Concert Ensembles – Mountain Ridge Pride Of The West

The Mountain Ridge Band & Orchestra Program comprises three ability-based concert ensembles and one string orchestra. Each leveled ensemble provides students with the opportunity to grow and develop relative to their individual skills and the full ensemble’s skills. Auditions for all concert ensembles are completed in the spring semester and are used to determine ensemble placement, chair assignments, and preliminary seating for the following year. Audition materials will be made available to all interested students.

At Mountain Ridge High School, the ‘Pride of the West’ Marching Band is a co-curricular ensemble and, therefore, all members must be enrolled in a concert ensemble and participate in the marching band. There is no marching band requirement for members of the MRHS Orchestra.

Wind Ensemble

The MRHS Wind Ensemble is the premier performing ensemble on the Mountain Ridge High School campus. The Wind Ensemble has performed at the 2019 National Concert Band Festival in Indianapolis, Indiana, and seven times at the Arizona Music Educators Association (AMEA) State Conference. Students who successfully audition for and are accepted into the Wind Ensemble will learn more advanced musical theory and perform more challenging musical selections. Members of this ensemble are required to participate in after-school chamber ensembles and are expected to be enrolled in private lesson instruction. This course is designed to advance students’ musicianship, musical knowledge, and performance skills through classroom instruction, instrumental pedagogy, group rehearsals, and performance opportunities. This course is aligned with Arizona College and Career Ready Standards and/or national content standards and supports school-wide efforts to increase student achievement.

Symphonic Band

This intermediate-level course will provide students with the opportunity to advance, refine, and expand their musical performance skills in the wind band medium. This includes both indoor and outdoor environments, as participation in the marching band is a curricular expectation for every student. Students will study music appropriate to their skill level, with an emphasis on exploring both new and classic band literature. Members of this ensemble are expected to participate in after-school chamber ensembles and are encouraged to pursue private lessons actively. In addition, this course is designed to advance students’ musicianship, musical knowledge, and performance skills through classroom instruction, instrumental pedagogy, group rehearsals, and performance opportunities. This course is aligned with Arizona College and Career Ready Standards and/or national content standards and supports school-wide efforts to increase student achievement.

Concert Band

This entry-level ensemble will provide the opportunity for students to expand and refine their music performance skills relative to the wind band medium. This includes both inside and outside environments, as participation in marching band is a curricular expectation of every student. Students will study music appropriate to their skill level, with an emphasis on exploring both new and classic band literature. Members of this ensemble are encouraged to participate in after-school chamber ensembles and to pursue private lessons actively. In addition, this course is designed to advance students’ musicianship, musical knowledge, and performance skills through classroom instruction, instrumental pedagogy, group rehearsals, and performance opportunities. This course is aligned with Arizona College and Career Ready Standards and/or national content standards and supports school-wide efforts to increase student achievement.

Orchestra

This course will provide students with the opportunity to expand and refine their music performance skills in string activities. Students will study music appropriate to their skill level, with an emphasis on exploring both new and classic orchestral literature. Members of this ensemble are encouraged to participate in after-school chamber ensembles and to pursue private lessons actively. In addition, this course is designed to advance students’ musicianship, musical knowledge, and performance skills through classroom instruction, instrumental pedagogy, group rehearsals, and performance opportunities. This course is aligned with Arizona College and Career Ready Standards and/or national content standards and supports school-wide efforts to increase student achievement.

Jazz Band

The MRHS Jazz Band is one of the top-performing ensembles on the Mountain Ridge High School campus. The Jazz Band has performed at the Arizona Music Educators Association (AMEA) State Conference and actively performs at various ABODA Area and State Festivals.

This ensemble meets daily and provides basic instruction in jazz-related rhythm, tone, style, concept, listening skills, woodwind doubling possibilities, and improvisation. The ultimate goal of this ensemble is to allow interested students to study and perform big-band literature from diverse styles and time periods. Concurrent enrollment in a concert band ensemble is not required, and students in the jazz band are not required to participate in the ‘Pride of the West’ Marching Band. Placement in this ensemble is determined through annual auditions or through director approval.

Additionally, this course is designed to advance students’ musicianship, musical knowledge, and performance skills through classroom instruction, instrumental pedagogy, group rehearsals, and performance opportunities. This course is aligned with Arizona College and Career Ready Standards and/or national content standards and supports school-wide efforts to increase student achievement.