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Families and students packed McLean High School’s auditorium Thursday night as musicians from elementary through high school demonstrated their growing skills at the annual Pyramid Concert.

The elementary honors band, Longfellow Middle School’s symphonic band and McLean High’s symphonic band each performed separately, giving the audience a chance to hear the progression across grade levels.

“They just get better and better as the years go on,” sophomore Samuel Zimmerman said. “They become more and more skilled.”

McLean’s symphonic band closed the concert with three works: Hector Berlioz’s “The Damnation of Faust,” Andreas Makris’ “Aegean Festival Overture” and Omar Thomas’ “Of Our New Day Begun.”

The final piece, written to honor the victims of the 2015 Charleston church shooting, earned a standing ovation.

“It was their greatest performance so far this year and last year that I have seen,” Zimmerman said. “The symphonic band is really, really amazing.”

Led by band director Chris Weise, the high school musicians prepared for months during daily fourth-period classes and weekly two-hour rehearsals after school.

“All this time and preparation just comes into putting on a great concert,” clarinet player Edward Stacy said. “Mr. Weise is a great band teacher. He knows exactly what he’s going to do during rehearsals, and he really showcases our abilities.”

The concert also reflected connections between the program’s youngest and oldest performers. High school volunteers worked with the elementary honors band during Wednesday rehearsals, teaching instrument techniques and helping students prepare for the stage.

“They basically teach the elementary schoolers how to play the instrument,” symphonic band member Tarek Elbehiry said.

More performances are ahead for McLean’s bands. A district band assessment is scheduled for Friday and Saturday, followed in a month or two by a spring trip to Chicago, where the program plans to compete in a nationwide competition.

“It’ll be the biggest trip where we play in a nationwide competition,” Elbehiry said.