About Our Program
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The Northgate High School Band program is the instrumental arm of a diverse and extraordinary fine arts curriculum at the high school. Northgate, Coweta County’s newest High School, (founded in 1996), is currently populated with approximately 1800 students. The instrumental music program serves these students through 3 concert bands, marching band, jazz band, percussion ensemble, a competitive Winter Guard program and Winter Percussion program.
The band’s motto, “Nothing Less Than The Best“, is exemplified in every facet of the program. Consistently recognized for their high performance standards with every ensemble, the students strive to move the program forward in each succeeding year to heights yet unknown. Under the leadership of founding Director Alan Armstrong, now with the assistance of Assistant Director Chris Sink, the program has grown from an initial size of 21 students in 1996 to an enrollment which has in some years exceeded 150 students (including a phenomenal growth rate of 662 percent in their first six years of existence) Supported by an outstanding and active Band Booster Organization, the program looks forward to more growth and continued excellence from all facets of the program in the future. |
Northgate Viking Band Resume
In 20+ years as a competitive unit, the marching band has earned in excess of 190 Class, Divisional or Grand Championship Honors. Most recently, the Northgate Marching Band was named Grand Champions of the 44th annual Old Southeastern Invitational. Competing in their own classification, they have established a winning percentage of 91 % over the last 20 years. The Northgate Viking Marching Band is the most competitively successful organization in the HISTORY of Northgate High School. They performed in the WSB-TV Salute To America 4th of July Parade on three occasions (one of the largest July 4th parades in the Nation). They performed live on “Star-94” alongside then morning show hosts Steve McCoy and Vickie Locke. At the time of their performance the station was the highest rated radio station in Atlanta
In 2016 they will return for their fifth visit to the Egleston’s/Childrens Healthcare of Atlanta Christmas Parade. In 2003, they were invited to come to Atlanta 2 days early and videotape the Grand Opening of the CHOA Festival of Trees with parade Grand Marshall “Mickey Mouse”. This opening ceremony was telecast during the live broadcast of the Parade 2 days later. In March 2024, the band will travel to New York City to march in the St. Patrick's Day parade.
They have performed in Holiday Parades in San Francisco CA, Washington DC, Hollywood CA, New York NY and Chicago IL. The Indoor competitive colorguard program has a long history of success on the regional and national level. They have been named a Gold Medalist once, silver medalist once and a bronze medalist once at Winterguard International (WGI) Regional Championships. They were a gold medalist four times, bronze medalist once and silver medalist twice at the regional Southeastern Circuit Championships. In 2008, due to growth in the program, this program expanded to include both a scholastic and an independent unit. The scholastic guard finished 4th in their classification in their first year and was a silver medalist at the 2009 SAPA Championships. The independent unit was the Gold Medalist at SAPA Championships in 2008, 2009 and 2010. At the Winterguard International World Championships held in Dayton OH, this unit finished in 5th place in Class A and 13th in the Open Class at these WORLD Championships. Due to facilities and insurance issues beginning in 2011, we have continued with the scholastic unit only moving forward. In the 2011 and 2015 Seasons, the scholastic guard was named Gold medalist again at the SAPA Championships.
The indoor competitive percussion has been named a WGI Regional Finalist in 2006, the silver medalist at the SAPA Championships in 2007, the gold medalist at the WGI Southeastern Regional in 2008 and 2009, the silver Medalist at the 2009 SAPA Championships and Gold Medalist at the 2008 SAPA Championship. In 2010, due to growth in the program a second scholastic unit was started to meet the needs of all our students. In their first year of competition, they were named Silver Medalists at SAPA Championships. Due to facilities and insurance issues beginning in 2011, we have continued with the scholastic unit only moving forward. In 2015, the Scholastic Unit was once again the Gold Medalist at the GIPA Championships.
The band has been represented by membership in Honor Bands at the University of Georgia, The University of South Carolina, Georgia State University, Jacksonville State University, and the University of West Georgia. The band has been represented in the Georgia Music Educators All State band on 13 different occasions and has had students awarded “1st Chair honors” in the All State band on three different occasions.
The Concert Band program consists of three concert bands which regularly participate in Georgia Music Educators events and perform multiple yearly concerts in the community. The bands perform literature ranging from Grade 3 to Grade 6 in both festivals and concerts. The Advanced Symphonic Band performed for the GA State Leadership Convention in 2003 and ambassadors from Gifu, Japan. In 2011 they were selected to perform as a featured guest ensemble at the University of Alabama Honor Band Clinic. In 2012, the Northgate Band received the Georgia Music Educators “Exemplary Performance Award” for outstanding achievement in all facets of the band program. They were one of the first three HS bands selected for this honor in state history.
The band or affiliated units have traveled to and performed in Gulf Shores, AL Pensacola, FL Washington, DC Mobile, AL San Diego, CA Jacksonville, FL Murfreesboro, TN Tuscaloosa, AL Dayton, OH Tampa, FL Hollywood, CA Panama City Beach, FL Chicago, IL and New York NY as well as hundreds of local and regional performances over the last 20 years.
In 2016 they will return for their fifth visit to the Egleston’s/Childrens Healthcare of Atlanta Christmas Parade. In 2003, they were invited to come to Atlanta 2 days early and videotape the Grand Opening of the CHOA Festival of Trees with parade Grand Marshall “Mickey Mouse”. This opening ceremony was telecast during the live broadcast of the Parade 2 days later. In March 2024, the band will travel to New York City to march in the St. Patrick's Day parade.
They have performed in Holiday Parades in San Francisco CA, Washington DC, Hollywood CA, New York NY and Chicago IL. The Indoor competitive colorguard program has a long history of success on the regional and national level. They have been named a Gold Medalist once, silver medalist once and a bronze medalist once at Winterguard International (WGI) Regional Championships. They were a gold medalist four times, bronze medalist once and silver medalist twice at the regional Southeastern Circuit Championships. In 2008, due to growth in the program, this program expanded to include both a scholastic and an independent unit. The scholastic guard finished 4th in their classification in their first year and was a silver medalist at the 2009 SAPA Championships. The independent unit was the Gold Medalist at SAPA Championships in 2008, 2009 and 2010. At the Winterguard International World Championships held in Dayton OH, this unit finished in 5th place in Class A and 13th in the Open Class at these WORLD Championships. Due to facilities and insurance issues beginning in 2011, we have continued with the scholastic unit only moving forward. In the 2011 and 2015 Seasons, the scholastic guard was named Gold medalist again at the SAPA Championships.
The indoor competitive percussion has been named a WGI Regional Finalist in 2006, the silver medalist at the SAPA Championships in 2007, the gold medalist at the WGI Southeastern Regional in 2008 and 2009, the silver Medalist at the 2009 SAPA Championships and Gold Medalist at the 2008 SAPA Championship. In 2010, due to growth in the program a second scholastic unit was started to meet the needs of all our students. In their first year of competition, they were named Silver Medalists at SAPA Championships. Due to facilities and insurance issues beginning in 2011, we have continued with the scholastic unit only moving forward. In 2015, the Scholastic Unit was once again the Gold Medalist at the GIPA Championships.
The band has been represented by membership in Honor Bands at the University of Georgia, The University of South Carolina, Georgia State University, Jacksonville State University, and the University of West Georgia. The band has been represented in the Georgia Music Educators All State band on 13 different occasions and has had students awarded “1st Chair honors” in the All State band on three different occasions.
The Concert Band program consists of three concert bands which regularly participate in Georgia Music Educators events and perform multiple yearly concerts in the community. The bands perform literature ranging from Grade 3 to Grade 6 in both festivals and concerts. The Advanced Symphonic Band performed for the GA State Leadership Convention in 2003 and ambassadors from Gifu, Japan. In 2011 they were selected to perform as a featured guest ensemble at the University of Alabama Honor Band Clinic. In 2012, the Northgate Band received the Georgia Music Educators “Exemplary Performance Award” for outstanding achievement in all facets of the band program. They were one of the first three HS bands selected for this honor in state history.
The band or affiliated units have traveled to and performed in Gulf Shores, AL Pensacola, FL Washington, DC Mobile, AL San Diego, CA Jacksonville, FL Murfreesboro, TN Tuscaloosa, AL Dayton, OH Tampa, FL Hollywood, CA Panama City Beach, FL Chicago, IL and New York NY as well as hundreds of local and regional performances over the last 20 years.