Which MCPS school has best symphonic and marching band program?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Op here. Thanks for the honesty! What about strong symphonic band? Do any of the MCPS high schools seem to have a stronger program than another?

Einstein has a great symphonic band in addition to the string and wind ensembles. And—as the music director loves to remind everyone!—AEHS is the only high school in MCPS with two curricular jazz ensembles (the main Jazz Ensemble, and a Jazz Lab for students who are proficient on their instruments but have little to no exposure to playing jazz).

They also have a bunch of extracurricular music opportunities like marching band, pep band, drum line, a small jazz combo, pit orchestra for the spring musical.

The music director is always up for supporting pretty much anything the kids want to put together. In fact, the he was the MCPS Teacher of the Year last year. His energy and enthusiasm are unparalleled. And there's a very active parent group that supports all the performing arts at Einstein.

Most kids at Einstein don't have endless financial and family resources for their individual outside lessons and other opportunities, so you won't necessarily see as many students on the All-County and All-State band lists. But the music program itself does amazing things with the resources at hand.

I heard the Einstein marching band play in a parade once. They were not good.

Yeah, it's just an after-school thing that happens for a couple of months. It's tough to find time to rehearse with everything else going on.

Thats not the issue. Many are not experienced players and doing the best they can. You need a lot of skill on instruments to do the moves with playing.

[Anonymous]

Blake has a pretty good music program. Marching band is offered as a class during fall semester. Kids who don’t want to do marching band can do symphonic band instead. In the second semester there are two different levels of band offered. There’s also jazz ensemble, as well as different orchestra levels.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Blake has a pretty good music program. Marching band is offered as a class during fall semester. Kids who don’t want to do marching band can do symphonic band instead. In the second semester there are two different levels of band offered. There’s also jazz ensemble, as well as different orchestra levels.

Nice. That a great idea to make it a class.

[Anonymous]

B-CC has a fantastic music program but no marching band...just a sad pep band that plays at home football games. But they have 3 levels of bands, multiple orchestras, including the Philharmonic which includes woodwinds. There are 3 instrumental music teachers and the department goes on annual trips (last three were Nashville, Boston, and NYC). This year they head to Chicago.

[Anonymous]

WJ music is awesome. Four wonderful teachers. 2 orchestras, 3 bands, 4 choirs, and jazz band as ensemble classes. Pep band, pit orchestra, WJ stage, and acapella groups as activities. Lots of opportunities for musicians with all levels of experience.
Trip once per high school.
I am sure all the high schools have great programs, our kids go to WJ so that is what we are familiar with. Good luck!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:WJ music is awesome. Four wonderful teachers. 2 orchestras, 3 bands, 4 choirs, and jazz band as ensemble classes. Pep band, pit orchestra, WJ stage, and acapella groups as activities. Lots of opportunities for musicians with all levels of experience.
Trip once per high school.
I am sure all the high schools have great programs, our kids go to WJ so that is what we are familiar with. Good luck!

Former marching band kid here, and I knew that my kids’ school experiences would be different than I had at my public school in a southern state that glorifies football. I was really pleased with the musical opportunities my recent grads had at WJ.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:We are looking for an MCPS high school with a strong symphonic and marching band. I am disappointed with DCPS. Our MS (Deal) only offers band as an extra curricular. I attended Quince Orchard in the late 90's, which had a stellar music program. Which MCPS High Schools should I look at today?

The HS I’ve seen compete with Marching Bands are:

Wootten
Clarksburg
Blair
QO
Magruder
Rockville

Add Churchill to this list. Their conductor is the MCYO Phil conductor.

Mr. Sanz is amazing!

[Anonymous]

Richard Montgomery is what you are looking for. They have a strong music program including symphonic band and marching band

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:We are looking for an MCPS high school with a strong symphonic and marching band. I am disappointed with DCPS. Our MS (Deal) only offers band as an extra curricular. I attended Quince Orchard in the late 90's, which had a stellar music program. Which MCPS High Schools should I look at today?

The HS I’ve seen compete with Marching Bands are:

Wootten
Clarksburg
Blair
QO
Magruder
Rockville

Rockville HS does have marching band, but it’s not a strong program with the new director. Maybe in a few years.

[Anonymous]

Wootton has the 2nd best marching band in the state. Wootton and Clarksburg are the only 2 schools that compete in the upper level competitive divisions.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Op here. Thanks for the honesty! What about strong symphonic band? Do any of the MCPS high schools seem to have a stronger program than another?

Einstein has a great symphonic band in addition to the string and wind ensembles. And—as the music director loves to remind everyone!—AEHS is the only high school in MCPS with two curricular jazz ensembles (the main Jazz Ensemble, and a Jazz Lab for students who are proficient on their instruments but have little to no exposure to playing jazz).

They also have a bunch of extracurricular music opportunities like marching band, pep band, drum line, a small jazz combo, pit orchestra for the spring musical.

The music director is always up for supporting pretty much anything the kids want to put together. In fact, the he was the MCPS Teacher of the Year last year. His energy and enthusiasm are unparalleled. And there's a very active parent group that supports all the performing arts at Einstein.

Most kids at Einstein don't have endless financial and family resources for their individual outside lessons and other opportunities, so you won't necessarily see as many students on the All-County and All-State band lists. But the music program itself does amazing things with the resources at hand.

I heard the Einstein marching band play in a parade once. They were not good.

What parade was that? Einstein marching band is terrific, particularly the field show at football games.

[Anonymous]

Richard Montgomery is what you are looking for. They have a strong music program including symphonic band and marching band

Nope. RM's marching band is not great. They barely practice! 2, maybe 3 days afternoons of practice before school starts. Then practice is 1x a week on weeks when the football team plays at home. Band does not travel to away games and does not attend any competitions. My kid who loves marching band and does marching band at both Towson and JMU each summer is frustrated.

Symphonic band is OK but Dr. Perry really only cares about the jazz band.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:B-CC has a fantastic music program but no marching band...just a sad pep band that plays at home football games. But they have 3 levels of bands, multiple orchestras, including the Philharmonic which includes woodwinds. There are 3 instrumental music teachers and the department goes on annual trips (last three were Nashville, Boston, and NYC). This year they head to Chicago.

We are at a BCC feeder school. Do they let 9th graders take more advanced band classes by audition? TIA!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Richard Montgomery is what you are looking for. They have a strong music program including symphonic band and marching band

Nope. RM's marching band is not great. They barely practice! 2, maybe 3 days afternoons of practice before school starts. Then practice is 1x a week on weeks when the football team plays at home. Band does not travel to away games and does not attend any competitions. My kid who loves marching band and does marching band at both Towson and JMU each summer is frustrated.

Symphonic band is OK but Dr. Perry really only cares about the jazz band.

That's pretty nromal with most of them. Towson has a great marching band and their camp is wonderful.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:B-CC has a fantastic music program but no marching band...just a sad pep band that plays at home football games. But they have 3 levels of bands, multiple orchestras, including the Philharmonic which includes woodwinds. There are 3 instrumental music teachers and the department goes on annual trips (last three were Nashville, Boston, and NYC). This year they head to Chicago.

We are at a BCC feeder school. Do they let 9th graders take more advanced band classes by audition? TIA!

There have been 9th graders in Jazz Band, but that audition is in January, so if that's what you are interested in, you'd want to reach out about it quickly. It's pretty competitive and depends on number of openings each year for each particular instrument. Your MS music/band teachers should have info on that, as well as process for registering for other bands and when any broader auditioning happens. If for some reason they don't have that info, find the contact info for BCC's Music Dept on the school website. It really is a terrific department.