Welcome, and thank you for considering becoming a member of the WFHS Band Program! I hope this page answers any questions you might have. Please contact me at director@wfhsbands.com with any questions or comments.
Why should I take band in high school?
Band is an activity unlike any other. It is a gift and a privilege to come to school and make music every day. Band will provide you with experiences that you can take with you for the rest of your life. Band is like a family, and you get to spend time with that family through your whole high school career.
Band class is the best way to get a full, high school level music education. We also have several extra-curricular music activities, including marching band, winter guard, theatre band, and jazz ensemble.
Is marching band required?
No, but you must take band class if you are in marching band. Marching band is the most visible part of our program, and we participate in competitions. It is important that the marching band consists of musicians who have a strong foundation built during the academic class.
How much will it cost?
There is no fee for participating in band class. Students will need an instrument and a few instruction books. There is also no cost for theatre band and jazz ensemble.
Marching band, color guard, and winter guard do have a “fair share” fee in order to cover the expenses to run these programs. The marching band fair share for the 2022 season was $700. We have several fundraisers that can reduce or eliminate that out of pocket cost. Please visit the booster and fundraising pages above for more information.
Fundraisers can also cover the cost of spring trips. In 2022, we traveled to Carowinds to perform at the Music in the Parks Festival. The cost of that trip was $137. In 2023, we are traveling to Busch Gardens.
Is year-long band class required?
Yes. Band is a year-long course that takes 2 blocks of your schedule. This may seem like a lot, but we have events all year. It is our privilege and responsibility to provide live music for our school, and we can’t do that unless classes are at full instrumentation.
Will band bring down my GPA?
No. Wind Ensemble class is honors level, and students can be promoted to Wind Ensemble after 1 year of Concert Band. If a student participates in 8 blocks of band over 4 years of high school, 6 of those will be honors credit. Additionally, I also offer an honors level composing class and AP music theory, both of which help with GPA.
Can I play sports and be in band?
Yes! Band class has very little outside of school responsibility. We usually perform 3 concerts per semester, with the occasional after school rehearsal.
It is difficult to participate in marching band and a fall sport. However, the marching band season ends in time for winter sports to begin. We are proud to have several band students who are also athletes.
Will I have time for AP Classes and other electives?
Yes! I know it’s a lot to ask for 2 out of 8 blocks every year. That’s a quarter of high school spent in the band room! But, when you look at the 4-year breakdown below you can see that there is time to get all the classes you need, plus other electives, foreign languages, and AP classes. I recommend planning out your entire 4-year schedule.
As you can see below, band students have enough blocks to take other arts electives, such as theatre or visual art. They have enough blocks to master a CTE course, such as computers or agriculture. Band students also have enough blocks to take some of those hefty AP classes junior and senior year, some of which require an extra block. For the true band nerds out there, you can take my composition seminar and AP music theory!
| Freshman | Sophomore | Junior | Senior | |
| 1 | Fall Band | Fall Band | Fall Band | Fall Band |
| 2 | Spring Band | Spring Band | Spring Band | Spring Band |
| 3 | English | English | English | English |
| 4 | Math | Math | Math | Math |
| 5 | Social Studies | Social Studies | Social Studies | Social Studies |
| 6 | Science | Science | Science | Elective/AP/Foreign Language |
| 7 | PE | Elective/AP/Foreign Language | Elective/AP/Foreign Language | Elective/AP/Foreign Language |
| 8 | Elective/AP/Foreign Language | Elective/AP/Foreign Language | Elective/AP/Foreign Language | Elective/AP/Foreign Language |
How can band help me on college applications?
Colleges like to see that you can commit to something for 4 years. Band is a great way to show that you can be dedicated over the long-term. Colleges want to see that students are dedicated fully to a few activities, rather than hopping around from one to another. Colleges are looking for students who understand a 4-year commitment.
