Ensembles
Choir
Concert Choir is designed for growing and less experienced voices. Vocalists in this ensemble will learn vocal production, musicality, and how to read music. This is an excellent class for people who enjoy performing choral music as an addition to their other interests or people who would like to train and improve for future participation in upper level choral ensembles.
Chamber Choir is a select, auditioned ensemble that learns a variety of choral literature. It is for students who already demonstrate superior singing, musical interpretation, and music reading skills.
Treble Choir is for students who demonstrate superior singing, musical interpretation, and music reading skills.
Vocal Jazz is a select, auditioned choral ensemble that learns a variety of vocal jazz styles. This class is suggested to those who exhibit superior musical reading and vocalizing skills.
More Choir information can be found on the Choir Home page
Colorguard
After marching band season ends in October, there is very little performance opportunity for our colorguard students. Hanford sponsors a Winterguard that learns a field show (gymnasium floor). In the past our ensemble has traveled to Portland and Seattle to compete. This is a great way for the colorguard members in our band program to continue dancing throughout the year. The season usually runs January to March. Rehearsals are after school and on occasional weekends. More information can be found on the Colorguard page
Concert Band
Concert Band is designed for all incoming freshmen. In this class students are able to learn the basic fundamentals of musicianship that will help them to excel in their future band classes. Students will perform at concerts and festivals.
Jazz Band
Freshman Jazz Band is designed to give all freshmen the same understanding of the fundamentals of jazz. Because it is an elective music class that meets during the school day and concert band is a co-requisite, students must take another 0-hour class such as PE, health, Spanish, or chemistry. Students perform at concerts, festivals and other community events.
Jazz Band II meets 0-hour and is designed for sophomores, juniors and seniors who play jazz music but do not audition into Jazz Band I. Jazz Bands are elective music classes and participation in a concert band class is a co-requisite. Students perform at concerts, competitions and other community events.
Jazz Band I is designed for Hanford's top musicians. It meets 0-hour and is open to all sophomores, juniors and seniors by audition. Jazz Bands are elective music classes and participation in a concert band class is a co-requisite. Students perform at concerts, competitions and other community events, including the annual Swing Dance.
Marching Band
Marching band rehearses after school two days a week, performs at all home football games and competes in competitions around the northwest. It is strongly suggested that all students who will be new to the Hanford Music Program participate in Marching Band. Why? There are too many reasons to list, but here are a few: We teach social skills, responsibility, music, physical skills, teamwork, attention skills, multitasking skills...More information can be found on the Marching Band page.
Orchestra
Orchestra develops a student's technical proficiency, enjoyment and musical understanding on string instruments. Class work includes rehearsals, home practice, listening, performance at concerts and festivals, public service programs, sectionals and chamber work.
Chamber Orchestra is an advanced music class designed to cultivate a student's technical abilities, enjoyment and musical understanding on string instruments. Class work includes rehearsals, home practice, listening, performance at concerts and festivals, public service programs, sectionals and chamber work.
Pep Band
Pep Band meets after school once a week for rehearsals during basketball season and performs at many home basketball games, including the weekend double-header games. The pep band students may travel with the team during the playoffs as determined by the teams' success and school budgets. This is a great ensemble to try out your upper octaves or even a new instrument. High energy is required for games!
Percussion Ensemble
Instead of joining a concert band class, Hanford has a percussion class that is designed only for percussionists. All student levels are represented in this class. Students perform with the concert bands but also work on percussion pieces. This part of the band program helps Hanford to stand apart from other schools.
Pit Orchestra
Every year HHS Music teams with HHS Drama to put on a full-length Broadway musical. Our band and orchestra students play the entire professional book that was written for Broadway or Hollywood. Auditions for the Musical Pit Orchestra are usually in early December. Instrumentation does change as different shows require different instruments. Past shows include "Singing in the Rain," "Guys and Dolls," "Once Upon a Mattress," and "The Secret Garden."
Symphonic Band
Symphonic Band is designed for sophomores and juniors who are continuing their music education. It builds on material learned in Concert Band and gets into some more difficult wind band literature. Students will perform at concerts and festivals.
Wind Ensemble
Wind Ensemble is designed for Hanford's top musicians. It is open to juniors and seniors and occasional sophomores by audition. It is the school's premier band and its students perform at concerts, festivals and other community events.
