Amherst Central School District

Wind Ensemble

The Amherst Central High School Wind Ensemble is the top group in the Amherst School district band program. It is an “audition only” group of  10th-12th graders. The Wind Ensemble rehearses every day as a curricular ensemble with high individual expectations for individual musicianship, instrumental technique and music literacy.

The Wind Ensemble has earned Grade 6 Gold with Distinction Award from NYSSMA as well a Superior rating at Dixie Classic Music Festivals and Festival Award as 'top group'. The Amherst High School combined Wind Ensemble and Concert Band were awarded 1st place High School Band in the Prestigious Music in the Parks Music competition in Virginia, April 2018. The group has also had many outstanding guest artists perform with them including members of the Buffalo Philharmonic and professors from Eastman School of Music and SUNY Fredonia.

Over the years, students from this group have gone on to perform in many of the top music schools and conservatories in the nation including; Eastman School of Music, Oberlin, Indiana, Michigan, Berklee College of Music, New England Conservatory of Music, Northwestern, Juilliard, Ithaca College, Crane School of Music and SUNY Fredonia. Former members of the Amherst Band program are performing professionally throughout the United States and Europe and are some of the top Music Educators in Western New York.

Concert Band

Concert Band is open to all 9-12 students who have participated in band at the Middle School, and is the prerequisite course for those that wish to further their musical participation in Wind Ensemble. Concert Band meets 3rd period daily, and focuses on the basic development of music literacy, healthy instrumental technique, ensemble, and performance skills.  Students attend weekly rotating lessons to reinforce sight-reading skills, strong technique, and solo and chamber ensemble performance. Students perform in four curricular concerts each year.

Concert Chorale

The Concert Chorale is the culminating ensemble of the Amherst High School vocal music department.  Rehearsing 2nd period each day, “Chorale” is an elective, auditioned choir open to 10th – 12th graders.  Expectations for performance are high, and singers are expected to develop their music literacy, vocal technique, musicianship, and listening skills.

The group sings a wide variety of music literature from the classical idiom to that of jazz, pop, and world music.  The Concert Chorale has twice toured to New York City, having performed both in New York and on Long Island.  In 2009, the Chorale commissioned a new work by NYC based composer, Chris Mueller as part of its NYC tour. Other highlights include being invited to perform Luigi Boccherini's Gloria with Buffalo's Camerata d'Sant Antonio under the direction of Chris Weber, a full performance of the John Rutter and the Mozart Requiem with professional soloists and the Amherst High School Symphony Orchestra, and most recently the Schubert Mass in G conducted by Dr. William Weinert of the Eastman School of Music.  

Whitacre - Stars (May 26, 2016)

Concert Choir 

Concert Choir is open to all students 9 - 12, and is the pre-requisite course for those that wish to further their musical participation in Concert Chorale.  Concert Choir meets 5th period daily, and focuses on the basic development of music literacy, healthy vocal technique, ensemble, and performance skills.  Students attend weekly rotating vocal lessons to reinforce sight-reading skills, vocal technique and style, and solo and small ensemble singing.  If you would like to learn to sing, this is the place where you may discover a hidden talent!