Trenton HS Music Department

 2021 NAMM Foundation SupportMusic Merit Award for Trenton HS Music Department

Only 80 schools nationally named SMMA Best Communities for Music Education
​Trenton HS is one of only three Michigan schools honored in 2021
​​Trenton​ HS also earned the same distinction in 2020
About our music department:
  • THS MARCHING BAND has earned hundreds of trophies and awards in local, state, and national competitions with nearly 20% of the THS total student enrollment as members
  • THS CONCERT BAND consistently earns superior ratings and awards at festivals and contests
  • THS CHORUS has 90 members in three sections
  • GUITAR PROGRAM has enrolled up to 100 students a year
  • THS JAZZ BAND is a popular ensemble that performs in local concerts, events, festivals, and in clinics around the state.  Alumni have been members of jazz studies departments and ensembles at Michigan State University, Western Michigan University, Berklee College of Music (Boston),  the University of Michigan, and at every other Michigan college and university.
  • THS SPRING MUSICAL has more than 60 students involved each year.  Cast members have been Wharton Center Sutton Foster Ovation Award Best Actor/Actress nominees and winners​
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DID YOU KNOW:
More than 40% of the total student enrollment of Trenton High School are involved in music department ensembles, classes, and productions.  

THS Music Department Alumni:
THS Music Department alumni have been members of Cleveland Symphony Orchestra, Chamber Orchestra of Europe, London Symphony Orchestra, BBC Orchestra (London), New York String Ensemble, Royal Opera Theater Orchestra (London), Broadway casts of Tony Award winning "Pippin", "Waitress", "Spamalot", "Billy Elliott", "Chicago" and members of national and regional touring companies of many other production, Pit orchestras for "Les Miserables" and other productions in London's West End, Radio City Music Hall Christmas Show​.  Many others are music educators at all levels in school districts all over the country.  

College music and musical theater departments with recent alumni THS Music Department students include:
American Musical and Dramatic Academy (NYC), Yale University, Cornell University, Ithaca College, Royal Academy of Music (London), King's College (London), Berklee College of Music (Boston), University of Wisconsin - Madison, University of Cincinnati, Eastman Conservatory of Music (NY), McGill University (Montreal), Belmont University (Nashville),  Bowling Green University, Cleveland Institute of Music, AMDA College and Conservatory of the Performing Arts (Los Angeles), Oklahoma City University, Michigan State University, University of Michigan, Western Michigan University, Wayne State University, Eastern Michigan University, Central Michigan University, Oakland University, University of Toledo, University of Nebraska, and at every Michigan college and university
Distinguished THS Music Department alumni include:
Dr. James Batcheller, Director of Bands at Central Michigan University
Lt. Gen. Ronald F. Sams, the Inspector General of the Air Force, Office of the Secretary of the Air Force, Washington, D.C. (retired)
Mary Lynn Rajskub - Actor in feature films and TV; played "Chloe O'Brien" on Fox Television show "24"
Pat Batcheller - NPR Radio host
Andrew Fitch - Broadway actor and renown Bob Fosse dance clinician 
Ramon Wodkowski - International performing artist and creator of the Wodkowski clarinet mouthpiece used by orchestral clarinetists and collegiate clarinet professors worldwide    www.ramonwodkowski.com/
Doug Plagens - Radio broadcast voice of the NHL Florida Panthers
Dan (Coscarelly) Carelli - Chicago blues guitarist with 3-time Grammy nominee Billy Branch and the Sons of the Blues and W.C. Handy Blues Hall of Fame artists A.C. Reed and Lurrie Bell
Arthur Switzer - Production Manager for 2019 "Best Rock Album" Grammy winner Greta Van Fleet and country star Justin Moore
Shawn McDonald - Keys for blues artists Thornetta Davis, Larry McCray, and James Cotton
Jake Cemer - Singer/guitar with Boys of Fall  ​(Invogue Records)
Hilary Jimenez - Steppenwolf Theater Company, Chicago
EROY (Evan Roy) - DJ and composer

​Honors Ensembles:
Many individual student musicians have participated in the Detroit Symphony Civic Youth Orchestra/Wind Ensembles/Jazz Ensemble, Eastern Michigan University Honors Band, Michigan Youth Jazz Orchestra (MYJO - University of Michigan), MSBOA All-State Bands, Bowling Green University Honors Band, Henry Ford College Metropolitan Symphony Band and Studio 101 Jazz Ensemble, Lions All State Band, New England Music Camp (NEMC - Maine), Blue Lake Bands European Tour, University of Michigan All State Band, Interlochen Summer Institute, Wayne State University Summer Jazz program, Dearborn Youth Symphony Orchestra, University of Michigan Jazz Ambassadors All Star Band, and other regional and state honors ensembles