About Essex Bands
Excellence as a lifestyle
The Essex Westford School District band program offers a comprehensive 4th-12th grade musical experience. Each year the program supports over 450+ students with concert band based curriculum. Essex High School features 2 concert bands, 1 jazz band, a rock band club, and cheering on the Hornets, the SWARM!, our EHS pep band.
EHS bands are committed to personal student growth through musical performance. We engage the entire Essex community through numerous service opportunities and performances throughout the school year, such as marching in the Memorial Day Parade and visiting our middle school music programs.
Band and jazz band are important parts of curriculum because they represent such American values as "teamwork, unity with ethnic diversity, the correlation of hard work and goal accomplishment, perseverance, democracy, and the vital importance of really listening to one another" (Herbie Hancock Institute of Jazz).
Here are listings of our ensembles:
Symphonic Band
Symphonic Band is open to all students at EHS. Most 9th grade band students enroll in Symphonic Band. This band provides a wealth of opportunities for students to continue developing the fundamentals of musicianship in a positive and supportive setting. Symphonic band meets during the school day, every other day for one block.
If you haven't been in band before but would like to join contact Mrs. Trutor. There's a new class called Buzz Lab Band that's right for you!
Wind Ensemble
Wind Ensemble is open to students by audition and provides an advanced experience that builds on the foundation developed through the middle school band and Symphonic Band experience. This ensemble regularly works with guest artists and has commissioned new music for a world premiere performance. Wind Ensemble members frequently serve as mentors to Symphonic Band and middle school students.
This band regularly performs at the VMEA festival, goes on a local tour, and various other trips. The Wind Ensemble students are the backbone of our excellent pep band and marching band. Wind Ensemble meets during the school day, every other day for one block.
Essex Jazz Collective
The busiest jazz band in Vermont, the EJC performs annually for the Vermont Association for Jazz Education (VTAJE) Jazz Festival, the Discover Jazz Festival, regularly gets asked to play gigs in the community, and headlines the Essex Jazz Festival with a well respected guest artist.
This ensemble meets before school on Tuesday and Thursday. Anybody can join this awesome jazz band, regardless of enrollment in a band during the school day.
For the 2023/2024 school year students may enroll in Symphonic Band as an independent study IN ADDITION to your regular 8 credits during the school day!
SWARM!
Loud and proud! The SWARM bring the noise and spirit to the stands for the Hornets. The envy of rival teams, fans, principals and athletic directors alike, the SWARM knows how to get the stands rockin'! You can see the SWARM at select Hornet games. Students within the Symphonic Band and the Wind Ensemble make up the SWARM. Be sure to join and cheer our Hornets to victory!
Marching Band
The students in our Symphonic Band and Wind Ensemble team up in the spring to perform for the Essex Memorial Day Parade on the Saturday before Memorial Day. We memorize one song and work throughout the spring on marching fundamentals in addition to our regular concert music. We thank our community for the purchase of the marching uniforms we wear proudly each year.