Director of Laingsburg Wolfpack Bands: Thomas Cousineau

The importance of music education goes far beyond the notes and rhythms written on a piece of music. It goes far beyond the educational benefits a student experiences in the classroom. The real benefit of music education is for a student to be able to shape and define his or her place in society. Music can help students express their emotions when they are at a loss for words. Music can help students learn to work collaboratively when they struggle to fit in. Music can give students the skills to think "outside the box," tapping into creativity to solve problems. The study of music allows students to connect not only to themselves, but to their peers while teaching them the skills necessary to be successful throughout their lives.

Marching Band

Our award-winning Wolfpack Marching Band is a particular point of pride for our whole community! About one-third of the high school student body is in band. It's truly a special family where lasting friendships are made, and members support each other as they grow in their musicianship. The group regularly brings home straight "one" ratings from marching competitions - the highest score possible!

Marching band is open to students who have had prior instrumental experience and who have met satisfactory performance, participation and behavior standards. The group meets every day during sixth hour during the fall semester. Performances may include but are not limited to school assemblies, before and during halftime of home and play-off football games, evening concerts and marching band festival in October. High school marching band offers a Disney trip once every four years and a second trip in between to places like Nashville, Washington DC or New York City.

Band camp is usually the middle of July each year. It is an intensive but fun off-site bonding and learning experience for learning music and show drills for the upcoming marching season. This is also where incoming freshmen from the middle school band, as well as new students who meet the requirements, are welcomed into the Wolfpack band family.

Students (and their parents/guardians) can earn money to help pay for trips and band camp by participating in band fundraising activities.

Concert Band

This class is open to students who have had prior instrumental experience and who have met satisfactory performance, participation and behavior standards. The group meets every day during sixth hour during the second semester of the year. Performances may include school assemblies, evening concerts and band festivals.

Jazz Band

Jazz band is available only to students who play in the concert and marching bands. The LHS Jazz Band is a demanding, challenging class that meets during zero hour (before school) and has several performances throughout the year. Everyone is encouraged to participate, however, due to the nature of the class, involvement will be re-evaluated each marking period. The focus is to introduce students to the basic techniques of the jazz idiom. As this is a smaller ensemble, members are held to a higher level of performance, participation and behavior. The jazz band performs at school assemblies, and holiday and spring evening concerts. It participates in a competitive jazz festival every winter, and is also available to perform concerts for the community for donation. The annual spring Jazz Band Dinner performance is one of its main fundraisers, and always a crowd pleaser!

The nonprofit Laingsburg Band Boosters supports LHS' band program in a variety of ways. Membership is open to all who care about our band kids!