Band

Two identical middle schools opened in 1997 – Patrick Marsh Middle and Prairie View Middle. Both middle schools currently have an enrollment of around 525 students grades 6-7 at each building. Prairie View is located on Highway 19 on the west side of Sun Prairie. 

Currently Patrick Marsh and Prairie View have nearly 200 students participating in band at each school. All beginning band students start in the 6th grade and have full band every other day a weekly lesson. The 7th grade band students have band every day plus a weekly lesson. 

Prairie View offers two jazz ensembles for students in grades 6-7 to participate in. The middle schools in Sun Prairie combine for a middle school jazz festival that takes place each February. Past soloist/clinicians for the middle school festival have included Lennie Foy, Doug Stone, Ron Carter, Phil Ostrander and Josh Paris. The middle schools in Sun Prairie also host a citywide honor band every November. Conductors have included Patty Schlafer, Matt Gregg, Marti Fults, Tim Gleason, Steve Bina, Lizabeth Rosenthal, Melody Snyder and John Rash. 

Both middle school band programs have received numerous individual and group honors. As a group, the bands have performed at the 2006 UW-Milwaukee Concert Band Festival, Milwaukee Art Museum, Wisconsin State Capitol Rotunda, the "New Wisconsin Promise Conference", and the 2006 Wisconsin State Music Conference. The bands have worked with clinicians such as Brian Balmages, Richard Saucedo, Dr. Charles Young, Lennie Foy, Dr. Glenn Hayes, Dr. John Climer, Dennis Glocke, Michael Sweeney and Samuel R. Hazo. The individual student achievements include the WSMA Middle Level Honors Orchestra and Band, WI-NBA All-State Band, Tri-State Honors Band, UW-Milwaukee Honors Band, and WSMA State District and State Solo/Ensemble Performances.

For additional information on concerts or classes, please consult the Prairie View Band website.

Erin Gleason
Email
608-834-7825