School & Community News

Hellgate Band, John Combs

Announcing The Symphonic Wind's honorable achievement: Out of 110 auditions, Hellgate's Symphonic Winds has been selected to perform at the prestigious and high-honored National Association for Music Education’s Northwest Division Conference in Spokane.

The Conference represents educators from Montana, Idaho, Wyoming, Oregon, Washington, and Alaska.

This is a huge honor for Missoula kids. It shows they’ve attained a level of musicianship that is being recognized regionally. They were one of only three high school bands chosen.

As befits an honor of this magnitude, the band has commissioned John O’Reilly, one the pre-eminent composers of wind band music in the world, to write an original piece to be premiered at the conference.

Not only has John O’Reilly agreed to write an original piece for the band, he will come to Missoula and rehearse the band, then conduct it in the premier performance in Spokane. This is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity for the kids to work with a master at this level.

The Band will need financial help to take advantage of this opportunity. John O’Reilly has agreed to write the piece for only $4,000 (typically composers charge $10-12,000 for an original piece like this). Other costs of bringing him to Missoula, and transporting the whole band to Spokane mean that we must raise around $20,000.

Support of Hellgate High School Band, Mr. John Combs, and this amazing opportunity for Missoula's kids, by contacting M Hutchins, Hellgate Band P