The top bands from elementary, middle and high schools across Fairfax County will join together on Thursday evening for their annual pyramid concert. The concert allows participants to demonstrate their abilities and reflect on the progress they have made throughout the year.

“It’s great for recruiting [and] building enthusiasm for the younger kids,” band director Chris Weise said. “The retention of students staying in band from elementary to middle and middle to high school is stronger when something like this happens.”

More than 20 high school band students volunteer to assist elementary school students every week. Their cumulative efforts will be on full display at the concert tomorrow evening.

“I started in area band in sixth [grade in] elementary school,” senior clarinetist Kaitlin McWilliams said. “I had an absolute blast, and then I was able to come back last year and do area band again, sit with the elementary schoolers and play the same exact pieces.”

Involvement in the area band program inspired elementary and high schoolers alike, boosting membership across all FCPS schools.

“I really am interested in music education,” McWilliams said. “Seeing the concert and helping people there was a big factor in my decision to make band more of a commitment.”

By forging connections across grade levels, the area band program fuels students’ passion for their instruments.

“As a little kid, I would always really love seeing the high schoolers play and seeing what I could get to if I continued with my instrument. That really motivated me,” McWilliams said. “Now, looking back in my senior year of high school, I think about [how] this is where I started.”