Concert Bands Resources
AUDITION INFORMATION
Each winter, upperclassmen band students audition for placement (for the following year) in one of two ability-based curricular concert bands which meet during periods 4 and 6B of the school day. The Wind Symphony is our preeminent concert band, made up of our finest wind and percussion musicians, and meets during period 6B. The Symphonic Band is our intermediate concert band, which meets during period 4. All upperclassmen will audition for placement in these ensembles virtually (record a video and submit through Google Classroom).
All incoming freshmen band members will be automatically placed in our freshmen Concert Band ensemble, which meets during period 2. Freshmen will be given an opportunity to audition for seating within the concert band once the year begins utilizing music from the first concert cycle.
P2 Freshmen Concert Band
P6 Wind Symphony
The 2026-2027 MQ1 audition excerpts for Freshmen Concert Band woodwind and brass students are based on a piece we will be working on for first concert cycle (Extremis). Percussion have a different etude unrelated to Extremis which is included in the folder linked below. Auditions will take place on the 2nd Friday of school during your band period in the music wing and will be video-recorded. Click on the link in the orange button below for excerpts and an mp3.
All Woodwinds and Brass can also audition for Jazz Lab Band during band class when they take their chair test. If woodwinds or brass would like to audition for an advanced jazz band - like Jazz II or Jazz Ensemble - they can find excerpts and sign up for a time HERE. All rhythm section jazz auditions must take place in person (Guitar/Bass/Piano/Drums/Vocals/Vibes). Jazz Audition packets are available at the link in this paragraph.
The 2026-2027 Wind Symphony MQ1 Chair Tests are based on the Cycle 3 ILMEA Audition Materials, which are what interested students will use to audition for ILMEA this fall. Excerpts can be found at the link below.
P4 Symphonic Band
The 2026-2027 MQ1 audition excerpts for P4 Symphonic Band are based on a piece for our first concert cycle (Invercargil March or Undertow). Excerpts and an mp3 are available at the link below!
Wind Symphony
Congratulations on making the Evanston Township High School Wind Symphony. This is quite an honor - and a fantastic opportunity for you to enhance your skills as a musician. Below is the music for each of our concert cycles. Music may be added, removed, or exchanged at any time during the year, so keep this page bookmarked on your home computer and/or tablet/phone.
Take care to listen to not only the assigned music for each concert cycle, but to the additional listening playlists in Google Classroom. It is important to build a frame of reference on each composer and time period, as well as build a strong sense of ensemble sonority and uniformity - skills that can only be honed through engaged rehearsals at ETHS combined with a healthy routine of listening to reference recordings.
Another critical part of our growth process as an ensemble is to create recordings of our work periodically throughout the concert cycle. This helps us to check-in on our strengths and weaknesses as a group, or as individuals, and to set new goals along the way. Assignments will be posted below and must be completed within the required timeline.