- Sunset Ridge School
- Welcome to Band!

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Welcome to band at Sunset Ridge School! At Sunset Ridge, we have 4 bands: 5th Grade Beginning Band, 6th Grade Advanced Band, and two middle school groups. Each group rehearses separately. Junior High Concert Band and Symphonic Band groups meet daily, while 5th and 6th grade groups meet as small ensembles pulled out during the school day. 4th grade students come to music as a band focus. Each 4th grader will get to experience flute, clarinet, trumpet, trombone, snare drum, xylophone, and vocal studies. Each quarter will introduce a different focus before culminating in a band rental night for students to gear up for 5th grade beginning band!Join the Band!
Sunset Ridge Band Accolades
The Sunset Ridge band students have achieved the following accolades since Dr. Kunz came to Sunset Ridge in 2013:
2013-2014
Superior - DVUSD Spring Band Assessment (pilot year)
Superior with Distinction - AMEA Pageant of Bands (7th and 8th combined)
All-State - 2 8th graders accepted
DVUSD Honor Band -
Acceptance into Disneyland Recording Studio Workshop (May 2014)
2014-2015
Excellent - DVUSD Fall Band Assessment
Excellent - DVUSD Spring Band Assessment
Excellent - AMEA Pageant of Bands (6th grade)
All-State Band - 2 8th graders, 2 7th graders, 3 6th graders accepted
DVUSD Honor Band - approximately 15 total students accepted
2015-2016
Excellent - DVUSD Fall Band Assessment
Superior with Distinction - DVUSD Spring Band Assessment
Superior with Distinction - AMEA Pageant of Bands (grades 6 and 7 combined)
Acceptance to Disneyland Studio Recording Workshop (February 2016)
All-State Band - 1 8th grader, 2 7th graders, 3 6th graders accepted
DVUSD Honor Band - approximately 17 total students accepted
2016-2017
Superior with Distinction - DVUSD Fall Band Assessment
Superior with Distinction - DVUSD Spring Band Assessment
All-State Band - 3 8th graders, 2 7th graders, 3 6th graders accepted
DVUSD Honor Band - 20+ Sunset Ridge students accepted
Consistency Award - given to director(s) and bands with two Superior with Distinctions in one school year at DVUSD assessment performances. Results in director being a clinician at the following DVUSD performance assessments (for next school year).
Albertson's Education Grant - awarded $5000 from Albertson's (October 2016)
Teacher of the Year Nomination - Dr. Kunz nominated for DVUSD Teacher of the Year
2017-2018
Consistency Award - first band awarded this honor. As such, students were exempt from festival performances.
DVUSD Honor Band - 20+ students in grades 6-8 accepted
All-State Band - 2 8th graders, 3 7th graders, 4 6th graders accepted
Teacher of the Year Nomination - Dr. Kunz nominated for DVUSD Teacher of the Year
Acceptance into Disneyland Studio Recording Workshop (May 2018)
2018-2019
DVUSD Honor Band - 6 6th graders selected; 9 7th/8th graders selected
All-State Band - 4 6th graders selected; 4 7th graders auditioned in; 1 8th grader auditioned in
DVUSD Fall Assessment - Students awarded Excellent rating
6th Grade All-State Band Clincian - Dr. Caryn Kunz awarded clincian status for 6th grade All-State Band. This is voted on by directors from across the state of Arizona!
Pageant of Bands - combined 6th and Concert Band awarded Gold rating
DVUSD Spring Assessment - Students awarded Excellent rating
2019-2020
DVUSD Honor Band - 5 6th graders selected; 10 7th/8th graders selected
All-State Band - 2 6th graders selected; 2 8th graders auditioned in
DUVSD Fall Assessment - Students awarded Excellent rating
Acceptance and participation in Disneyland Studio Recording Workshop (February 2020)
2020-2021
Due to Covid-19, all events were shelved. There were no assessments, concerts, Honor Band, etc... looking forward to adding these events back in for the 2021-2022 school year.
2021-2022
DVUSD Fall Performance Assessment - Superior rating
DVUSD Honor Band - 18 total participants - (4 6th grade; 14 Middle School) -- Dr. Kunz served as DVUSD Honor Band Coordinator/Chairperson
All-State Band - 6 participants -- 7th and 8th grade auditioned for acceptance! (2 6th grade; 1 7th grade; 3 8th grade)
DVUSD Spring Performance Assessment - Superior with Distinction rating
2022-2023
ADE Grant - Sunset Ridge awarded a grant through Arizona Department of Education. With this, 4th grade students got 12 Nuvo Toots and the Windstar Teacher Curriculum guide. This has put a more approachable flute into the hands of all 4th grade students.
DVUSD Fall Performance Assessment - Superior with Distinction rating
DVUSD Honor Band - 18 total participants (9 6th grade; 9 middle school) -- Dr. Kunz serves as DVUSD Honor Band Team Lead.
All-State Band - 6 participants accepted (5 6th grade and 1 7th grade).
ABODA Area Festival -- Superior with Distinction rating
ABODA STATE Festival -- Superior with Distinction rating
Consistency Award - given to director(s) and bands with two Superior with Distinctions in one school year at DVUSD assessment performances. Results in director being a clinician at the following DVUSD performance assessments (for next school year).
Teacher of the Year Nomination - Dr. Kunz nominated for DVUSD Teacher of the Year
2023-2024
September 2023 -- Band recognized at DVUSD Governing Board Meeting for ABODA State Superior with Distinction rating from May 2023.
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Band Curriculums listed below:
























































