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BHS Wind Symphony to Present MMEA "Home Concert"
The Brainerd High School Wind Symphony will present a Home Concert in place of their performance at the Minnesota Music Educators Association (MMEA) Convention this Thursday, February 5th at 12:00pm at the Gitchi-ziibi Center for the Arts. The public is invited to enjoy this free 40 minute concert filled with a wide variety of music. The MMEA Convention was originally scheduled to take place February 12-14th at the Minneapolis Convention Center but was cancelled over concerns for student safety in light of recent events in Minneapolis. The BHS Wind Symphony was selected as one of four high school bands from across the State of Minnesota back in August 2025 to be showcased at the 2026 MMEA convention. The last time Brainerd had a band selected to perform at the convention was BHS Jazz I in 2021.
The BHS Wind Symphony would have originally performed their program for a crowd of hundreds of music educators and fellow students, and are now hoping to share their achievement with their community. “It’s maybe a once or twice-in-a-career kind of opportunity to get to showcase your ensemble and the work you’re doing to your colleagues across the state, so it’s difficult to not get to perform in-person at the actual convention” Fogderud said. “The students have worked so hard, and we have some really special music to share. We just want to be able to perform this special program and show our community the wonderful things that are happening here in our school.”
The concert on Thursday will be live-streamed on the Brainerd Music Program’s website: www.brainerdmusic.org.
The BHS Wind Symphony would have originally performed their program for a crowd of hundreds of music educators and fellow students, and are now hoping to share their achievement with their community. “It’s maybe a once or twice-in-a-career kind of opportunity to get to showcase your ensemble and the work you’re doing to your colleagues across the state, so it’s difficult to not get to perform in-person at the actual convention” Fogderud said. “The students have worked so hard, and we have some really special music to share. We just want to be able to perform this special program and show our community the wonderful things that are happening here in our school.”
The concert on Thursday will be live-streamed on the Brainerd Music Program’s website: www.brainerdmusic.org.
6th Grade Choir Concert Rescheduled for Thursday, January 15!
The 6th grade choir concert originally scheduled for December 18 has been rescheduled for Thursday, January 15.
Day 1 6th Grade Choir: 6:00 PM
Day 2 6th Grade Choir: 7:30 PM
Day 1 6th Grade Choir: 6:00 PM
Day 2 6th Grade Choir: 7:30 PM
BHS Band Students Selected to All-Conference Jazz Ensembles
Seven Brainerd High School band students were selected to perform with the Central Lakes Conference All-Conference Jazz Ensembles at Detroit Lakes High School on Monday October 27th. They are (from left to right) Logan Daniels, trumpet; Arabelle Boesen, trombone; Jillian McArdell, trumpet; Abigail Isaacson, trombone; Carter Maciej, drums; Mia Sypnieski, bass; Owen Olsen, alto saxophone. Students rehearsed with band students from around the Central Lakes Conference all day and performed a concert that night. The guest clinician for the event was Dr. Jonathan LaFlamme, director of bands at Central Lakes College in Brainerd. Congratulations to all!!!
District Jazz Bands to Host Special Guest Artist
The Brainerd Public Schools Jazz Ensembles will host renowned drummer Sherrie Maricle in concert on Thursday May 15th at 7pm in the Gichi-ziibi Center for the Arts. Sherrie will be a feature soloist with the BHS Jazz Ensemble I. Ticket Link below! She will also be leading a FREE EDUCATIONAL DRUM CLINIC on May 14th at 4:30pm in the BHS band room. Attendees to the drum clinic should RSVP to [email protected].
Sherrie leads The DIVA Jazz Orchestra, her quintet FIVE PLAY and co-leads the 3D Jazz Trio. She is a busy freelance performer, a published composer/arranger and a prominent clinician, guest conductor and soloist. She has performed on multiple continents at many of the world’s most acclaimed music venues and festivals. DIVA co-stars in the award-winning documentary film The Girls in the Band and can be seen on TCM’s broadcast of the 25th Anniversary of the Kennedy Center, America’s Got Talent and the NBC Fireworks Spectacular. Her awards and honors include the 2023 Yamaha Music in Education, Legacy Award 2022 Ronald McDonald House Music for Hope award; 2014 Ovation award for “Best Music Direction” in Tappin Thru Life; the 2009 Mary Lou Williams-Kennedy Center Lifetime Achievement Award. In 2000 Sherrie earned a PhD in Jazz performance and composition from New York University.
Sherrie leads The DIVA Jazz Orchestra, her quintet FIVE PLAY and co-leads the 3D Jazz Trio. She is a busy freelance performer, a published composer/arranger and a prominent clinician, guest conductor and soloist. She has performed on multiple continents at many of the world’s most acclaimed music venues and festivals. DIVA co-stars in the award-winning documentary film The Girls in the Band and can be seen on TCM’s broadcast of the 25th Anniversary of the Kennedy Center, America’s Got Talent and the NBC Fireworks Spectacular. Her awards and honors include the 2023 Yamaha Music in Education, Legacy Award 2022 Ronald McDonald House Music for Hope award; 2014 Ovation award for “Best Music Direction” in Tappin Thru Life; the 2009 Mary Lou Williams-Kennedy Center Lifetime Achievement Award. In 2000 Sherrie earned a PhD in Jazz performance and composition from New York University.
BHS Music Department Hosted The US Air Force Band and Singing Sergeants
The BHS Music Department hosted the US Air Force Band and Singing Sergeants in a concert on Monday April 8th, 2024 in the Gichi-ziibi Center for the Arts Auditorium.
