Newton High School Bands

At the center of the NHS band curriculum are our concert groups: the Wind Ensemble and Concert Band. At the conclusion of marching season (1st quarter) students complete auditions and are placed in either the Concert Band or Wind Ensemble. Students then re-audition in January. These two groups perform four concerts per year, in addition to participating in the State Large Group Music Festival held in April.

Each February the Wind Ensemble presents a concert with a theme. Recent programs include Music of Eric Whitacre, Music of Robert W. Smith, and The British Invasion: Band Classics.

In February 2006 the Wind Ensemble performed at the annual convention of the Kansas Music Educators Association (KMEA). This band has consistently earned "outstanding" and "excellent" ratings at the State Large Group Festival, also receiving "outstanding" ratings in Sight Reading each year since that portion of the festival was introduced in 2004.