Concord Bands

The Concord Public School Band Program consists of bands in grades 4-8 in the Concord, Massachusetts public schools and continues with the Concord-Carlisle High School Band Program at Concord Carlisle Regional High School. Band is available to students in the town’s three elementary schools as well as at the middle school and is divided into fourth grade, fifth grade, sixth grade and a combined seventh and eighth grade band. Jazz Ensembles and other groups are also available at the middle school level.

The bands have been under the direction of Christopher Noce and Paul Halpainy since the beginning of the 2013 school year. Under their leadership, the bands in Concord Public Schools have earned recognition at the local and state level and performed at the Berklee Performance Center and Boston’s Symphony Hall.

The band program has made several strides in equipment and technology thanks to generous funding from both the Concord Middle School PTG and the Concord Education Fund. Most notably, the band program was awarded a Concord Education Fund grant to commission two new works to be composed by Tyler S. Grant. These new works were premiered in Spring 2016 in the Concord-Carlisle High School Auditorium. You can read about the premier here.

The Concord Public School Band Program consists of bands at Concord Middle School and all three elementary schools: Alcott, Thoreau and Willard. Students may participate in curricular bands starting in the fourth grade. At the middle school, honors ensembles are offered to all students.

For information on the other music offerings at Concord Middle School, click here.

Band is available to all students in Concord once they enter the fourth grade. Registration takes place at the end of the year each year (for example, to participate in band in fourth grade, students register at the end of third grade). Registration is available here.

Band begins with a focus on fundamentals and ensemble skills. In their second year, students build upon this foundation and may even branch out to other instruments in their family. At the middle school students have the opportunity to audition for select groups and perform a variety of musical styles and at CCHS the possibilities continue to grow.

More information on our ensembles, including rehearsal schedules, can be found in the Handbook.

Mr. Christopher Noce

Christopher Noce has taught bands in Concord, Massachusetts since 2013. Under his direction, the Concord Bands have received numerous accolades from the Massachusetts Instrumental and Choral Conductors’ Association (MICCA), Massachusetts Association for Jazz Education (MAJE) and the Massachusetts Music Educators Association (MMEA). His ensembles have commissioned new works for concert band and performed on some of the region’s most iconic stages. The culture and community built within and around the Concord Bands is a major point of focus and pride for the program.

Christopher holds a Bachelor’s of Music in Music Education from Berklee College of Music (Boston, MA) and a Master’s of Music in Music Education from Boston University. He is an active member of the National Association for Music Educators (NAfME) and the MMEA, where he has served in several leadership-level positions including Eastern District Chairperson and All-State Concert Coordinator. Christopher maintains an active musical life both on and off the podium as a clinician, conductor, performer and teacher.

Christopher lives in Worcester, Massachusetts with his wife Emma, daughter Margot and son Reuben, where they enjoy all that the metropolis’s second-city status has to offer a young family.

Mr. Paul Halpainy

Mr. Halpainy has been with the Concord Public Schools since 2013. Paul holds a Bachelor’s of Music in Music Education from Berklee College of Music (Boston, MA) and a Master’s of Music in Music Education from Boston University.

Prior to teaching in Concord, Paul taught Instrumental Music in the Mattapoisett School District and General Music in the Chelsea Public Schools. Paul is an active performer and plays trombone with several local bands.

Paul is a member of the Massachusetts Instrumental and Choral Conductors Association (MICCA), the National Association for Music Educators (NAfME) and the Massachusetts Music Educators Association (MMEA).

As an active member of MMEA, Paul has served the Eastern District as Junior Festival Jazz Ensemble Manager (2016) and Assistant Manager (2015). He is currently serving as Junior Festival Manager. On the statewide level, Paul has served as the All-State Concert Chair (2018) and Assistant Concert Chair (2017)

Both directors’ ensembles have received accolades from the Massachusetts Instrumental and Choral Conductors Association (MICCA) and Massachusetts Association for Jazz Education, in addition to other state and local festivals.