Performances

Throughout the fall, our calendar has an abundance of performances featuring our high school marching band. Our band performs a prepared pre-game and half-time, as well as music to accompany the action on field for every home game.

Every fall, the instrumental music students grades 7-12 across the state of Michigan get the opportunity to record an audition to be a part of the All State Band. The material is released early in the school year and prepared all the way to the middle of October. Western is a consistent host for these auditions. Students report for their scheduled time and a director aids them to record their audition material. Students who have been selected are reported in November and these students will rehearse and perform with the All State Band at the DeVos Performance Hall in Grand Rapids Michigan for the Michigan Music Conference in January. 

Bandorama is our first major concert of the year. It takes place in the high school gym and features all band 6-12, including our jazz bands. The performance is a collage of ensembles, starting with our beginners and working our way through the middle school bands. Jazz ensembles are interspersed between and the evening culminates with a performance by the marching band. 

Solo and Ensemble is a non-mandatory performance opportunity put on by MSBOA (Michigan Band and Orchestra Association). This event provides students the avenue to play an instrumental solo or perform in a smaller group with other Western musicians for a judge to receive a rating. The middle school festival takes place in December and the high school district festival in February.  High schoolers who receive a I rating are eligible to register for the State Solo and Ensemble Festival to take their experience even further in March. 

Much like Bandorama, our winter concert features bands 6-12. This event takes place in December in Western's Bryant Auditorium. A brief intermission between middle school and high school portions will be provided. 

Pep band is the term we use for any high school students who choose to attend our scheduled attendance at the various other sporting events at Western. Throughout the winter, we perform for swim meets, basketball games, and more. 

Band Festival is an event run by MSBOA (Michigan School Band and Orchestra Association) that students grades 7-12 compete in. The event is a series of concerts in the auditorium from bands all over the region. These performances are open to the public, but a panel of judges is present in the rear of the audience who score each band as they perform. When a band concludes their performance, they (and their audience) will make their way to a "sight-reading room" where the band will do a judged performance of a selection of music they have never seen with only a 5 minute preparation period. Once the sight-reading judge has concluded their time with the ensemble, everyone makes their way to the cafeteria where their ratings will be posted on a large score boad. 

In the spring (usually mid-April), students from Western are considered to be a part of an honor group featuring other nominated students from area schools. They rehearse all day on a Saturday under the direction of a distinguished conductor and then perform a concert in the evening. This event is open to both middle and high school students. 

Celebration is a long-time traditional performance for Western High School. It is in a variety show format over the course of 2 nights in May with performances from the bands, choirs, drama, and more. This event also serves as a fundraiser through ticket sales for the arts programs. 

The spring concert is the final major performance of the year for all students 6-12. Much like the winter concert, it will take place in the auditorium and feature an intermission between levels.  This performance is normally scheduled for mid to late May.