Westview Band & Performance Ensemble
	Classes and Ensembles

Westview offers three wind ensembles: the Freshman, Concert and Symphonic Bands. These bands provide a range of learning, performance and competition experiences for student musicians of varying skill levels.

Freshman Band is an ensemble where new high school students learn to perform challenging literature, and obtain a strong foundation in theory, musicianship, and the technical aspects of playing their instruments.  Students continue the fundamental training that began in middle school, and receive a thorough indoctrination into the high school performance environment.  The Freshman Band performs band literature that is technically and artistically challenging. It is exciting to see the tremendous musical growth that takes place in this group during freshman year. During the fall, the Freshman Band performs as part of the combined marching band. Through the rest of the school year, the Freshman Band performs three evening concerts in the school auditorium, and takes part in one out-of-town adjudicated event each year.

Concert Band is an intermediate-level wind ensemble comprised of sophomores, juniors and seniors, performing band literature that ranges from classical to contemporary. Students build upon the technical skills and musicianship begun in their freshman year, as well as continue study of music theory. The curriculum focuses on blending talents of individual musicians into an ensemble. During the fall, the Concert Band performs as part of the combined marching band. Through the rest of the school year, the Concert Band performs three evening concerts in the school auditorium, and takes part in one out-of-town adjudicated event each year.

Symphonic Band is comprised of outstanding players with highly advanced technical abilities and strong musicianship. These students must demonstrate the dedication and discipline to perform in one of the premier high school wind ensembles on the West Coast; a commitment to hard work and practice outside of class is required. Many Symphonic Band members also take private lessons on their instrument outside of school. Participation in Symphonic band is by audition only.

Westview’s Symphonic Band consistently wins awards in competitions among the finest bands in Oregon. The band has reached the OSAA State Band Championships for more than 10 consecutive years, placing in the top ten every year and winning three times. In preparation for state competition, the band typically performs in the Metro League Band Festival and one or more other spring competitions around western Oregon.

The Symphonic Band starts the year with the American As Apple Pie concert each November, The concert delights audiences with an evening of Sousa marches, patriotic songs, and pops literature. Apple pie and ice cream are served to the audience, and ticket sales for this concert are an important annual fund raising event for the band program.

Symphonic Band also performs in two or three other concerts in the school auditorium during the winter and spring. During the fall, Symphonic Band members perform as part of the combined marching band.

Percussion Ensemble offers specific technique and chamber music ensemble experience in addition to large group performance experiences for a growing number of percussionists at Westview. Like the other three ensembles, this class is offered during the school day and encompasses all percussionists in the band program. Here the percussionists get individualized and small group instruction they would be unable to get as part of the regular band class. These musicians get advanced training on a wide variety of percussion instruments, including rudimental percussion, orchestral percussion, world drumming, keyboard percussion, timpani, basic drum set skills. In addition to music unique to the percussion class, these percussionists learn percussion parts for music being performed by the Freshman, Concert and Symphonic Bands, and perform with those ensembles at concerts. During the fall, percussion ensemble members perform as part of the combined marching band.

Pep Band. In addition to the Marching Band’s performances at home football games in the fall, students from all three wind ensembles and the percussion ensemble have the opportunity to play in the Pep Band at approximately ten boys and girls home basketball games during the winter term.

Pit Orchestra For Spring Musical. Musicians from the Westview band program provide live music for the annual spring musical production of Westview’s outstanding theater department. Members of the pit orchestra are selected by the band director, based on the instrumentation needed for that year’s show. The orchestra rehearses daily after school in February, then plays six evening performances in early March.