Buford High School Wind Ensemble
Erik Mason and Bridget Wildes, conductors
- (repertoire to be announced)
Atlanta Wind Symphony
- CLARE GRUNDMAN - Deck the Halls "A Merry Fugue"
- VIET CUONG - Lasting Light
- JOHN WILLIAMS - A Home Alone Christmas arr. Lavender
- GEORGES BIZET - Farandole from "L'Arlésienne" arr. Bocook
Chris Shumick, conductor
Combined Atlanta Wind Symphony and Buford High School Wind Ensemble
- KENNY BIERSCHENK - A Festive Christmas
- LEROY ANDERSON - Sleigh Ride
Buford High School Wind Ensemble
The Buford Band of Wolves has a long history, dating to the founding of the modern Buford High School in 1948. The three concert bands perform five or more concerts per year for the Buford community. The marching band is a vital and integral part of the school community, representing the school at every football game, multiple parades each year, and in band competitions around the state. In 2022 the marching band was named Grand Champion at the Branch Classic competition and has been invited to perform in the 2024 London New Year's Day Parade and Festival in the United Kingdom.
The Buford High School Wind Ensemble is made up of roughly 50 members from grades 9 - 12 and is the premier instrumental music ensemble at BHS. In 2022, 10 members of the Wind Ensemble were selected as members of the Georgia All-State Band, and 25 members were selected to perform in the GMEA District 13 Honor Band. Members of the BHS Wind Ensemble participate in many area honor groups, including the Atlanta Youth Wind Ensemble, the Metropolitan Area Youth Wind Ensemble, the Gwinnett Youth Symphony, and Gwinnett Symphony Youth Orchestra. Additionally, multiple Buford band students have also been selected to participate in the Atlanta Symphony Orchestra Talent Development Program, the Youth Orchestra of Los Angeles, and have been state level winners in MTNA competitions. In March of 2023 the Buford High School Wind Ensemble will give its first ever invited performance at the Music for All Southeastern Regional Concert Festival at Georgia State University.
Erik Mason
Erik Mason currently serves as the Director of Bands at Buford High School. Prior to his arrival at Buford he was the band director at Mill Creek High School for fourteen years. While at MCHS Mr. Mason’s bands were consistent grand champions at marching band competitions, ten time Bands of America Regional Finalists, three time BOA Class AAAA Regional Champions, invited performers at eight different university events, performers at the 2017 GMEA In-Service Conference, and a Featured Band at the 2019 Music for All National Concert Band Festival in Indianapolis. Additionally, winter guards, indoor percussion, and winter winds groups under Mr. Mason’s supervision saw great success, being named sixteen time SAPA medalists, seven time WGI Finalists, and two time WGI WInds World Championship Silver Medalists.
Mr. Mason holds Bachelor of Music and Master of Music Education degrees from the University of Georgia, and he is currently pursuing his Education Specialist degree at Auburn University. He lives in Hoschton with his wife Kathy, the band director at Buford Middle School, and their three children Aria, Alie, and Clay.
Bridget Wildes
Bridget Wildes is in her third year in the Buford High School Fine Arts Department after serving seven years as the Associate Director of Bands at Mill Creek High School in Hoschton, Georgia. Mrs. Wildes is a native of Lawrenceville, Georgia and received her Bachelor of Music in Music Education from Georgia State University in 2013 and Master of Music in Music Education in 2019 from Kent State University. While at GSU, she was a member of the Symphonic Wind Ensemble, Wind Orchestra, and Symphony Orchestra. She also served as one of the inaugural drum majors of the GSU Panther Marching Band. Mrs. Wildes studied oboe with Dr. Lara Dahl and conducting with Dr. Robert Ambrose, Dr. Chester Phillips and Dr. David Vandewalker.
Mrs. Wildes currently serves as the Associate Director of Bands and Fine Arts Department Chair at Buford. She also works closely with the Buford High School Theater department, assisting with musical theater and the One Act Play competition. During her time at Mill Creek High School, her ensembles have performed at the Kennesaw State University Concert Band Invitational, the Music for All Southeastern Regional Concert Band Festival at Georgia State University, the Georgia Music Educators Association In-Service Conference, the University of Georgia January Music Festival, the University of Alabama Honor Band Clinic and the 2019 Music for All National Concert Band Festival as a featured ensemble. The marching band was a consistent grand champion at competitions, ten time Bands of America Regional Finalist, and three time BOA Class AAAA Regional Champion. The Mill Creek Winds were also named two time WGI Winds World Championship Silver Medalists.
Bridget Wildes is an active clinician, adjudicator and freelance musician, as well as a member of the Georgia Music Educators Association and the National Band Association. She is the current District 13 High School Band Chair, and plays an active role in the organization of District 13 events. She has presented twice at the GMEA In-Service Conference- in 2019 on developing and maintaining student leadership and in 2020 on taking the next step in your program to reach your goals. She has also been an invited clinician at the Georgia State University Summer Leadership Institute and Georgia State University Double Reed Day. Bridget and her husband, Jacob, reside in Suwanee with their son, Caleb, and daughter, Kerry Beth - both little wolves in Buford City Schools!
