The Orange Express
“The Orange Express” consists of the 9th – 12th grade High School instrumental music students. The Award Winning High School Band participates in Marching Competitions around the state and country. We take national trips once every two years with the entire band. Some of the past trips took “The Orange Express” to Hawaii, New York City, San Diego, Chicago, Orlando and many other locations. The band participates in marching band from the middle of July to the beginning of November. The rest of the year is dedicated to Concert Band and Individual Competitions such as OSSAA State Concert Band and Sight-Reading Contest, EDBDA All-District Band, OSSAA District and State Solo and Ensemble Contest and several others. Our instrumental ensembles include: Marching Band, Basketball Band, Wind Ensemble, Concert Band, Jazz Band, Honor's Jazz Combo, Steel Drum Band, Brass Ensembles, Woodwind Ensembles and Percussion Ensembles. We are so proud of the rich history and tradition of the “Orange Express” and we are ever looking onward and upward.
Middle School Bands
The 6th grade band is where it all begins. We start out the year getting one of five instruments: Flute, Clarinet, Trumpet, Trombone or Percussion. The students have their first concert at Christmas where we get to show off our progress. Right after the start of the new year, we pick some of our outstanding students to switch to our color instruments: Oboe, Bassoon, Alto Saxophone, Bass Clarinet, French Horn, Euphonium and Tuba. We finish out the year with our Spring Trip/Competition and our Spring Concert.
The 7th grade band continue to develop and we add several activities within instrumental music that foster in the development of musicianship. Some of the new activities are All-District Band Competition and OSSAA Solo and Ensemble Contest. All-District Band is an individual competition in which Eastern Oklahoma Students compete against each other to become a member of one Honor Band that is composed of 20+ schools. OSSAA Solo and Ensemble Contest is a state sponsored competition in which individuals and small groups prepare music to be judged for a rating. The 7th grade band also has two concerts throughout the year and a Spring trip to Branson, MO where they compete as a band and have a great time.
The 8th grade band is the last step of our middle school band program. They continue to develop on their way to the High School Program. They compete in All-District Band Competition, OSSAA Solo and Ensemble Contest. They also perform in two concerts throughout the year and a Spring trip to Branson, MO.
Directors
The Tahlequah Bands are directed by Josh Allen, a 1996 Tahlequah High School Graduate, who holds a Bachelor degree in Music and a Master degree in Education from Northeastern State University. Assistant Directors include Courtney Clear, who holds a Bachelor degree in Music Education from the University of Oklahoma and Erin Epperly, who holds a Bachelor degree in Music Education from Oklahoma City University.
Go Orange Express!