemble has represented our school, community, and state in the 2009 and 2016 London New Year’s Day Parade, as well as the 2020 Rome New Year's Day Parade. The Blue Regiment will return to London for the 2026 New Year's Day Parade.

 

The jazz bands have earned superior ratings at the North Carolina Jazz Band MPA, and give several performances each year at regional jazz festivals, school events, and community functions. Jazz Band A was a featured ensemble at the 2023 North Carolina Music Educators Association conference in Winston-Salem, NC. Students have participated in the Western Region Jazz and All-State Jazz clinics.

 

The Hickory Ridge Winter Guard are consistent medalists in the Carolina Winter Ensembles Association, earning a silver medal in Class AA in 2023 and a gold medal in Regional A in 2022. They were previous finalists at the 2013 WGI Nashville Regional, and semi-finalists at the 2013 WGI World Championships in Dayton, Ohio. In 2024 they participated in CWEA Class A and was a finalist at the Charlotte WGI regional.

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Small ensembles at Hickory Ridge have performed for festivals and events across the region and in Europe. The trombone ensemble was a 2022 national semi-finalist for the American Prize for Chamber Music, and an invited performance ensemble for the 2023 North Carolina Trombone Festival at the University of North Carolina at Charlotte.

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Hickory Ridge band students consistently place into the All-County, All-District and All-State Honor Bands. They have participated in the Bands of America Honor Band in the Rose Parade, the Music for All Honor Band of America, the National Association of Music Education (NAfME) All-National Honor Band, the US Army All-American Marching Band, the “President’s Own” Marine Band Concerto Competition, and Interlochen Summer Music Camp. They have also participated in honor band clinics at the following universities: Coastal Carolina University, University of North Carolina at Charlotte, University of North Carolina at Greensboro, University of North Carolina at Wilmington, University of South Carolina, Virginia Tech University, and Winthrop University. 

 

Many former students hold undergraduate and graduate music degrees from colleges and universities across the country, hold positions in major performing ensembles, are music educators from elementary to collegiate levels, hold positions as professional musicians, work as music therapists, and a variety of other music-related careers.