Instrumental Music

Symphonic Band (Advanced Concert Band)

Symphonic Band students continue to grow in basic skills. Each student is independently capable of learning Indiana State School Music Association (ISSMA) Group I music. The goal is to also grow in music-making and sharing a passion for one of God’s greatest gifts: music!

Symphonic Band tours each year. Tours have included Colorado, St. Louis area, Baltimore, and Washington, D.C. The band performs in four concerts each year as well as ISSMA solo and ensemble and organizational contests. They are the pep band and may audition for the jazz ensemble.

Symphonic students are involved in every area of school life: sports, choir, drama, yearbook, and so much more. It is possible to do both band and choir at the same time.

The Symphonic Band is the top band here at Concordia. Students continue to another level of comprehensive musicianship: continued development of style, listening for tuning and excellent tone, and persistence in improving technical skill and fluency. 

This class is a full-year class, earning a credit each semester. It is considered an Academic Honors class.

Concert Band (Intermediate Concert Band)

Concert Band reviews basic instrumental skills: correct posture, breathing, listening, counting, articulations, etc. The goal is to create rich tone and grow in musicality while giving God the glory.

Through Concert Band, students will learn a balanced comprehensive study of music that will enrich their lives and add to their joy of music performance. Ensemble and solo activities develop individual technical and musical skills so performance and general musicianship is enhanced through improved tone, music reading skills, listening skills. Therefore, playing is just more fun!

Concert Band is involved in four concerts — solo and ensemble, pep and possibly jazz. This class is a full-year class, earning a credit each semester and is considered an Academic Honors elective.

Jazz Band

This student ensemble rehearses once a week on Monday evenings for two hours. Jazz techniques are taught. Music varies from the jazz standards to contemporary jazz.

The group performs at all instrumental concerts, on band tour, and sometimes in the elementary schools, as well as other school and community functions. The jazz band also performs at the ISSMA Jazz Contest in March.

Requirements: Students audition into Jazz Band from Concert Band (Intermediate Concert Band) and from Symphonic Band (Advanced Concert Band). Jazz Band begins after Marching Band in October. 

Marching Band

This student ensemble combines music, movement and a Color Guard to create a competitive Marching Band show that is performed on football fields at various sites throughout Indiana, including our own Cadet football games. The ISSMA competitive season shows are scheduled most weekends from September through October. Non-competitive shows are performed at all home football games. The Marching Band participates in a few summer parades.

The Indiana State School Music Association competitive season shows are scheduled most weekends from September through October. Non-competitive shows are performed at all home football games. The Marching Band participates in a few summer parades.

Our Marching Band has a very successful reputation. In 2013, the Concordia Marching Cadets won the Class C State ISSMA Championship. The Marching Cadets have been to State Finals every year since 2001 and consecutively since 2007. Shows are designed to share the most important message of all time: The Gospel of our Lord! It is a loved activity!

Requirements: All students registered for Symphonic Band (Advanced Concert Band) are members of the Marching Cadets unless they play in a school-sponsored fall sport. Auditions are required for Color Guard in the spring.

Click here to learn more about our Band Boosters. 

Pep Band

This student instrumental ensemble is made up of all Concert Band and Symphonic Band (Intermediate and Advanced Concert Bands) students. It is dedicated to playing pep music and cheers at weekend home basketball games for boys and girls.

String Orchestra

Students in this ensemble are provided with a balanced, comprehensive study of music through the orchestra, string and/or full orchestra, which develops skills in the psychomotor, cognitive, and affective domains. Ensemble and solo activities are designed to develop and refine elements of musicianship including tone production, technical skills, intonation, music-reading skills, listening skills, analyzing music, studying historically-significant styles of orchestral literature and integration of other applicable disciplines.

The string orchestra meets Tuesday and Thursday mornings at 7:00 and 7:30, respectively, for 55 minutes each day and earns ½ credit per semester. The class also counts toward Academic Honors Fine Arts credit.