General Statement
Our year is broken up into two main “seasons”, marching season, and concert season. Marching season runs from the last week of July through the first week of November and encompasses the high school football season and the competitive marching band season. Concert season officially begins when the competitive marching season ends, but there is substantial overlap as we begin to prepare for concert season activities during the football playoff season. All members of the Summit Jaguar Band program will always maintain continuous and uninterrupted involvement within at least one Summit Band activity throughout the school year to maintain band membership. These activities include the Marching Band, one of our concert bands, Color Guard and Winter Guard. Students who do not maintain continuous, and uninterrupted involvement within at least one Summit Band activity at all times throughout the school year will not have the opportunity to return to the band program in any capacity in the future. Furthermore, an instrumentalist who quits the concert band program will be removed from the Jazz Band and Color Guard team.
Marching Band
Composed of all students in the band program; performs at all football games, pep rallies, and parades. The marching band performs at several competitions throughout the season and rehearses outside of school up to eight hours per week which are part of every student’s grade. Attendance is the key factor to any band and band members success. Every student in the band program regardless of status performs in uniform under the lights at every football game. Our performance consists of music played live for our drill team, the Sapphires, plus a portion of our competition show. At contests, non-varsity students will have different roles where they assist with props, or act as cast members of the show. The success of the program relies on having all-hands-on-deck for every contest and everyone in attendance. Once the competitive season is over (typically beginning of November), the marching band will learn a spirit show that they will perform for the remainder of the season.
Color Guard
A visual ensemble that adds to the pageantry and dynamic of the on-field performance of the marching band. These students earn membership in this group by participating in an audition process in the previous spring semester. They receive special training to develop the skills that they use to enhance the marching program. Membership in this group is open to students who are not already part of the band. At the conclusion of the marching season, the members of the color guard transition to winter guard which practices both during and outside of school and compete in local and national level contests. Instrumentalists are eligible to participate in winter guard by audition.
Drumline/Percussion
Drumline is the collective group of percussionists who make-up the battery and front ensemble (or pit) which add pulse, impact, and effect to the performances of the marching band. Membership in the drumline is open to percussion students who are enrolled in year-round band classes. In the fall semester, percussionists are enrolled in a double blocked, first hour class. In the spring, percussion students keep one of those first hour blocks, but are then added to their respective concert band on the next day. Percussion students who have been placed in Symphonic Band or Wind Ensemble are expected to audition for All-Region and All-State. All percussionists are expected to participate in the MISD or Summit High School solo and ensemble contest at the discretion of Mr. Solis.
Wind Ensemble
The most advanced performing ensemble at SHS, team taught by Mr. Whaley and Ms. Hermanson. This band performs the highest-level literature and is composed mostly of upperclassmen. This band competes at the Varsity level in the UIL Concert and Sight-Reading Contest. Members of this ensemble are required to enroll in private lessons, participate in the All-District and All-Region Band Auditions, perform in at least one class 1 ensemble for the MISD Ensemble Contest, AND perform at least one class 1 solo at the MISD Solo Contest, as well as be leaders in other performing ensembles such as Jazz Band, chamber music ensembles, and Percussion Ensemble. The Wind Ensemble will set the standard in musical performance, integrity, and professionalism at Summit High School.
Symphonic Band
The feeder group for the Wind Ensemble, team taught by Mr. Whaley and Ms. Hermanson. This band performs high-level literature and is composed of students of all grades. This band competes at the Non-Varsity level in the UIL Concert and Sight-Reading Contest. Members of this ensemble are expected to enroll in private lessons, required to participate in the All-District and All-Region Band Auditions, perform in at least one class 1 or class 2 ensemble for the MISD Ensemble Contest, AND perform at least one class 1 or class 2 solo at the MISD Solo Contest, as well as be leaders in other performing ensembles such as Jazz Band, chamber music ensembles, and Percussion Ensemble. The Symphonic Band will follow the standard set by the Wind Ensemble in musical performance, integrity, and professionalism.
Concert Band
The feeder group for the Symphonic Band, team taught by Mr. Whaley and Ms. Hermanson. This band is composed of students of all grades. This band competes at the Sub Non-Varsity level in the UIL Concert and Sight-Reading Contest. Members of this ensemble are encouraged to enroll in private lessons, participate in the All-District and All-Region Band Auditions, perform in at least one class 1 or class 2 ensemble for the MISD Ensemble Contest, AND perform at least one class 1 or class 2 solo at the MISD Solo Contest, as well as be leaders in other performing ensembles such as Jazz Band, chamber music ensembles, and Percussion Ensemble. The Concert Band will follow the standard set by the Wind Ensemble in musical performance, integrity, and professionalism.
Jazz Band
Band members enrolled in Jazz Band must also be concurrently enrolled in a concert band. Members of this ensemble are expected to be the hardest working and most talented students in the band program. The band consists of saxophones, trombones, trumpets, drum set, bass, guitar, and piano. Admittance into this band is expected of the Wind Ensemble students on these instruments. This ensemble focuses on big band jazz tunes as well as improv and theory. This band meets twice a week after school in the Spring Semester. This band performs at the annual Jazz Dinner Dance as well as various concerts and contests throughout the year.
Private Lessons
The single most important factor in the development of a truly outstanding band program is the development of the individual players. Private lessons are the most valuable tool we can offer our students to aid in their progression through the program. All students are strongly encouraged to take private lessons. Lessons are $25 per 30-minute lesson, once a week. There is a limited amount of money for lesson scholarships funded by the Summit Band Boosters who will provide $10 per lessons leaving $15 for the families to cover. Information on how to enroll will be distributed during Marching Band registration day or you may contact Ms. Hermanson at elizabethhermanson@misdmail.org for more information. All lesson teacher contact info is on www.summitband.com under “Private Lesson Staff.”
Moving up a band at the semester
Freshmen are not allowed in the Wind Ensemble their first semester. There is a small chance that a student may move up a band at the semester depending on need of the band and the band program. The minimum expectation for this to happen is the student must audition and follow through the TMEA All-Region process, as well as have schedule availability for this to work. The Summit HS counselors have the final say on this process. To be clear, this is a very rare occurrence, but not impossible.
Moving down a band at the semester
Students who are unable to meet the requirements of either Wind Ensemble, or Symphonic Band may be removed from those ensembles and be placed in the Concert Band at the semester. Instances where this may occur include but are not limited to unenrolling in lessons, becoming “single blocked” at the semester, not participating in the entire process of the TMEA All-State process, poor overall attendance, and/or not meeting out band standards or successful traits of a Summit band student.
Participating in multiple bands
Students who are members in the Wind Ensemble or Symphonic Band are eligible to play a secondary instrument in another band depending on the needs of the ensemble. Students interested in this must single block the respective band class they will be joining and are still responsible for all assignments and sectionals related to participating in that band. General Statement: If the secondary instrument is in the same family (i.e. high brass to high brass, single reed to single reed) participation in Symphonic Band is acceptable through an audition process. If the secondary instrument is in an adjacent family (i.e. high brass to low brass, single reed to double reed) participation in Concert Band is acceptable. Switching instruments to an entirely different family is not allowed at this time.
Single blocking band
Students are strongly discouraged to single block band. Students who single block band are not eligible for participation in Wind Ensemble or the leadership team. Single block exemptions for other bands are only allowed for students who have exhausted all options and are taking an AP, CTC, dual credit, or performing in another premier performing ensemble at Summit High School and must be approved by the directors. Single blocking band will not be allowed for another elective course.
Leaving band at the semester
Band is a one year commitment and students are not allowed to leave the band program at the semester. Students who happen to leave at the semester are barred from any future band event, are not allowed to come to the Band Banquet, will not receive any award or gift typically given at the end of the year, will not receive any letters of recommendation from any band director, will not receive their signed senior picture, are not allowed back into the band hall, and will not be allowed back into the band program in the future.
UIL Academic Eligibility
According to the UIL rules that govern all UIL activities in the state of Texas, students must be passing all classes with a 70 or higher (60 or higher for advanced classes) at the UIL designated checkpoints throughout the year to participate in marching band performance events. In MISD, these checks occur at the end of every six weeks. It is the student and parent’s responsibility to ensure that the student remains passing. Students that lose eligibility will not be allowed to participate in ticketed performances (such as football games), contests (including All-Region Band, UIL Solo and Ensemble, and Marching/Concert Band Contests), any trips taken in the fall or spring, or various other performances. Ineligible students must attend all rehearsals and are still eligible to participate in non-ticketed concerts, such as school concerts, or UIL Concert and Sight-Reading Evaluation. If a student becomes ineligible, a band director will inform them of their expected performance involvement. Any student who becomes ineligible may be reassigned to another class during the fall or spring semesters at the discretion of the band directors. A student who repeatedly becomes academically ineligible (three or more times) throughout their high school career, may be subject to removal from band to concentrate solely on attaining the required credits for graduation.