Kitauji High School Concert Band

Kitauji High School Concert Band (北宇治高校吹奏楽部), is the group of focus within the novel Sound! Euphonium and its adaptations. It is based in Kitauji High School.

Although the name of the ensemble is officially the Concert Band, other names to refer to a concert band include wind band, wind ensemble, symphonic band, wind symphony, wind orchestra, or simply, band.

Structure
The band president is Haruka Ogasawara, with Asuka Tanaka as vice president, and Kaori Nakaseko as the band accountant. All issues facing the band are discussed and decided in a section leaders meeting, attended by the leaders of each instrument section of the ensemble, as demonstrated in the opening of episode 4. The nine sections and its leaders are listed in score order:
 * Flute and Piccolo Section: Kotoko Himegami
 * Oboe and Bassoon (Double Reed) Section: Raina Kitamura
 * Clarinet Section: Hirone Torizuka
 * Saxophone Section: Haruka Ogasawara
 * Trumpet Section: Kaori Nakaseko
 * Horn Section: Juri Sawada
 * Trombone Section: Hideri Noguchi
 * Bass Section: Asuka Tanaka
 * Percussion Section: Narai Tanabe

Some band members hold smaller positions which are assigned to them. These jobs include:
 * Instrument Manager: Reina Kousaka
 * Librarian: Yoriko Souga
 * Photographer: Shouko Hagiwara
 * Alumni Coordinator: Tsune Watanabe

All first-year students also have the task of preparing the classrooms for practice.

In Our Promise, the band president is Yuuko Yoshikawa, with Natsuki Nakagawa as the vice president, and Nozomi Kasaki as the band accountant. The section leaders are as follows:
 * Flute and Piccolo Section: Shirabe Inoue
 * Oboe and Bassoon (Double Reed) Section: Mizore Yoroizuka
 * Clarinet Section: Rie Shima
 * Saxophone Section: Sumiko Hirao
 * Trumpet Section: Yuuko Yoshikawa
 * Horn Section: Miru Kishibe
 * Trombone Section: Keina Iwata
 * Bass Section: Takuya Gotou
 * Percussion Section: Miyoko Oono

Additionally, Kumiko Oumae and Tomoe Kabe are in charge of training new members of the ensemble.

History and Schism
Kitauji's Concert Band was once an extremely competitive ensemble, and, under the dual leadership of Tooru Taki and Reina Kousaka's father, was a regular finalist and frequent gold-medal winner in the final national stage of the All-Japan Band Competition. However, after Taki and Kousaka left the ensemble, it fell from glory and did not see a claim to nationals again, until the arrival of Noboru Taki.

Before Taki Jr.'s revival, the ensemble was under the direction of Rikako-sensei, whom encouraged a lax culture within the ensemble. Her philosophy of valuing enjoyment over achievement, shared by many of the seniors, was met with fierce opposition from a group of first-years spearheaded by Nozomi Kasaki. This led to a major schism within the ensemble, during which the majority of the first-years left the ensemble. According to the anime, the party of first years was joined by many other talented students, leading to nearly half the band deserting by the end of the year.

In the year after the schism, the Kitauji Concert Band was left with a severe shortage of second-years and an extremely harmful decrease in overall quality, as the many of students who quit were the best and brightest musicians in the ensemble.

Competitions
Prior to coming under new direction, the Kitauji concert band had performed in high school band competitions and exhibitions with other schools. Such events include Sunrise Festival (SunFes) and the prefectural competition - a possible gateway to the national competition, with other schools from around Japan. Similar high school band competitions exist in other countries, such as the United States, though the rules applying may vary.

In Japan, competitions are typically conducted with the adjudicators selecting a set piece for all competing bands to play. They are then judged on how well that they can perform the piece, according to rhythm, dynamics, etc.

In ''Hibike! Euphonium'', bands can place in the top 3 categories of gold, silver, or bronze. Gold placing bands are eligible for advancement to the nationals, but this is not guaranteed. Judges select bands from those that placed gold to advance to nationals, and therefore, not every band that placed gold may make it to finals. Such placement is called a "dud gold," as was the case with Kumiko's junior high competition experience.

Sectionals
Like most bands, the Kitauji concert band rehearses sometimes in "sectionals". This term refers to a rehearsal in which each instrument section rehearses apart from each other, as opposed to a full ensemble rehearsal. It allows for in-depth focus on parts specific to that instrument group that cannot always be addressed in a full ensemble rehearsal, and creates a greater sense of unity within sections.

Larger sections such as the clarinet section will rehearse on their own, whereas smaller sub-sections such as euphoniums and tubas will rehearse together as one section.

Instruments
Despite being referred to by some as a "brass band," Kitauji High School's band is in fact a full wind ensemble, consisting of both brass and woodwind instruments, along with percussion and contrabass. Listed in score order is the band's current instrumentation:

Woodwinds

 * Flute and Piccolo
 * Oboe
 * Bassoon and Contrabassoon
 * B♭ Clarinet, E-flat Clarinet, and Bass Clarinet
 * Saxophone (Soprano, Alto, Tenor, Baritone)

Brass

 * Trumpet
 * Horn in F
 * Trombone
 * Euphonium
 * Tuba

Percussion

 * Mallets
 * Xylophone
 * Glockenspiel
 * Marimba
 * Timpani
 * Snare Drum
 * Cymbals
 * Bass Drum
 * Tubular Bells
 * Auxiliary Percussion

String

 * Harp
 * Double Bass/Bass Guitar