Hazleton Area School District

The Hazleton Area High School Marching Cougar Band consists of students from grades 8-12 who perform outdoors and indoors throughout the school year in parades, competitions, community and holiday celebrations, and public concerts. The Marching Cougars travel each year as ambassadors of the Hazleton Area School District to perform in such places as Niagra Falls, Chicago, Nashville, and Boston, to name a few. They have, in recent years, performed in the Electric Light Parade in Walt Disney World's Magic Kingdom, the Rock N’ Roll Hall of Fame in Cleveland, OH, and in the National Memorial Day Parade in Washington DC. The members work hard on everything from marching skills, instrument technique, color guard technique, social skills, and team work.  

The group has earned many awards in Jazz Competitions, Tournament of Bands Region 2 (Formerly Chapter 7), was the Cavalcade of Bands first place champion band in the American A class in 2022, was the featured guest Concert Band at Marywood University in 2013 and 2017, and in 2023 was invited to Harrisburg to play at the Inauguration Ceremony for Governor Joshua Shapiro. Many students have also been recognized and accepted to perform by the Pennsylvania Music Educators Association, the National Association of Music Educators, and the Pennsylvania Lions Club All-State Marching Band. Members have participated in the Marywood Wind Band Celebration, Susquehanna University Honors Band, Luzerne County Band, PMEA District 9, Region 4, All-State, and NAfME All-Eastern and All-National band, jazz band, and orchestra levels. Students are also extremely active in the numerous community bands throughout the Hazleton Area and Northeastern Pennsylvania.

The Hazleton Area Band Boosters are comprised of parents who volunteer in support of all the student’s activities. Their help, alongside the HASD, helps to provide the students with the resources needed for yearly success and achievement. The Boosters operate the concession stands at Harman-Geist Stadium during Varsity Football Games. 

The group is under the direction of Mary Lichtenwalner and Jude Stefánik. 

The HAHS Cougar Concert Band and HAHS Wind Ensemble consist of students 9-12 from the Band and Instrumental Studio Classes combined for indoor concert performances. Concerts are usually held every December, March, and May in the HAHS Auditorium. The group also performs at the annual HAHS Graduation Ceremony. Students are exposed to diverse, multicultural music, traditional marches, and band literature. The goal is to challenge all students to improve their musical and technical playing abilities and to ultimately present these skills in a public performance setting. Symphonic Band and Wind Ensemble are under the direction of Mary Lichtenwalner. 

The HAHS Jazz Ensemble consists of students 9-12 who must audition to join the group. The ensemble performs for various community celebrations and organizations and school concerts. The students meet each week after school for rehearsal from October until the end of the year. The jazz ensemble also travels to festivals to be judged on their performance and meet with student musicians from other schools. The group is composed of four sections: saxophones, trumpets, trombones, and rhythm (piano, guitar, bass guitar, drums, auxiliary percussion). Our goal is to provide exposure to various jazz styles, encourage self-expression through improvisation, and enjoy the benefits of public performance. The jazz ensemble is under the direction of Mary Lichtenwalner. 

The Hazleton Area Indoor Performance Ensembles (HAIPE) consists of students in grades 8-12 who wish to continue their marching technique after the outdoor marching band season has ended. HAIPE allows our students to perform and compete in Indoor Color Guard, Indoor Winds, and Indoor Percussion through Tournament Indoor Association's circuit. Students will meet twice per week per group after school to hone their skills in marching, dance, flag, rifle, and instrument skills and attend competitions on various Saturdays throughout the season. HAIPE begins rehearsals in late November and the Atlantic Coast Championships is held in early May at the Wildwood Convention Center in Wildwood, NJ. HAIPE's groups are under the direction of Mary Lichtenwalner and Felicity Deemer.