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Rock Hill
Rock Hill is located in York County, South Carolina off of Interstate 77. It is the largest city in the county and the fifth largest in the state with a population of 49,765 citizens. Rock Hill is known for its gardens and manicured landscapes including Glencairn Gardens, Cherry Park, and the historic Winthrop University Campus. Cultural attractions include the Museum of York County, "The Gateway," and Mighty Casey as well as the York County Choral Society and the Winthrop Fine Arts Department.
Rock Hill School District Three
Northwestern High School is a part of Rock Hill School District Three. The district has twenty-three schools with an enrollment of 15,400 and is led by superintendent Dr. Randy L. Bridges. Our academic programs prepare students for success as they move through our schools on to higher education and the workplace. We believe that combining challenging academic courses, with exceptional programs in the arts and athletics, provide the students the opportunities they need to succeed as responsible, caring adults.
Northwestern High School
Northwestern High School has distinguished itself in the state of South Carolina as a leader in academics, athletics, and the arts. It is the center of an educational complex located along Highway 5 in Rock Hill, South Carolina. The school opened in 1971 and has an enrollment of 2440 students. Our high school offers a wide range of courses including International Baccalaureate, Advanced Placement, College Preparatory, Technical Preparatory, and Special Education. Northwestern has been very successful in academics over the last thirty years, achieving averages that have been above the state, national, and in some instances, world averages.
Northwestern High School Fine Arts Department
As stated in the district philosophy, the Fine Arts play an important role in the overall education of the students at Northwestern High School. Currently, approximately half of the student body is enrolled in a fine arts class. These include five levels of Visual Art courses including three AP courses. The art students have received recognition at local, state, and national art shows. The Theater Arts department offers three courses from which students have been recognized at the Palmetto Dramatic Association and have participated as extras in various movies and television productions filmed in the area. The Choral department offers four performing ensemble courses and consistently places the highest number of students in the All-State Choruses each year. Both the Troubadours and Trouveres have placed in the top three at the AAAA South Carolina Choral Festival Competition over the past three years. In addition, the String Ensemble continues to grow in numbers and quality as is evident in their superior rating at the South Carolina Music Educators Music Festival this past Spring.
Northwestern High School Bands
The Northwestern High School Bands have a rich history of excellence and are a valued part of the Northwestern High School educational experience. At the core of the band program are the three concert ensembles which include: the 9th Grade Band, the 10th Grade Concert Band, and the Symphonic Band. All of these ensembles consistently receive the highest possible ratings at state and national festivals. The Symphonic Band, which is the top ensemble, performs grade VI literature and has represented our school at the 2000 SCMEA Convention in addition to performing in the "Music in London Series" at the famed Westminster Hall in London, England. The band program also includes the 170 member "Purple Regiment" Marching Band which has placed in the top six at the SCBDA State 5A marching Band Championships for the past six years and has also been a finalist at Bands of America Regional Championships. Extracurricular ensembles include the Northwestern Winter Guard, Percussion Ensembles and numerous small ensembles that perform through out the community and at the SCBDA Solo and Ensemble Festival. In addition, the Northwestern High School Bands consistently place a large number of students in the Region Three and All-State Bands. The success of these ensembles has earned the Northwestern Bands the SCBDA "Outstanding Performance Award" for the past twelve years.
A large part of the success of the Northwestern Bands is the quality instruction the students receive at the middle schools. These include: Rawlinson Road, Director Michael Doll; Sullivan Middle School, Director Jocquin Fuller; Saluda Trail Middle School, Director Myra Amler; and St. Anne School, Director Hilary Yost.
The Northwestern High School Band staff includes: Larry Wells - Director of Bands; Mark Yost - Associate Director of Bands; Michael Doll - Assistant Director; Jocquin Fuller - Assistant Director and Bill Stowe – Director of Percussion Studies.
Northwestern Jazz
The jazz bands at Northwestern are extracurricular ensembles and are designed to build on, and enhance, the music education the students receive in the concert ensembles. The repertoire for all ensembles consists mainly of jazz standards with improvisation at the core of all the literature and instruction. In addition to participating in state, regional, and national festivals and at school and community events, the jazz program at Northwestern also hosts the Jazz Discovery Music Festival each spring. Past guest artists have included the Marvin Stamm Quartet; the Bob Mintzer Quartet; Robin Eubanks and Mental Images; Steve Smith and Buddy's Buddies; and Steve Smith's Jazz Legacy. Clinicians at the festival have included Peter Barrenbregge, Dan Haerle, Steve Haines, Jeff Jarvis, Jim Ketch, Bob Lark, Bert Ligon, Chip McNeill, Jim Riggs, Rick Simerly, Ed Soph, Mike Tomaro, Jim Warrick, Wally West, and Steve Weist. The ensembles include:
The Senior Jazz Ensemble
- The Senior Jazz Ensemble is a traditional big band and performs grade IV-V arrangements of jazz standards with a strong emphasis on improvisation. Auditions for the ensemble are held in mid November and the ensemble then rehearses throughout the remainder of the school year. The ensemble rehearses twice a week for a total of three hours a week and performs at school concerts, district events, and in the community as well as at state, regional, and national festivals. Traditionally the band performs with a guest soloist/clinician at the Spring Jazz Gala held each year in early May. Past guest soloists include Phil Thompson, Roger Pemberton, Ray Codrington, Jim Stacks, Wally West, Rick Simerly, and Bobby Militello. The band has also performed with nationally acclaimed jazz artists Bob Mintzer, Robin Eubanks, and Steve Smith. The Senior Jazz Ensemble consistently earns superior ratings at the SCBDA Jazz Festival and has also earned superior ratings at the University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill, Jazz Festival; the University of North Carolina, Charlotte, Jazz Festival and the Tidewater Music Festival in Virginia Beach, Virginia. In addition, the band has also appeared at the New Trier High School Jazz Festival in Chicago, Illinois; the SCMENC Convention in Charleston, South Carolina; and at the North Texas Jazz Festival in Addison. Members of this ensemble participate in the South Carolina All State Jazz Bands each year and several recent graduates have gone on to perform in collegiate ensembles throughout the Southeast. Directors are Mark Yost and Bill Stowe.
The Clinic Jazz Band
- The Clinic Jazz Band is open to any student at Northwestern High School that has an interest in jazz. The band begins rehearsals in mid November and rehearses once a week the remainder of the school year. The band performs Grade II-III arrangements of jazz standards which include the opportunity to learn the basics of jazz improvisation. The ensemble traditionally performs at the SCBDA Jazz Festival and the Northwestern High School Spring Jazz Gala. Directors are Mark Yost and Bill Stowe.
The Jazz Combo
- The latest jazz ensemble is the Jazz Combo. This ensemble was formed to provide a more advanced level of improvisational instruction and performance. The ensemble is limited to those students who have demonstrated an advanced instrumental and improvisational proficiency as well as an interest in further study. The ensemble rehearses once a week and performs at district and community events as well as the Spring Jazz Gala. The Jazz Combo is directed by Mr. John Alexander
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