Beginning Band
At Bloomfield, students have the option to begin band in their sixth grade year. This ensemble meets four days a week during activity period and focuses on creating a solid foundation of tone production and music literacy. Group goals include learning how to improvise over a blues progression and composing and performing a short melody. Performances include a winter and spring concert.
Concert Band
This ensemble is comprised of seventh and eighth grade students who have completed Beginning Band although students with previous musical experience can be admitted at the discretion of the director. In this group, time is devoted to increasing each player's range, knowledge of chromatic notes and transposition, fluency in multiple key signatures and time signatures, rhythmic and sight-singing abilities, and knowledge of composers and musical eras. Weekly written assignments are given to supplement theory knowledge and culminate in a yearly composition assignment. Students have the opportunity to participate in Marching Band and Pep Band if they wish. The Concert Band performs annually at the Apple Festival Concert and the Holiday World Music Festival as well as the winter and spring concerts. Students are encouraged to participate in ISSMA Solo and Ensemble and may apply for IBA All-Region Band.
Symphonic Band
Students in 9th-12th grades participate in Symphonic Band. Pre-requisites include completion of Concert Band and Beginning Band or previous experience at the director's discretion. In this ensemble, students will learn all of the major scales and begin learning the minor ones. Repertoire increases in difficulty and students complete assignments to improve their knowledge of music theory topics such as transposition, chord identification, and interval identification. These studies are put to use in the yearly composition assignment. Participation in Marching Band and Pep Band is required for Symphonic Band members and students have the option to participate in Pit Orchestra and Jazz Band as well. Students are encouraged to develop their solo and small ensemble skills by participating in ISSMA Solo and Ensemble and may apply for IBA All-District Band as well as audition for IBA All-State band. Group performances include ISSMA Organizational Contest as well as Greene County Band Day and the Christmas and Spring Concerts. This ensemble also provides music for our Veteran's Day Event and Commencement.
Marching Band
The Marching Cardinals perform annually in the Bloomfield Apple Festival and IU Band Day. In recent years, the group has also performed at the Persimmon Festival Parade in Mitchell, IN and the Scotland Festival. During the summer, the band is made up of volunteers who perform in the Linton Freedom Festival Parade on the Fourth of July. During the school year, participation is optional for Symphonic Band members and Concert Band members. This group rehearses outside of school on Mondays and Thursday evenings during the parade season. Each year, repertoire includes a pops selection, a drum cadence, and a concert march. The group also leads the annual Halloween Parade, kicking off the annual costume contest and town trick-or-treating.
Pep Band
The Pep Band performs for all Boys' Basketball home games as well as some Girls' Basketball home games and all sectional games. Membership is optional for Symphonic Band members and Concert Band members. Sometimes students who are not enrolled in band also participate at the discretion of the director. Besides games, the Pep Band also performs for pep rallies throughout the year, both for athletics and academics.
Pit Orchestra
Each fall, Strut n' Fret puts on a musical at the Shawnee Theatre. Symphonic Band students volunteer and are chosen at the discretion of the director. Students are expected to prepare parts on their own, then come together for a few weeks of rehearsal before the show. These parts tend to be very difficult, including changing time signatures, key signatures, and containing a large volume of music.
Handbell Ensemble
Ms. Bollero and Mrs. Helms founded this extra-curricular ensemble in the spring of 2013. Our school district is lucky enough to own a set of handbells and this group's mission is to use them more often in public performance as well as give students who might not be in band or choir the opportunity to participate in a musical ensemble. This group meets after school in the spring and the initial performance was well received.