The 2021-22 Mercer Island High School Wind Ensemble has been chosen as a State level Winner in the Mark of Excellence/National Wind Band Honors Project sponsored by The Foundation for Music Education.
Mercer Island Band Director Parker Bixby, who also serves as conductor of the Wind Ensemble, submitted performance recordings to the national competition near the end of the ensemble’s spring performance cycle. Each year, More than 140 high school and middle school musical ensembles submit recordings as contestants in the national competition. Each entry is then reviewed by a panel of professional conductors and music educators and ranked. Performance recordings submitted by Bixby and co-director Jacob Krieger featured “Oh Henry” by Ryan Nowlin, “Prelude Op.34” by Dmitri Shostakovich, and “Selections from Spirited Away” by Joe Hisaishi,” and were made during a recording session held at MIHS in March.
Bixby noted, “The group sounded fantastic. It is an honor to be able to share the performance stage with such capable, expressive, and focused musicians. I am excited to see what they will do this year!”
The Mercer Island Wind Ensemble is one of four concert bands at MIHS. The band is led by co-directors Parker Bixby, Kyle Thompson, and Jacob Krieger. The next performance of the MIHS bands is December 7th at 7:00pm in the MIHS PAC.
