Wednesday, Dec. 11 was the holiday band concert. The holiday band concert had two parts: Woodhaven High School Jazz Band and Taylor’s Middle School Jazz Band performed at 6, and then the regular high school band classes performed at 7.
The Woodhaven Jazz Band is a zero-hour here at Woodhaven High School. Students choose to get up earlier than most to come and play an extra hour every day. Jazz Band is welcome to anyone who can play an instrument, in a band class or not. They learn how to play their own jazz solos and improvise.
At the holiday concert, the jazz band played six pieces: Santa Claus is Comin’ to Town arranged by Stitzel, Dr. No-el composed by Mykola Leontovich, arranged by Story, Nutcracker Swing arranged by Story, Christmas Time is Here by Guaraldi, arranged by Taylor, You’re a Mean One, Mr. Grinch by Hague, arranged by Story, and Sleigh Ride arranged by Story.
The performing arts center at Woodhaven High School consists of three band classes. The first band class is called Concert Band. This is the band class that is welcome to all, no experience needed! This is the only band you do not have to try out for. 9th through 12th graders are all welcome for this class.
The Concert Band played three pieces at the holiday concert. They played songs called Buckets Full of Christmas Joy composed by Larry Clark, Scrappin’ composed by Benjamin Horne, and Loch Lomond arranged by JaRod Hall.
Senior flute player, Morgan Kelly, directed Loch Lomond for the concert band. Kelly plans on becoming a music education major in college. Band Director, Bradley Faryniarz gives his students amazing opportunities like this to help prepare them for their college careers.
The next band class is called the Symphonic Band. This is one of two bands that you need experience with in order to join. You have to audition to be put in this band class. This band class plays a little more advanced music than Concert Band, and it is one of our smaller bands. There are mostly sophomores, juniors, and seniors, but very few freshmen in this group.
At the holiday band concert, they performed three pieces. The pieces they played were called Down on the Delta composed by Carol Brittin Chambers, Highlights from Frozen arranged by Johnnie Vinson, and Santa Claus is Comin’ to Town composed by Coots, arranged by Kamuf.
And last, but certainly not least, the Wind Ensemble. This class is made up of mostly juniors and seniors with a few sophomores. This group is another band class you have to audition for. They play more advanced music and pieces than the Concert Band and the Symphonic Band.
The Wind Ensemble is for Woodhaven High School musicians who want a challenge. Most musicians who join Wind Ensemble strive for success and aim to become better at what they do. Most of these students plan on having a future with music in some way, whether becoming a music educator, or even just playing in a community band after high school, or joining their college marching band.
At the holiday concert, the Wind Ensemble played three pieces and one encore. These pieces included American Riversongs composed by Pierre LaPlante, Toboggan composed by JaRod Hall, and a Sleigh Ride arrangement made by Story.
Since the Detroit Lions did so well this year, Faryniarz arranged music for the Wind Ensemble to play Gridiron Heroes as an encore to celebrate them. This really shows that even though the performing arts can be serious and challenging, there is always room for fun and friendship. This is one thing that makes Woodhaven’s performing arts so great.
A big part of this concert was the Wind Ensemble’s Sleigh Ride performance. The Wind Ensemble is part of a national non-profit organization called United Sound. United Sound is an organization that takes peer mentoring and the performing arts to the next level.
Just like United Basketball, United Sound gives special education students the same opportunities as everyone else. The Wind Ensemble meets every Tuesday with Woodhaven High School’s special education teacher Susan Macinkowicz and her students to play music! The Wind Ensemble mentors arrange their own parts so their students can play their own music while the rest of the band plays the original arrangement.
United Sound is one of the best parts of the Woodhaven High School performing arts program. It brings people together and “removes barriers and fosters social change through music.”
