James Hubert Blake High School
Department of Music
Department of Music
Instrumental Ensembles
The Eubie Blake Jazz Ensemble:
This is one of the highest performance level classes offered at Blake, and performs various musical styles to include jazz, blues, rock, funk, latin, and more. This ensemble performs often throughout the local community. In addition, the Eubie Blake Jazz Ensemble has had the honor of performing at the Smithsonian Jazz Festival, New Orleans Jazz Festival, University of the Arts Jazz Festival and on the stages of the Kennedy Center and Strathmore Center. Students should have a high level of proficiency on their instrument and should be willing to explore improvisation. Enrollment in this class is limited to the instrumentation of a large big band.
This is one of the highest performance level classes offered at Blake, and performs various musical styles to include jazz, blues, rock, funk, latin, and more. This ensemble performs often throughout the local community. In addition, the Eubie Blake Jazz Ensemble has had the honor of performing at the Smithsonian Jazz Festival, New Orleans Jazz Festival, University of the Arts Jazz Festival and on the stages of the Kennedy Center and Strathmore Center. Students should have a high level of proficiency on their instrument and should be willing to explore improvisation. Enrollment in this class is limited to the instrumentation of a large big band.
Advanced Percussion Ensemble:
Enrollment in this class is by teacher recommendation and audition only. Percussion Ensemble is designed as a small group of performing musicians on various instruments such as all sizes of drums, piano/synthesizer, mallet instruments, timpani, tonal basses, cymbals, and more. This ensemble will perform various works of the 20th and 21st century, and music reading skills are required. This ensemble also comprises the BENGAL LINE, our very own marching band drumline and outdoor percussion ensemble.
Chamber Orchestra:
This course is open to all string players (Violin, Viola, Cello, and String Bass) grades 9-12 who have completed at least one year of an orchestra program at the middle school or high school level. This class is designed to offer students a wide variety of string experience using many musical styles such as classical, romantic, baroque, 20th century, and modern works. The Chamber Orchestra performs at four concerts throughout the year and is extremely successful at adjudicated festivals.
Symphonic Band:
This ensemble is the largest band at Blake High School and is designed to be an entry-level class for wind and percussion players enrolled in instrumental music. This course explores various styles and forms in order to give students an opportunity to succeed as instrumental music students. This ensemble is a prerequisite for acceptance into Wind Ensemble and Jazz Ensemble. The Symphonic Band members are also members of our marching band and perform at three concerts throughout the year.
This ensemble is the largest band at Blake High School and is designed to be an entry-level class for wind and percussion players enrolled in instrumental music. This course explores various styles and forms in order to give students an opportunity to succeed as instrumental music students. This ensemble is a prerequisite for acceptance into Wind Ensemble and Jazz Ensemble. The Symphonic Band members are also members of our marching band and perform at three concerts throughout the year.
Wind Ensemble:
Consistently receiving superior ratings at festivals, this audition only upper ensemble performs the highest band literature available. This small concert type band explores a wide variety of music and requires the highest in musical abilities since the members are sometimes performing one only on a part. Members of the Wind Ensemble are also members of the marching band, perform four concerts per year, and represent Blake at outreaches to our middle schools and at State Music Conferences. Enrollment in this class is by teacher recommendation and audition only.
In addition to our wonderful class-time large ensembles, we are proud to offer more performance opportunities to our advanced students that perform for the school and community:
Woodwind Quintet Brass Quintet
Brass Choir Jazz Combo
Clarinet Choir Saxophone Quartet
Blake Street Dixieland Band
and more...
