Band Orchestra

The Crusader Band/Orchestra is made up of students in Grades 9-12 who want to develop  their musicianship and instrumental proficiency. Students will learn sight-reading, scales, chords, basic chord progressions, and 

improvisation, and other skills in preparation for future college ensembles. Students wanting to participate must prove they have adequate basic performance skills for success by a director evaluation before enrolling in the Band course.

Members participate in various activities throughout the year featuring different styles of music using a variety of small and large performing ensembles. These groups include Concert Band, String Orchestra, Pep Band, Jazz Band, Woodwind, Brass, String and Percussion Ensembles.  Opportunities for performance include home football games, Christmas Concert, CHS Open Houses, Annual CHS Grand Auction, Middle School Instrumental Workshop, Spring Concert and Graduation. Additionally, performances outside the school setting in both local parishes and communities.

Opportunities to excel are available through audition and selection for positions in the Virginia District II Regional Orchestras, Honor Bands and All Virginia Honor Bands and Orchestra. Students with qualifying GPA and volunteer/community performances may apply for membership in the Tri-M Music Honor Society.  Students who excel during the school year may be selected to receive the John Philip Sousa Award, the National School Orchestra Award, the Leonard Bernstein Director’s Award, the Louis Armstrong Jazz Award or the U. S. Marine Corps Semper Fidelis Award.

Students are accepted via an audition/interview with the band director. Students may take Band/Orchestra Ensemble for successive years and receive a fine arts credit for each year.