Fauquier High School Band & Falcon Band Organization

The FHS Band Program offers many performing groups for students to join and they all meet after school.  These groups are optional but encouraged and in them you get to have a lot of fun and get to perform all over the community.

If you are an 8th Grader but want to come to one of these rehearsals, contact the Band Director.  You're always welcome to come and rehearse with us and if its a basketball game, come and play at the game with us!  

The Small Ensembles are:

• Flute Choir - All Flutes, including the Alto and Bass Flutes!  You'll get a chance to play them too!  (OK, actually Flute Choir meets during class on Tuesdays so because of the alternating days, you'll have flute choir once every 2 weeks).  Taught by local professional performer and teacher, Mrs. Debbie Gilbert. 
• Clarinet Choir - All Clarinets including the E-flat soprano, E-flat Alto, B-flat Bass, E-flat Contra-Alto, and the B-flat Contra-bass.  Oh yeah, your clarinet which is the B-flat Soprano Clarinet.  Currently meets one day a week for one hour, taught by a clarinetist who is a teacher in Manassas City Schools and has been working with the FHS Band for 6 years, Ms. Rachel Ledebuhr. 
• Saxophone Ensemble - All Saxophones including the Tenor and Baritone Saxophone.  Meets one day a week for one hour and is taught by Mr. Matt Hollis, the Choir Director at TMS and MMS as well as our  Marching Band Assistant Director.  
• Brass Ensemble - For all brass players.  The Brass Ensemble meets once a week for 1.5 hours.  Taught by Mr. Andrew Paul, Director of Bands, who is a brass specialist. 
• Percussion Ensemble - Meets once a week for 1.5 hours and is open to anyone, regardless of whether you play percussion in band class or have ever played percussion.  Of course, percussion students get priority when its time to decide which student plays which instrument.  This group is taught by Ms. Rachel Ledebuhr.  Yes, she's also the Clarinet specialist who teaches the Clarinet Choir but she was also the Pit Percussion Section Leader in the JMU Marching Royal Dukes Marching Band for several years.  
• Jazz Band - The Jazz Band can be very exciting and is open to anyone who can play a jazz instrument.  Typically this means saxophone, trumpet, and trombone, plus rhythm section instruments (piano, guitar, bass guitar / bass, drum set) and singers.  However, other instruments are allowed or you can learn to play one of the instruments listed (did you know that the flute fingerings are almost the same as a saxophone?).  Check with the Band Director.  This group currently meets once a week for an hour and is led by Mr. Andrew Paul.    
• Basketball (Pep) Band - This group meets, obviously, during basketball season.  Its also open to drum set players, guitar players, and bass guitar players.  We practice only once at the beginning of the season and then for an hour before basketball games.  We can't be at every home game but we play as many as we can.  Normally this is up to 6 games a season.  We start at 5:00 pm and the games start at 6:00 (JV) and 7:30 (Varsity).  We're normally done by 9:00 pm and since we're not allowed to perform except at time-outs according to the rules, many students spend their time yelling at the refs and yelling for the team.   Its a lot of fun and a great way to spend time with your friends. It is led by Mr. Andrew Paul, Director of Bands. 
• Falcon Marching Band - By far the group that performs for more people and travels the farthest, the award-winning Falcon Marching Band meets during the fall sports season.  You can find out more about the rehearsal and performance schedule, as well as tons of other information from the Falcon Marching Band page at this link - FALCON MARCHING BAND. 
• Color Guard - This group is the visual aspect of the Falcon Marching Band.  You will learn or expand your knowledge in the areas of dance, body, and expression; as well as add a new skill of working with various pieces of equipment to add color, movement, and emotion to the music put forth by the marching band. The Color Guard is open to any student in the school and anyone interested is encouraged to contact the Band Director for more information.
• Winter Guard - The 2011 Season is about to begin and the excitement is mounting!  Winter Guard is generally the same as Color Guard, only they perform as a solo unit (without the marching band), in high school gymnasiums.  The Winter Guard is open to any student in the school and anyone interested is encouraged to contact the Band Director for more information.  You can also find Registration Materials and more information on the Winter Guard Page of the Band Web Site. 
• Steel Pan Band- This group is open to a select few students who get to perform with the Band Director.  You have to be willing to perform on a moment's notice, with little rehearsal, and willing to perform in a small group sometimes playing the lead by yourself and soloing.  Its a lot of fun playing Caribbean music and you have to have fun while you play.  Contact the Band Director if you're interested.

Additional Details

Membership in all of these groups is voluntary and is highly encouraged.  Having these ensembles is one of the main things that makes the Band Program at FHS unique.  Most schools do not offer this many ensembles.  In fact, some colleges don't even offer this many ensembles.  We have a saying at FHS: "Great Moments Come from Great Opportunities."  Don't miss out on what could be some of the best opportunities of your high school career.  

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