Valley Bands

Reminder: Band Parent Meeting
Tomorrow (Wednesday)
6:00 PM - VHS Forum

Hi, it's the Valley Band Boosters!

We’re doing a fundraiser for Valley Bands to raise money for instruments, equipment, contest expenses, and maintaining the band budget. Please consider making a donation using the link below.

Thank you for your support!

Support Tigers x. - Our 30 PoP! Fundraiser Tigers x. is doing a fundraiser with Valley Band and need(s) your help! We’re raising money for instruments, equipment, contest expenses, and maintaining the band budget. Please donate to support and help Tigers x. reach their personal fundraising goal.

Come on out to the Pelican Post (corner of 50th and EP True) tomorrow at 1:40 for some good eats and live jazz on the patio from our Jazz Ensemble! Celebrate the end of the year with the "greatest hits" from this year's band!

Congrats to Summer! Come hear her and a "FEAST" of other great music (and food!) this Sunday, 3pm at the PAC.

Congratulations to our 1st Place Winner!
Summer Kinnan began her musical journey in 1st grade with piano lessons. In 5th grade, she joined elementary band and started playing the flute. Since 6th grade, she has taken private flute lessons with Dr. Kimberly Helton and studies piano with Cynthia Giunta. At Valley, Summer participates in Symphony Band and Marching Band. She has performed in several honor bands, including the Iowa All-State Band (2024, 2025), Drake Honor Band Wind Ensemble (2024, 2025), SCIBA Honor Band (2022, 2023), and the All Iowa 8th Grade Honor Band (2024). She also often accompanies her church choir on the flute. Outside of music, Summer enjoys volleyball and spending time with friends and family.

Summer will join the ensemble onstage during FEAST! on May 3. She will be the featured soloist, playing Otar Gordeli's “Concerto for Flute”.

This is an awesome opportunity for students. Several Valley band members and orchestra members participate in either the Youth Symphony and/or the Wind Ensemble. There are scholarships available - do not let cost deter your student from auditioning!

Calling all young musicians! Spring Auditions for the 2026-27 Des Moines Symphony Youth Symphony & Wind Ensemble are coming up May 26 & 27! Reserve your audition spot by emailing [email protected].

The Valley Chapter of the Tri-M music honor society is hosting it's annual blood drive next Thursday, April 2nd! Please consider donating and pass the word. We only need 75 more donors to reach our goal!

Yesterday was an incredible day for the Valley Bands at the Perry Band Olympics! The day featured our students performing solos, small ensembles, and supporting each other through it all. The growth we have seen from our individual students, and our ensembles collectively has been incredibly rewarding, and we are so proud to see the hard work that was put on display yesterday. Additional congratulations go out to all of the students who placed in the top 5 in their categories. We saw a 25% increase in students/ensembles placing over last year! Finally, the Valley and Valley Southwoods Bands took 1st Place in Class 1, with an average score of 9.480 out of a possible 10 points! Congratulations to everyone on a successful day!

Don't forget that the All Iowa Concert Band Festival is tomorrow! See previous emails from each director to see the schedule for each band! VSW will perform at 9:50, Concert Ensemble will perform at 10:15, and Symphony Band will perform at 10:40. All performances are at Johnston High School, and are free and open to the public. See you all tomorrow!