Our Mission
The Oshkosh Area School District Music Department is committed to developing a well-rounded community through the study and performance of music. An education in music uniquely prepares the whole person to become a responsible, creative and contributing member of society.
The Oshkosh West Bands have more than doubled in size over the last fifteen years to become one of the largest in the state of Wisconsin, totaling nearly 250 band students. The West band program offers 4 concert bands, a jazz ensemble, a field marching band, a parade marching band, 3 pep bands, a competitive drumline, and several small ensembles.
Each of the four concert bands meet daily for 49 minutes and are team-taught by both Dan Singer and Brian Wilson, with the eighty-member-plus entry-level Wildcat Band assisted by Patty Bourgeois. Additionally, the Oshkosh West Bands have hosted 10 student teachers from area universities over the last seven years.
Concert bands perform three formal concerts each year. The district-wide field show marching band rehearses beginning in August and performs at the Oshkosh West football homecoming game each fall. The parade marching band performs in the fall at two holiday parades, including the Appleton Christmas Parade (the midwest’s largest nighttime Christmas parade) and in the spring at the Oshkosh Memorial Day Procession. The bands travel regularly, and have recently been to Chicago, New York City, Philadelphia, Washington, D.C., Los Angeles, Walt Disney World, and Universal Studios. In addition to large ensemble performances, all band students participate in solo and ensemble activities in the winter and spring months.
Music’s Impact
If parents want their children to develop into critical, creative thinkers who can set and accomplish their own goals — and who can use those skills to strengthen their math and reading skills — they may want to take another look inside the music room.
For a child to play an instrument, she needs to stick to her goals, pay sustained attention, and be flexible enough to switch back and forth between tempos and styles. These habits draw heavily on executive function (EF) skills, cognitive processes that include problem-solving, goal setting, and flexible thinking. A number of studies have found that EF skills contribute hugely to students’ success in math and reading.
But music doesn’t just require EF skills; it may be a pathway to building them. That’s according to findings by developmental psychologist Nadine Gaab, whose work shows that people who play a musical instrument regularly have higher executive function skills than non-musicians — a significant finding for educators.
— Leah Shafer, Usable Knowledge, Harvard Graduate School of Education
2.91
Average GPA of West BAnd Students
For students in the West Bands, more than 29% have an A average (3.7 to 4.0) and over 35% have a B average (2.7 to 3.699).
2.44
Average GPA of Former West BAnd Students
The average for students who dropped band after their freshman year is 2.44.
2.79
Average GPA of All West Students
The school’s average GPA is 2.79.
Get Involved!
Like any support organization, success is dependent on the participation and contributions of its members! All parents and guardians of band students are part of the Oshkosh West Band Parent Organization. We are proud to have an extremely active Band Parent Organization. With a large band program, we always have volunteer and assistance needs!
The group is parent-run and has two main focuses: raising funds to support student activities and assisting with tasks such as uniform fitting, distribution and collection, meal distribution for parades and many other tasks throughout the year.