With marching band season wrapped up, PV’s plethora of band students now enter the concert band season. The Pleasant Valley High School Band program comprises of four different concert ensembles: Concert Band, Symphonic Band, Wind Ensemble, and Wind Symphony. All freshmen take part in Concert Band, while the rest of the upperclassmen audition into one of the remaining three ensembles.

Even with such an enormous band, the PV band program really emphasizes the importance of each and every student. With this priority in mind, each ensemble is assigned only a principal, or first chair for each instrument. The students change seats within each ensemble for each piece to give everyone fair opportunities. “I really enjoy that each person in the ensemble matters. The individuality aspect helps us work together, listen to each other, and improve!” explains Claire Thomsen, junior.

Since the band program is so large, the lunch schedule also inevitably changes. Band students have started to run on a three lunch schedule: A, B, C (as opposed to the four lunch schedule that the rest of the schools follows). To make this enormous band program run, students in different ensembles may arrive and leave in the middle of lunches to attend their rehearsals. For students in band, check the band hallways each day to find out what time you have rehearsal and what time you have lunch.

The band program also coordinates three jazz bands. Jazz band is open to anyone who is willing to participate, and meets a few days each week before school. This year’s jazz band showcase will be taking place on Nov. 14.

The band is currently preparing for their first concert of the year: the famous Cider & Pretzel Concert, which will occur on Dec. 5. “I enjoy the chance to develop the technical aspects of my playing, and I also enjoy playing ‘slay’ ride every winter,” explains Mark Kessler, junior.