The Dreher Band Ensembles
Our program is continuously growing and changing. Here in the Dreher Bands we strive to bring our students together while fostering a love of music.
Symphonic Band
Symphonic Band is the premier performing ensemble at Dreher High School and is open to those students who have achieved an advanced degree of proficiency on a woodwind, brass, or percussion instrument. A wide variety of music, individual skills, and theory will be covered in this course. This ensemble will perform at concerts and other functions. Members of the symphonic Band are also eligible to participate in all co-curricular band activities. All Symphonic Band members audition for the Richland County School District One Honor Band. Students are also eligible to audition for the SCBDA Region 3, All-State Bands and NAfME and MFA All-National Bands.
Concert Band
Concert Band is open to those students who have achieved a basic degree of proficiency on a woodwind, brass, or percussion instrument. Emphasis will be placed on basic skills, a wide variety of music and music theory. This ensemble will perform at concerts and other functions. Members of the Concert Band are eligible to participate in all co-curricular band activities. All Concert Band members audition for the Richland County School District One Honor Band. Students are also eligible to audition for the SCBDA Region 3 and All-State Bands.
Marching Band
The Dreher Blue Devils Marching Band meets during 5th Block on Mondays, Tuesdays, Thursdays and Fridays. This competitive outdoor movement arts ensemble performs contemporary shows at school, local and SCBDA sanctioned events as well as at the Walt Disney World Resort & Universal Studios in Orlando, FL. The ensemble most recently earned a Superior Rating at the 2019 SCBDA Lower State competition with a 4th place finish and earned 6th Place at the 2019 SCBDA 3A State Finals Marching Band Championships. The Dreher Brass Ensemble meets during club time on Thursdays. The Brass Ensemble performs at many different school and community events including Columbia Classical Ballet's Nutcracker and Life Chance Ballet.
Steel Band
The Dreher Steel Band meets after school on Tuesdays. Founded in 2013 by Dr. Lee and funded by a generous grant from the Dreher Foundation, this ensemble performs traditional Calypso, Soca, Reggae and popular tunes for school, community and city-wide events including the SC Philharmonic’s Tasting Notes.
Big Band
The Dreher Big Band rehearses on Tuesdays after school. The Big Band performs swing, latin and contemporary jazz at school and community events. In 2019, two of our musicians earned chairs in the SCBDA All-State Jazz Band.
Brass Ensemble
The Dreher Brass Ensemble meets during club time on Thursdays. The Brass Ensemble performs at many different school and community events including Columbia Classical Ballet's Nutcracker and Life Chance Ballet.
United Sound
United Sound is a school-based instrumental music club for New Musicians with intellectual or developmental disabilities and their peers. Dedicated to promoting social involvement through shared ensemble performance experience, United Sound joins students with and without disabilities to learn and perform in the band or orchestra together. With assistance from Symphonic, Concert & Marching Band students (Peer Mentors), New Musicians learn to play the instrument of their choice at a personally modified level. Learning first in lesson format and ultimately transitioning to rehearsals with recorded music, the New Musicians learn a piece of music that they will then perform live in concert, once per semester, with their Peer Mentors and a full instrumental ensemble.
Students who participate in the United Sound program are learning to be musicians and teachers. Making music together is a powerful force for learning, growth, friendship and understanding. Music is a language that transcends disability and the relationships formed in this way will truly resonate for all students involved.