Any MoCo schools have great music and performing arts programs?

[Anonymous]

Please chime in if yours is/was great.

Thinking chorus, band, orchestra, theater (drama class and plays), etc.

Are there any schools that allow kids to perform in theater or choruses before 4th grade?

[Anonymous]

Our only experience was Richard Montgomery for orchestra and theater and it was outstanding from 2021-2024.

[Anonymous]

Silver Creek’s instrumental music program is fantastic.

[Anonymous]

Loiederman MS has strong drama, dance, film, visual arts and instrumental/choral programs! But like Silver Creek this is also MS. Have not heard of these programs before 4th or in some cases before 6th grade at MCPS.

[Anonymous]

Do it privately.

[Anonymous]

Blake HS

[Anonymous]

DCPS schools have performing arts as a special in elementary school, but unfortunately, MCPS schools do not. All middle schools should be offering theatre and dance, but again, you have to find the schools that do. Einstein HS has an amazing dance program.

[Anonymous]

WJ music and stage are outstanding

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:DCPS schools have performing arts as a special in elementary school, but unfortunately, MCPS schools do not. All middle schools should be offering theatre and dance, but again, you have to find the schools that do. Einstein HS has an amazing dance program.

Varies by DCPS. Ours most certainly did not.

[Anonymous]

Sherwood theatre and music is very, very strong. When the school isn’t flooded.

[Anonymous]

It varies by school and it depends on who is running a particular event. For example, two schools I'm aware of have stage musicals run by teachers rather than the music department, and in those cases I help support them with equipment. So it's largely dependent on the school, the staff, and more.

[Anonymous]

Other schools I've worked at or volunteered at simply don't have anyone on staff with the time or energy to host a stage musical. So they don't have tradition or experience to pull it off. (Or even sometimes the space or equipment.)

[Anonymous]

We don’t go there, but I have heard the BCC high school chorus and they are great, very professional sounding.

[Anonymous]

Downcounty, Sargent Shriver ES has been pulling off miracles with their stage musicals, I think it's open to fourth- and fifth-grade students.

[Anonymous]

Sherwood ES has 2 choruses that meet before school. One is audition only and they go to adjurations annually at Hershey Park. This is for 4th and 5th grade. Nobody has chorus before 4th and every school is different about whether it’s during school day or not and if it’s required for all or just interested kids.

You’ll also find that not every MS has a chorus. This then affects HS chorus enrollment