Marching band

MUSIC PROGRAM: STAND OUT AT SPECIAL EVENTS

Music education at St. John’s Northwestern Academies sits at the core of our fine arts and elective educational offerings. We feel very strongly about the importance of providing musical instruction within a traditional education. Our musical offerings include two unique ensembles, the Concert Band and the Pipes and Drums. We pride ourselves in bringing a well rounded and unique experience to our students. Both ensembles provide the same level of education and performance opportunities, and provide full-credit courses that will take any student to the next level with their musical education.

St. John's Northwestern Students playing bagpipes

Pipes and Drums

The St. John’s Northwestern Pipes & Drums has been a unique part of the institution since 1917. This tradition of over 100 years began at Northwestern Military and Naval Academy with the enrollment of our program’s first bagpiper. From this lone individual has grown one of the oldest constantly running pipe bands in all of the United States. It is also one of the few Celtic arts educational programs that is housed within the walls of a school. The pipers adopted and still wear the Clan Davidson tartan, in honor of Col. Harlan Page Davidson, founder of Northwestern Military & Naval Academy.

Our mission is to provide a thorough musical, personal, and leadership education through the art of Scottish Bagpipes and Drums.

We do this through continuing the long standing tradition of piping and drumming at our school, as well as being a part of the heritage and legacy of piping and drumming that spans centuries. We pride ourselves in being able to provide music education in both the Great Highland Bagpipe and Scottish Drumming to students of all levels. We provide the foundation of our music education through weekly individual and small group lessons, as well as daily ensemble rehearsals.

Our band plays a significant role in many of our on campus ceremonies and celebrations, and performs three on campus concerts a year. The band also has the honor of playing in several community parades and events each year.

Scottish Drumming
Great Highland Bagpipes
St. John's Northwestern Academies Marching band Student playing a drum

Concert Band

The St. John’s Northwestern Concert Band has a history that is as old as our institution itself. From the earliest years of our institution’s history instrumental music education, and providing marching music, has been an essential part of our educational experience. Being a school with a strong military tradition, our concert band, and the marching music it provides, has been a critical part of our institution’s every day function. We embrace the importance of the music that we perform for our school, but also pride ourselves in the strong music education that we present to our students.

Our mission is to provide a thorough musical, personal, and leadership education through the art of instrumental music in all wind and percussion instruments.

We impart the foundation of our music education through weekly individual and small group lessons, and support this education through daily ensemble rehearsals.

Our band plays a significant role in many of our on campus ceremonies and celebrations, and performs three on campus concerts a year. The band also has the honor of playing in several community parades and events each year.

St. John's Northwestern students in the Herald trumpets

Herald Trumpets

The St John’s Northwestern Herald Trumpeters provide fanfare and splendor for special campus events held throughout the year. The group is made up of 8 trumpets and is strictly for ceremonial events. With the Herald Trumpets announcing many significant events, they bring a true sense of flare and pride to any event they are part of.

Ceremonial events that are the most prominent on campus where Herald Trumpets are found are:

  • The Heritage Society Dinner
  • Lessons and Carols
  • The Boars Head Banquet
  • OBAA Luncheon