A new year is starting at Kitauji Kyoto Prefectural High School, and that means clubs are clamoring to recruit new members. The concert band welcomes newcomers and sets their goals for the season. Will they choose to fight for gold at Nationals?

Taki decides to let the band executives choose their competition piece this year. The leadership deliberates on this decision while trying to get the rest of the band ready to perform at the Sunrise Festival.

The concert band begins taking itself very seriously to give itself the best chance possible of winning gold at Nationals. Unfortunately, the intense environment has some of the new recruits discouraged and intimidated.

The day of the Sunrise Festival finally arrives, and it's time for the concert band to have their first performance of the year. Proximity to other schools and bands brings some of Motomu's family issues to light.

Members of the concert band are given a brief, three-day summer break that quickly fills with plans of all sorts. Some of the third-years attend an event to gather information on different colleges and plan their futures.

The three-day summer camp has begun, and members of the concert band are faced with a rigorous training regimen. Mayu hesitates to audition yet again, afraid that she'll take the soli part from Kumiko. Motomu speaks to Midori in private.

The Kansai competition is right around the corner, and the band's dissent about Taki-sensei's decisions only continues to grow. Kumiko goes to speak with him, and she has to decide whether to speak her mind.

The concert band receives its Kansai competition results. Reina and Kumiko see Yoroizuka perform with some of their senpais. However, Kumiko and Reina's relationship becomes precarious as she continues to insist she won't go to music school.