Westhill Instrumental Music Department

Congratulations, Westhill! The Westhill Central School District has been named as one of the NAMM Foundation’s Best Communities in the nation for Music Education for the 10th consecutive year! We are so grateful to the Westhill Community and District for your enthusiastic and ever-present support of Music in our Schools and we are so proud of the Westhill Music Department, Student-Musicians, and Faculty!

The Westhill Central School District (Syracuse, NY) has been honored with the Best Communities for Music Education designation from the NAMM Foundation for its outstanding efforts by teachers, administrators, parents, students and community leaders who have made music education part of a well-rounded education. Districts that have been recognized by the NAMM Foundation are often held up as models for other educators looking to support their own music education programs.

Congratulations, Westhill Music Department!

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See the full listing of recognized districts here, including many of our fantastic CNY neighboring programs: https://www.nammfoundation.org/articles/bcme-2026-districts

WCSD High School

Come see our fantastic Modern Band program live at Funk n' Waffles!

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Live in concert:
Clockwork
Isabella Destito
The Killer Pancakes
After School Special
Directed by Mr. Brendan Van Epps

Funk n' Waffles
Wednesday, May 13
6:30-9:00pm
Doors open at 6

See the flyer below for more info!

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This month’s Instrumentalist magazine features Westhill musicians on the cover!

The Instrumentalist is a magazine present in elementary through collegiate Band Rooms, practice rooms, lesson studios, and music offices across the country, and Westhill students and alums: Austin C - Bassoon, ‘27, Phoebe G - Bassoon, ‘25, Emmie S - Clarinet, ‘25, and Georgia H - Clarinet, ‘25 are all on the cover!

Two years ago, Root and Wander Photography came to Westhill to take photos for a 2024 Instrumentalist article that included action conducting and teaching photos and beautiful photos of the Westhill Wind Ensemble student-musicians making music. She so graciously provided an entire album of photos from that day, and provided permission for their use, even beyond the original article. Today’s edition features our musicians and a Westhill High School shout out on the cover credits!

With one last “Hip Hip, Huzzah!” (Our historically-influenced Revolutionary War exclamation from the whole band that we cheered throughout the trip), we took our final Band Family photo of WHS Boston 2026 while heading out of Six Flags New England.

We learned so much; heard fantastic music, acting, and singing; saw breathtaking artwork; learned about the history of Boston, Massachusetts, New England, and the United States; experienced a Red Sox win; and had SO much fun.

Thank you to everyone who was part of this trip or the support of this trip in every way!

Huzzah!

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We’ve had an incredible 24+ hours since we last checked in!

The Westhill Bands:
*Ate dinner at Cantina Italiana in the North End of Boston 🍝
*Watched an inspiring, magical, technically-incredible, overwhelmingly fantastic performance of Beauty and the Beast 🌹🎭
*Explored the Museum of Fine Arts (we could have used at least 8 more hours there to begin to feel like we had seen it all!) 🎨🖼️
*Ate lunch at Quincy Market 🌮🦞🍕
*Toured the Boston Tea Party Ships and Museum ⛵️☕️🎉
*Hung out in the Boston Commons 🏛️
*Took a walking tour of the Freedom Trail 🔔📜
*Watched the Red Sox defeat the Detroit Tigers ⚾️ 🧦 🐅

Now we are off to Six Flags for the day!
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We made it to Boston! Enjoy our first of many Band Family Photos of the trip!

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The Westhill High School Bands are Shipping Up to Boston!

Check out our FB and Instagram over the next few days as we explore Boston including a visit to the New England Aquarium, seeing a national touring production of Broadway's Beauty and the Beast, visiting and exploring the Museum of Fine Arts, Faneuil Hall, Prudential Center, and the Tea Party Ships/Museum, taking a guided tour of the Freedom Trail, attending a Red Sox Baseball Game vs. the Detroit Tigers, and spending Saturday at Six Flags New England!

We were welcomed to school this morning with a gorgeous sunrise, and now we’re heading east on two buses, named “The Tea” (Ms. Althen’s Bus) ☕️☕️☕️ and “The Party” 🎉🎉🎉 (Mr. Riley’s Bus) ☺️.

Wish us luck and fun! Alums… what was your favorite WHS Music Trip while you were a student?

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We are so very proud of our Westhill Tri-M Chapter #7550 students for their recital this afternoon at the Upstate Cancer Center in Syracuse. We are grateful to the Upstate Cancer Center for welcoming us with such open arms each year - we have now been performing recitals here as a Chapter of Tri-M for ten years! Our musicians played beautifully in the gorgeous performance space, and it was incredibly heart-filling to hear these musicians, volunteering during their Spring Break, filling the whole building with gorgeous sounds. The recital area opens up to the balconied floors above and it was amazing to see people pausing on all three floors, around and above, to enjoy the music. 💙🎶💙

One of the most special aspects of this recital is that students choose and prepare their own repertoire - it is deeply powerful to experience each student adding beauty and gentle, soothing energy to the world with their music-making. Our musicians performed pop, jazz, rock, country, and classical music and brought a little extra light and joy downtown with them today. Our student-musicians represented Westhill, Tri-M, and our Music Department in the most lovely way and we are so proud!

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We are so proud of all of our Westhill High School students who have participated in honor bands, orchestras, and choruses over the past few months. Tonight, we are extending our congratulations to our NYSSMA Zone 3 Area All State student-musicians!!

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Westhill Musicians Perform at NYSSMA Senior High Area All-State!

Due to a combination of their outstanding performances in the Spring 2025 NYSSMA State Solo Adjudications, stellar resumes, and strong recommendations, ten Westhill High School student-musicians were selected to the 2026 New York State Schools of Music Association Zone 3 Area All-State Instrumental and Choral ensembles. These exceptional musicians rehearsed and performed at the NYSSMA Zone 3 Area-All State Festival on January 30-31 at Ithaca College. Congratulations Evan, Eli, Jena, Sofia, Fenris, Bella, Giana, Aiden, Angelina, and Hazel - you represented Westhill so beautifully and your performances were exceptional!!!

NYSSMA Senior High Area All-State 2026:
Area All-State Band
Evan C - Bb Clarinet
Eli W - French Horn

Area All-State Orchestra
Jena W - Flute
Sofia S - Violin

Area All-State Mixed Chorus
Fenris C
Isabella D
Giana D
Aiden M

Area All-State Treble Chorus
Angelina C
Hazel M

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Congratulations to all of our Westhill Music Department students for their fantastic performances at OCMEA Senior High All-County in the Band, Chorus, and Orchestra this past weekend! All-County, held at Solvay High School, featured performances by the top 10th-12th grade musicians in Onondaga County. The programming was excellent, diverse, and challenging, and you represented Westhill beautifully throughout the weekend! We are so proud!!!

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Our musicians included:

Orchestra:
Eli W - French Horn
Yulya T - Violin

Chorus:
Hazel M
Bella D
Fenris C
Aiden T

Band:
Owen D - Trombone
Jack C - Trumpet
Evan C - Bb Clarinet
Jena W - Flute
Sofia S - Bb Clarinet
Kayleigh K - Bb Clarinet
A’zhawn W - Bb Clarinet

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