Concert Ensembles
The West Aurora High School Department of Bands offers seven different concert ensemble courses. They are the Red Freshman Band, Blue Freshman Band, Concert Band, Symphonic Band, Symphonic Winds, Wind Ensemble, and Wind Symphony. These ensembles meet throughout the school year and perform a concert each quarter.
Wind Symphony
Wind Symphony is a performance-based, year-long course, composed of our most musically-advanced, select wind and percussion students. Combined emphasis is given to the development of musicianship through progressive technical studies and advanced wind band literature. This capstone ensemble has a long and rich history of performance excellence and is an honors-level course. The ensemble rehearses daily during 5th period and will have performances and occasional rehearsals that take place outside of regular school hours. Additional performance opportunities include contests, festivals, solo & chamber ensemble performances, honors bands, and community events.
Freshman Bands
Freshman Band is a performance-based, year-long course, composed of our entry-level high school wind and percussion students. Combined emphasis is given to the development of musicianship through technical studies and entry-level high school wind band literature.. The ensemble rehearses daily during 2nd or 3rd period and will have performances that take place outside of regular school hours. Additional performance opportunities include contests, festivals, solo & chamber ensemble performances, honors bands, and community events.
Wind Ensemble
The Wind Ensemble is the second band at West High School by audition only. Admission into the Wind Ensemble is by audition only and the ensemble rehearses every day during 6th hour. This wind band’s programs feature challenging and varied literature in preparation for two performances each semester.
Symphonic Winds
The Symphonic Winds is the third band at West High School with placement by audition only. This ensemble rehearses each day during 8th hour and is devoted to the study and performance of important wind band literature while continuing work in the development of instrumental craft.
Concert Band
The Concert Band rehearses each day during 1st hour. With a dual focus of improving performance fundamentals as well as literature preparation, the Concert Band performs a wide variety of music, mostly consisting of grade 2 and 3 repertoire.