The Montgomery High School Band is creating a tradition of excellence marked with the Dignity, Honor and Pride. The band is composed of over 100 members whose discipline, dedication, and performance have distinguished it in recent years. Led by Glen Oliver since 2001, the MHS band has created a tradition of first divisions in marching and concert.
The program is supported by the following: an assistant, Woodrow Smith, and directors at Montgomery Junior High School, Greg Montgomery, and veteran director Jim Blacksher at Montgomery Middle School. The Band Booster organization is proud sponsor of several fundraisers during the year to support the MHS band and students.
Each year, the band begins Summer Band Camp on August 1st. Incoming freshman learn the fundamentals of marching. Upper classmen soon join them and together, they begin working on the marching drill, as well as the music.
After-school rehearsals are held each week for specific sections as well as for the whole band. The camps and rehearsals are all conducted under the strict rules of the University Interscholastic Leagues (UIL) guidelines, which governs how many hours the students can practice each week. UIL rules also maintain that every student must maintain a passing grade in all scholastic work in order to participate in the band.
During the marching season, which usually lasts from August through mid-November, depending on the progress of the football team, the students master the marching program for UIL competition. Also, students are encouraged to audition and to participate in region orchestra, region band, area band and state band competitions. The directors provide information for private lesson instructors in the area to help each student play to their highest level.
By December, the band forms two performing concert performances, the varsity symphonic band and the non-varsity concert band. The students are judged on their performance on those pieces, as well as a sight reading competition. The symphonic band has won the sweepstakes award at UIL for the past 5 years.
In addition to UIL, MHS bands perform a Christmas concert and an end of year Senior Concert.
If this sounds like a lot of work, it is. Each student in the band is encouraged to work with dedication, discipline, and dignity. It is no wonder, that every year, many of the leaders of graduating classes are members of the MHS band. Even through hard work, the directors will manage to lead the students to have fun. A spring trip is planned now for every year.