The Wylie Pure Gold Band

1.)   How many people are in the band?

There are about 180 people in band this year.

2.)   What songs does the band play and who chooses them?

During the marching season, the band plays a marching show and Stand Jams which are songs people are usually familiar with. Concert band pieces are much more difficult than most marching music and all songs the band plays are chosen by a band director.

3.)   Who are the band directors?

The current band directors are Michelle Lessing (head band director), David Mcknight (assistant band director/percussion instructor), and Ashlyn Ray (assistant band director).

4.)   What do you do throughout the year in band?

Every summer, the band starts summer band camp to get ready for the marching season. Generally, Marching Band is during the first semester and includes, playing at pep rallies and football games, practicing the marching show for the year, participation in parades, and competing in UIL marching. Concert band is during the second semester and includes two different concerts and competing in concert band UIL.

5.)   What are drum majors?

Drum majors are students that try out to conduct the band during marching season.

6.)   What are marching rehearsals like?

Marching rehearsals start with a warm-up including stretches, playing warm-up, and practicing marching skills. The rest of the time is usually spent practicing the marching show. Summer Band starts a month before school Monday through Friday and goes from 8am to 1pm. Once school starts, Morning Rehearsals start and are before school from 7 am to 7:50 am; After-School Rehearsals are on Thursdays from 7 pm to 8 pm. After UIL marching competition, there are fewer rehearsals each week.   

7.)   What is the difference between Honor and Concert Band?

Band members audition for bands via recording on Google Classroom and are ranked and split into a higher and lower band. The top half of the list is the Honor Band, which plays more difficult songs. The bottom half is the concert band, which plays less challenging songs. As of this year, Concert Band is during 1st period, and Honor Band is in 2nd period.

8.)   How and when do you choose an instrument?

The band program is available to students from 6th grade until senior year. Members generally join in 6th grade. Student try out on the instruments and the directors help them to choose which instrument is the best for them. 

9.)   What instruments are in the band?

The band has wind players that play brass and woodwind instruments, and percussionists that play a variety of instruments like drums, chimes, and xylophone-like instruments. Brass instruments include: tubas, euphoniums, trombones, french horns, and trumpets. While woodwind instruments include: saxophones, clarinets, flutes, oboes, and bassoons. Brass players rely on vibrating their lips to produce sound, while woodwinds rely on reeds.

10.)   What is a bass clarinet?

The different instruments can have smaller versions that produce higher sounds, and larger versions that make deeper sounds. For example, a piccolo is like a tiny flute, and makes flute-like sounds at a higher pitch than a standard flute. Bass clarinets are very large versions of standard clarinets that can make deeper sounds compared to regular clarinets.