On February 3, 2026, the High School Band and Middle School 8th Grade Band came together to perform in the annual Combined Winter Band Concert. The concert was held in the Middle School Auditorium and was directed by the 8th Grade Band director, Mr. Ross Cohen; the Concert Band directed by Brandon Kandrack; and the Wind Ensemble directed by Mr. Timothy Daniels.

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The night started with the 8th-grade band under the direction of Mr. Cohen, who performed  Rigaudon, a lively French Baroque dance by Andre Campra, and The Crossing,s an energetic, Grade 2 concert band piece by Robert Sheldon.

“It’s important for students to do something they love and learn how to work as a team,” Mr. Cohen said. “This is just one more step to prepare them for the high school band.”

After the 8th grade band was finished, the Concert Band under the direction of Mr. Kandrack came to the stage. The first song the band performed was Into The Clouds  by Richard L. It is an energetic concert band piece inspired by the exhilaration, freedom, and individualism of flying, reflecting the composer’s dream of being a pilot. The new music performed by the band was Tales of Dundee a popular concert band medley featuring three Scottish folk songs: “Loch Lomond,” “Fare Thee Well Love,” and “The Piper of Dundee” by Robert Sheldon.

The next music piece the band performed was Each Time You Tell Their Story a poignant concert band piece by Samuel R. Hazo. During the performance, the president of the band Tommy Casey, came up to the podium and gave a speech about honoring veterans by not forgetting about their stories. The last music piece they performed was Jungle Dance, a high-energy concert band piece that portrays a vibrant celebration of life in the jungle, encouraging animals, plants, and nature by Brian Balmages.

“Musically, I always talk about being mindful of what is going within the ensemble. We talk often about the various levels of responsibility and artistry that exists each day in class,” Mr. Daniels said. “Beyond music, I talk regularly about responsibility as a member of the ensemble and as a member of our musical team.”

Finishing up the night with four music pieces by the Wind Ensemble under the direction of Mr. Daniels. The first music piece was A Childhood Remember is a sentimental, emotional journey back to the innocence and joy of youth by Rossano Galante. The next music piece was Chorale Preludes: Turn Not Thy Face a lyrical, liturgical work for concert band based on his own Hymns and Responses for the Church Year by Vincent Persichetti.

The next music piece was Symphony No. 1: Lord of the Rings which is a is a five-movement programmatic work for concert band inspired by J.R.R. Tolkien’s trilogy, capturing the epic atmosphere, characters, and key emotional moments of the story rather than a strict plot summary, It focuses on the struggle of good versus evil and the journey of the Ring by Johann de Meij. The last music piece of the night was Pride of Pittsburgh, a rarely performed march composed to dedicate the new music hall at the Western Pennsylvania Exposition. The piece serves as a musical tribute to the city of Pittsburgh, incorporating melodies from famous local composers Stephen Foster and Ethelbert Nevin by John Philip Sousa.