Musical Programs

The Grosse Pointe South High School Symphony Orchestra is comprised of motivated and talented student musicians. The ensemble performs literature from the standard repertoire. For the past ten years, the Symphony Orchestra has earned Division I ratings at MSBOA District XVI and State Orchestra Festival. An audition-only ensemble, the Symphony Orchestra performs regularly throughout the school year at concerts such as Pops & Pastries, String Extravaganza, MSBOA Orchestra Festival, and our annual Spring Concert. Recent performances outside of school have included a 2015 concert at the Mozarteum Concert Hall in Salzburg, Austria and a 2013 performance at the Anaheim (CA) Heritage Festival of Music where the orchestra won "Best Overall". Other recent concerts have included performances at the Detroit Institute of Arts, Grosse Pointe Yacht Club, Riverside Church in NYC, and London's Royal Academy of Music. Members of the Symphony Orchestra also participate in our school's Chamber Orchestra, Pit Orchestra, Jazz Band, Marching Band, and participate in the school's Tri-M musical fraternity. Symphony Orchestra meets 1st hour every day.

Symphony Band is the second band at Grosse Pointe South High School; the group is comprised of intermediate to advanced musicians, and students must audition to be a member of the group. The group consistently achieves first division ratings at MSBOA Band & Orchestra Festival. Many Symphony Band members participate at MSBOA Solo & Ensemble Festival (January/February at Rochester HS), and qualifying participants are eligible to attend State Solo & Ensemble (March at Chippewa Valley HS). The Symphony Band performs at the following events:
• Pops & Pastries
• Band-O-Rama
• Pre-Festival Concert
• MSBOA Festival
• Spring Concert
• Commencement
Symphony Band meets 6th hour every day.

Wind Ensemble is the most advanced performing band at Grosse Pointe South High School; the group is comprised of advanced musicians, and students must audition to be a member of the group. The group consistently achieves first division ratings at MSBOA Band & Orchestra Festival. The majority of Wind Ensemble members participate at MSBOA Solo & Ensemble Festival (January/February at Rochester HS), and qualifying participants are eligible to attend State Solo & Ensemble (March at Chippewa Valley HS). The Wind Ensemble performs at the following events:
• Pops & Pastries
• Band-O-Rama
• Pre-Festival Concert
• MSBOA Festival
• Spring Concert
• Commencement
Wind Ensemble meets 7th hour every day.

The Grosse Pointe South High School Concert Orchestra, a training ensemble comprising all freshmen and upperclassmen, performs regularly throughout the school year at concerts such as Pops & Pastries, String Extravaganza, MSBOA Orchestra Festival and our annual Spring Concert. The Concert Orchestra has consistently earned Division I & II ratings at MSBOA District XVI Orchestra Festival. Members of the Concert Orchestra participate in: MSBOA District XVI Solo & Ensemble Festival, area youth orchestras, and receive quarterly sectionals with members of the Detroit Symphony Orchestra.

Concert Orchestra meets 2nd hour every day.

Concert Band is the third band at Grosse Pointe South High School; the group is comprised of intermediate musicians. Pre-requisite for membership in the ensemble is participation in middle school band or at the approval of the director. The group consistently achieves first division ratings at MSBOA Band & Orchestra Festival. Concert Band members are encouraged to participate at MSBOA Solo & Ensemble Festival (January/February at Rochester HS), and qualifying participants are eligible to attend State Solo & Ensemble (March at Chippewa Valley HS). The Concert Band performs at the following events:
• Pops & Pastries
• Band-O-Rama
• Pre-Festival Concert
• MSBOA Festival
• Spring Concert
• Commencement

The Chamber Orchestra will be a select group of the most advanced students within our Symphony Orchestra. The Chamber Orchestra will play the most advanced literature from the string orchestra repertoire. The Chamber Orchestra regularly performs at:
• String Extravaganza
• MSBOA District XVI Chamber Festival
• MSBOA State Chamber Festival
• Spring Concert
• Occasional Community Performances
Chamber Orchestra meets from 3:30-4:30 on Fridays after school and will begin once Fall chair testing is over.

Full Orchestra (strings with winds and percussion) is a required ensemble for Symphony & Concert Orchestra members and highest chaired members of each section of Symphony Band (depending on instrumentation needs) will be given priority.

Full Orchestra rehearses Thursday evenings from 6:30-8:30 PM from September-October and March-May. Extra credit is provided to participating in wind and percussion performances.

The Blue Devil Marching Band is present at all home varsity football games and occasional away games and playoff games. The band consists of woodwinds, brass, drumline (battery), front ensemble (pit), and color guard (flag corps). Rehearsals take place once a week during football season, and all members attend a week-long band camp in the summer. In addition, the band marches in the Homecoming Parade and the Santa Parade (Friday after Thanksgiving).

Jazz Band is an audition-only group. Jazz Band is an extension of the instrumental music program; members must be a current member of Symphony or Concert Band/Orchestra. The Jazz Band performs at some of the most well-known venues in the city of Detroit and surrounding area and consistently receives first division ratings at MSBOA State Jazz Festival. Rehearsals take place twice a week outside the school day; on Mondays from 6:30-8:30 PM, and Thursdays from 3:30-4:30 PM. All rehearsals are required.

Pep Band plays at the Varsity Boys Basketball games. Anyone in Concert Band, Symphony Band or Wind Ensemble is eligible to play in the Pep Band. There are only 7 evenings that students need to be available.

Participating students will need to sign up with the Director of Bands.

The Tri-M Music Honor Society is the international music honor society for middle/junior high and high school students. It is designed to recognize students for their academic and musical achievements, reward them for their accomplishments and service activities, and to inspire other students to excel at music and leadership. Attendance is mandatory with exception to illness, family emergency, etc.

Members and their eligibility for Tri-M membership shall be reviewed on an annual basis to consider their continued participation in the Tri-M program.

Auditions for Tri-M occur twice a year, once in the early fall and once again in late spring. Students must have earned 125 points based on attached application to be eligible to audition.

Christopher Takis is the Director of Bands at Grosse Pointe South High School. Prior to his appointment in 2012, he was Director of Bands at Lincoln Middle School in the Van Dyke Public Schools (Warren, MI) for seven years. Under Mr. Takis’s direction, the South Band program grew to over 145 members and went from two concert bands to three. In addition to the Wind Ensemble, Symphony Band, and Concert Band, Mr. Takis also directs the South Marching Band, Pep Band, and Jazz Band. The bands have consistently received first division ratings at MSBOA Band & Orchestra District and State Festival under his direction. Since his arrival, the South Bands have performed in Italy, Austria, California, and New York City at the famed Stern Auditorium/Perelman Stage at Carnegie Hall. He also teaches Advanced Placement Music Theory, music technology, and piano at South. Under Mr. Takis’s direction, the Blue Devil Marching Band returned to South High School in 2013 for the first time in almost three decades.

Mr. Takis was selected as the 2022 MSBOA District XVI Teacher of the Year for Band. In 2015, Mr. Takis was one of the recipients of the eighth annual Grosse Pointe Board of Education’s Distinguished Employee Service Awards. Mr. Takis is an avid performer as a percussionist and has previously performed with the Royal Oak Symphony Orchestra, Warren Concert Band, Motor City Brass Band, and Five Lakes Silver Band. He plays bass guitar with the group Six Point Five, a local rock band composed of Detroit-area band directors. He is currently the MSBOA District XVI 2nd Vice President for Solo and Ensemble.

Mr. Takis has degrees from Michigan State University (Bachelor of Music Education, 2005) and Saginaw Valley State University (Master of Arts, Instructional Technology, 2012). He is currently pursuing a Master of Music Theory from Wayne State University, where he is a recipient of the Evangeline L. Dumesnil Scholarship from the Department of Music. While a student at Michigan State, he was a member of the Spartan Marching Band, Wind Symphony, Symphony Orchestra, Spartan Brass, Percussion Ensemble, State Singers, and the award-winning Competition Drumline, studying under and performing for John Whitwell, John T. Madden, Dr. Jonathan Weber, Dr. Alison Shaw, and maestro Leon Gregorian.

Montana Crawford is a dedicated educator, lifelong musician, and former NCAA Division I athlete who brings a unique blend of discipline, artistry, and passion to her role as Orchestra Director for Grosse Pointe Public Schools. Her musical journey began at the age of three at the Suzuki String School of Guelph, Ontario, laying the foundation for a career devoted to inspiring students to develop both their technical skills and a lifelong love of music.

Montana earned a dual Bachelor’s degree in Music Education and Violin Performance from the University of Iowa, where she also competed as a member of the Big Ten Women’s Tennis Team, balancing rigorous academic and athletic commitments. She is currently completing her Master’s in Music Education at the University of Michigan through its summers-only program and holds K–12 Music certifications in Michigan and Iowa, as well as an Instrumental and Choral certification in Ontario.
Before joining Grosse Pointe, Montana led successful orchestra programs in both Monroe, Michigan, and Pella, Iowa, building strong student recruitment, increasing orchestra participation, and guiding numerous students to the All-State Music Festival. She is an active performer with the Ypsilanti Community Symphony Orchestra and the Go 4 Baroque String Quartet and has further honed her craft through professional development opportunities such as the South Carolina Conductors Institute.

Montana is committed to creating an engaging, inclusive, and high-achieving orchestra program where students of all levels feel inspired to grow as musicians and individuals. She is thrilled to be on staff at Grosse Pointe Public Schools and looks forward to getting to know everyone!