About the Eustis Middle Band

http://eustismiddleband.com 

 The Eustis Middle School Band Program provides students with an instrumental music education of the highest quality. Who can join? Anyone can join the band! No musical experience is necessary. What do you need? An instrument, a book, and a desire to learn how to play an instrument What are the instruments? Flute, Oboe, Clarinet, Trumpet, French horn, Trombone, Baritone, and Tuba. Those interested in saxophone must start on clarinet. Those interested in percussion must start on any instrument. Sax and percussion will be picked from the top performers at the end of the first quarter. 

Concert Band At EMS the band program consists of Concert Band at three levels. 

• The Beginner Band consists of mostly sixth grade students with those seventh and eighth graders in their first year of band. 

• The Intermediate Band includes seventh and eight grade students in their second year of practice. 
• The Advanced Band is quality musicians in eighth and seventh grade able to demonstrate the highest proficiency on their selected instrument. The Concert Bands meet daily during the school day. 

• The Advanced Band participates in the annual District 19 Florida Bandmasters Association Music Performance Assessment in which they are consistently rated superior. Students have the opportunity to participate in local parades, public concerts, community events, and exciting field trips. Students can also compete at district solo and ensemble music performance assessments and for positions in State, District, and County Honor Bands. 
• Marching Mustang Band The Marching Mustang Band is a combined three level Marching Band consisting of all members of the band program. The Marching Mustangs perform at several local parades and Universal Studios Orlando annually. 
• Steel Drum Ensemble The Steel Drum Ensemble consists of five different groups of steel drums and a rhythm section. The pounded out playing surface, or pan, of each drums contain notes that have literally been pounded thin to sound a specific pitch. All drums except the basses can play two full octaves. This ensemble is by audition and rehearses Monday mornings from 8:00-8:55 and every second Monday from 4:00-6:00pm. 
• Mustang Jazz Ensemble The Eustis Mustang Jazz Ensemble, an award winning ensemble, is an advanced group playing throughout the county and state. The Jazz Ensemble meets daily during the school day. From 2004 through 2010 the ensemble has been invited to Music festivals in Gatlinburg, Williamsburg, Myrtle Beach, Virginia Beach, Washington DC, and Atlanta. For all these competitions the EMS Jazz Ensemble was ranked first in their division and received straight superior ratings as well as numerous soloist awards and receiving Festival Honor Awards of Distinction. These distinctive awards are added to the State and District awards received by the Eustis Middle School Band program each year, which include straight Superior ratings for both the Jazz Band and Concert Band at the Florida Bandmasters District 19 Music Performance Assessment for the last twelve years. 

 The band has been invited to perform for many different organizations and events throughout the past years including the Lake County Education Foundation, the Teacher of the Year Banquet, Jazz in Ferran Park, Kiwanis, Universal Studios STARS, Washington’s Birthday Parade, Eustis Art Festival, Leesburg Holiday Music Series, the Leesburg Art Festival, Orlando Magic, L.C. Swing Band, the Eustis Rotary as well as numerous other organizations. The band performs throughout the Golden Triangle area approximately twenty times a year.