Trenton HS Music Department

  • The THS MARCHING BAND is the largest band in the Downriver Detroit region with 180 members and has earned hundreds of trophies and awards in local, state, and national competitions
  • The THS CONCERT BAND consistently earns superior ratings and awards at festivals and contests
  • The THS CHORUS has 100+ members in three sections
  • The GUITAR PROGRAM has over 100 students in three sections 
  • The THS JAZZ BAND is a popular ensemble that performs in local concerts, events, festivals, and in clinics around the state
  • The 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
  • The THS PEP BAND has been mentioned in the Hockey News, Detroit News, Detroit Free Press, and has been featured on WDIV's "State Champs!" television show
  • Many individual student musicians are currently members of the Detroit Civic Orchestra Wind Ensembles and Jazz Ensemble, Eastern Michigan University Honors Band, Bowling Green University Honors Band, Henry Ford College Metropolitan Symphony Band and Studio 101 Jazz Ensemble, Lions All State Band, Blue Lake Bands European Tour, University of Michigan All State Band, Interlochen Summer Institute, Wayne State University Summer Jazz program, Dearborn Youth Symphony Orchestra, and many other regional and state honors ensembles
  • Director Mr. Mike Kurilko was recently named a Grammy Award Music Educator of the Year  National Semifinalist.

​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 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 productions
  • Pit orchestras for "Les Miserables" and other productions in London's West End
  • Radio City Music Hall Christmas Show
​
Recent Trenton HS music department graduates have been a part of music or musical theater programs at the American Musical and Dramatic Academy (NYC), Yale University, Cornell University, Ithaca College, Royal Academy of Music (London), King's College (London), 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, 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 artist A.C. Reed
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 +James Cotton
Christie Watson - Chicago and Milwaukee professional theater 
Jake Cemer - Singer/guitar with Boys of Fall  ​(Invogue Records)
Hillary Jimenez - Steppenwolf Theater Company, Chicago