Music

Every 4th and 5th grade student in Washington County is bused to the Maryland Theater to see the Maryland Symphony perform with pre and post materials.

Small Maryland Symphony Orchestra ensembles visiting elementary and middle schools while master classes held for high school programs.

Pre Kindergarten and Kindergarten students are bussed to Hagerstown Community College and other county school sites to take part in a performance by one of the Maryland Symphony Ensembles.

The group not only performs for the students, but answers questions, demonstrates different sounds and creates an informance where children can participate.

Concerts feature half-hour programs designed to entertain and excite very young listeners with short musical selections and introductions to the instruments.

Showcase of Bands was started in 1977 to showcase the area's high school marching bands on the field in a non-competitive environment.
 

• The showcase is hosted by a different high school band each year and is typically held in October.
• Each band performs its half time show and all of the bands combine on the field at the end for a mass band experience.

The All-County Chorus program is designed to give county vocalists the opportunity to participate in an advanced large ensemble under the direction of a Guest Conductor.
 

• This event is usually scheduled in the fall prior to the Thanksgiving break. 
• Music is selected by the directors and the Guest Conductors. The Guest Conductor conducts the final rehearsals and concert.

The All-County Orchestra program is designed to give county instrumentalist the opportunity to participate in an advanced large ensemble under the direction of a Guest Conductor.
 

• Music is selected by the directors and the Guest Conductors. The Guest Conductor conducts the final rehearsals and concert.

The All-County Band program is designed to give county instrumentalist the opportunity to participate in an advanced large ensemble under the direction of a Guest Conductor.

• Music is selected by the directors and the Guest Conductors. The Guest Conductor conducts the final rehearsals and concert.

The Washington County Large Ensemble Festival encourages full band performances. These ensembles can range in size depending on the school. Ensembles prepare two selections for adjudication and one warm up selection. Three adjudicators will judge the concert portion while a fourth adjudicator judges a sight-reading activity. If an ensemble receives a rating of "superior" the group will be invited to participate in the State Large Ensemble Festival.

The main focus of this festival is to provide a learning environment for the ensembles and teachers. From this experience each group can learn techniques to improve and enhance their performance. The ensembles will also have a chance to hear other ensembles perform.
 

• Orchestra Large Ensemble Festival
• Band Large Ensemble Festival
• Choral Large Ensemble Festival
• Middle School Band Festival 
• Middle School Orchestra Festival
• Middle School Chorus Festival

Washington County Jazz Band Festival, formerly known as Swingin in the Park, started in 1998 to showcase the county's middle and high school jazz bands.

The Festival is a non-competitive showcase, is free to the public, and concludes with the All-County Jazz Band performance.

The All-County Jazz band is made up of the areas' top high school jazz musicians.

The Washington County Solo and Ensemble Festival is an opportunity for individual students (solo) or groups of students (ensembles) to perform a selection of their choice from the approved state lists for adjudication. The county festival includes performers on band or orchestra instruments, voice, or piano.

Student performers are evaluated by one judge and rated on an adjudication form in a variety of performance areas including tone, technique and musicality. The highest rating a student can earn in this experience is a rating of I (superior) and those students earning a I (superior) or II (excellent) rating my purchase medals after the performance.

This event is held every year between January and March in Washington County and those students who earn a superior (I) rating on music of grade level 2 or higher are eligible to participate at the state solo and ensemble festivals (voice or band and orchestra instrument only – there is no piano festival at the state level) which are held in early May each year.