I.
The East Hall Concert Bands
The foundation of the instrumental music
education experience at East Hall High School is
established in the concert band courses. These
bands rehearse all year during the school day,
as well as during co-curricular after school
rehearsals. It is this setting that music
principles and fundamentals are taught,
practiced, and developed. Therefore,
participation in all other aspects of the bands
program is contingent upon enrollment in one of
the concert bands classes.
Requirements:
previous experience in middle school band; or
though an audition process through the band
directors. The Wind Symphony is an auditioned
group that requires permission only.
II.
The East Hall Viking Marching Band
The Viking Marching Band, which includes all
auxiliaries (Majorettes, Flagettes, and Color
Guard), begins rehearsing in the summer and
continues through the football season, and in
same cases beyond. Performances include all
home and away football games, pep rallies,
marching festivals and competitions, and various
community parades (Rabbittown Parade and Lula
Railroad Days Parade). This ensemble is
unquestionably the most visible performance
group in high school.
The Viking Marching Bands is a co-curricular
activity that is open to any current ninth
through twelfth grade band student. Because the
activity is a direct product of the skills that
are developed in the band curriculum, only
students currently enrolled in a band class are
eligible to participate. No exceptions will be
made except for non-musician auxiliary members.
The marching activity is a very demanding
activity, both musically and physically. All
participants must commit themselves to
maintaining high musical performance standards
and good physical condition.
Requirements:
previous experience in middle school band,
participated in “rookie camp” in the early Fall;
or through an audition process through the band
directors
III.
Auxiliaries
The term “auxiliaries” is used to describe all
Majorettes, Flagettes, and Color Guard
students. The term basically refers to the
marching band members who add visual impact and
color to the musical performance in a
challenging activity that combines equipment
work (batons, flags, props, etc.) with dancing
and marching.
Auditions for the auxiliary corps are held in
the late spring and are open to all East Hall
High
School students. Specific audition
requirements vary each time, but often will
include equipment work (batons, flags, props,
etc.), movement, and marching fundamentals.
Auxiliary participants are full members of the
Viking Marching Band. Therefore, they are
expected to participate in all marching band
activities, to help in fundraisers, and are
required to follow all applicable rules and
regulations contained in this handbook.
IV.
Solo and Ensemble/Chamber Groups/Jazz Ensemble
Solo and Ensemble is a yearlong, self-actuated
activity. The study of solo and small chamber
(ensemble) literature places performance demands
on the individual(s) that are not found in music
for full band. Every student, regardless of
ability, can benefit greatly from participating
in solo and ensemble activities. Solo and
ensembles may perform at concerts in school, in
concerts, in a community function (weddings,
receptions, etc.), recitals, and at the GMEA
Solo and Ensemble Festival in April.
Auditions are held for placement into the
extra-curricular Jazz Ensemble. This ensemble
will employ the standard big-band
instrumentation of saxophones, trumpets,
trombones, drums, piano, guitar, and bass.
Participants in this ensemble must have strong
performance and sight-reading skills, as well a
desire to learn the theory and technique of jazz
improvisation, an integral part of jazz idiom.
Students must be currently enrolled in a band
class in order to be eligible to participate in
jazz ensemble. Exceptions to this will only be
made for rhythm section players.
V.
Music Theory
It is highly recommended that all band students,
at some point in their high school careers,
enroll in the Music Theory course. The study of
how music is constructed assists greatly in a
student’s understanding and appreciation of it.
This course is taught each semester, but is
recommended that most band students take it in
the Spring semester. Students study “the
grammar of music” including scales, chords,
intervals, harmony, melody, rhythm,
part-writing, and both written and aural
analysis. In addition, a significant portion of
the course is devoted to the development of
aural skills through diction examples,
error-detection exercises, and sight-singing.
For students potentially considering majoring in
music in college, the study of music theory is
essential. In addition, students will benefit
from high school music theory courses upon
entering college music theory courses.
