Performing Ensembles
Who We Are. What We Do!
Blue Regiment
Marching Band
The Blue Regiment is one of the most active and visible organizations in our school. This ensemble performs for all home football games, select away
games, local and regional competitions, parades, and school functions.
In addition, the Blue Regiment participated in the prestigious London
New Year's Day Parade in 2009 and 2016, and, in 2020, performed in the
Rome New Year's Day Parade and Frascati (Italy) Street Festival.
Membership in the Blue Regiment is open to all current high school band
members. All marching band students are required to participate in at least
one semester of a concert ensemble during school the year they march
(except color guard members).
Members attend spring and summer rehearsals, a mandatory band camp prior to the start of school, and are required to be at all rehearsals and performances.
Wind Ensemble
Wind Ensemble is the most advanced concert ensemble at Hickory Ridge High
School and is primarily made up of 11th and 12th grade students.
Students are required to enroll in both semesters (fall and spring) in order to participate yearlong. The course is designed for the advanced band students
and automatically receives Honors Credit.
Students focus on advanced aspects of individual and group performance, and also strive to develop skills in music theory, music history, and ear training.
The Wind Ensemble is designed to offer music students the opportunity to study and play music in a wide variety of performance venues, and will primarily play collegiate-level music from the Grade V, VI and Masterworks lists.
This ensemble will perform several concerts during each semester, as well as participate in South Central District Concert Band Musical Performance
Adjudication (MPA). In addition, it may travel to additional performances
during the spring of each year.
Membership into the Wind Ensemble is through audition only.
Symphonic Band
The Symphonic Band is primarily made up of students in the 10th-12th grade students and meets during the fall and spring semester. The course is designed as an intermediate level ensemble which performs Level IV and V music.
Students are highly encouraged to sign up for both semesters so they can participate yearlong. The course is designed to further develop skills that prepare students for participation in Wind Ensemble, if desired, during future semesters.
Students may elect to take this course for Honors Credit. The Symphonic Band
will perform several concerts during each semester, and will participate in the
South Central District Concert Band Musical Performance
Adjudication (MPA) during the spring semester.
Select freshmen may be eligible to audition for this ensemble if space is available in a particular section. To be eligible to audition, an incoming freshman must have been a member of the South Central All-State Band during their 8th grade year.
Concert Band
The Concert Band is primarily made up of students in the 9th grade and meets
during the fall and spring semester. The course is designed as an introduction
to high school band.
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Students are highly encouraged to sign up for both semesters so they can participate yearlong. The course is designed to further develop skills that prepare students for participation in Symphonic Band or Wind Ensemble in future semesters.
Students may elect to take this course for Honors Credit. The Concert Band will perform several concerts during each semester, and will participate in the
South Central District Concert Band Musical Performance
Adjudication (MPA) during the spring semester.
Jazz Ensemble
Hickory Ridge has two complete jazz ensembles that cater to every level of jazz experience. Jazz Band begins after school in the fall at the conclusion of marching band and continues into the spring semester. Jazz Band is open to saxophone, trumpet, trombone, piano, percussion, guitar, and bass players (acoustic and electric).
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Auditions are held at the beginning of the season for placement into the ensembles. Students rehearse weekly after marching band season ends, and participate in several on-campus concerts, as well as off-campus jazz clinics and festivals in the spring, including the Western Region Jazz MPA in May.
Musical Pit Orchestra
Each fall, select members of the band program are selected to participate in the Blumey award-winning Musical Pit Orchestra as a part of our annual school musical. Members are selected according to the various instrumentation needs of each show and rehearse and perform after school in November - February at the conclusion of marching band. Participation is typically through audition and is open to all wind, percussion, piano, guitar, and electric bass players.
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Winterguard
Winter Guard is offered for students who are interested in the pageantry arts. Auditions are held at the conclusion of the marching band season, and rehearsals are held two to three times each week. Members are introduced to the foundations of dance, spinning equipment (such as flags, wooden rifles, and sabres), and visual performance. Winter guard competes during the months of January-March. Members who wish to participate in the Winter Guard must also participate in the fall marching band.
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Chamber Ensembles
Each year student have the option to participate in chamber ensembles. These small ensembles are mostly led independently by the performers, and performances take place before concerts, as a part of the concert, at Solo and Ensemble MPA, community events, and other opportunities during the school year. Possible chamber groups include, but are not limited to, flute quartet, flute choir, clarinet quartet/quintet, saxophone choir, trumpet choir, horn choir, trombone quartet/quintet, brass choir, woodwind choir, percussion ensemble, and other various combinations of instruments.
