GHMS Bands

In August of 2006, Orange County Schools opened its third middle school, Gravelly Hill, with 250 seventh and eighth students and created a band program that consisted of 49 of those students.

Since that fall the GHMS Band has grown into a program of 140 students in sixth, seventh, and eighth grade band, a jazz band, and numerous small ensembles. Students who attend Gravelly Hill go on to become members of the bands at one of two Orange County School high schools, Cedar Ridge High School or Orange High School.

The 2008 school year marked the first time the Gravelly Hill bands participated in festivals and contests. The Gravelly Hill Concert Band participated in the Central District Music Performance Assessments (MPA), earning a rating of Superior; the band also received a rating of Superior in 2009 and a rating of Excellent at the Williamsburg Musicale Festival in that same year. In 2010, 2011, 2012, & 2016 the Concert Band recieved a rating of Straight Superior. Gravelly Hill students have participated in the Central District Solo and Ensemble Festival since the school’s opening, where they have received only excellent and superior ratings. The 2008-2009 year marked the first year that Gravelly Hill Middle School Band students qualified for the Central District All-District Bands, the Central All-Region Jazz Band and the inaugural Middle School All-State Jazz Band. During the past four years, GHMS band students have also been participants in the Orange All-Band Clinics. The Concert Band was also a featured ensemble at the 2010 North Carolina Music Educators Convention in Winston Salem, North Carolina. In December 2012, the Gravelly Hill Concert Band traveled to the Midwest Clinic in Chicago, IL and participated in a featured clinic presentation with Dr. John Pasquale (University of Michigan, Ann Arbor) and Ms. Patricia Hughes (Cedar Ridge High School).

The Gravelly Hill Band Program has also been privileged to play host to many outstanding conductors, educators, and performing musicians during its eight years of existence, who have worked with the students in clinic and concert performance settings. The bands have hosted or participated in clinics with:

• Dr. Kevin Geraldi, Associate Director of Bands/Director of Orchestral Activities, UNC-Greensboro
• Dr. Kevin L. Sedatole, Director of Bands, Michigan State University
• Dr. Jennifer Walter, Associate Professor of Music Education, UNC-Greensboro
• Dr. John LaCognata, Assistant Professor of Music, UNC-Wilmington
• Dr. John D. Pasquale, Associate Director of Bands, The University of Michigan
• Dr. Scott Tobias, Director of Bands and Assistant Professor of Music, the University of Central Florida
• Mr. Brian Balmages, FJH Publications, composer of “Kitsune: The Fox Spirits.”
• Mr. Steven Bryant, Conductor/Composer, Durham, North Carolina, composer of "The Machine Awakes"
• Mr. Pierre LaPlante, Composer/Educator, Madison Wisconsin, composer of "Freight Train"
• Mr. Michael Markowski, Conductor/Composer, Astoria, New York, composer of "The Cave You Fear"
• Mr. Caleb Moore, retired, C.W. Stanford Middle School, Hillsborough, NC
• Ms. Robin Gorham, Director of Bands, Fuquay Varina Middle School, Fuquay Varina, NC
• Mrs. Suzanne Benhart, Director of Bands, Asheboro High School, Asheboro, NC
• Mr. Phil Homiller, Director of Bands, High School, Asheboro, NC
• Mr. Bobby Hinson, Director of Bands, Salem Middle School, Apex, NC
• Mr. Thomas Jenner, Director of Bands, Wendell Middle School, Wendell, North Carolina
• Mr. Phillip Riggs, Director of Bands, North Carolina School of Science and Math, Durham, NC
• Mr. Andy Carter, Director of Bands, Orange High School, Hillsborough, NC
• Mr. Michael Capps, Director of Bands, A.L. Stanback Middle School, Hillsborough, NC
• Ms. Patricia Hughes, Director of Bands, Cedar Ridge High School, Hillsborough, North Carolina
• Mr. James Kirkpatrick, Director of Bands, North Forsyth High School, Clemmons, North Carolina
• Mr. David Enloe, Director of Bands, Hickory High School, Chesapeake, Virginia
• Mr. Tripp Aldredge, Principal, Harris Road Middle School, Charlotte, North Carolina
• Mr. Tony Robinson, Director of Bands/Music Theory Instructor, Franklin Academy, Wake Forest, North Carolina
• Mr. Joshua Potter, Director of Bands, Charlotte Latin School, Charlotte, North Carolina
• Mrs. Jill Bennett, Director of Bands, Holbrook Middle School, Lowell, North Carolina
• Mr. Brian Wis, Director of Bands and Orchestras, Saint Charles North High School, Saint Charles, Illinois
• Mrs. Rachel J. Maxwell, Director of Bands, Traughber Junior High School, Oswego, Illinois
• Mrs. Tiffany Hitz, Director of Bands, Mark Twain Middle School, Alexandria, Virginia
• Mr. Steve Haines, Director of Jazz Studies, UNC-Greensboro
• Mr. Dave Stroud, Director of Band, Newport Middle School, Newport, North Carolina
• Ms. Alex Shapiro, composer of Paper Cut
• Ms. Renee Todd, Director of Bands, Ligon Middle School, Raleigh, North Carolina
• Mr. Ed Kimbrough, retired band director, Greensboro, North Carolina