Western Bands
Pursuing excellence through music as a family
Calendar
Use the "+GoogleCalendar" link above to subscribe in Google Calendar and Android phones.
Subscribe to band events on your iPhone or iCal with these urls:
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Welcome Students!
Western High School
Western Middle School
Western High School
Western Middle School
- Middle School Eighth Grade Band
@wms-sb - Middle School Seventh Grade Band
@7-8wmscb -
Middle School Sixth Grade Band
@wms-bband
Text the code (including the @) to 81010 (81010 is the phone number)
Welcome Parents!
Western Band Parents Council (WBPC)
The WBPC is a 501(c)(3) volunteer parent organization supporting band at Bay City Western. All Parents are invited to join. Meetings are typically monthly. Times and dates can be found on the calendar above. Please join us!
Purpose
The purpose of the Band Parents Council shall be:
- To kindle and maintain an enthusiastic interest in the 6 - 12 instrumental music program and to Cooperate with the Board of Education and the Superintendent.
- To advise the Band Directors on future decisions and direction of the Program.
- To promote scholarship and musical achievement and to sustain high morale among the Band students.
click here for More Information
Leadership 2021-2022
- President: Amy Clark
- First Vice President of Fundraising: Tiffany McFarland
- Second Vice President of Publicity: Open
- Third Vice President of Volunteers: Jill Maziarz
- Secretary/Treasurer: Julie Staudacher
- Band Directors:
- Chelsea VanderGraaff (WHS)
- Heidi Schlosser (WMS)
WBPC meeting Minutes
WBPC Important Documents
Register
About Bay City Western Bands
We are the combined members and families of all the bands of Western High School and Western Middle School. We are about 325 families strong and growing. We are bound together by our love of music and dedication to an organization bigger than ourselves. We are a family. We are dedicated to Excellence. We strive to improve. We aim for perfection.
Western High School and Western Middle School are located in Auburn, MI and part of Bay City Public Schools. We are a "class A" district which means the high school has approximately 1100 students and the middle school has approximately 800 students. All 1900 of these students are currently housed in one building. Auburn is a growing community of professionals and farmers, entrepreneurs and tradesmen. It is a community with a strong spirit and deep tradition.
Bay City Public Schools is a school district of approximately 8,000 students with three high schools, two middle schools, eight elementaries and a K-12 Virtual Education program.
The Western band program begins in sixth grade Beginning Band with classes in the following instruments: flute, oboe, clarinet, saxophone, trumpet, french horn, trombone, baritone, tuba, and percussion (bells & drum-pad). The band typically has about 80 members. We meet daily for about 50 minutes and progress through our beginning band method over the course of the year. We put on three concerts (October, December & May).
Students continue into the Middle School Concert Band. The Concert Band puts on four concerts per year (October, December, March and May). The seventh grade year is the students first opportunity to participate in Solo & Ensemble festival. Students may also participate in Jazz Band. Typically, the Concert Grade band is over 60 members strong.
The Middle School Symphonic Band is usually over 50 members strong. Students put on at least four concerts during the year (October, December, March and May). They also may participate in Solo & Ensemble and Jazz Band. Students also participate in Band Festival and may also participate in State Band Festival as well as MSBOA All-Star Band.
The High School Band meet daily. The band performs as the Marching band during football season. They perform many times throughout the semester, including all home football games, the biannual away football game at Central High, home basketball games, November and December concerts. Typically we have about 120 members in the marching Band.
Students may also audition to be part of the High School Jazz Band. The Jazz Band is divided into two ensembles and each meets every other morning at 6:30 AM until 7:20 AM but. The band plays traditional swing music to contemporary rock and roll and has consistently earned high marks and awards and local Jazz Festivals.
Staff Information
High School Band Director- Mr. Dustin Vanderveer (2022 - present)
Mr. Vanderveer became the Band Director at Bay City Western in August of 2022. He had previously been the Band Director at Bay City Handy Middle School
Mr. Vanderveer is the conductor of all the High School and Middle School Bands.
Former Western Band Directors
Heidi Schlosser (1998 - ret. 2022) (Ms. Schlosser was the Primary director at Western Middle School and formerly taught in Deckerville)
Chelsea VanderGraaff (January - June 2022)
Craig Heydenburg (1994 - ret. 2021) (Mr. Heydenburg also previously taught at Central Montcalm Public Schools)
Thomas Broka (1990 - ret. 2001) (Mr. Broka also previously taught at Bay City Handy High School, Brighton and Haslett High Schools)
Paul Bloomberg (January - June 1994)
Phillip Wendell (1985 - ret. 1993) (deceased) (Mr. Wendell also previously taught at Bay City McAlear-Sawden Intermediate and Bay City Central High School)
David Kehler (1987 - 1990)
Keith Saxton (1974 - 1987) (deceased)
