Milton High School Band Foundation Projects

The Foundation recently completed the purchase of 18 new silver-plated brass field instruments for the marching band. These high-quality Yamaha instruments – four Sousaphones, six Baritones, and eight Mellophones – help provide Milton with the sound and appearance of a competitive marching band.  Each year the Marching Band participates in a variety of local, regional and national festivals, parades, and competitions such as the Fiesta Bowl Parade, Bands of America (BOA), and the Fox Theatre.  This year's appearances and accomplishments include a 2005 BOA Regional Finalist rating and the Gold Division Grand Champion of the 2005 Southern Invitational Music Festival.

Instrument purchases also support the concert bands (Wind Ensemble, Symphonic, and Concert) and the special needs of diverse groups such as the SHEER PANIC Steel Drums and the Jazz Ensemble.  These groups also perform in a variety of local conventions and concerts, as well as invited performances at nationally-recognized venues such as Carnegie Hall and the National Association for Music Education 2006 Convention in Salt Lake City.

Future Foundation Projects

In the near future, the Foundation plans on acquiring the following items that will significantly enhance the quality, as well as the instructional and fundraising productivity, of the Milton band program.

·       Upgrades of specialized concert band instruments (French horns, Bassoons).

·       Wireless microphones for the directors to use during marching band practices.  Leveraging existing loud speakers provided by the school’s media center, these mikes allow full mobility of instructors on the field (as opposed to their current situation of remaining tied to the “tower” on the sideline).

·      Dedicated utility vehicle (aka a “Gator”).  In addition to directly supporting field activities and marching band performances (such as moving the front-line ensemble of percussion equipment), the utility vehicle supports band fundraising activities such as the White Columns Invitational, Taste of Alpharetta, and the Tour de Georgia.