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Band & Orchestra

God has placed us in a world with the raw materials of music–pitch, resonance and time–and has given each of us image bearers the ability to create music.

We respond by praising God for this wonderful gift and by using music that is true, noble, right, pure, lovely, admirable, excellent and praiseworthy.

Concert Band, Symphonic Band, and Orchestra are regular school day classes, as well as rich experiences creating music that meets these criteria while appreciating how others have used their creative abilities to develop and enhance music history. Because we create music as a group, members learn to support each other and work for the good of the group. We rejoice in celebrating our faith through music!

High School Band & Orchestra Calendar

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March 2024

Sun Mon Tue Wed Thu Fri Sat
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  • Band Extravaganza concert for bands
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  • MSBOA State Solo and Ensemble Festival
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  • Bach' birthday
  • Symphonic Band at Rose Park
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  • Swingin' the Night Away jazz event
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  • HCHS Band/Orchestra Trip to Florida
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  • HCHS Band/Orchestra Trip to Florida
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  • HCHS Band/Orchestra Trip to Florida
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  • HCHS Band/Orchestra Trip to Florida
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  • HCHS Band/Orchestra Trip to Florida
  • Florida Trip

HCHS Instrumental Classes + Extra-curricular Opportunities

Concert Band: Elective for-credit class

Concert band is a for-credit 9th and 10th grade elective satisfying a requirement for Visual, Performing and Applied Arts. Concert Band engages in a wide variety of musical styles including jazz, popular, classical, and music from all over the world. Through the study of this diverse range of music students will engage in the fundamentals of creating beautiful sound, reading the musical language, and creating the beautiful art of sound. The concert band performs at four main concerts throughout the year and has many opportunities for further exploration.

Symphonic Band: Elective, for-credit class

Symphonic band is an 11th and 12th grade elective that satisfies the requirement for visual, performing and applied arts. Membership in the Symphonic Band is open to students who qualify by audition or selection, particularly those in 9th and 10th grades. The Symphonic Band studies advanced techniques and a wide variety of musical styles. This group performs at several concerts.

Orchestra: Elective, for-credit class

Orchestra is a for-credit elective class for all grades 9-12 that satisfies the requirement for a visual, performing and applied arts. Membership is made up of students who play stringed instruments. The orchestra studies string techniques and a wide variety of musical styles including folk, jazz, popular, classical, and music from all over the world. Through the study of this diverse range of music students will engage in the fundamentals of creating beautiful sound, reading the musical language, and creating the beautiful art of sound. The orchestra performs at four main concerts throughout the year and has many opportunities for further exploration.

Jazz Ensemble

A non-auditioned jazz ensemble. Rehearsals are on Tuesday mornings at 7:15 am. This group is also made up of saxes, trumpets, trombones, piano, bass, drums, guitar, and auxiliary percussion. Students must be concurrently registered in band and/or orchestra.

Jazz Orchestra: An early morning, for-credit class

An audition-only jazz ensemble made up of saxophones, trumpets, trombones, piano, bass, drum set, guitar, and auxiliary percussion. Auditions are held in the spring for the following school year. Students must be concurrently registered in band and/or orchestra, with occasional exceptions made for guitar and piano players. Rehearsals are on Tuesday and Thursday mornings from 7:15 am to 7:55 am. This is a for-credit class.

Jazz Combo

This small jazz ensemble is made up of 6 to 10 of our best and most dedicated jazz musicians. This group is chosen from the jazz orchestra and helps develop a mastery of improvisation skills. This group plays at special events and weddings.

Pep Band

Pep band is made up of members from both the concert band and the symphonic band who play at some home football and basketball games. We play at about 3 football and 4 basketball games a year. Students must be concurrently registered in band and/or orchestra. All band members are encouraged to join us–we have lots of fun!

Marching Band

Marching Band is made up of all the concert band and symphonic band members, and practices from after Spring Break up to Tulip Time, which is typically the second week of May, from 7:15 am to 7:55 am.

Performing Drumline

The Performing Drumline ensemble is made up of percussionists from the concert band and the symphonic band. These musicians also perform as a percussion ensemble.

Below is a recording of our HCHS drumline recorded in the isolation of COVID virtual learning, when our regular Tulip Time parades were cancelled for the first time in their 90+ year history. We have included it because it is the only professional recording of the group that we currently have!

Chamber Orchestra

Chamber Orchestra is a small string ensemble of 8 to 12 of the top string players from the larger orchestra. This group plays at special events and church services and meets on Wednesday mornings at 7:15 am.

Symphonic Orchestra

Symphonic Orchestra is made up of woodwind, brass, percussion, and strings players of the larger orchestra class. Mr. VandenBerg chooses the best woodwind, brass, and percussion from symphonic and concert bands. The instrumentation is 2 clarinets, 2 flutes, 2 oboes, 2 bassoons, bass clarinet, 2 or 3 trumpets, 4 French horns, 3 trombones, 1 tuba, and 1 to 3 percussionists. For string players, most of the Friday morning practices are voluntary, as this is the same music as in orchestra class. They practice on Friday mornings at 7:00 am.

Pit Orchestra

The Pit Orchestra performs with the fall musical in conjunction with the theater department. They rehearse after school starting in the middle of October until the performance, which is the third week in November, starting out two (2) times a week after school and then moving to every day for the last couple weeks before the show. Instrumentation changes with each show—usually strings, a few woodwinds, brass, bass, and percussion.

District Solo & Ensemble Festival

All band and orchestra members should consider participating in the District Solo & Ensemble Festival, which happens in the beginning of February. Registration is in the beginning of December. Students perform in solos and/or ensembles for an adjudicator and are given a rating based on their performance. Those who receive a division one, or superior, rating qualify to perform at the State Solo & Ensemble Festival. The top players from that festival can be chosen to be part of the Michigan Youth Arts Festival.

All State Band & Orchestra Auditions

Auditions for the All State Band & Orchestra happen in late October/early November and are at East Kentwood High School. The best band and orchestra musicians from around the state audition to be part of the All State Band and Orchestra, and only the top auditions are accepted to this group. It performs one time in January with two days of rehearsal. Those who make this group receive a high honor and have demonstrated many hours of hard work. Registration occurs in the beginning of October.

Holland Christian Music Boosters

The Holland Christian Music Boosters is a support organization composed of parents of band, orchestra, and choir members and any other persons interested in promoting the music program of Holland Christian Schools. The organization raises funds to be used for instruments, equipment, uniforms, and scholarships. Each year, the HC Music Boosters provides Holland Christian students with scholarship opportunities to attend Calvin’s Knollcrest Music Camp, the Interlochen Music Camp, the Blue Lakes Fine Arts Camp, and to participate in the Harbor Choral Festival of Music. They also provide financial support for students who wish to take private instrumental lessons. To obtain the scholarship application please click here: Scholarship Application.

If your children are involved in the music program at Holland Christian, support their activities by becoming a member of the HC Music Boosters! For information, contact the board by emailing svandenberg@hollandchristian.org.

Donate to Music Boosters

Band & Orchestra Media

Stay up to date with the latest news and happenings of the HCHS bands and orchestra on the HCHS Band & Orchestra Facebook account, concerts recorded live on YouTube, and check out our latest photos!

HCHS Band & Orchestra FacebookWatch our latest concert on YouTubeBand & Orchestra Photos

Have questions about our high school bands & orchestras?

For more information, please contact Scott VandenBerg, the HCHS Director of Instrumental Music, at 616.820.2905 ext. 2982 or svandenberg@hollandchristian.org.

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