This is band director Tark Katzenmeyer`s first year directing all wind-focused bands. There will be two concerts: ne is on Dec. 5 with the concert band and wind ensemble and the other on Dec. 15 and 16 with the Concert Wind Symphony. Both concerts will be in the auditorium and have a winter theme.

The concert on the Dec. 15 and 16 will feature many winter songs, such as Festive Overture and Patapan. The band is working hard on these songs.

“For our Concert Wind Symphony, we`re going to be performing a piece by Shostakovich called Festive Overture, which is fast, technical, and exciting. We`re going to be doing a mash-up of a French carol called Patapan that`s mashed up with Oh Come Ye Merry Gentlemen, the traditional English Chorale. So a beautiful piece there. We will also be doing a piece Mourning Alleluias for the Winter Solstice by Ron Nelson that is a beautiful and evocative celebration of Japanese musical culture,” Katzenmeyer said.

In addition, the Concert Wind Symphony will play two songs, Schubert’s Unfinished Symphony and Minor Variations, with the orchestra. This combined band is called orchestral winds. One of these songs will be played in the orchestra fall concert, and the other will be on Dec. 15

Katzenmeyer explained that the orchestral winds are working on two songs. One, named Schubert Unfinished Symphony, which is just a lot of pieces of a song put together, for the orchestra fall concert and the other song for the winter band concert named Minor Variations, which is what if a lot of Christmas carols were in a minor key.

For this concert, the jazz band will play on Dec. 15 and 16. The songs are not decided yet, but they are still practicing songs such as Spain, Norwegian Wood and Mamacita.

Senior Calvin Brandt explained the jazz band is still trying to get songs for the winter concert. They have been practicing songs like Spain, Norwegian Wood and Mamacita. Band teacher Dennis Lindsay has been talking about playing one of these songs in the winter concert.

New to this year the Concert Wind Symphony Percussion section is working on a solo for this concert. Just like the fall concert, the Percussion section is working on a winter-themed song.

Calvin explained that Lindsay has had them play some winter songs, but nothing has been finalized yet for the winter concert.

All of the Concert Wind Symphony section are working hard to prepare for the concert. They all have their own unique way of practicing.

All parts of the band do sections and “we would always be striving to improve” in these “sections” and be working together to always be working together senior Addison Charpentier explained.

With the two band winter concerts coming up, if people would like to support the music program, they can get tickets for the concerts from the hometown app.